Mack Update - August 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The following information will bring you up to date about what's happening in our ministries and also give you some praise and prayer information. We just completed 11 days of what seemed to be non-stop, but blessed teaching in California. Much encouragement concerning the interest of the people in biblical teaching in the classes and conferences plus interest in what we're doing in RSA. We (TMC) had 1,800 people at the women's and men's conferences -- the book store sold well over $60,000 worth of books, which is a good sign that the people are readers. Jim Newheiser, Stuart Scott, John Street and myself were the speakers for the plenary sessions with the men. Next year Jay Adams is scheduled to be added to the stable of male speakers. We've outgrown the facilities at TMC and next year will hold all of the conferences in the auditorium at Grace Community Church to accommodate the people. GCC auditorium holds 3,500 people. So that gives room for growth.

I started here at Bible Church of Little Rock with an all-day conference August 2 on Marriage and Family Topics and will continue this course on week nights and other Saturdays, and then on Sunday I began teaching Truth for Life course part 2 in the Equipping hour for adults. I also have begun teaching the Intro course at Expositor's Seminary. Busy but encouraging opportunities.

Before we left South Africa for our summer ministry in the USA they made a DVD about GSM including testimonies from students who had competed the two-year course and information about the next courses. We have used it in several places (churches) since being in the USA. As a result we have had several people ask about how they could help with the much needed scholarship fund for students. The DVD has been very useful. We showed it at Providence church in Atlanta before I preached, and the result was that the church decided to provide the funds for the training of one pastor who pastors a church in a squatters camp. We have also shown the DVD in a morning service at BCLR in Little Rock and have had great interest from the people. We will probably show it a couple more times in other places. Another church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has already sent money to sponsor another pastor for training. The total cost per student averages about 30,000+ rand ($3,700) for the whole course. That!
30,000 rand would include tuition, books, transportation, lodging and food. A large portion of that amount would be for transportation from where they live and minister, and the rest would be for the food, tuition and books. Many of the students who work among very poor people simply can't afford that amount of money, and so we must raise scholarship funds for them if we want to train them for more effective and more biblical ministry in their churches and in using what they learn to train others in the areas where they live. (If you want more information about GSM, go to www.gracefellowship.co.za and click on the side bar that says GSM.)

Since being in the USA we have had several people talk to us about coming to South Africa to help in the work we're doing - a physician and his wife have expressed great interest in moving to South Africa. Both of them have completed our MABC program at TMC and would be a great asset in the ministry in that they have training and experience in biblical counseling and also in medical issues. Another man who was a Deputy Chief of a Fire department in the San Diego area (but is now retired) has expressed an interest in coming and helping us. He probably will come soon on an exploratory trip. He has talked to me about how he could help us in spreading the teaching of biblical counseling and reaching out to the non-white (40 million) and white (4 million) populations in RSA. He is in his late 40s and a part of the church that Jim Newheiser pastors in Escondido - Jim says he would be a terrific asset, godly and gifted. Another single student in his late 30s who has served in the !
military in Afghanistan is very interested in helping and wants to have a mentor so he can learn biblical counseling from a practical perspective. Another man who is a South African who is completing his studies at TMC and TMS has shown some interest in coming to work in South Africa after he finishes his studies. John and Janie Street and other people here who have worked with him are very high on his abilities and godliness. Carol spent a morning with his wife and was much encouraged by the time spent with her. Another young man who has previously spent some time with us in South Africa is coming for at least a year to join us (Josh and Marda, Carol and me, and Beth) in ministry to the black settlements in the Pretoria area. He will probably get involved in teaching pastors and others English so they can read the Bible and other biblically based material. Anyway, much to pray and praise about.

We are encouraged by the fact that we have students for our next two-year course of study from 10 different countries - South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Namibia, Nigeria, Germany, Swaziland and USA.

Blessings. SDG.

Wayne and Carol Mack
Romans 14:7-8