Mack Update - April 2009 - South Africa

Because many of you have indicated that you pray for us as we seek to reach people for Christ and build up Christians in Christ I want to send you a brief report of one of our recent ministry opportunities. On Tuesday of this week Carol and I returned from a two-week period of ministry in Zambia. We flew into Lusaka on Wednesday and were met at the airport by our dear friend Pastor Ronald Kalifungwa of the Lusaka Baptist Church. Ronald, one of our former students at Grace School of Ministry, along with several other pastors from another area of Zambia, had invited us to come to their country to conduct marriage seminars and preach in a couple churches.

Our ministry in Zambia actually began on Thursday evening when we had the privilege of preaching at the Lusaka Baptist mid week service and then on Friday evening we started to teach a marriage conference that went all day Saturday and finished in Lusaka on Sunday evening. The meetings had been well promoted and were all well attended by Lusaka Baptist Church members and also by many people and pastors from other churches in the area. We soon discovered that God has used the ministries and pastors of Lusaka Baptist Church to raise up numerous solid churches and pastors in other parts of the city and in more distant regions of Zambia.

From Lusaka we took an hour-l ong flight to Livingston where Elder Joseph who joins with Pastor Michael in overseeing the ministry of the Trinity Baptist Church met us. We soon met Pastor Michael who became our guide for a tour of the spectacular Victoria Falls (deeper and wider than Niagara Falls) and a local game park. On Wednesday evening we conducted a mini marriage conference at the church, which was attended by church members and people from another church in Livingston. Though Trinity Baptist is about an hour’s flight away from Lusaka we soon learned that it was one of the many churches that have a vital connection with the Lusaka churches and draw some of their support from the mission minded people there...Since they can’t borrow money, they build as they have the money for materials and labor. Right now they are at a stand still as they wait for money to pay for the rest of the project.

Having completed our ministry at Trinity Baptist we flew back to Lusaka where we spenta night with our hosts Meshack and Esther Daka and then on Friday we boarded a plane and flew to the copper belt area of Zambia to do a marriage conference for the churches in that region. The conference, sponsored by the Reformed Baptist churches and pastors, was held at a YMCA hotel in Kitwe. As was true of the Lusaka conference, this seminar was well promoted and prayed for and attended by the Christians in the copperbelt section of the country. I was told that there were pastors and people from more than fifteen churches that attended the meetings. On Sunday we were scheduled to speak in the morning and evening at Fairview Reformed Baptist Church, a church that was located about an hour’s drive from Kitwe where the main conference was held.

Well, that’s a brief review of our Zambia journey – wish you could have been with us – you would have enjoyed seeing the country (especially Victoria Falls), meeting the people and the adventure of swerving all over the road to miss the pot holes. We were told that we shouldn’t travel with someone who drove straight because if we did we’d end up in a huge pot hole and go nowhere. We enjoyed swerving and got our Zambian PHD = Pot Hole Dodger degree. Incidentally, we think we also escaped getting malaria in that the malaria mosquitoes pretty much left us alone! Thanks for praying.

Our Zambia trip was a busy and tremendously productive time. I close this epistle by giving you a few more highlights of our time in Zambia coupled with our limited and very subjective assessment of the state of the church in that country.

1. One of the primary highlights was the singing of the people in the services. We don’t know if we’ve ever heard people sing as well as these people did. Carol said that hearing the people sing would have made the whole trip worthwhile for us even if nothing else worthwhile had happened. When these people sing they sing from the depths of their bodies and souls. It was great – thrilling and uplifting – a foretaste of heaven!
2. Another highlight was the fact that while we were in Zambia, as Carol said, we did not feel very white. By that she meant that the people treated us as though we were one of them, which, of course we were. What she meant was that though we saw few white people the whole time we were there everyone treated us and accepted us as friends and more than that as kin. And to be kin in Zambia really means something. We were impressed with the devotion to family we saw in this country, at least among Christians. And, for us, there just didn’t seem to be the color or racial barriers that exist elsewhere.
3. A third factor that encouraged us while in Zambia was the fact that our GSM students were evidently doing a wonderful work in their churches. We got feedback from some of the people that the counseling and preaching of their pastors seemed to be more practical and relevant in recent days. One lady made a special point of coming to see us so that she could thank us for=2 0help she and her husband were getting from the counsel of their pastor. At least seven pastors or elders told me that they knew that they needed help in being better counselors and that they were going to make application for Grace School of Ministry. One of the pastors told me that the change he saw in the ministry of one of our students was what prompted him to want to enroll in the same course.
4. We were impressed by the theological and biblical soundness and competency of the pastors and elders. They are readers and students who have read and studied many of the right books as well as the right book (the Bible). In my limited judgment and exposure, God has blessed Zambia with some of the best preachers and preaching in all of Africa and beyond. SDG. Please pray that the Lord would cause them to continue to be humble and faithful to Him and His Word and thus be a light, not only to Zambia, but also to the rest of Africa and to the world.
5. The fact that some of the churches have bookstores that are stocked with solid, meaty, quality literature indicates that the people buy and read quality literature. When we put out samples of some of our books, the people were crowding around the table to look at them and then many of them would ask about the procedure for acquiring them. When we visited some of the homes, we noticed that the bookshelves contained books by writers that produced biblically sound material.
6. In my judgment, my preaching (delivery, not content) was somewhat deficient (all my fault), but the people were extremely attentive and responsive. God is gracious and, in spite of my deficiencies, we received much positive feedback about how the people were helped, convicted, encouraged and challenged. We had Q & A sessions at both major conferences where people asked more questions about applying the material than we could possible have time to answer in the amount of time we had. In addition to these public Q and A times, many people asked me good questions in private conversations indicating that they are a thinking people. By and large, many (perhaps most) of the Zambians have had a quality education in their schools and universities and also in their churches. In my opinion, there are more Biblically and theologically sound churches in certain areas of this country than are found in many other areas of the world that are similar in size. And they are planting other churches. Ther e are the usual cults and unbalanced and unbiblical groups operating in Zambia and leading people astray, but God has done and is doing something powerful and incredibly Christ honoring in Zambia. My prayer is that it would continue and increase and that our Lord would be pleased to do the same thing in South Africa and beyond.
7. Many of the Zambian Christians are concerned about growing in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and His Word. They want to be thoroughly biblical and also very practical and relevant in their ministries and they know that for that to occur they must study to show themselves approved unto God, workmen who do not need to be ashamed because they are properly handling the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Because of this concern, as I previously mentioned, some of them have already taken our two year modular course in biblical studies at Grace School of Ministry and others have assured me they will be applying for admission in the near future. (To complete this course they must travel to South Africa eight times in two years and do much reading and studying that can immediately benefit their ministries at home. The cost of the sixteen courses over the course of two years is about $300.The cost of books a nd transportation to and from Pretoria is more than the actual cost of the courses. We try to raise some scholarship money to assist them with the total cost of the program. Please pray for us and, if you can, help us in this endeavor. Sorry for the commercial, but since I was discussing Grace School of Ministry, I thought it was appropriate to provide this information.) And now back to the main point I was making about the concern that Zambian Christians have for increasing their ministerial knowledge and effectiveness. This concern has caused a group of men in the copperbelt region to meet regularly in Ndola to sharpen one another in ministerial knowledge and skill. And to further the implementation of this concern, Bruce Button, who has been involved in pastoral training in South Africa will be moving to Lusaka to head up a pastoral training school training school called Sovereign Grace Theological School.

And now as I really close, Carol and want to express our gratitude to you for reading this epistle and also for praying for us, for Grace School of Ministry and for the pastors and churches of South Africa, Zambia and other parts of Africa.

Mack Update - March 2009 - South Africa

Dear Partners in Christ,

For your encouragement I want to share some thoughts from a passage of Scripture and also portions of two letters we recently received from two of our GSM students. We are unworthy and extremely inadequate servants and we are truly humbled, astonished and grateful that we along with you have a small part in serving Him and His people. Please join with us in giving God the glory for what is shared in this newsletter and be encouraged to know that God is hearing your prayers and using your sacrificial support for the benefit of His people.

Encouraging thoughts from a passage of Scripture:
 
In the past few days I've been thinking about and blessed by I Peter 1:13 - Therefore, gird your minds for action; be sober in spirit; fix hope on the grace of God brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. What a great thought - our hope is not for the best life in this world. Our best hope is for the provisions of the grace of God, which will be ours when Jesus comes back. May God help us to set our minds on things above and not on the things of this world. I need that reminder constantly. Peter is writing to people who are suffering and aliens and encourages them to realize they have reason to be joyful in the midst of suffering because of the hope of the future grace of God to them in Christ Jesus when He returns. For us, the worst we'll ever have is now and the best is yet to come. We finished our last GSM course by going to heaven with the help of chapter 17 in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and what a wonderful prospect we saw lies before us.

Encouraging words from a GSM student who pastors in Zambia:

I am continually indebted to your church for the opportunity you have granted me to pursue the biblical counseling course. It is difficult to put in words the value I am drawing from this course. The first value is my own personal sanctification. A number of areas in my life are being changed. I am sure my wife is enjoying these benefits as she sees me become a better husband!

People here in Zambia will benefit from the counseling courses through the regular counseling that I carry on as a pastor. My counselees will stand to benefit profoundly from these courses.

But there are also other ways in which what I am learning from the counseling courses will assist thousands of people.

People in Africa will benefit from the counseling courses as they listen to the counseling related radio programs, which we feature. Currently we are running programs on a local community radio that reaches the town and its surroundings, a total population of more than 250 000 people. Then more recently I have been invited to do counseling programs on a Christian broadcast that covers East, Central and Southern Africa.

People will benefit from the counseling courses in that the Lord has also granted us a writing ministry. We have so far produced 7 booklets covering relationship related topics targeting young people. Providentially, these booklets have been adopted and approved by our ministry of education to be used in all schools in the country. God willing we intend to grow this list of titles.

We are therefore delighted that through Wayne's counseling course, the quality of the counseling material that we offer people at personal level, through radio broadcasts and through writing literature is all becoming better and better.

So be greatly encouraged dear brethren. Your efforts are not in vain and they will be greatly rewarded by the Lord Himself. 1 Corinth 15.58.


Encouraging words from a GSM student who ministers in South Africa:

Just a short note to thank you for the 4 weeks in which you taught us
diligently about God and about His Word.  The more I realize how big my sins are, the greater God's grace become.  Each of these weeks, I was mainly confronted with my sins.  What a frightful journey!  I feel terribly privileged to be able to sit at your feet and learn from you.  Thank you so much.  May God grant you health to carry on for many more years.  I am not exaggerating if I say that this course, was the most life changing
experience, so far in my life.
Know that we appreciate and love you very much.

Some requests for prayer:

Family Camp ministry in Sassolburg in March;

Conference ministry for two weeks in Zambia in April;

Shepherd's conferences in Johannesburg, Polokwane and Capetown (Son Josh, Joel James, Andy Snider, Carol Hargrove and I will be the main speakers at these conferences that are usually attended by about 500 pastors and other church leaders during the last week of May and the first week in June;

Pastor's conference in Mozambique during the second week in June.

Finances for personal support and also for the discipleship and orphan ministry carried on among the thousands of spiritually and physically needy people. Our church under the leadership of Josh is ministering to literally hundreds of these spiritually and physically needy people in Sunnyside, Stinkwater and Mapheus (formerly Mamelodi). One black brother who had done the two year program at Grace School of Ministry and the seminary program at Christ's Seminary is visiting and conducting Fundamentals of the Faith classes every week in Mapheus and also conducting a native language class for the 30 or more black people who are now attending our church. Some of these have only recently come to Christ. Many of the young adults in our church have become very actively involved in doing Bible classes for more than a hundred children at Stinkwater. Many of the people in the church also regularly provide food packages for people who lack physical provision.

Well, enough of that for this newsletter. Thanks again to everyone who supports us and prays for us. As Paul said to the Corinthians church so we say to you: “you also joining in helping us through your prayers so that thanks may be given by many persons … for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.” (2 Corinthians 1:11).

Blessings to all of you and SDG.

Wayne and Carol Mack from South Africa
Romans 14:7, 8

Update from the Macks - South Africa

Received this update early this morning from Dr. Mack:

Have just had smash + grab protection put on our car. Also purchased pepper spray for Carol. But what a joy to serve Him. Had more than 50 young spiritually hungry adults in our home again last night. GSM classes this week with over 60 students - we'll be doing 44 hours of Christian Life Issues where we discuss theology and apply it to life and counseling/ministry.

About Smash & Grab Incident - Macks

Here are a couple of updates from Dr. Mack regarding a recent incident they were involved in:

Dear Loved Ones in Christ,

To our wonderful God of grace and mercy we give thanks for His kind providence in protecting us from serious harm in the recent instances of mugging and theft and smash and grab incidents we recently experienced. It was and is of great comfort to know that He is always alert on our behalf. Though our situation is not nearly as precarious as was the situation of John Paton when he went to the New Hebrides Island as a missionary we still find encouragement in the words he wrote when he was facing an attack by a large group of headhunting neighbors, "I knew not, for one brief hour, when or how the attack might be made; and yet, with my trembling hand clasped in the Hand once nailed on Calvary, and now swaying the scepter of the Universe, calmness and peace and resignation abode in my soul.... My God had placed me there, and would protect me till my allotted task was finished. Looking up in unceasing prayer to our dear Lord Jesus, I left all in His hands, and felt immortal till my work was done" (Autobiography of John Paton [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, reprinted 1965,94], p. 117).

To God be the glory that by His grace we can leave all in His hands and trust Him implicitly. "For of Him and to Him and through Him are all things. To whom be the glory forever"( Romans 11:36). Thanks again for your interest and prayers.

For His sake,
Wayne and Carol


Dear Loved Ones in Christ,

We have received so many notes of encouragement (via Email) that we wanted to send a note to our beloved friends who have supported us and shown an interest in our ministry. We give thanks to them and especially to our wonderful God of grace and mercy for His kind providence in protecting us from serious harm in the recent instances of mugging and theft and smash and grab incidents we recently experienced. We had to replace the window and it prompted us to have smash and grab protection put on all our car windows. Should have done it previously, but.... (Incidentally, one African pastor told us that these incidents now qualify us for really being considered African in that we have now experienced what many Africans have experienced.) Anyway as we experience a little bit of what many Africans have experienced it was and is of great comfort to know that He is always alert on our behalf. Though our situation is not nearly as precarious as was the situation of John Paton when he went to the New Hebrides Island as a missionary we still find encouragement in the words he wrote when he was facing an attack by a large group of headhunting neighbors, "I knew not, for one brief hour, when or how the attack might be made; and yet, with my trembling hand clasped in the Hand once nailed on Calvary, and now swaying the scepter of the Universe, calmness and peace and resignation abode in my soul.... My God had placed me there, and would protect me till my allotted task was finished. Looking up in unceasing prayer to our dear Lord Jesus, I left all in His hands, and felt immortal till my work was done" (Autobiography of John Paton [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, reprinted 1965,94], p. 117).

To God be the glory that by His grace we can do just that – leave all in His hands. "For of Him and to Him and through Him are all things. To whom be the glory forever"( Romans 11:36). Thanks again for your interest and prayers.

For His sake,
Wayne and Carol

Mack Update - February - South Africa

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I want to begin this praise and prayer letter by doing something different than I have done in any of my previous letters. I want to begin by reminding you of some truths written by the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:1 – 4. I mention these verses because the truths found in them explain what drives us in our ministry for Christ in South Africa and also they will provide for you some information about how to pray for us as we minister in South Africa. I also begin this newsletter this way because I hope the contents of these verses will be a challenge to you as you live your life in this world. Paul writes, “Since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

I see in these verses some challenging, heart searching commands with far reaching implications for the way we live and minister: keep seeking the things above, set your minds on things above, don’t set your minds on the things that are on earth. I also see in these verses some challenging declarations which explain why we should and can obey the commands: you have been raised up with Christ, Christ is seated at the right hand of God, you have died, your life is hidden with Christ in God, Christ is our life, Christ will be revealed, you will be revealed with Him in glory.  In other words, we can and should obey the imperatives (the commands) because of the indicatives (what has happened to Christ and us, what will happen to Christ and us). How can we do anything but obey the commands of verse 2 because of the truths what has happened to Christ and us and will happen to Christ and us as described in verses 1, 3 and 4.

I have spent some time meditating on the meaning and relevance of the imperatives and the indicatives in these verses and I encourage you to do the same and while you do that we would also pray for us that we would really obey the commands of these verses. Ask yourself: What does it mean to seek those things which are above or to set your mind on those things? Can you honestly say that you are doing that? Is there evidence in your life that you are continuously doing those things? 

Then having done that with the imperatives, do the same with the indicatives. Ask yourself: what does it mean to be raised with Christ? What difference should that fact make in your life? Does your life reflect the fact that you have been raised with Christ? How does your life manifest this fact? What does the fact that Christ is seated at the right hand of God mean? What difference should the fact that Christ is seated at the right hand of God make in your life? Does your life really reflect the fact that you are identified with Christ who has been raised and is now seated at the right hand of God? How does your life manifest this fact? Go on to ask similar questions about the other declarations found in these verses. And as you apply the truths in these verses to yourself by asking these questions, we urge you to pray for us that we would be constantly encouraged by the glorious truths found in these verses to: “keep seeking the things above” and keep setting our minds “on things above” in our lives and ministries in South Africa. That would certainly be one of the main prayer requests we would pass on to you.

Now a few specific praise items from recent days

• God has moved the authorities in South Africa to grant us a three-year extension of our visa for ministering here in South Africa;
• Our daughter Beth was married to Pastor Sybrand DeSwardt on January 17 and serves with him in the ministry of and through the Lynwood Baptist Church in Pretoria;
• We were able to preach a series of what amounted to 15 sermons Grace Fellowship Church with the title of Making the Maximum Impact for Christ based on an exposition of I Corinthians 13: 1 – 7;
• We had the privilege of joining with our son Joshua in preaching at Jeffrey’s Bay Bible Church;
• We enjoyed spending a few days of holiday with Josh and his family at Jeffrey’s Bay on the Indian Ocean in a house provided by some friends of ours;
• Our class sessions at Grace School of Ministry went well with almost 60 students from many countries in Africa and even some from Europe;
• We have completed a 50-page booklet called God’s Plan For In Law Relations, which will be published by P & R Publishers;
• We have begun with the help of Deborah Howard to write a new book which will turn my series on Making An Impact for Christ into print form (P & R has already indicated they will publish it;
• Carol and I have been experiencing good health (and that’s a real praise for two people who are as active as we are at more than 73 years of age);
• Carol has had many opportunities to counsel and teach women (she is presently doing two Bible classes with two different groups of women);
• For  our faithful financial and prayer supporters: for the most part, the churches and people who support us with finances and prayer  and occasional Emails have continued (and we even picked up two new supporters in the last few months to replace those who have dropped off);
• For the many opportunities to counsel pastors and other people;
• For ministry opportunities (preaching and teaching) that come to us from many places;
• For what God is doing at Grace Fellowship Church - many new members, salvation of people through the personal efforts of pastors and people, several people were recently baptized, native language class has been developed to discuss the sermons with people  who attend but whose first language is not English; Leadership Class with many men faithfully attending; many Bible Classes; numerous black people are attending the services which is a relatively new thing for the church; evangelistic outreach and Bible studies to black settlements in Stinkwater and Mamelodi and Sunnyside; regular food and clothing ministry for refugees and poverty stricken people with food and clothing being donated and distributed by people in the church; many young adults becoming involved and excited about spiritual things and volunteering for various ministries;
• For two men (Philip Krugel and Dries Visser) who have volunteered to supervise and promote the distribution of ministry resources I have developed (they have some good ideas about how to do this and have already registered the web site for www.mackministries.org.za);For Charles Busby who continues to supervise and distribute ministry resources I have developed  in the USA through www.mackministries.org;
• For the faithful support and assistance of GMI and the people there who handle the administrative  detail work concerning our finances and medical insurance.

Prayer Requests for near future:

• God’s sustained blessing and direction on the items previously mentioned under the praise section;
• For finances of the church and the people as people here have been affected by the economic down turn that the rest of the world is experiencing;
• Strategic planning meetings of elders as we consider and plan about our ministry in Africa – for wisdom, what we should do and not do, what we should do better and how to do it, for continued unity and harmony, for developing additional elders, etc. for shepherding responsibilities as the church grows, for developing skilled disciplers and counselor;
• For the salvation of people in South Africa and the establishment of solid Biblical churches
• Regular counseling, preaching and teaching opportunities;
• Impact of Grace School of Ministry on pastors/elders from many parts of Africa and even other countries – through the teaching and fellowship of Grace School of Ministry and our Shepherd’s conferences God can impact 100’s of churches and thousands of people;
• For the development and impact of our resource ministry on pastors, churches and people through solid, practical, Biblical literature, CD's and DVD’s;
• Preaching at Family camp in Sassolburg and other places in near future;
• Preparation and fulfilling the details for a ministry to Zambian churches in April;
• Continued health and strength to fulfill various ministries (mosquitoes love me and we will be ministering in two malaria mosquito countries in the near future);
• Preparation of various kinds (preaching, administration, promotion, etc.) and enrollment for our three Shepherd’s conferences;
• For protection and safety and boldness of God’s people in a land where there is much crime and unrest.

If after all that you are still reading, thanks so much for your perseverance and interest. Now please pray and praise and reflect on Colossians 3:1 -4.

Mack Update from January - South Africa

This is the Mack's January newsletter...
Plans seem to be moving forward for the transmitting of classes to other parts of Africa by way of electronic media. There are some men in South Africa who see the importance of this and are working on making it a reality. This would broaden our outreach considerably without me leaving Pretoria. In addition to the regular teaching at GSM we will be ministering at a family camp in March and then for a couple of weeks in Zambia in April and then at three Shepherd's conferences in May and then at a pastor's conference in Mozambique in June. We have been asked to come to Tanzania to teach pastors there - 47 of them signed a petition asking me to come and I was also asked to come to Maritius and to Japan to do some teaching. Opportunities are many, but trainers are few and my schedule is full. So there are many invitations I just have to refuse. It's not that I am that exceptional; it's just that there are so few here who have the training or experience that God has given me. Please pray for skilled, well-trained, experienced, capable and zealous help - at my next birthday I will be 74. This kind of help is critical in that right now I carry the lion's share of the teaching at GSM.

Please pray for funds to provide scholarships for students who come from a distance to GSM (books and transportation and food must be provided) and also for the funds to pay for the equipment that will be needed to transmit our courses to other parts of Africa and also for the funds that will make it possible for us to send teaching DVD's and other materials to pastors and ministries who are requesting this material in other parts of Africa and even overseas. Also please pray for Beth at this time. As of January 17 she is now a married woman. She married one of our GSM students who as a pastor is paid a minimal salary as are many other African pastors. The plans are that she will continue in much the same ministry and also add helping her husband in his ministry and us at GSM with her expertise gained while working in our TMC program. Her husband now pastors a church 10 minutes from us. Her help at GSM will be a great asset to us in dealing with students and in the promotion and administrative aspects.

Thanks for your interest and prayers and support. Our God is able (Ephesians 3:20; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26). So we are confidently hopeful.

Mack Update, 12/12/08

We are frequently receiving Email from people asking us about our VISA situation. So here's an update. RSA Home Affairs has now accepted our application and taken our money, but we still don't have the final outcome. It looks hopeful and people assure us we will receive them. If not, we have the name of the supervisor and someone who works for the government who will contact her for us. We have received suggestions from many people in RSA and even from the USA and many assurances of prayer. We should know for sure in about 25 days and, if we don't get it, we have some ways of appealing. If all else fails we could go to Botswana for a short period and then could return for three months and then back to Botswana and then back here and so on. We've been contacted by some missionary friends from Kenya suggesting that they would love to have us come there and they think they could get us VISA's there. I think they were half serious and half kidding, but we are fairly sure that RSA is where God wants us to be. GSM classes and other teaching/preaching/ministry commitments already scheduled for 2009 would seem to indicate that this is where God wants us to minister.

We along with Josh and Marda and Beth and Sybrand are having wonderful opportunities to contact, teach, counsel and assist native Africans. Bible Studies are being established in several of the settlements and townships around Pretoria. We have a black brother who has been trained at Christ's Seminary and at Grace School of Ministry living with us along with another black brother from the DRC. Robert, the well trained black brother, is out almost every day in one of these places visiting people and conducting Bible classes. He's doing a great job and growing in usefulness. It's a joy to see him maturing. Jaungo (from the Congo) is entering Christ's Seminary in January. Someone has provided a scholarship for him. He is so excited. He will continue to live with us when he is not in school. He is reading and studying and listening to CDs and is growing like a healthy plant. He soon won't a neophyte (Greek for young plant). Several black men have made professions of faith and are meeting regularly with Josh to be discipled. Josh and marda have become foster parents to another abandoned child - they now have 7 children (4 biological and 3 foster children) and they would fill the house with more refugees and orphans if we would let them have our part of the house. Incidentally, you might join us in prayer as there is a house for sale right next to our house. If we had the money we would consider buying it (once we're sure about the VISA thing) and move into it which would give Josh and Marda room for more orphans and/or having a black family move in so they could disciple them. I don't know of anyone who is more appropriately aggressive and selfless in the way they reach out and sacrifice for the people in South Africa or anywhere than they are. Their zeal and willingness to reach out is a real challenge to us and others. They use whatever they have to the max in ministering  in His Name. Anyway, if the Lord wills we would consider the house next door - that would expand our ability to minister considerably. Part of that willing would be for God to provide enough money to purchase the house. Ephesians 3:20 is still in the Bible and still true.

Meanwhile our daughter and son-in-law to be (January 17) have begun their ministry at a church 10 minutes from us. I preached his installation sermon this past Sunday. The church has a Christian school with 90 children (mostly black children) and Beth is already meeting with the staff and sharing her expertise with them. It is a very well integrated church with godly and knowledgeable black and white Christians serving key roles. Beth will also help us at Grace School of Ministry doing some of the same things she did when she worked with me as Director of the Summer Biblical Counseling Institute at The Master's College. She and Carol and Marda will probably be starting a preschool program for homeless children in a place called Stinkwater where there are 60 parentless pre school children who are left to themselves throughout the day when their older siblings are at school. Hopefully, this will care for these little children, but also open doors for impacting Stinkwater with the Gospel.

Appreciate your prayers. Thanks for your support and encouragement.

Have a blessed Christmas celebrating the One for whom we live and minister; the One who makes life worth living.

Blessings. SDG.

Howell, South Africa Trip On!

Greetings Friends,

This is a just a quick note inviting you to rejoice as the Lord has provided the funds necessary to travel to South Africa!  Thank you for your prayers and encouragements!

Ministry opportunities in South Africa are developing and several are already calendared.  Pray for wisdom in order to maximize my time there with so many beloved South African brethren and churches.

I’ll keep you posted but wanted you to know that God has answered your prayers on behalf of this ministry!

Howell Update 12/9/08

Greetings Everyone,

I am so grateful for the prayers and encouragements of those who are a part of the MissionCrossRoads Team!  Thank you!

The primary travel component of the January trip to South Africa is nearly funded and wisdom is needed to know whether or not to buy tickets--its that close!  So please do pray.

Several venues for ministry are being arranged as I have heard from former students who are now colleagues in ministry along the Cape, in Durban, and Johannesburg.  I am very excited to see them and to Lord willing, be an encouragement to them in their ministry.

Those desiring to fellowship in this ministry financially may do so by sending support to:

Biblical Ministries Worldwide
Patrick Howell - #4141
1595 Herrington Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-5616

I will keep you posted and thanks once again for your prayers!

South African Update - Howell 12/2/08

Greetings Friends!

I hope your Thanksgiving was fantastic. We enjoyed the day with a family of 30+ folks and they just took us right in--what a great day.

As this email goes out, I am just about to teach Church History at TES.  I love history and studying Church History is a fascinating endeavor. There is so much to inspire one--and so much to learn in order to avoid similar mistakes!

The trip to South Africa is taking shape and God has provided more than 40% of the ministry budget. I will have to make the decision as to whether to go or not soon as the calendar clicks on--so thanks for the many of you who are praying and to those who are giving as well. It all matters and your prayers are greatly needed! (If you're unfamiliar with this South African endeavor, check out the MissionCrossRoads events) or email me and I’ll send you more detailed information.  Some have written and asked about sending support for the trip.  It is a simple process and 100% of all support goes toward ministry.  Checks can be made out to Biblical Ministries Worldwide and mailed to:

Biblical Ministries Worldwide
Pat Howell #4141
1595 Herrington Road
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-5616

Lot's going on these days. Elizabeth's birthday was Monday (12/1) and my birthday is Sunday (don't ask, please). The third semester of TES ends mid-December and with great gratitude for our students and the growing development of the school.

In January, I hope to be in South Africa ministering to churches and former students as well as seeing many old friends from our ministry there.  Then, later in the month, Cathy and I have been invited to Los Angeles for John MacArthur's 40th Anniversary at GCC.  Many former GCC staff members will be there and we will be among them. This will be a great celebration of God's faithfulness through John's ministry to GCC. It is a great blessing to count him a friend--and a privilege to have served with him as Missions Pastor and a Senior Staff member at GCC in the 1990's!

Mid-February brings two weeks in Myanmar and then a return to Los Angeles for the GCC Shepherds Conference.

I continue to pray and seek God's direction for my future ministry.  Such a process is an inexact science for both the man and the church so again, prayers and counsel are always welcome!

Thanks for your encouragement and fellowship!

Mack Update, part 2

Not sure if you received our former letter about the need for prayer for our visa. We still don't have it and December 28 is coming and things move very slowly over here. One option is that we may have to fly back to the United States, probably Chicago, as we're told that that is the best RSA consulate to get it. God is up to something - we count this trial with all joy knowing James 1:2 - 5.

Last night we had as is true many Friday evenings 50 people with about 30 blacks at our house - fed them, gave them boxes of food that we had collected and then sang with them, prayed with them and explained Bible verses to them. Most of the blacks are very poor - struggling to get by - we do what we can (or rather Josh and Marda are really facilitating this ministry and walls are being broken down and people are being reached. We now have over 30 blacks that are attending GFC - we now have a Sunday School class for them in which a black man who has become a pastor at our church (he lives with us and we are mentoring him) teaches them in their own language and explains the message that was heard in the previous hour and a half. They understand English after a fashion but need further explanation - so that's what he is doing. He and another young man who has joined us from the USA (he also lives with us) to be discipled are also doing Bible classes in Mamelodi (a huge black settlement) during the week. Josh and Marda are going out to a place called Stinkwater often (in fact they are going again today). There are 60 parentless children there under the age of 6 who have no one to take care of them during the day when their older siblings who are their caretakers are in school. Carol, Beth and Marda are considering starting a preschool for these children to reach them for Christ and to provide Christian upbringing and some education during the day. GSM is going well and plans for the wedding are progressing. Counseling opportunities abound and we are seeing God move in the lives of some people with some serious problems. To God be the glory! What a privilege to be in a place where the ministry is so needed and many people seem to want it and respond to it. We can expect that Satan and his demons who are opposed to Christ and His Gospel will not be happy with Gospel efforts and positive responses to the Gospel and so we are encouraged. Nevertheless, we need a VISA to stay and continue to minister. Please pray.

Sybrand, our almost son-in-law (January 17 is the date) begins his ministry at a church in Pretoria on January 4 - I am preaching his installation sermon next Sunday. They have an outreach ministry to blacks and also a school for training and educating them and reaching them with the Gospel. They see the school as a mission opportunity. Beth will also be helping at GSM - doing some of the things she did in the MABC program at The Master's College. She will also be involved with the same kind of orphan ministries in which she was involved - in fact she will still be involved in the Lambano ministry (it's about 45 minutes away).

Anyway, that's a brief review of what's happening recently, but the main reason for this Email is to ask you to pray.

Thank you for remembering us in prayer and support.

Mack, Urgent Prayer Request - 11/27/08

This is a note asking for your specific prayer help on a rather urgent situation on behalf of our ministry in South Africa.

We have been trying to get our visa renewed and are having some problems. We have prepared all the materials that the Home Affairs Hot Line said we should. We went to the Home Affairs in Pretoria on Wednesday and the line was so long that we decided to come back early on Thursday. We did. We arrived at 6:45 AM, stood in line, presented the application with all the supporting Data and were summarily turned down. At this point we don't know what to do. Our present visa runs out at the end of December. At the end of December if they will not renew our visa we will, I suppose, be in the country illegally and if we don't get it renewed I probably would not be able to, ministry teach at Grace School of Ministry or fulfill other teaching opportunities that I have for 2009. We had no idea that renewing our visa would present a problem. We got the first three year visa back in the USA with no problem. So we thought it would be no problem now and thought we had no reason for concern, !
but apparently we were wrong. At present we are receiving our support from the USA and Grace Missionary International has given us a letter saying that they would provide fully support and that they would make sure we had the money for tickets to return. We also have a letter stating essentially the same thing from Grace School of Ministry here in South Africa. That was for some reason confusing to the men we encountered at Home Affairs and they just flat out said that the people who gave us our first visa were wrong in giving it to us. That was confusing to us in that we are here on a volunteer basis - costs the country here nothing - and we are helping train pastors, doing orphan work and helping the poor.

God has a way through. He can open that no man open and shut doors that no man can shut. The hearts of government officials are in his hand and he can turn them however He chooses. So we wait on Him with Romans 8:28 confidence. But, if you would, please pray for us that God would move whomever to grant us a visa to minister here.

Thank you for any prayer assistance you might give us in this matter.

Mack Update 11/26/08

In several places in Scripture the Apostle Paul acknowledged his gratitude for and need of the prayers of God's people in his life and ministry (cf. Philippians 1:18b - 19; 2 Thessalonians 3-1; I Thessalonians 5:25; Ephesians 6:19; Colossians 4:2 - 4). And so following his example, Carol and I do the same to everyone who has prayed and/or will pray for us and for the ministries in which we are involved.

First, through your prayers you have helped us complete the following ministries in the past two months.

October 6 -11 - Module 1 of Grace School of Ministry where Introduction to Biblical Counseling was taught and a Discipleship Lab was conducted with 60 eager students from 8 different countries in Africa and Europe.
October 17 - 19 - Marriage and family seminar was conducted at Jeffrey's Bay Bible Church in Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa. Carol also did a one day women's seminar for the ladies.
November 6-11 - Module 2 of Grace School of Ministry where Methods of Biblical Change and a course on How To Properly Interpret Scripture were taught to the same students with two others joining us from South Africa and Nigeria.
November 16 - Preached at Hillcrest Baptist Church in the Durban area of South Africa.
A new book called It's Not Fair was published and made available from P & R Publishers.
A booklet called God's Plan for Parent Child Relations After Marriage that will be published by P & R Publishers is almost completed.
Carol has faithfully taught women's Bible classes and done much discipling with women.
Carol and I have had the privilege of counseling numerous people who were struggling with various issues in their lives.

Second, we request your involvement through prayer in the following service opportunities during the rest of 2008 through the end of July of 2009.
December 7, 2008 - Lynwood Baptist Church in Pretoria, RSA
December 14, 2008 - Grace Fellowship Church in Pretoria, RSA
December 21, 2008 - Grace Fellowship Church in Pretoria, RSA
December 28, 2008 - Grace Fellowship Church in Pretoria, RSA
January 4, 2008 - Grace Fellowship Church in Pretoria, RSA
January 11, 2008 - Jeffrey's Bay Bible Church in Jeffrey's Bay, RSA
February 2 - 7 - Grace School of Ministry all day biblical counseling classes - Module 3 - Theological Basis of Biblical Counseling and Counseling from the Book of Job
March 2 - 8 - Grace School of Ministry all day biblical counseling classes - Module 4 - Christian Life Issues in Counseling and Counseling from the book of Proverbs.
March 20 - 22 - Seminar at Grace Fellowship Church in Sassolburg, RSA
April 24 - 26 - Seminar in Zambia
May 25 - 27 - Seminar in Johannesburg, RSA
May 28 - 31 - Seminar in Polokwane, RSA
June 1 - 3 - Seminar in Capetown, RSA
June 9 - 12 - Seminar in Mozambique
June 21 - teach at Grace Fellowship Church in Hazleton, PA
June 26 - 28 - teach at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio
June 29 - July 2 - Believer's Chapel in San Antonio, TX
July 3 - 5 - Calvary Bible Church in Fort Worth, TX
July 6 - 12 - Bible Church of Little Rock in Arkansas
July 13 - 19 - Providence Church in Duluth, Georgia
With the editing help of Deborah Howard I am writing a new book which may be entitled Your Best Impact for Christ Now and Later.
We are in discussion with a retired Christian business man about better ways of providing and distributing good resources for strengthening the individual lives of Christians and the counseling ministries of Christians here in South Africa.
Some Christians (pastors and individual believers) have discussed with us the possibility of using modern media to conduct classes in other areas without me actually and physically being on site where the classes are conducted. This would be done by what I believe is called virtual media meaning that the students may be able to see and hear me and me being able to see and even hear them. There are some men with the expertise to develop this kind of arrangement who want to use their skills to serve Christ in this way. This will require some finances to secure the equipment that is needed for this to become a reality. Please pray for an awareness of God's will as we proceed. If this arrangement could be used for His glory and the good of His people we want to be involved. If it's of God we know He will provide and if it's not we don't want to be involved anyway.

And so in closing this new/prayer letter, we again want to extend our gratitude to all of you who have been part of our ministry through your prayers and interest. And also, we want you to know that we will deeply appreciate your continuing prayers and interest as we press on in our feeble attempts to glorify God in our lives and ministries.

Sola Dei Gloria

Mack Update 10/22/08

The first week of GSM was super. Thanks for your financial and prayer support. A great group of hungry and eager students. Very encouraging feedback from the students. Many said they will promote the courses with pastor friends. After the GSM week we went to Jeffrey's Bay where we just had a great week end conference. Philip and Trenie K, a business man who has a heart for God and is excited about ministry were present from Sassleburg (sic) and we spent some time with them yesterday afternoon. They and others who were there brought up an idea that merits consideration (will describe later in this Email). We are staying in their beach house. Enjoying it immensely. A beautiful place, almost as nice as Capetown. International surf board championships are held in front of our house. As I write Carol is speaking to the ladies at a ladies conference. The ladies are excited. Good attendance at all the meetings. Packed on Sunday. Many outsiders - they had put posters up in various places and the people invited. Good feedback about the Lord's working in lives and marriages.

Here's an idea they mentioned that carries with it an exciting possibility. They are asking us to come down and do some counselor training courses in the area or to pipe it down (virtual media) by way of satellite - they say the eastern cape of South Africa gets neglected. They are going to work on seeing about the cost and the possibility of installing the virtual equipment on both ends (Pretoria and Jeffrey's Bay). If that is done it would be simple to just pipe the classes down here while they are going on in Pretoria. That would expand our outreach and impact. People from here applied for GSM last time, but were too late - classes were already filled. Met with several yesterday about the possibility of working out this arrangmenet and making it a reality. I told them that we have enough to do in Pretoria with classes and students there so that we couldn't take on any more in terms of finances and labor. They then assured me that they would do all the work - raise the money for the equipment, do the promo, do the grading of papers, etc. Leon (a former student of GSM), Wynand Fourie (pastor and graduate of TMS), Andre (Pastor and graduate of TMS) would do the work and Philip K would help in any way that he can (not the grading of course, but other aspects). Possibly and hopefully Martyn Beets one of our former students who pastors in Port Elizabeth (close by) could also help. One of the guys who met with us is into installing the virtual equipment as well as having contacts about how to get it. Philip K is really excited and looking for some way to use his time profitably since he's turned his business over to his son-in-law. He says he wants to serve and helping this to become a reality may give him some meaningful things to do. He wants to get involved. The boss of the man who has expertise in the area of facililitating satellite equipment was at the conference we presented. As soon as he heard about the satellite possibility, he came to see us and is really excited. He sees it as an opportunity to use his skills for ministry. Perhaps the Lord is putting a team together for this endeavor. If He is, we'll trust Him about the finances. The personnell seems to be in place. PTL for all of this. We're much in prayer. Hope you will be also. To have this satellite program will cost a considerable amount of money for the equipment, but will broaden our impact tremendously. Hypothetically, we could reach all of Africa without leaving Pretoria If we could do this in the Jeffrey's Bay area, we could do the same in other areas of Africa as well. Wow, the possibility excites me.

Warmly in Christ,

Wayne

Christophers - South Africa - 9/5/08

Greetings from the ends of the earth! We just wanted to share a few quick prayer requests with you before next week.

Next week is a crucial week for South Africa, one in which the whole of South Africa needs your prayers. For there will be a high court ruling on whether or not proceed with prosecuting the new president of the African National Congress Jacob Zuma. As president of the ANC, Zuma is the heir apparent to the current South African president Thabo Mbeki, next year. But Zuma is facing several counts of fraud and corruption. Zuma’s supporters are threatening violence and chaos if he goes to court.

This whole incident is one big catch-22 for the judge issuing the verdict. If they decide to prosecute Zuma, which they should, then they risk anarchy by the ANC Youth League, the South African Communist Party, and The Consolidated South African Trade Unions. But if they scrap the charges against Zuma for the sake of peace, then they send the message that the judiciary can be bought and is not truly independent. In a country that leads the world in unflattering crime statistics, you don’t want to send the message that justice can be bartered by the corrupt.

My own humble opinion is that they must prosecute this guy regardless of the potential consequences. He is as dirty rotten as they come. He is just to the left of Stalin, and if he becomes president there are many who think a Zuma presidency will signal the final nail in South Africa’s coffin. As Job reminds us “Can he who hates justice govern?” So please be in prayer about this pivotal issue.

On another front, a church in Pretoria was sued by their former music minister because he got fired when they discovered he was gay. It went to court and the church lost this watershed case. This landmark case has now signaled that it is open season on Bible-believing churches. This, of course, has emboldened the gay community even more. We are now praying that the church in question will appeal all the way to the constitutional court (South Africa’s version of the Supreme Court). If the church wins there, then at least a precedent is set. Our religious freedom is riding on this. Sadly, the USA isn’t far behind us on this one.

Finally, as I mentioned in our last prayer letter, we have a number people out of work. One of those men, Andrew Gill, is quickly reaching critical mass. Our church has done all we can, but now his vehicles are about to be repossessed. He is just on the verge of getting work, but it seems to be a case of oh-so-close-but-yet-so-far. Andrew has tendered on several jobs as a contactor, please pray that one of these contracts comes through soon.

Thank you for seeking our Father’s throne on our behalf. We are truly grateful for every prayer that is offered for us the ministry here!

Mack - South Africa

Dear Partners in Ministry,

We're sending this note to you to keep you updated on what is going in our lives and ministry and also to solicit prayer on your part.

Our schedule for this summer is hectic:

GMI Conference - Israel June 21 to July 1
Pennsylvania - Brief time with relatives
Little Rock, AR for a few days
Carol speaks at the women's conference in California
Wayne does one week of teaching at The Master's College
Saturday - speak at a men's conference

Back to Little Rock, AR where we will stay
Marriage Conference at Jerry Wragg's church in Florida September 12 -14
Head back to South Africa

While in Little Rock I'll be teaching a course for the Expositor's Seminary and also doing whatever I am asked to do and whatever my strength will allow me to do in terms of teaching Biblical Counseling material at the church on weekdays and on Sundays.

As you are probably aware, we now have two HIV positive orphans living in our house. Actually we're talking about the section of the house where Josh and Marda and their children live. We don't have any room for more in our section of the house. The plans are to increase the number of children. To do that the house will have to be enlarged and perhaps a staff worker will have to be hired. We have a contractor who has already come and told us how the house could be enlarged to accomodate and parent up to 10 or 11 orphans.

The problem is that to do that will require some money that would have to be raised somehow, but, if it is of the Lord, He will provide somehow.

We are now trying to encourage others to do the same in their families, that is, as far as taking some orphans (not 10 or 11) into their homes and raising them. There are millions of orphans in Africa and hundreds of thousands of them close by in the Pretoria and Joburg area (some HIV positive and some not).

The challenge is enormous and we are thinking (just thinking at this stage) that perhaps the best way to make our little dent in the problem without incurring the enormous expense of purchasing land and building houses and facilities and also to provide a Christian family upbringing would be to encourage Christian families to open their homes and become foster parents.

Josh and Marda have set the example and the idea is being suggested to men in a Bible Study group that Josh and I have led. It has also been floated by others. For these men, it is a totally new concept that God is using to stretch some and is also meeting with some hesitancy on the part of others. The hesitant ones have said that if they did this their Africaner relatives would be highly offended. We're not pushing, but just sowing some seed. We'll see what God will do.

Incidentally, Josh has found a series of messages by Jonathan Edwards on our responsibility to the poor. He would like to see them put out in a book form with study guide questions. He says they are terrific. Also, Josh is just about finished with all his work for his DMin at Southern. He finished the last segment of his dissertation two week ago and has sent it in.

He's been doing some preaching in black churches in settlements as well as preaching at Grace Fellowship Church at least once a week. I'm right now doing a series at the church on Maintaining Sexual Purity and Sanity in a Sexually Impure and Insane World. We're gearing up for our 7th of 8 weeks of modules for this cohort of people. We'll be doing Problems and Procedures in this module and then Observations and Practicum in the next.

I'm doing a couple of family camps in February and March and along with Josh some Biblical Counseling teaching at Tim Cantrell's church. Later in the spring, I will speak at a Pastor's conference sponsored by Evangelical Press in Barberton, South Africa. And then I'll participate in the Shepherd's conference in Joburg, Polokwane and Capetown.

Carol is doing a women's retreat at Grace Fellowship Church in February and she and Beth and Marda plan and prepare the food for the meal that we provide for 50 or more students one evening when GSM classes are in session. Carol also teaches a women's Bible study where they are using my new book, It's Not Fair, as the basis for their study.

Blessings and thank you for your faithful partnership with us in ministry.

For Him,

Wayne and Carol Mack
James 1:27
Romans 14:7, 8