Dear Kingfisher Friends

COVID19 had a huge effect on everybody everywhere. No country or region escaped the impact of lockdown, disease prevention and eventually so many who became ill and even died after contracting the virus. Lives had been uprooted, economies destroyed and families driven to poverty. On so many levels it is a continuing disaster, a nightmare. Darkness everywhere.

It seems that the darkness is snuffing out the light.

Very often it is precisely in the deepest darkness that God wants His light to shine the brightest through the disciples following Jesus.

I am thinking of the AGAPE faith community in North India who established a school for the poorest of the poor and began with educational house visits for the benefit of children from families who do not have access to online teaching.

I am thinking of a group of followers of Jesus in the Eastern Cape, South Africa who regularly collect truckloads of fresh produce and groceries to help the devastated farm communities, both farmers and workers in the drought-stricken interior of the country.

I am thinking of small churches in Ukraine who are reaching out to people living in the war zone towards the east of the country who have not only to contend with the ravages of war, but also with the effect of COVID19 in their very terrible situation.

I am thinking of 68 people from various countries in Africa who enrolled in a basic discipleship course run by Kingfisher as well as Johann, Hermariè and Dirk who are facilitating their growth towards missional spiritual maturity.

I am thinking of our brother Raju who are doing the same in the city where he lives as well as Bendang and Apokla within their context.

I am remembering the people with whom I travel through a workshop on making disciples the Jesus way. They are from Uganda, Malawi and South Africa.

I am thinking of Sippe and Miemie who are taking responsibility for more than one disciple group within their circle of influence.

I am thinking of Keith and Erika reaching out to people in different contexts in the name of Jesus.

I could continue and add to this list. You could most definitely add many more.

So let us remember that even though there is darkness, the light will not be overpowered. The life of Jesus Christ is shining brightly through the lives of His disciples.

God Bless

Piet Steyn

Dear Friends

The growth of the church in Acts remains a miracle. Much research has been done about the reasons for this. Without big buildings, full time professional pastors, budgets, denominational structures for support, bands and administrative systems they grew from 120 at Pentecost to many millions – 56% of the Roman Empire in just 300 years. A counterculture – impacting the values of society – and not merely a subculture – serving God in a secret corner somewhere defending themselves against the rest of society not to influence them.

Cities were changed : Act 5:28 “ … you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching”.

Their numbers grew exponentially  : Act 6:7   “The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased dramatically. Not least, a great many priests submitted themselves to the faith”.

Miracles were commonplace :  Act 5:12  “Through the work of the apostles, many God-signs were set up among the people, many wonderful things done…”

What was their secret? For sure it was the Spirit doing the work Himself  ……. but…we also read that they were prepared to be radically obedient – to do things they have never done before – what other people don’t do – what will cause solid theologians to say : “That is not the way it must be done”.

The Spirit of Pentecost always pushes us across borders – into virgin territory – always wants to use us for more… to surpass our wildest imaginations. Changing our grip on the theology. We become so stuck in our theology. So easily we worship our theology and church culture – our concept of God and the church – that God cannot use us anymore. Believing more in the correctness of our theology than we are believing in God Himself. We become good theologians but bad followers.

In Acts 10 – Peter – the leader of the apostles stumbles over his theology :  “Peter said, “Oh, no, Lord. I’ve never so much as tasted food that was not kosher”.  (Acts 10:14 MSG)  Theologically Peter was completely correct! The Jewish seminaries would give him cum laude for his theological viewpoint. All the learned scholars would agree with him. But – you can be theologically correct – and miss what God wants to do. Peter almost missed the call to go to Cornelius – as well as the opportunity to witness the Spirit falling on the gentiles. 

In Acts 11 theology almost costed non-Jews entering the Kingdom. 1. “The news travelled fast and in no time the leaders and friends back in Jerusalem heard about it—heard that the non-Jewish “outsiders” were now “in”  :2  When Peter got back to Jerusalem, some of his old associates, concerned about circumcision, called him on the carpet:  3  “What do you think you’re doing rubbing shoulders with that crowd, eating what is prohibited and ruining our good name?”  Now the unthinkable was required – to let go of circumcision as a prerequisite for the Kingdom. Fortunately the Spirit opened their theological minds and in Acts 15 circumcision was sacrificed. Its always those outside the Kingdom paying the price for our stuckness to our “good” theology.

I once had the privilege of visiting a country close to the equator. On the Sunday morning in church – with a sun blazing at 40 plus degrees outside – the pastor appeared on the pulpit in a black suit, a white tie and a black robe. Sweat was streaming down his face. Looking exactly like I used to look when I was a young pastor. My denomination planted the church in this African country. And my denomination was planted by a denomination in Scotland where in the cold they dress pastors like this. The Scottish missionaries exported their church culture to South Africa and we exported it with the gospel to the middle of Africa! 

What shall we not give to witness millions of followers streaming into the Kingdom – like in Acts? Give everything most probably. Our brothers and sisters witnessing Disciplemaking Movements – where thousands of new churches are planted annually and millions of converts come to Jesus – in some closed countries of the world share these critical principles : (Contagious Disciplemaking : David Watson)

1.    It hinders our work when disciple-makers reproduce their religion rather than plant the gospel. Don’t transfer your own Christian culture, denominational terms, or doctrine into the new work.

2.    Don’t focus on making followers of your church – focus on making disciples of Christ.

3.    Teach them to obey Christ’s commands – not church traditions.

Interesting!

Johann Theron

Dear family

From around the world it is reported that people come to faith in Jesus Christ during the time of Covid-19. We can only praise our Father for that. Google reports that unprecedented interest currently exists in questions about God and in online spiritual messages. People have a need. Communication between people about Jesus has multiplied while people cannot sit in worship services or fill church buildings. People reach out to each other more and serve one another. They do not miss the pastor or priest so much. They minister, encourage, teach, disciple one another! Is it not wonderful?!

People start asking questions about where science and human intellect are now, when we need it most. Where are the humanist scholars who place more faith in man’s ability rather than in God?

Jesus was in a boat with his disciples at one point. The wind and the waves wanted to overwhelm them and they were afraid. They had no solution or control. Jesus entered this uncontrolled reality with His reality and brought calm and order. The disciples thought they were perishing. They called to Jesus – they sought His presence in distress.

The ultimate consequences of Covid-19 worldwide cannot yet be imagined at this stage, but the reality of death, illness, uncertainty, unemployment, deepening and greater poverty, and so on, is urging people to call on Jesus for help. The other ‘certainties’ just shrug. Jesus is faithful! He is in our midst and he stands up in people’s lives and brings peace and tranquility. And most of the time, He does it through an encouraging, supportive friend or family member. This is where people now experience Jesus in action. People do not necessarily experience Jesus’ compassion in the practices and strategies of our traditional church, but in discipleship relationships where people influence one another with truth, values and peace.

At a time like this, I hope the church and church leaders see something – and I not only mean the awakening internet communication possibilities, but that they will realize what the Holy Spirit wants to teach us in this time – remind us of. It is a time of discovery of the real inner workings and strategy of God’s kingdom. Therefore, it is a time for you as a leader in the church to equip believers and release them to live as sent disciple-makers wherever they find themselves each day. It is time to equip and release people to become actively involved in the need of the world – not as a command of a church action or program, but because Christ sends you to your neighbor in his/her distress.

May this time of equipment by the Holy Spirit be welcomed and embraced. May it really change our thinking about being a congregation and may it shift our focus to the Kingdom of God and may we not again fall into the same old customary practices.

About 70 to 90% of all people who come to faith in Christ Jesus are guided, influenced, discipled by a friend or family member. This truth once again invites every follower of Jesus Christ to be available to those in need, meaning spiritual, physical and emotional need. At a time like this, it is a unique opportunity to grow in the strategy that Jesus proposed to us and it is to allow, in relationship with people, that Jesus flows through you to others. Jesus is the great disciple maker but He prefers to touch others through you. Therefore, remember and use this time and build relationships by visiting people, engaging need, reaching out to an unknown person, through social platforms, internet communication platforms – to make Jesus’ presence known in people’s lives.

Kingfisher urges you not to do church as you always did. You are part of the Body of Christ – a mighty revolutionary renewing force of the Kingdom. You are a disciple maker! Be there for people. Be available, be teachable, be useful, and live the life of Jesus to establish the Kingdom of God together, to do His will together, to honor His name together.

Your brother

dirk

Dear friends,

Last night when I was supposed to be sleeping, my mind was busy with the people I am guiding in the footsteps of our Lord through the gospel of Matthew. And then the Lord first of all spoke to my heart, about my relationship with Him.

 Matthew 4:19: He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.”  They left their nets immediately and followed him.

1. Jesus called the disciples to follow.
2. He only made them fishers of people years later.
3. But they followed immediately.

Implications

First focus on following. The Lord is giving me people to disciple without effort on my side. Not one of the people I am discipling as well as a few that is on the point of being added,  were of my doing. My own efforts came to nothing, more than once. Actually, to be honest, every single time. He is the one making his own disciples and I am honoured to be used to some extent by walking alongside for a while.

I should not do His job. He is making me a fisher of people, He gives disciples.

My role is to follow. Only then will the passion I have for disciple-making be fulfilled.

So how do I follow?

I follow by spending time reading Matthew, being impacted by Jesus way of thinking, beginning to think the way He does. As my mind is transformed I will become useful as disciple-maker.

Someone discipling within the context of a completely different culture and religious system remarked yesterday that by the end of  Matthew 7 so much would have happened already in following Jesus, that all the hurt, rejection and desolation the disciples would have experienced when deciding to follow Jesus instead of the religion of the community, by then would have been healed. The transformation would have happened. That does not happen only by hearing the teachings of salvation and doing Bible study. That happens by following.

 How long does it take to get to chapter 7, walking step by step behind Jesus? Months? A year? Two years? It depends on the pace Jesus is walking.

Now this question.

Are you following?

Are you walking step by step behind Jesus through Matthew? Taking time to hear His voice and see what he does?

Are you doing your part?

Or are you frantically trying to do His part?

I had to answer these questions for myself.

So now I ask you to think about these same questions. 

Do not be side-tracked by the possibility of how disciple-making may look if your plans and strategies work out the way you want.. Do not focus on the testimonies, plans and strategies other successful disciplers have. You do not need that now because the Lord is not preparing you for their ministry and context. He had the place and the people in mind where it will just flow without effort from inside. You will be the gift to the people you will disicple in His name

.You do not need to be mobilised. You are already mobilised! You need to follow.

So spend time. Wait. Listen. Look.

Before using the gospel of Mattew as a training resource the life of Jesus flowing through you must become a reality, must become integrated in your life.

That will not become reality by attending a workshop or even our extensive in-house training. It happens through following.

With the love of Christ,

A follower,

Piet

Dear Kingfisher friends

Often in the Bible we find the word “Remember”. The purpose of all the Jewish festivals was to “remember” the great deeds of God in the past. The Israelites spent about 30% of their time either on the way to, at the festival or travelling home from a festival – “remembering”. Communion is a meal of “remembrance”. We tend to look forward – and then get worried easily about the future. The Israelites were a people “looking backwards” and “remembering” – to be encouraged.

In these challenging times where fear grips the whole world Kingfisher wants to encourage every member of our family. It’s not easy to fight an unseen enemy – to constantly being bombarded with news about devastating effects around the whole world – to never know which conversation, surface or situation might infect yourself – to be so defenceless against a very serious threat.

We want to encourage you – we can find comfort in our “memory” :

1.   Remembering who we are – we are God’s unconditionally beloved children. Absolutely nothing can separate us from His love towards us. This is a much bigger truth about ourselves than the truth of any threat. This does not mean that we shall not be infected – but is true – even if we are infected.

2.   Remembering where we live – in the Kingdom of God. He promises to be with us – closer than the clothes we wear – inside of us. To guide us in our thinking. To remind us about each one of His promises.

3.   Remembering what our task is – to make disciples. The present times provide us with excellent opportunities. People are desperate for an answer. Even atheist doctors in Italy confess that only God can help us.  People are extremely sensitive for guidance. Church leaders are forced to look for new strategies when the normal services cannot take place anymore. The inner deficiencies of the old model of a professional clergy operating in a building on fixed times are clear for everybody to observe. Old answers do not satisfy new and strange questions. The solution is not in new strategies – rather old strategies –2000 year old strategies – Jesus’s strategies – disciplemaking!

Remember to embrace the wonderful opportunities of these Covid 19-times. Lets live slower and deeper. The greater our intimacy with Jesus – the greater will be the impact of our lives. All of a sudden we have TIME – and thousands of opportunities – to serve.

Enjoy. Appreciate.

Remember!

Johann Theron

Dear friends,

Kingfisher started out twenty years ago as an organisation mobilising churches to reach out to others in their own communities and beyond. Over the years we learned that the heart of church-life, the heart of all outreaches and community action as well as the core of a believer’s spirituality is about following Jesus. Without following, we are running programs that will make us tired and grumpy like someone pushing a wheelbarrow uphill all the time.

Therefore we rephrased our vision. “Our dream is to redirect (mobilise) the body of Christ towards a disciple-making lifestyle in all spheres of life.”

If we want to see God’s kingdom break through in the ordinary lives of ordinary people everywhere irrespective of culture, country or social status, this is what is needed most:

• People consciously and with intent following Jesus
• Following by being impacted by Jesus’s way of thinking, being transformed in their worldview and approach to life.
• Following Jesus in practical ministry, reaching out to people in physical, emotional and spiritual need, those at the margins of society.

This is more than just knowing how to be saved or following the ideas of the Jesus of 2000 years ago. This is being impacted by the risen Lord himself. 

Jesus Christ makes himself present within the body when a small band of disciples gather in His name. As we follow Him step by step he reveals Himself in the words and ministry of a brother or sister so that not only we can see that He truly lives, but that the whole world can see that He is present in the lives of the disciple community.

I would like to challenge you to intentionally live the Kingdom lifestyle that you learned from Jesus himself as disciple groups. Through his death and resurrection and by the power of the Holy Spirit this is more than possible – it is the (super)natural expression of his presence amongst you. Then He himself (through you) will reach out to the broken, and draw them in, heal them, and make them instruments in His hands that will reach the world.

The secret then is simple: It is by being transformed, redirected, mobilised ourselves, that others will be transformed.

May this be your experience day by day.

Your brother

Piet

Dear family

May you experience a year filled with grace and truth!

I believe we can be more obedient making it a reality, immersed in our Father’s love.

As Kingfisher we want to make our contribution in this regard.

We focus on relationships and journey with people via workshops, small groups, internet, one to one, to rediscover who they are and what they are doing here. 

We are not program driven, but relationship driven, identity driven.

We want you to

•  Follow Jesus practically and in the process become like Jesus and do what He did
• Approach Scripture differently to hear from God yourself and to obey in disciple making spaces
• Continue the life of Jesus on earth by: thinking more like Jesus (adopt a Kingdom Culture); relationships; servanthood; prayer; focusing on needs of people
• ·Make disciples practically in ordinary life from a new discovered identity, calling and potential
• Live with Kingdom impact
• Plant the seed of a disciple making culture in your own influence sphere (family, group or faith community)

The Holy Spirit is not done in your life, but always busy to transform you more into the image of Jesus Christ. In this process, more than sometimes we need to be reminded who we are. 

This is where Kingfisher is available.

Let us give ourselves for this transforming work of Christ in our lives and for other people’s lives in 2020.

In what way are you going to give yourself? What needs to be done by the Holy Spirit in and through your life?

We invite you to journey with us or help others to journey with us.

Believe in yourself because Christ Jesus believe in you.

Shalom

dirk

One of the biggest dangers that threaten the western church to day is not the devil, secularism or even atheism, but our satisfaction with a kind of Christianity that is not found in Jesus’s teachings. Our satisfaction with a Bar-Code Faith.  Think of the barcodes now used on goods in most stores. The scanner responds only to the barcode. It makes no difference what is in the bottle or package that bears it, or whether the sticker is on the “right” one or not. If the sticker that is supposed to be on the dog food fell off the package and was accidently stuck onto the maize meal – the scanner at the till responds through its electronic eye to the barcode and totally disregards everything else. It will read maize meal as dog food.

Toning down biblical discipleship into church-invented Christianity, intimate following of Jesus into church membership, accepting Jesus as your King ruling your everyday life into having Him only as your Saviour (an once upon a time decision – far away in the past) produces a Christianity that makes the salt tasteless, hides the light under a barrel – making the church co-responsible for the lostness of the world.

Kingfisher redirects the body of Christ into a different kind of discipleship where we see Jesus in a totally new view:

·        He is a coach for everyday life – to be His student in kingdom living.

·        Discipleship is to live interactively with Him – to be with Him and learn from Him – live each moment from the reality of the Kingdom of God – becoming like Him.

·        I am learning from Jesus how to lead my life – my whole life, my real life – not only my “spiritual life” – my everyday, ordinary life.

Disciples of Jesus are people who do not just profess certain views as their own, but apply their growing understanding of life in the Kingdom to every aspect of their life on earth.

In contrast, the governing assumption today, among professing Christians, is that we can be “Christians” forever and never become disciples.

Our responsibility is to implement the Great Commission right where we are, not just to raise efforts to do it elsewhere. And if we don’t, it won’t even be implemented “over there.”

“From time to time starting a church may be appropriate. But His aim for us is much greater than that. He wants us to establish “beachheads” or bases of operation for the Kingdom of God wherever we are” (Dallas Willard)

The word “disciple” occurs 269 times in the New Testament. “Christian” is found three times.

Current Christianity have not made discipleship a condition of being a Christian. The result of our frantic efforts to lower the bar in order to get more members and more money is that it is very possible to remain a Christian without any signs of progress towards the character of Jesus – of repeating Jesus’s life.

Churches are filled with “undiscipled disciples”. People are baptised into church membership.

“The great omission from the great commission is – we lost what discipleship means. We have a Christianity without discipleship” (Dallas Willard)

“And a Christianity without discipleship is a Christianity without Christ”   (Bonnhoeffer)

And so it became Christmas – the story of a God loving His people enough that He became like them – a baby – that they can become like Him.

To everybody in the Kingfisher-family: May you experience the unconditional love of God in a very real way in your family and your ministry this Christmas season and in 2020.

Johann Theron

2 Desember 2019

Dear family

Following Jesus and suffering seem to go hand in hand. It is true in our personal lives as well as in ministry. There is a cost involve in being a disciple, in making disciples.

I wonder if you know what I’m talking about?  If so, I want to remind you that you are not the only one. We share in an experience of a life with Christ. I want to encourage you today. Press on. Keep following. Dive even more into the life and strategy of Jesus.

At key moments in your life in Christ and in ministry, tragedy seems to strike.

Dan Allender writes in his book Cry of the Soul, “Suffering may be caused by the hand of an enemy, but God uses sorrow for the sake of redemption.”

There are two main things that make the cost worth it. 

One is that in the midst of the pain we encounter, we know God more. Secondly, we have the joy of knowing our sacrifice will not be wasted.

While painful and extremely difficult, together with suffering comes blessing. 

1. In the midst of the pain, we encounter and know God.

Many times, in the midst of loss and pain it feels as if God is silent or distant. He is not. As we walk through the hardship, He reveals Himself.

The outcome:

We have scars but are deeper in our faith. Faith that has been tested is a stronger kind of faith. The fire of adversity allows the true nature of God’s love to surface within our struggling hearts. 

2. There is joy in knowing our sacrifice will not be wasted.

Lost people will be found by our Almighty God. The unreached will know the power of His radical, unconditional love. Whether today, tomorrow or years from now, the seeds sown by our tears and pain will bear much fruit.   

I believe this with my whole heart.

 “Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” Romans 8: 17- NIV

We identify with Jesus’ pain at the cross as we willingly accept the trials we face as ambassadors of good news. “For the hope set before Him, he endured the cross…” (Heb. 12:2).

As Tim Hansel writes, “Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.” 

We don’t have to be miserable. Living our lives full of hope is our inheritance from God. Press in to discover God’s goodness and character in the midst of your difficulty. Hold onto the dream and remember the promises of God. He is faithful. Your suffering will not be in vain.

There will be hardships when you try to redirect the body of Christ towards a disciple making lifestyle in all spheres of life. It shows you are on the right track – the track of truth and life.

If you feel the price is too high. Be real with God. Tell Him how you feel. Receive His strength and grace today.

Let us pray for each other.

Thank you for the journey together.

Blessings and love

dirk

Dear Kingfisher family,

According to our vision statement, Kingfisher redirects the body of Christ towards a disciple-making lifestyle in all spheres of life. We know that we need a strategy that is simple and based on the same disciple-making principles that we love to preach and teach about. In short, even in our strategy we have to walk the walk that we talk!

Our strategy rests on three legs, just like the famous South-African cast iron pots that we all love so much.

• Every member of the Kingfisher family should make disciples, following the content, method and style Jesus did. We all need to put our convictions into practise and do!
• We teach the principle of disciple-making on every platform that we have access to: churches, Bible schools, seminaries, small groups and much more. Sow the seed everywhere! Many will be impressed, and some will apply it in their own lives and ministries.
• We identify those with an apostolic-prophetic approach who will take the message and run with it, becoming mobilisers who will impact their own regions, countries and communities. Without them taking the baton the dream of a movement bigger than we are will never come true.

The wonderful and joyous news is that we have all three legs of the pot standing firm in Africa, Eastern Europe and South-East Asia. We cannot always go public with names and pictures as some of the key people live in countries that do not tolerate the Christian community growing, but they are taking up responsibility.

We had the privilege of having a group like that in our home for two weeks. It was intense and focused. Living as a community of disciples, following in Jesus’s footsteps.

Even more, we are not the only ones! All over the world, the Lord is calling other organisations, ministries and individuals to the same task. This is a task worthwhile to live for and to die for. This is exactly what our Lord did.

Let us follow Him, step by step,

Your brother

Piet Steyn