Ministerie in Nederland: Een gesprek met Jacques Brunt

Gegroet, Broeders, in de naam van onze Heer Jezus Christus.

Onlangs had ik de gelegenheid om een schriftelijk interview te doen met broeder Jacques Brunt, die Christus dient in Nederland. Broeder Jacques wordt ondersteund door HeartCry Missionary Society. Neemt u alstublieft een paar minuten de tijd om te lezen over het werk van de Heer in het gebied van onze broeder Jacques, om geïnformeerd te worden over de geestelijke toestand in Nederland, en om specifieke manieren te leren waarop u kunt bidden voor onze broeder en zijn familie. 

De familie Brunt

Heel hartelijk bedankt, broeder Jacques, dat je de tijd hebt genomen om dit interview met mij te doen. Dit interview is vertaald met DeepL, om te vertalen tussen Engels en Nederlands. Voor degenen die geïnteresseerd zijn in de Engelse versie van dit bericht, die kan hier worden bekeken: http://katakalypto.blogspot.com/2022/01/ministry-in-netherlands-interview-with.html

V. C: "Vertel ons eens wat over je familie."

Broer Jacques: "In 2004 ben ik getrouwd met Annette. Het bijzondere is dat we op de lagere school bij elkaar in de klas zaten. Later kwamen we elkaar weer tegen en uiteindelijk zijn we getrouwd. Inmiddels hebben we vier zonen van de Heer gekregen; Levi (16), Boaz (13), Jesse (10) en Juda (4). Samen met onze kinderen willen we ons leven volledig beschikbaar stellen aan Hem, Die ons heeft liefgehad en Zich voor ons heeft overgegeven (Rom. 8:32). Vorig jaar in november is onze oudste zoon gedoopt."

V. C: "Hoe bent u begonnen in de fulltime bediening?"

Broeder Jacques: "Het was in de zomer van 2000 dat - na ongeveer vier jaar van overtuiging van zonde en zoeken naar vrede met God - de Here Jezus aan mij werd geopenbaard als mijn persoonlijke Redder en Zaligmaker. Iets wat ik als een onmogelijkheid had beschouwd, werd werkelijkheid: vrede met God door het geloof in de Heer Jezus Christus. Toen werkte Hij in mij een geestelijke honger, die alleen te stillen was en is met Zijn Zoon, Jezus Christus. Daarom strekte ik mij dagelijks uit om Hem dieper te leren kennen (Filippenzen 3:10). Tegelijkertijd doortrok een verlangen mijn ziel, zoals uitgedrukt in een oud lied: "Heer, neem mij, breek mij, vervul mij, zend mij.

Dit verlangen werd een roeping die de Heer tien jaar na mijn bekering vervulde. Dit begon met een spreekbeurt op een jeugdconferentie. Binnen korte tijd ontving ik verschillende uitnodigingen om te preken. Ik deed dit naast mijn baan als makelaar. Het aantal spreekbeurten nam zo toe dat Annette en ik besloten dat ik minder zou gaan werken. Het geestelijk werk groeide en groeide. De Heer vervulde mijn roeping, bevestigde die roeping, en zorgde voor de financiën. Dit alles gebeurde niet plotseling, maar geleidelijk. Stap voor stap. We baden voor de Heer om deuren te openen voor een voltijdse bediening terwijl het werk bleef groeien.

Tijdens deze periode trof de financiële crisis ons makelaarskantoor, waardoor drastische maatregelen nodig waren. Een van die maatregelen was dat ik mijn baan verloor (april 2013). Deze ontwikkeling - hoewel een beproeving - hebben wij ervaren als een ingrijpen van God om ons vrij te maken voor een fulltime geloofsbediening. De profetie over de Here Jezus uit Jesaja 42:1A sprak tot ons (juni 2013): "Zie, Mijn Knecht, Die Ik ondersteun...". We mochten deze tekst op onszelf toepassen en ontvingen beiden vrijmoedigheid om de stap naar het geloofspastoraat te maken. En zo kreeg Gods roeping concreet gestalte."

V. C: "Nu je fulltime in Nederland dient, bij welke bediening ben je betrokken en hoe ziet dat eruit?"

Broeder Jacques: "Het werk van onze bediening bestaat voornamelijk uit het onderwijzen van de Bijbel. Dat mag ik doen in onze gemeente in Alblasserdam waar ik ook actief ben als ouderling. Daarnaast reis ik door heel Nederland en België om bijbelonderwijs te geven. Ook ben ik betrokken bij HeartCry Nederland als bestuurslid. Van daaruit is mijn band met HeartCry Missionary ontstaan. Ook leid ik studie- en groepsreizen naar Zwitserland en Israël."

V. C: "Wat is de grootste uitdaging voor de Kerk in Nederland?"

Broeder Jacques: "De grootste uitdaging voor de kerk in Nederland is om trouw te blijven aan het Woord van God. De tijdgeest heeft de kerk beïnvloed. We staan voor de uitdaging om vast te houden aan Gods principes. Die staan in Nederland onder druk."

V. C: "Hoe is de geestelijke toestand in Nederland?" 

Broeder Jacques: "De geestelijke toestand kan omschreven worden als lauw. De kerk is gelijkvormig geworden aan de wereld en haar systeem van leven. We hebben de Heer nodig om ons land te bezoeken en ons volk voor Hem te verootmoedigen. Tegelijkertijd is er ook in Nederland een gelovig deel (overblijfsel) dat toegewijd leeft. Er zijn veel plaatsen waar het Woord van God in getrouwheid wordt gepredikt en mensen worden toegerust voor de dienst (Efeziërs 4:12)."

V. C: "Op welke manieren heb je God zien werken in Nederland?"

Broeder Jacques: "Op verschillende manieren. Zelf ben ik vanaf het begin betrokken geweest bij de HeartCry beweging. Rond het jaar 2002 beleefden we een opwekking. We hebben conferenties meegemaakt waar de aanwezigheid van de Heer heel duidelijk voelbaar was. Veel jonge mensen kwamen tot geloof en bekering. Velen van hen dienen nu in het Koninkrijk van God in Nederland en daarbuiten. Hele gezinnen wijdden zich aan de Heer. Inmiddels zijn hier twee Bijbelscholen uit voortgekomen, waar ik ook les geef."

V. C: "Hoe heb je God zien werken in jouw leven, en in het leven van je gelovige familieleden?"

Broeder Jacques: "In het antwoord op vraag 2 heb ik daar al iets over gezegd. Voor een uitgebreider getuigenis verwijs ik graag naar de volgende link."

 https://heartcrymissionary.com/testimony/jacques-brunt/

V. C: "In de grote opdracht wordt ons opgedragen om alle volken tot discipelen te maken. Hoe ziet dit er praktisch uit in uw werkgebied?"

Broeder Jacques: "We lezen in Mattheüs 28:19 'Gaat dan henen, onderwijst al de volken, hen dopende in de naam des Vaders en des Zoons en des Heiligen Geestes, hun lerende onderhouden al wat Ik u bevolen heb'. Twee woorden springen eruit en vormen de kern van onze bediening; onderwijzen en leren. Gebaseerd op de Bijbel, geloof ik dat Bijbelonderwijs ons denken vernieuwt. Zoals je denkt, zo leef je. Daarom is bijbelonderwijs een van de meest fundamentele aspecten van discipelschap of de grote opdracht."

V. C: "Wat zijn de uitdagingen en zegeningen die je ervaart in een fulltime bediening?"

Broeder Jacques: "De zegen is dat ik dagelijks bezig mag zijn met het geestelijk investeren in mensen. Die investering heeft waarde tot in de eeuwigheid. Dat is een enorme zegen. We hebben een boodschap van Hoop in een donkere tijd. De beste boodschap; Jezus Christus, en Hem gekruisigd (1 Korintiërs 2:2). Daarnaast is het, te midden van een jong gezin en het vele werk van onze bediening, een uitdaging om onze persoonlijke relatie met de Heer op de eerste plaats te houden. We kunnen met van alles en nog wat bezig zijn, maar we zijn in de eerste plaats geroepen tot de gemeenschap met onze Zoon Jezus Christus, onze Heer (1 Korintiërs 1:9)."

V. C: "Welke bijbelse principes of passages uit de Schrift heeft de Heer je op verschillende momenten voor de geest gehaald die je dichter bij Christus hebben gebracht, je hebben uitgedaagd of je hebben gezegend tijdens je jaren als dienaar?

Broeder Jacques: "Dat is een goede vraag. Twee bijbelverzen hebben door de jaren heen sterk tot mijn hart gesproken.

Als het gaat om Gods verlangen voor mijn leven en het proces dat zich in mij voltrekt: Romeinen 8:29 "Want degenen die Hij tevoren gekend heeft, heeft Hij ook tevoren verordineerd om gelijkvormig te worden aan het beeld van zijn Zoon.

Soms, als ik het moeilijk heb en satan mij wil ontmoedigen, sprak God vaak tot mij uit Hebreeën 2:8b-9a 'Nu zien wij nog niet, dat alle dingen Hem onderworpen zijn, maar wij zien Jezus gekroond met heerlijkheid en eer'.

De Here Jezus zit op de troon en heeft absoluut de touwtjes in handen, wat er ook gebeurt!"

V. C: "Hoe geef je prioriteit aan je tijd in de voltijdse bediening, zodat je een evenwicht bewaart in het wassen van je vrouw met het water van het Woord, het opvoeden van je kinderen in de vreze en vermaning van de Heer, het maken van discipelen en het opbouwen van de heiligen?"

Broeder Jacques: "Zoals u in de vorige antwoorden en ook hieronder kunt lezen, is het een groot gevaar / valkuil als er geen goede balans is tussen de genoemde onderwerpen. Ik ben strenger geworden als het gaat om het invullen van mijn agenda. Ik ben in de eerste plaats echtgenoot en vader, dus ik probeer heel bewust veel tijd met ons gezin door te brengen. Dat is niet alleen belangrijk, maar het brengt ook veel vreugde. Daarnaast ben ik erg dankbaar voor mijn vrouw die zich heel erg inzet voor ons gezin. Nadat we kinderen kregen, is ze gestopt met betaald werk. Ze is er fulltime voor ons gezin. Dat geeft veel rust. Ze heeft alle kinderen van jongs af aan veel uit de Bijbel verteld en hen Bijbelverzen geleerd. We praten ook veel met onze kinderen over het Evangelie en mijn vrouw en ik brengen hen dagelijks in gebed tot de Heer. Wat vooral belangrijk is, is dat wij als ouders het goede voorbeeld geven. Hiermee heb ik uw vraag beantwoord. Ik besef dat er nog veel meer over te zeggen is."

V. C: "Hoe kunnen mensen voor je bidden?" 

Broeder Jacques: "In het werk dat wij doen, staan wij in de frontlinies van de geestelijke strijd die in deze wereld gaande is. Daarom vinden we de bediening van gebed en voorbede van het grootste belang en willen we er prioriteit aan geven. We kunnen niet zonder de gebeden van broeders en zusters die achter ons staan. Daarom zouden wij het zeer op prijs stellen als u en de uwen onze bediening in uw gebeden zouden gedenken. Belangrijke punten zijn:

Familie (liefde, eenheid en bescherming)

Bijbelonderwijs (juiste nadruk in deze tijd)

Ouderling/oudste (wijsheid en moed om juiste beslissingen te nemen)

Prioriteiten (de juiste balans tussen relatie met de Heer, gezin en bediening)

Behoeften (dat de Heer in al onze behoeften zal voorzien)"

V. C: "Heeft u nog laatste gedachten die u met uw broeders en zusters in Christus zou willen delen?"

Broeder Jacques: "Tot slot wil ik de woorden van Jezus uit Johannes 16:33 doorgeven: 'Deze dingen heb Ik tot u gesproken, opdat gij in Mij vrede hebt. In de wereld zult gij verdrukking hebben, maar hebt goede moed: Ik heb de wereld overwonnen."

Hartelijk dank, broeder Jaques, dat je dit interview met mij wilde doen. 

Geliefde lezers, laat u bemoedigen door het werk van de Heer door Zijn volk, onder de natiën, en verplicht uzelf om voor de Troon van Genade te komen, biddend dat God Zijn Koninkrijk zal blijven uitbreiden over de hele wereld. Moge het Lam dat geslacht is de volle beloning van Zijn lijden ontvangen en moge de Naam van God groot zijn onder de volken. 

Neemt u alstublieft even de tijd om te bidden voor onze broeder Jacques en zijn familie. 

De genade van onze Heer Jezus Christus zij met Zijn heiligen.

In Christus,

Virginia

Ministry in the Netherlands: An Interview with Jacques Brunt

Greetings, Brethren, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Recently I had the opportunity to do a written interview with Brother Jacques Brunt, serving Christ in the Netherlands. Brother Jacques is supported by HeartCry Missionary Society. Please take a few minutes to read of the Lord's work in our brother Jacques' area of the world, to be informed about the spiritual state of the Netherlands, and to learn specific ways you can be praying for our brother and his family. 

The Brunt Family

Thank you so much, Brother Jacques for taking the time to do this interview with me. This interview has been translated with DeepL, to translate between English and Dutch. For those interested in the Dutch version of this post, that can be viewed here: https://katakalypto.blogspot.com/2022/01/ministerie-in-nederland-een-gesprek-met.html

V. C: "Tell us a little about your family."

Brother Jacques: "In 2004 I got married to Annette. What is special is that we were in each other's class in elementary school. Later we met again and eventually we got married. Meanwhile we have received four sons of the Lord; Levi (16), Boaz (13), Jesse (10) and Juda (4). Together with our children we want to make our lives completely available to Him, Who loved us and gave Himself up for us (Rom. 8:32). Last year in November our oldest son was baptized."

V. C: "How did you start in full-time ministry?"

Brother Jacques: "It was in the summer of 2000 that - after about four years of conviction of sin and seeking peace with God - the Lord Jesus was revealed to me as my personal Savior and Blessed One. Something I had perceived as an impossibility became a reality: peace with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then He worked in me a spiritual hunger, which was and is only to be satisfied with His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, I reached out daily to learn Him more deeply (Philippians 3:10). At the same time, desire pervaded my soul, as expressed in an old song, "Lord, take me, break me, fill me, send me.

This desire became a calling that the Lord fulfilled ten years after my conversion. This began with a speaking engagement at a youth conference. Within a short time I received several invitations to preach. I did this next to my job as a real estate agent. The number of speaking engagements increased so much that Annette and I decided that I would work less. The spiritual work grew and grew. The Lord fulfilled my calling, confirmed that calling, and provided finances. All did not happen suddenly, but gradually. Step by step. We prayed for the Lord to open doors for full-time ministry as the work continued to grow.

During this period, the financial crisis hit our real estate office, necessitating drastic measures. One of those measures was that I lost my job (April 2013). This development - although a trial - we have experienced as an intervention of God to set us free for a full-time faith ministry. The prophecy about the Lord Jesus from Isaiah 42:1A spoke to us (June 2013), "Behold, My Servant, Whom I support... We were allowed to apply this text to ourselves and both received boldness to make the step to faith ministry. And thus God's calling took concrete shape."

V. C: "As you serve full time in the Netherlands, what ministry are you involved in and what does that look like?"

Brother Jacques: "The work of our ministry consists mainly of teaching the Bible. I am allowed to do that in our church in Alblasserdam where I am also active as an elder. Besides that I travel throughout the Netherlands and Belgium to give Bible teaching. I am also involved in HeartCry Nederland as a board member. From there my connection with HeartCry Missionary came. I also lead study and group trips to Switzerland and Israel."

V. C: "What is the biggest challenge facing the Church in the Netherlands?"
Brother Jacques: "The greatest challenge for the church in the Netherlands is to remain faithful to the Word of God. The spirit of the times has influenced the church. We face the challenge to hold on to God's principles. These are under pressure in the Netherlands."

V. C: "What is the spiritual condition in the Netherlands?" 

Brother Jacques: "The spiritual condition can be described as lukewarm. The church has become conformed to the world and its system of life. We need the Lord to visit our country and humble our people before Him. At the same time, there is also in the Netherlands a faithful part (remnant) that lives devotedly. There are many places where the Word of God is preached in faithfulness and people are equipped for service (Ephesians 4:12)."

V. C: "In what ways have you seen God working in the Netherlands?"

Brother Jacques: "In different ways. I myself have been involved in the HeartCry movement from the beginning. Around the year 2002 we experienced a revival. We experienced conferences where the presence of the Lord was very clearly felt. Many young people came to faith and conversion. Many of them are now serving in the Kingdom of God in the Netherlands and abroad. Entire families devoted themselves to the Lord. Meanwhile, two Bible schools have arisen from this, where I also teach."

V. C: "How have you seen God working in your life, and the in the lives of your believing family members?"

Brother Jacques: "I have already said something about this in the answer to question 2. For a more comprehensive testimony, I would like to refer to the following link."

 https://heartcrymissionary.com/testimony/jacques-brunt/

V. C: "In the great commission, we are commanded to make disciples of all nations. How does this look practically in your area of ministry?"
Brother Jacques: "We read in Matthew 28:19 'Go therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.' Two words stand out and form the core of our ministry; teaching and learning. Based on the Bible, I believe that Bible teaching renews our thinking. As you think, so you live. Therefore, Bible teaching is one of the most fundamental aspects of discipleship or the great commission."

V. C: "What are the challenges and blessings you experience being in full-time ministry?"

Brother Jacques: "The blessing is that I get to be busy daily investing spiritually in people. This investment has value for all eternity. That is a tremendous blessing. We have a message of Hope in a dark time. The best message; Jesus Christ, and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). In addition, in the midst of a young family and the many labors of our ministry, it is a challenge to keep our personal relationship with the Lord number one. We can be busy with anything and everything, but we are called first and foremost to the fellowship of the Son Jesus Christ, our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9)."

V. C: "What biblical principles or passages of Scripture has the Lord brought to mind at various times that have drawn you closer to Christ, challenged, or blessed you through your years of ministry?
Brother Jacques: "That's a great question. Two Bible verses have spoken strongly to my heart over the years.

When it comes to God's desire for my life and the process that is taking place in me: Romans 8:29 "For those whom He has known beforehand, He has also predestined beforehand to be conformed to the image of His Son.

Sometimes when I am struggling and Satan wants to discourage me, God often spoke to me from Hebrews 2:8b-9a 'Now we do not yet see that all things are subject to Him, but we see Jesus crowned with glory and honor'.

The Lord Jesus is on the throne and is absolutely in control no matter what happens!"

V. C: "How do you prioritize your time in full-time ministry so that you maintain a balance in washing your wife with the water of the Word, bringing up your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, making disciples, and building up the saints?"

Brother Jacques: "As you can read in the previous answers and also below, it is a great danger / pitfall if there is not a good balance between the topics mentioned. I have become more strict when it comes to filling out my schedule. I am first and foremost a husband and father, so I try very consciously to spend a lot of time with our family. Not only is it important, but it also brings a lot of joy. In addition, I am very grateful for my wife who is very dedicated to our family. After we had children, she stopped paid work. She is there full time for our family. That gives a lot of peace. She has told all the children a lot from the Bible from an early age and taught Bible verses to them. We also talk a lot with our children about the Gospel and my wife and I bring them to the Lord in prayer daily. What is especially important is that as parents we set the right example. With that, I have answered your question. I realize there is much more to be said about it."

V. C: "How can people be praying for you?" 

Brother Jacques: "In the work we do, we are on the front lines of the spiritual battle that is going on in this world. Therefore we consider the ministry of prayer and intercession to be of utmost importance and we want to give it priority. We cannot do without the prayers of brothers and sisters who stand behind us. Therefore, we would greatly appreciate it if you and yours would remember our ministry in your prayers. Important points are:

Family (love, unity and protection)

Bible teaching (right emphasis in these times)

Elder/elder (wisdom and courage to make right decisions)

Priorities (the right balance between relationship with the Lord, family and ministry)

Needs (that the Lord will provide for all our needs)"

V. C: "Do you have any final thoughts you would like to share with your brothers and sisters in Christ?"

Brother Jacques: "In closing, I would like to pass on the words of Jesus from John 16:33 'These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but have good courage: I have overcome the world.'"

Thank you so much, Brother Jaques, for doing this interview with me. 

Dear readers, please be encouraged by the Lord's work through His people, among the nations, and commit yourselves to come before the Throne of Grace, praying that God will continue to advance His Kingdom around the world. May the Lamb Who was slain receive the full reward of His suffering and may the Name of God be great among the nations. 

Please take some time to pray for our Brother Jacques and his family. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with His saints.

In Christ,

Virginia

God's Work in Zimbabwe: An Interview with Brother Joe Shoko

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Recently I was given the opportunity to do a written interview with Brother Joe Shoko. Brother Joe is supported by HeartCry Missionary Society, serving at Berean Reformed Baptist Church in Harare, Zimbabwe. You can read his testimony of conversion here: Joe Shoko.

Please take a few minutes to read this interview to become better acquainted with our dear brother, his ministry, the Church in Zimbabwe, and learn how you can be praying for them more specifically. Please bring our brethren before the Throne of Grace.

Brother Joe (right) with Conrad Mbewe

V.C: Tell us a little about your family.

Brother Joe: My wife’s name is Tinotenda Alice Shoko, we got married on October 19th 2019 by the grace of God. On December the 1st 2021 we were blessed with a baby girl and we named her Neraya (God is Light), Matipa (He has given us) Shoko. We pray that God would be pleased to bless us with more. My siblings are Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1 brother and 3 sisters. I am the second born. My mom passed away on February the 1st 2002.

V.C: How did you start in full-time ministry?

Brother Joe: I was saved in 2013 after initially visiting a church with the desire to strike a business deal with a former schoolmate who was part of the church, namely Bulawayo Baptist Church. After I got saved I served in the church for a year before my then pastor suggested that I go to seminary as he sensed that I had the gift of preaching. I did sense the call in that I could not stop preaching and serving in the church, at Sunday school and during our soup kitchens where we served and preached to the homeless and hungry with the Gospel and a meal, so I prayerfully applied. During my seminary, my convictions started to change as I came across John MacArthur, Paul Washer and Conrad Mbewe. These men preached the word, they really preached on sin and ‘scratched’ where it itched. In 2018 I was accepted on a year long pastoral internship program at Kabwata Baptist Church pastored by Conrad Mbewe, after a year, with much prayer and consultation Kabwata Baptist Church sent me as their missionary to plant a Reformed Baptist Church in Harare, Zimbabwe, and this is where we are to date.

V.C: As you serve full time in the Zimbabwe, what ministry are you involved in and what does that
look like?

Brother Joe: I do the work of an evangelist and pastor, I reach out to the lost with the Gospel whenever I can and wherever I go through forming friendships and using that to share the Good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. I also am very passionate about biblical ecclesiology and the formation of a church, thus with 2 and a half years into the church plant we already have 6 members at Berean Reformed Baptist Church including ourselves. My ministry entails follow ups on visitors who come to church, door to door evangelism, preparing sermons, administering the ordinances, and partnering with healthy local churches that have clear confessions. We as a church also work with an orphanage and preach there a few times a month, moreover we also have a Children's Bible Club that we do on Saturdays at our home.

V.C: What is the biggest challenge facing the Church in Zimbabwe?

Brother Joe: The Biggest challenge facing the Zimbabwean church is syncretism with African Traditional Religion and politics. There is a lot of talk about Christianity being a ‘whiteman’s’ religion, that it was brought by white people to persecute black people, oppress them and take their land. This is the biggest challenge that the church in Zimbabwe faces.

V.C: What is the spiritual condition in Zimbabwe?

Brother Joe: In addition to the ATR which I mentioned, the spiritual condition of Zimbabwe is such that the majority of the people have flocked to prosperity teaching churches where a lot of heresies are taught and peddled. Many people think and say that they are Christians but their lives tell a different story. Many Zimbabweans are in despair, despite many being religious a lot think that God has abandoned Zimbabwe because of the economic and political hardships that have plagued the country for a very long time.

V.C: In what ways have you seen God working in Zimbabwe?

Brother Joe: Until recently, there seems to be a young crop of people that desire to see a resurgence of reformation and reformed teaching. Many have been disgruntled by the prosperity teaching churches and the lack of biblical truth being taught. It is through this that we see God working in the lives of young Christians and God calling to Himself young people who have not grown in the church. There are young people who are part of a few healthy churches that we have become our friends and they are a huge encouragement to us. Many people in the rural areas are also seeking the truth of the Gospel and many are leaving unbiblical practices and entrusting themselves to sound teaching.

V.C: How have you seen God working in your life, and the in the lives of your believing family
members?

Brother Joe: Many of my extended family members are not believers, so I will just write about my wife and I. I have seen God working in the area of progressive sanctification, not that I am growing in righteousness no, for the righteousness I have is not my own but Christ’s. I have seen a desire to want to grow more, a renewed and growing hatred for sin, and yearning to commit more time to prayer. My wife has grown in ways I cannot fathom, she serves diligently and earnestly in our home, and is conscious of her own sin and inadequacies however she is continually laying all these at the foot of the cross. Our home has become a place that people are free to visit, either for fellowship, prayer and for counsel that we may offer. God has grown our dependence on Him for physical provision, life on the mission field has a lot of hardships, but we are constantly humbled by God’s provision for our needs.

V.C: In the great commission, we are commanded to make disciples of all nations. How does this look practically in your area of ministry?

Brother Joe: I am currently discipling two young men who are members of our church. We meet outside of church once every fortnight for prayer, sharing struggles, and reading a book together. I have realized that discipleship in the modern church is something that is professional and more about people being projects than the people themselves. Because our home is open, the brothers usually come to our home even after church and see how I practically live and lead my home. This is not easy at all as many people in Zimbabwe are too busy looking for money and earning a living, however so far, with the time we have together, we have seen fruit.

V.C: What are the challenges and blessings you experience being in full-time ministry?

Brother Joe: The challenges are that when working with sinners just like you, you are bound to be impatient with them and ‘step onto their toes’ and they too, step on yours. What really breaks my heart is when a young man or woman who has potential in serving the Lord gets swept away by the ways of the world. I have also realized that there is actually little rest that one can get in the Ministry, I mean taking into consideration that ministry is about people, how do you rest from people? The blessings are innumerable and immeasurable, in that we see the promises of God in scripture manifest in reality, for example the miracle of salvation, prayer being answered, victory over sin and joy in Christ Jesus.

V.C: What biblical principles or passages of Scripture has the Lord brought to mind at various times that have drawn you closer to Christ, challenged, or blessed you through your years of ministry?

Brother Joe: Whenever I am in spiritual hardship or any sort of turmoil, one of the most encouraging texts of Scripture is John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Jesus didn’t promise that our problems will be miraculously erased, but He promises that he will be with us in this midst of tribulation. I have also found that being separate from the ways of the world is of immense importance in the Ministry, what does darkness have to do with light? There are so many areas that the minister should watch in his life, friends, associations, music, entertainment, desires, and even places to visit. This year we have been going through the psalms as a church and these have warmed our hearts and have blessed us as they have drawn us to God in our individual devotional life. We must abide in Christ continually.

V.C: How do you prioritize your time in full-time ministry so that you maintain a balance in washing your wife with the water of the Word, bringing up your daughter in the fear and admonition of the Lord, making disciples, and building up the saints?

Brother Joe: I have a schedule that I follow, my work essentially an ‘8-5’, however it is basically all day long, it’s work that you cannot ‘lay aside’. I make sure that during the day I do a lot of ministry and church administration work. This is when a lot of evangelism and oversight is done. In the evening I usually have family time where I usually catch up with my wife, spend time with her and lead family worship, or family devotions as we call them, that is where most of the washing my wife with the water of the word is done. I work from home so my wife has a lot of access to me, she can almost talk to me anytime, and so I am able to utilize that time as well. My daughter is a newborn so at the moment the schedule is jumbled up as she can and does demand my time anytime. My first ministry is my wife, then my daughter and then the church, that is what I see as the biblical pattern. It's very easy to say, but I always need Grace to practice it.

V.C: How can people be praying for you?

Brother Joe: Pray that I may glorify God by preaching Christ crucified. Pray that I may love my wife as Christ loved the Church. Pray that I may be a godly father. Pray that I may grow steadily in Christ and grow in my assurance of salvation. Pray that I may be a vessel through which God saves the lost through.

V.C: Do you have any final thoughts you would like to share with your brothers and sisters in Christ?

God is faithful to His promises, trust Him, preach the word, obey the word, and you will see your living rooms changing, your neighbourhood changing, the church growing and societies transformed. Pray for revival.

I would like to thank Brother Joe for taking time to do this interview with me. I hope it is a blessing to many. Please be sure to take time to pray for our brethren in Zimbabwe. 

For God's glory alone!
~Virginia Cowperthwaite