Steve Oliver - Center Parcs

Story:

Japeelo
feeling called ot bring hope to Africa, to the daisy's of Africa. Felt God speak to him about preaching the gospel to Japeelo. Not being used to this, he was scared, but felt God had called him so he went.
The man was dressed in a blanket and hat, sitting at the edge of the his appartment.
Apartheid had just come to an end.
How are you?
Not good, I am scared. I have a pain in my heart and feel scared since I think I am going to die and I'm not sure what will happen to me.
Steve: [God obviously knows he needed to make it easy for me!] told him about Jesus.
Man replied: but I have been told that Jesus is the God of the white man only.
He then led Japeelo to the Lord, went home and told Heather.
Japeelo led his wife to the Lord.
After a year away Steve returned and Japeelo was waiting for him and said 'come on, they are waiting for you!' his whole family, village and extended family were there. Steve told them about Jesus and led many to the Lord.

Gave up his house and life in Cape Town (businessman with all the toys/car/house) and moved to the country (only house within a mile), and planted a church among the poorest of the poor.Started a church in Clarins, felt God say 'prepare for 500 people for Sunday,' no marketing no plan, bought enough food for 500 people. First baptism in the church 94 people got baptised!  that grew and led to seven other church plants. The region later changed it's name (to Dihlabeng) after apartheid to the name of the church since it had been such a blessing to the area and made such an impact.

They were looking after 350 hiv aids sufferers at any one time. Transformed the health care and education system. The church's influence was dramatic all because Jesus isn't the god of the white man only.

Then on to Dubai.

- Jesus is the saviour of the nations. 

Position yourself for the purposes of God

CS Lewis, keep nothing back...

The principle runs through all life from top to bottom. Give up your self,
and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it.
Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favourite wishes every day and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fibre of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing. Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.

Two people from scripture. Abinadab and Obed-Edom
2 Samuel 5. Dagon vs Yahweh. 6 the Ark gets sent back to the Israelites. 7 The men of Kerith Jarim bring the Ark to the house of Abinadab.

- You cannot put God alongside the other gods in your life.

If you want to put God into your life you must get rid of the other gods in your life.

He is Lord and saviour. Come under is rule and reign.
Ease of life is our biggest threat in this nation. What we have is not the norm. We are part of about 2.5% of the world's population.

If we are going to see the gospel take effect in this nation and across the world we are going to need to see a generation of young people live sacrificially.

When pressures come the temptation is to erect more 'dagon' gods in our lives. Let them die.

Abinadab: leaves the Ark alone and is relived when it goes, one of his sons (Uzzah) gets killed as the Ark leaves.
Obed-edom:

Steve's comments as a South African church planter of the UK church:
- Ease. Love of and pursuit of an easy life.
- Refusal to take risks. Obsession with planning everything.
- Lack of expectation.
-

2 Samuel 6. Abinadab had the Ark for twenty years and nothing. Obed-Edom has it for a few months and experiences great blessing.

CT. Studd. Cambridge graduate. Inherited an estate/home house of equiv. £52m. Gave his £52m away, gave his life to the mission field. 

Two little lines I heard one day,Traveling along life’s busy way;Bringing conviction to my heart,And from my mind would not depart;Only one life, twill soon be past,Only what’s done for Christ will last.