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Jozi City Celebration – 13 May

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by Justine Engelbrecht

What an amazing turn out for the City Celebration and Gods amazing grace and presence abounding.

An incredible evening and message by Tyrone Daniels, ‘We are in a battle’.

Here are a few points which stood out for me which I would like to share with you:

·         Shut our ears to distraction, open our ears to hear Gods voice!

·         When doctrine and truth are abandoned and the authority of the church is questioned, you get a whole new religion which attacks the pre-eminence of Christ’s supremacy and the authority of the God head.

·         Jesus is our victory (Walk in Victory)!

·         Ephesians Ch 6. Vs 10 – 18: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty Power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all of this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

 

·         Power is in the centrality of Jesus Christ.

·         The world does not need more of the world.

·         Saved people do not become sinners to save sinners.

·         His Kingdom is like nothing here on earth.

·         God wants to restore the warrior spirit in the church.

·         We are the Army of God.

·         We need to worship Jesus where he is now, we are not at the foot of the cross anymore.

·         Make way for the King He is coming!

The Magnificence of Jesus is the foundation of the Victory of the Church.

Other verses to read:

Colossians 1

Isaiah 6

Isaiah 32 vs. 14

Hope to see you at the All Sites celebration on the 27th May 2012.

Download Tyrone’s Message

Donate Cool Stuff to the New Uptown Venue

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by Phil Quinn

In just a week or two we will have an Uptown venue of our very own and we’re looking to kit it out as nicely as we possibly can. So we’re checking to see who might be keen to donate certain kinds of items (all listed below) for the venue.

We want the space to be a blessing to the community of Braamfontein and to provide room for people to meet together, socialise and study: a homely and pleasant place that anyone will feel welcome in.

You can help us do this by donating items which we’re looking for. So why not dig through your garage or storeroom and see if you have anything on our list below which you would be willing to donate? Please only donate items which are in good, working condition – broken or clearly damaged things aren’t likely to be much use to us.

Please also note that if you donate something and we choose not to use it we will dispose of it at our own discretion (unless you clearly indicate that you would like it back). So please let us know if you’d like it back so that we don’t end up throwing away something we shouldn’t!

Thank you all you wonderful people! 🙂 Here’s what we’re looking for:

– Office furniture: desks, filing cabinets, etc.

– Book shelves

– Lounge furniture: couches, chairs, coffee tables, side tables, ottomans

– Good, working computer equipment: laptops, desktops, printers, etc. (shouldn’t be more than three years old)

– Picture frames (without the pictures, all sizes)

– Floor lamps

– Pot plants, pots for pot plants, hanging plants (all sizes)

– Fairy lights (working), not coloured.

– Working kitchen appliances: kettle, toaster, microwave, fridge, gas stove, etc.

– High resolution photos (in digital format) of Johannesburg, Braamfontein, and South African people

– Outdoor and garden furniture: large garden umbrellas (without logos), umbrella stands, garden or outdoor tables, garden or outdoor chairs

– Large chalk boards

– Blank, mounted canvases (all sizes)

– Mirrors

– Good quality Christian books by reputable authors (not fiction), particularly reference: atlases, dictionaries, concordances, commentaries, lexicons, etc.

– Good quality normal reference books: dictionaries, atlases, encyclopedias, guides, university level textbooks, etc.

– Good quality coffee table books

– Clear, plain glass vases and jars

– Old electric appliances (pre-1985), not necessarily working but in good condition; the older, the better – for display purposes only: tv’s, radios, kitchen appliances, tv game consoles, computers, record players, cameras, film projectors, etc.

– Old vinyl records – preferably working, preferably contemporary music from the 50’s – 80’s

– Old photos in projector slide format

– Old bicycles (not modern, bmx, racer or mountain bike) for display only

– Strong, good quality wooden crates (not tomato boxes)

Ok, so you’ve got something to donate?

Simply chat to me (Phil Quinn) or call the office at 011-616-4073, or email info@www.cornerstonechurch.co.za, to arrange where / when / how to get the items to us.

Thanks!

The Klopper Friday Club Jumble Sale

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In partnership with Ukwakha Isizwe Foundation, the Klopper Friday Club community is hosting a fun and lively jumble sale for the Klopper Park area and beyond (including Elandsfontein) on Saturday, 2 June. The idea behind the day is to connect with the community while also selling furniture, clothing and various items for really low prices to raise money for a jungle gym.

It’s going to be a day full of fun with a jumping castle for the kids, lots of music, face painting, and, of course, tea and coffee with balloons!
We are seeing a lot of kids in the Klopper Park area come through to the Friday night group, and this is one way in which we want to connect with the parents of these kids and connect with more families in the area and its surrounds.

If you have clothing, ornaments or anything that can be sold at the jumble sale and would like to donate, please call the Cornerstone office at 011-616-4073 or email info@www.cornerstonechurch.co.za.

KFC Jumble Sale
Date: Saturday 2nd June 2012
Time: Gates open at 10h00
Place: Cnr Welkom & Murmel St, Klopper Park
Jumble sale – clothes, nic nacks and furniture
Face painting, jumping castles and fun for the kids

Key Women on 3 May 2012 – Much Encouragement from Rahab

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By Justine Engelbrecht

This month’s remarkable woman of the Bible was Rahab, and she proves to us that no one is beyond the reach of God. Colette Meeske emphasised that if God can use a women like Rahab they way He did, how much more then can He use us.

Rahab had hope and much love for her family, even under her circumstances and lifestyle choices. Her life teaches us to have faith. Faith comes from hearing and all we need is the word of God.

Rahab also teaches us to fear God more than man. She took a great risk, but she had great faith. James 2: 17 tells us that faith not accompanied by action is dead.

Rahab committed herself, she made a choice, and she chose God. She helped them with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12 –continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

The story of Rahab encourages us to not let the past dictate our futures.

Do not miss Key Women on the 7th June 2012, for encouragement from Deborah, another remarkable woman of the Bible.

This is a wonderful time of fellowship for women and an opportunity to take two hours out of the month to hear and understand the word of God! Bring friends!

Uptown’s Rom Com Night – 27kg’s of Popcorn Consumed!

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By Denise Sherman

Guys and girls may have very different views on “romance” – but one thing is for sure, male or female, we all love free stuff and eating (and if you don’t – you should check your pulse).

Combine free popcorn, coffee, movies and students and you have a recipe for success. Passers by at Grove were certainly interested when they tried to buy popcorn, only to be told it was free. Their smiles got even bigger when we told them we’d be screening two movies – also for “mahala”. Personally I think the free coffee was also a big draw card. Caffeine is its own food group in the diet of a student.

I know the Uptown guys were a little…um… bitter about having to endure a “Romantic Comedy” movie night, but it really worked out well. People gathered as the evening progressed, watching the movies, mingling and munching on popcorn. I had to chuckle at the animated audience response to particular characters. They were very supportive of the “underdog”.

In between movies and even after, people stuck around – enjoying themselves, and getting to know new people.

A big thank you to all the tireless workers, popcorn makers (27kg’s!), coffee pourers (1000 cups) and general friendly faces. These events are a great way for us to develop relationships and build our profile as a community focussed church in the city.

MEN LEAD: Health and Fitness

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Written by Ryan Strydom

The MEN evening last night was fantastic, with a focus on Health and Fitness. Lots of guys were getting into it and enjoying it, with testosterone flying around left, right and centre.

There were a few challenges to do – for example, Crossfit had a few competitions going where guys had to see how many push-ups, clean and jerks or squats they could do in 30 seconds, while Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) experts were showing how the sport works and running competitions where guys could check how many punches they could do in a minute, etc.

Meanwhile, men could also get their blood pressure checked and have some quick blood tests done, while guys could try out some health food and grab some free vitamins. In short, there was a ton of things to see and do. There was even some hip-hop dancing going down.

Marcus spoke about family, marriage and singleness – being a husband, being a father and then being a single guy. One of the Crossfit guys, who used to be a bouncer (and was involved with everything that usually comes with that lifestyle) gave his testimony on how Jesus has changed everything for him.

Marcus’ talk included this spoken word video below, which is worth a watch! I love the last line: “You don’t fall out of love as much as you fall out of repentance.”

Next weekend’s MEN LEAD event will incorporate the outdoors and all the gadgets and things we can get relating to that sort of lifestyle. If the past events are anything to go by, this one is going to be great!

Lesotho Equip 2012

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From 4 – 6 May a team will be travelling to Maseru in Lesotho to minister there. The focus will be on the youth, but all are welcome and encouraged to participate. The cost for the trip is R550 and you can contact the church office or Casper Versluis to make arrangements to take part.

Details

Dates: 4 – 6 May
Cost: R550 per person
Contact: The church office on 011 616 4073 or Casper Versluis on 072 503 0228

Why Lead Worship? – Part 3 – Why David? Looking at God’s Heart

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Written by Jonno Warmington

In my last post in this series I asked what it was exactly about David that was ‘after’ or ‘according to’ God’s heart. In answering this question we obviously need to look at both God and David and look for some similarities in their character. I believe a clue to at least a portion of the question is tucked away in the use of this phrase elsewhere in the Old Testament.

In the first 11 verses of Jeremiah 3, Israel and Judah are accused of spiritual adultery and prostituting themselves to other gods… then God calls and commissions Jeremiah:

“Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say:
“Return, faithless Israel…
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
and I will bring you to Zion.
And I will give you shepherds after my own heart,
who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”
– Jeremiah 3:12-15 ESV.

There is actually quite a lot more in the Old Testament that talks about God as a Shepherd of His people – the most famous probably being Psalm 23.

Over in the New Testament Jesus calls himself “The Good Shepherd” and dedicates a good chunk of John 10 to this teaching about himself. Jesus uses more shepherding language as he approaches Jerusalem in Luke 13:34 saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

Now, when we look at David, we know he was a shepherd as a young boy but there’s actually a lot more to it than just that. When it comes to the Bible’s teaching on worship and David’s leadership a commonly used portion of scripture is this one from Psalm 78:

“He chose David his servant
and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him
to shepherd Jacob his people,
Israel his inheritance.
With upright heart he shepherded them
and guided them with his skilful hand.”
– Psalm 78:70-72 ESV

I’ve often heard and, in turn, used this portion of scripture to introduce the concept of two aspects to leadership and service in a local church: the heart and the hands of service. These are important concepts for us to understand (and we’ll come back to these in a later post) but we often get caught up on those points and miss out on something that is actually the main key to this scripture. I believe that this key is also vital to understanding the Biblical heart of “leading worship” and, in fact, to the heart of any kind of leadership and service in the church.

David is saying that from when he was a young boy right through to being the king of Israel his job description didn’t change, just who he was looking after. He went from shepherding sheep to shepherding people.

We always teach about the importance of an upright or integrous heart and skilful hands in service but miss the actual point of this verse. The integrity and skill are the ‘hows’. The ‘what’ of the scripture is shepherding!

So what makes David a man after God’s heart? I don’t believe scripture honours David with this acclaim because he was a great leader or because he was a very talented writer, poet and musician. I don’t even think it was because he had some amazing measure of desire for God. I’d like to argue that it is for this reason: from the hills and sheep pens of his childhood right through to the height of David’s illustrious political career, at heart he was a shepherd. And God likes that because that what He has in His own heart.

Click here for part 4 of this article.

To all the Dreamers… It’s time to Dream

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by Faye Mc Clean

So this morning I began with an attempt at dreaming which may seem minimal and pathetic.
I sat in my bedroom in a small suburb of a large city with a dream that doesn’t fade.
But I have to start somewhere…. I have to know that I’m not crazy.

I have to know that even if these are words… they are a start.

A stab in the dark maybe… but within that darkness that God would reveal himself…

I dream of changing the world.
Being a history maker.

Not like the ever-famous delirious lyrics say or because it’s a line that sounds good.

I dream of changing the world because I know I carry a truth that CAN change this world.

I don’t deserve to be recognized but I know I can be recognized because HIS truth is enough to cause a tide wave of change… and I hold that truth within my heart.

I dream of being used to inspire a generation in Him.

I dream of people seeing His glory in me.

I dream of preaching till my voice and body aches.

I dream of being utterly compelled to do and say whatever and whenever the Spirit urges.

That his urges wouldn’t even have to be urges but simple utterances or whispers or notions.

I dream of praying for people and they are healed in a moment.

I dream of walking in the power of Christ in such a real way.

Not stories told about people in the book of Acts or in Hong Kong or Toronto or Kenya.

I desire it so desperately in my life.

I want to be that person bursting with stories to tell every single day.

Stories of His love. His compassion. His power.

More status’s per second than bbm, twitter or facebook can handle.

Because of HIS LOVE. His compassion.

His genuine gentleness and awe-inspiring power breaking into lives like a mighty torrent that sweeps into hearts and over our country like a revival.

Like a revival.

Like a revival.

It’s my dream.

I dream of rappers, single mom’s, homeless men, young children, famous dj’s, MD’s, students, families, foreigners, leaders, athletes, nerds, jocks, muslims, married couples, pioneers, atheists, everyone… every race… meeting Jesus.

Meeting Him as if he were face-to-face.

Being overwhelmed by His love as if it were the air being breathed.

I desire Christ being pointed to as IF my face, my body, my language, my behavior were a neon sign directing strangers and friends directly to HIM.

I dream of truly living.

I dream of doing what I am passionate about and through that – experiencing His favor to change more than just a nation.

I dream of standing on the forefront of possibility with thousands of His soldiers and shouting out what we see… and as we do… hearing echo’s of change from thousands of others around the world. I dream of encouraging people, faithing with people, standing with people I dream of my heart beating and finite flesh screaming his name with each passing day…

I dream of living with the knowledge of eternity as if it were the only thing that mattered.

I dream of being more than a girl with brown hair and blue eyes.

I dream of being someone recognized because of her love for a King who gave everything of himself for this world.

I dream of fighting for lives and seeing captives set free.

I dream of constant wonder and awe and movement as we step with His Spirit into every area and place He treads.

I dream of the impossible being absolute reality.

I dream of “celebrating” never being overrated because salvations are happening all the time.

I dream of people dreaming for more because there is constant faith within hearts for more.

I dream of passivity being unknown as hungry passion constantly grows and fires are ignited within hearts.

I dream of MORE than this.

In fact, I know there is more than this.

And I will forever dream of changing this world for Him.

What’s Easter About Anyway?

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by Ryan Strydom

Contrary to popular belief that Easter (an Old English word for ‘Passover’) is all about chocolate, eggs and bunnies, Easter is celebrated by Christians as a time that represents the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It would be impossible to delve into all the details of these two events and what they mean in such a short space. But phrases such as “Jesus died for your sins” or “he was raised on the third day” often become clichés that bear no meaning for many people.

So what do these phrases really mean? Their meaning is multi-faceted and often very difficult to grasp unless we really know who Jesus was and how he lived his life. All of that has been recorded in the Bible books of Matthew, Mark Luke and John, and anyone interested in Christianity should start there.

In short, Jesus ‘died for our sins’ on Good Friday by taking them upon himself when he, as an innocent man who brought healing to others, underwent a torturous and unjust death nailed to a Roman instrument of capital punishment – a wooden cross. Justice declares that all of us, one way or another, ought to pay for the wrong things (sin) we have done to each other and even to ourselves. In effect, death is our punishment. But Jesus took the punishment of death upon himself in our place and was raised to life three days later on the Sunday (Easter Sunday) after He himself had conquered death.

By taking the punishment upon himself we no longer have to face what justice requires. Instead, we can go free – live forgiven, restored, in peace and in healing. By being raised to life Jesus declares that he has conquered death and that all who trust in Him live in his victory. In other words, we move from death into life, not death into death, when we trust Jesus. And all it takes is a simple decision to do so!

When Jesus insisted that those who were murdering him and mankind should not suffer justice but be forgiven (Luke 23:34) he ushered in a new order (Kingdom) of grace, mercy and peace. No longer does mankind need to live under an order where wrong must be put right through punishment, but now mankind can live in an order of grace and mercy where wrong is put right through love. This is how the Christian endeavours to live – just as Jesus lived.

There’s more. Jesus gives Christians his Holy Spirit, who is also God, and who lives in Christians, empowering them to live a life of love and grace; empowering them to bring God’s healing, restoration and reconciliation to the world.

And it all boils down to that pinnacle moment – Easter Sunday – when what God will do in the future – raise us up to life – was brought into the present.

The promise of God’s grace, mercy, peace and restoration is open to anyone and everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are and what you’ve done, when you trust in Jesus your sins are completely wiped away.

That’s why we celebrate Easter.