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The Bell Bunch

October 2024

 

Partners in the Gospel,

Just a couple months ago, I was right here – preparing to write up a report of praise for all the Lord had done in our usual, almost monthly fashion. I had the notes organized and it was first up on my Monday to-do list. In fact, I was finding the reflections a bit therapeutic after a difficult sermon assignment. But it wasn’t a usual Monday like this one. And therefore, this specific update is hardly an almost monthly report, but more like a quarterly. But let’s get to the reason for such a terrible delay. We were in the hospital as a result of this beautiful blessing, Quincy Jean Bell. It was 18 August, and I had just preached my heart out and now enjoyed the spoils - the most pleasant post-corporate worship Sunday afternoon nap. But I am soon startled awake to understand it was time - 3 weeks early, but Quincy can't count yet, so... On 19 August, early in the morning, the Lord kindly gifted us our fifth child and second daughter – and we’ve been spinning ever since. 

 

 

Welcome to the Bunch, Quincy Jean! Bonus Content: Hear the sermon I like to think sent Lauren into labour that Sunday afternoon (click here). Spoiler - its on justification by faith alone. 

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I had plans then of telling you of full weekends of ministry with wonderful participation and response in a variety of our teaching ministries  - Sunday corporate worship services, men’s fellowship, ladies and mothers ministries, for example. And we praise the Lord for those growing in grace and the knowledge of Christ Jesus as we intentionally work to encourage faithfulness in Christian homes. So much so, we recently concluded leading a six-week Biblical parenting course through Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp. Our June worship conference, Reverence & Awe was wonderful and well-attended. We’ve also added members to the church and have yet more baptisms upcoming in November. We continue to receive more and more visitors. To God be the Glory!

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I also wanted to share with you the many opportunities we have had to encourage other ministries in our area. It has been a blessing to continue to be invited to speak in chapels; both at Good Hope Christian School and at Film School Africa. We have had the privilege in assisting other local congregations through preaching. I have been able to preach twice for an absent pastor in Somerset West and once for another pastor recovering from a heart attack. The latter church is located in the notoriously dangerous and crime-ridden community of Mitchell’s Plain. The church has come under very difficult times, multiple break-ins and burglaries and worse. But despite these, the saints in this small church hold fast their confession. We were tremendously blessed by their faithfulness and grace. May the Lord continue to sustain these dear ones.

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Preaching at Lentegeur Baptist Church in Mitchell's Plain

 

There are many exciting developments in the growth process of the church I had wanted to share. We have formed a Leadership Development group with about a dozen faithful men. It is our prayer – and please join us in praying – that the Lord would qualify and provide more elders and deacons from among us. We have finished working through 9Marks’ Deacons book and will be moving next to Knowing God by JI Packer.

 

Additionally, the church voted to approve our move into a like-minded association of evangelical churches throughout Southern Africa, called Sola 5 (https://sola5.org). While we have enjoyed the benefit of fellowship with several of these churches and especially the encouragement from their pastors, now we are part of them formally. The association carries no governance or jurisdiction as a proper Baptist fellowship, but does connect us as one of now 56 churches in 8 Southern African nations including Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and of course, South Africa. Their annual conference was held in Cape Town back in September and we were received into their membership, inducted after a vote that very weekend. In addition, as elders of Mountain View, Duan and I have joined a fraternal of like-minded pastors in our more immediate locale, which meet monthly for prayer and encouragement. They are called the Spurgeon Fraternal and we have enjoyed participation in the last two gatherings. What a joy it has been to have so much fellowship among Christian brothers in ministry! The Lord is merciful. This has led to some connection and potential ministry partnership with area churches. I will be preaching in November in one of these churches to relieve the church-planting pastor. There may be opportunity for more church-planting cooperation in the future, Lord willing, as this congregation is only about 10-15 minutes from us and our target ministry area.

 

 

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Sola 5 Annual Conference 2024 delegates at Goodwood Baptist Church in Cape Town, SA. Bonus point if you can find Nate!

 

In other ministry news, I cannot seem to connect again with the “open-minded” and influential Muslim who suggested he could gather a group of hundreds of Muslims in the mosque and let them be taught Christianity by Christians. Please pray that we would find and that if it’s the Lord’s will, this door might be opened to us for the sake of Christ’s glory among an unreached people. That said, we have had other conversations and testified to the gospel of grace among others. Pray for another influential man I have begun to develop a relationship. May the Lord soften these hearts and that these gospel seeds may take root in good soil.

 

When we have not been busy with family life, hosting fellow missionaries (and we have had a host of them, ha!) and these ministry responsibilities, we have been working to meet the tremendous needs within our own church family. We have had a member miraculously survive a brutal car accident by God’s grace and has a long road to recovery. We have a few others slowly decline in health with bleak looking prospects. May the Lord heal and bring ultimate joy and peace to His people and may they model faithfulness to the world as the endure these sufferings with hope in God. We have had members without power in their homes and members without homes at all. In fact, we have congregants living with us right now while we search for suitable housing and trust the Lord’s wisdom and provision. We have couples with marriages are crumbling. We have great needs for biblical counseling and workers of all types for the harvest – teachers for Christian school, workers with a heart for youth to serve an underserved community near the church to name a couple. We could use the Lord’s provision of a small transitionary home for the church where we could accommodate needs such as those mentioned above, and we are praying for the Lord to provide partners in prayerful and financial support for two of Mountain View’s own missionaries working in two evangelistic ministries in two communities desperate for the hope and good news of the gospel (Pastors and mission committee members, let me know if you want to hear more!)

 

We have also been knocking on future ministry doors by looking at our target church planting area and the surrounding communities. We happen to have also found a lovely space in the center of that area available for purchase (have a look at the plot!). We have met with another area pastor for insight into one demographic in our area which he primarily ministers. Also met with another leader doing social development in a nearby underserved community about the needs there and ways we might assist to bring the gospel there. In light of all of these things, I decided to pursue a Biblical counseling certificate. Lord willing, we may train many others also to help bring the gospel into all these different areas of need in our lives. Please pray for wise stewardship of my time and faithfulness in all these matters – before the Lord Himself, in my marriage, with my family, in my church and within the community outreach opportunities the Lord presents.

 

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Quickly for the bookworms; my recent reads include Deacons by Smethurst, Family Worship by Whitney, Gospel Primer for Christians by Vincent, This Momentary Marriage by Piper, Family Driven Faith by Baucham, Pastoral Training in the Church by Wyatt, A Praying Church by Gundersen, Why We’re Protestant by Pickowicz. I am still working in Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tripp, Following God Fully by Beeke, Disciplines of a Godly Man by Hughes, Knowing God by Packer, Counseling by MacArthur and The Horse and His Boy by Lewis. In the best book, the Good Book, the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures, we have been encouraged in trial by time in Lamentations and encouraged to pursue joy in Christ in 1 John. The next couple weeks I will be preaching in Revelation again and trust we will be encouraged to endure for Christ is victorious and the church is triumphant!

 

With this said, I have recently battled discouragement and disappointment. Discouragement in the news that my closest and dearest brother and friend is moving away. Disappointment in the news of a hopeful ministry and church planting partner has chosen a different ministry direction. I will not dwell any further on this, for I have already received a well-deserved heavenly hiding for it. 

 

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…
— Philippians 3:7-8

 

The Lord is my Portion and He is Sufficient. Nothing compares to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. And as He subtracts, He supplies even more grace.

Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel. You area gift and treasure to us in the Lord - a source of great joy. We love and pray for you. Please let us know how we can pray specifically and partner together in your ministry as you do for ours!
 
By His Grace and for His Glory,
Nate

 

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