Circuit of Ministry

By Apostle Aje Pelser, preached at Harvester Reformational Church, Cape Town. 16 March 2014

Jesus was not well received in his own home town. They tried to throw him off a cliff the first time he preached in Nazareth, and the second time he could only heal a few sick. But that did not depress him and He did not feel sorry for himself. Self pity becomes your reward If you allow it, so take that rejection and turn it into fuel for generating a circuit of ministry. As a prophecy predicted in 1992 the Lord has built a city-wide church over time here at Harvester and with houshold churches in 4 out of 6 municipalties the demographics confirm a circuit of households and bible cells throughout greater Cape Town. We can only give God the glory for any measure of success, in spite of challenges all the way, but jesus builds His Churchand hte gates of hell do not prevail. 

 

Interesting occurrence this week:

We held a Leaders meeting for the Harvester Reformational Churches of the Western Cape region at the Taj Hotel in a boardroom – for free! Sister Catherine Labuschagne organized it for our use – the same day that President Jacob Zuma stayed in the Hotel! A significant governmental sign that God has given us authority in this region and He is building His church. At the same time in the Philippines Apostle Andre was meeting pastors as well and registering the first 2 Harvester Reformational Churches in that beautiful country that has suffered so much in the last year. Well done Apostle Andre! As the saying goes – “my father has been working and I have been working…”

Scripture Passage

Mar 6:4  But Jesus said to them, \””A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.\””

Mar 6:5  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.

Mar 6:6  And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Mar 6:7  And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.

Mar 6:8  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—

Mar 6:9  but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

Mar 6:10  Also He said to them, \””In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.

Mar 6:11  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!\””

Mar 6:12  So they went out and preached that people should repent.

Mar 6:13  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

 

Lessons from Space Travel

The escape velocity required for a satellite to leave the gravitational pull of the earth can send it onward into the solar system to discover new worlds –  new circuits with opportunities that will generate more momentum.

As an indication of the tremendous gravitational pull of a large planet, refer to the robotic spacecraft called “Voyager 1 and 2”. In 1977, the geometric alignment of the giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn, determined the launch of the spacecraft. When Voyager 1 reached Saturn it was propelled by the planet’s gravitational pull towards interstellar space.

“If you are in the right orbit you gain momentum quickly [for your life].” Aje Pelser quoted from an interview for “New Dimensions Apostolic Conference”, Hosted by Harvester International Ministries, Cape Town, 1998.

Think of the first space shuttle orbit around the earth. How much energy was needed to keep the shuttle hurtling around the earth at immense speed? Orbital propulsion is used to give momentum to spacecraft travelling through our solar system, like Voyager I and II.

“Travelling at 1000 000 miles per day, Voyager could fly from LA to New York in 4 minutes.”[1]

Apply these principles to your household church or home cell & propel people into God’s perfect will for their lives.

Formula for success:

Focus on Christ + Correct Orbit = Minimum Effort + Maximum productivity

Requirements for establishing a Circuit of Ministry

So Jesus set up a circuit of ministry not only for himself but also for his disciples. Here are some requirements for a circuit of ministry:

 

Keep GOING!
Jesus kept going around the villages in the encircling country

Jesus taught through his circuit – combining teaching, preaching and healing was Jesus’ formula for success. We are Commanded to love! We are commissioned to go! If you are part of this move of God, you will understand the value of Going! But also the value of communion with God and the Saints and the love that flows form that. It is from that communion and love that going becomes possible. Prophet Nola Pelser pointed out how true evangelism comes from a deep set love for the lost souls we are reaching.

Commission is fulfilled when believers see themselves as sent ones to their spheres of life and the regular gathering at Churches provides the slingshot necessary to have the momentum to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a dying world. We all have regular circuits of life and the key is to be led by the Spirit and ask for guidance so that God can come into that circuit through your witnessing and lifestyle.

 

Accept the Call

Jesus raised disciples to do the same, calling to himself the 12.

Understand the Sending Force in your circuit of life and ministry.

Jesus sends forth His disciples with the same force he used to expel demons from people. Interesting thought that the force with which apostolic people are sent from this aircraft carrier church is on the same level as dispelling darkness from people’s lives!

Sent ones are Ambassadors and should live their lives as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. Ambassadors of God’s Kingdom “make seeking Him the most pre-eminent thing in their life, and He will take care of so many things you think you need to take care of…” Dr Gray and Mr Waldvogel at Miracle Valley Bible College used to say this over and over again until students like Andre Pelser from South Africa started to believe it and implement that saying over a lifetime of ministry. We have now seen another 2 generations enter into the understanding of that saying and apply it in their circuit of life affecting their generation in a new move of God’s Spirit in the earth. Accept that call of God in your heart and seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all those things that you need will be added unto you and your business, and your family and your friends and your community and your life!

 

Wait for Spiritual Credentials

Jesus gave them spiritual credentials. Know who you are in the spirit and allow God to place his seal of approval on your life through faithfulness in a local church over time.

Jesus sent them o a mission. We are about our Father’s business, preparing the Bride for the Bridegroom and the Great Wedding Feast of the Lamb. If you help God with His dream the Church, He will make your dreams come true. Understand the commission and how that applies to your local ministry first before going out onto a circuit of ministry where you will be confronted with too much work and different needs that could pull you into the wrong direction. Strong Prophetic intent and Apostolic Doctrine will equip you not to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

 

Represent Jesus Christ

You are to represent Jesus Christ, above all else we preach Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the Dead. There needs to be conformation to the image of Christ. “Sir we would see Jesus!”                

Charles H. Spurgeon said that it was his aim and goal in every sermon, to take a text and follow it like a road until it led him to Christ and His cross.[2]

\””And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.\””  (John 12:20-21)

This was the cry of church goers in the revivals in England during the time of Wesley and Spurgeon.

John Wesley reportedly travelled 100 000 miles on horseback rising at 4am every morning of his life and preaching at 5am to people on their way to work. The Methodist Society did not even have their own buildings, but met in homes like the home cells we see today and they actually functioned like a church before they were recognized as a church. Once bureaucracy set in, the flames of revival burnt dimmer and organized church lost some of the initial fire that the Wesley brothers ignited by the Spirit of God. But you will always find believers who stay true to the founding faith of that movement.

A bureaucrat[3] is an official who is rigidly devoted to the details of administrative procedure. There are so many of those and so few apostolic people who actually get the job of saving souls and making disciples of the nations.

 

Build Partnerships

A requirement for Circuit ministry is partnerships. In the disciples case Jesus sent them two by two. Later Apostle Paul would travel alone at times, and other occasions have a team with him as Luke accounts. The concept of partnering with Apostolic ministry is seen throughout the New Testament in Apostle Paul’s letters. But the only church that really helped him out when he needed it most was the Philippian Church and to them he wrote:

Php 4:14  Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.

Php 4:15  Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.

Php 4:16  For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.

Php 4:17  Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.

Php 4:18  Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.

Php 4:19  And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

 

Receive Divine Authority

Another requirement for completing a circuit of ministry is Divine Authority. Jesus gave his disciples authority, if you are a disciple of Christ explore that authority in your personal life first. See if you can overcome some personal issues by grace through faith in Jesus’ name. Make your family your first church and see you can widen that circuit with friends and family and have a household meeting where you share Christ in that sphere of influence before you start branching out further afield. First in Jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

 

The Lord told us He is building a great city wide church in the early years of Harvester Cape Town. We have a network of Household churches (what some Churches would call home cells) in 4 out of five municipal areas with possible plants pending this year in the Southern Suburbs and City Bowl. The Bible Cells have increased beyond our church fellowship into other church groups and denominations with whom we meet bi-annually for Conferences, Summits, MBC Soccer festivals and Graduation Ceremonies. These events serve as momentum occasions for the widening circuit of ministry of the Word that is growing mightily and prevailing. I have seen that it take close to five years for a church to see the fruit of starting a Bible College for its members. But it is all worth it when teachers with sound doctrine emerge that are faithful and able to teach others the full Gospel of Jesus Christ with New Covenant perspective for Church life today. Let us help you start a Miracle Bible College Cell today! Contact mbc@harvesterchurch.org.za

 

 

Define Protocol for Provision

In order to sustain a circuit of ministry and build long term relationships, Jesus set the Protocol for provision very clearly.

 

Mar 6:8  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—

Mar 6:9  but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

Mar 6:10  Also He said to them, \””In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.

 

It is wonderful to know that God has people in His network who open their homes for Sent ones. That is how we connected in Pretoria through the hospitality of Brother Andre and Prophet Mimie De Jager and established the MBC satellite in their home.

At the same time, Apostle Andre and Prophet Nola Pelser have also set the standard for hospitality in their “Guess House” because you have to guess who is staying with them at any point of their lives! Many Church leaders, sent ones, students, believers from all corners of the earth have stayed with them in their home and almost all of them have always commented on the peace of God that is prevalent in their home. That is what Jesus told His disciples to look for too and use that as a base of ministry into the surrounding region.

 

What you sow you will reap! You can help build and expand these circuits of ministry and God will give you more opportunity too! Your harvest is already there in your circuit that God has been laying out for you all these years. It is a matter of trusting in the Lord with all your heart, not leaning on your own understanding. In all your ways – all your circuits – acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths!