ccm Cross 0097 Nketa Baptist Church, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

ccm Cross 0097
February 1, 2017

Nketa Baptist Church
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Africa
ccm Cross 0097

GPS/DMS 20° 11′ 5.99” S 28° 30′ 44.1” E

Additional photos after Testimony

4262 cdd Our Source
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 18 Number 032

Today’s Author: Pastor Bill
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Scripture: Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” NKJV

Hello my name is Pastor Bheki Mkwebu from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and this is my Cross Testimony of how Jesus Christ became Lord of my life. I grew up in the rural areas of Tsholotsho, Zimbabwe some 650km (400 miles) from Harare, which is the capital city. My dad was a poor peasant farmer. I was the fifth of seven children.

Growing up we never knew about going to church. Dad and mom had no interest and we had very little exposure to the word of God. They were traditionalists and we grew up taking part in the family traditional religion. I attended public school. My life was normal for a kid that had no Bible training. We lived on the streets, we herded the family livestock and did whatever we could to survive.

I was 17 in High School when a friend from my past looked me up. He asked me a very strange question, “Bheki, where can I find a Baptist Church.” I had no idea and not interest. Very clearly, I told him, “I don’t believe in that religion stuff.”

My friend was persistent and he made sure I was with him when he found a Baptist Church. Together we entered. I listened but did not hear the word of God. The next Sunday my friend made sure I was with him in church. Same deal. I listened but did not hear the word of God.

The third Sunday I heard. All three sermons were in a series about Jesus Christ. The scripture theme was Revelation 3:20, with Jesus knocking. The scales fell off my eyes. My heart opened and I received that Jesus was talking to me. It was like I was the only one in church. The message was for me and me alone. I could not resist the invitation.

I had a lot of catching up to do. I joined discipleship training. I was hungry to learn. That never happened before! Who is Jesus Christ? Why am I here? What am I to do? How will I do it? Question after question ran through my mind. One by one I received the answers.

After discipleship training I was eager to serve joining the children’s ministry. Here I learned what I had missed as a child. Fascinating Bible stories about the love of God.

In 1994, I got married to my childhood friend, my dear wife, Thokozile. God has blessed us with three boys. The last born is 16. Indeed, it is a miracle how God has and is providing for us as a family.

Then we moved to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe where I began my job as an insurance underwriter. Here we joined a small church. The year was 1997. A small fellowship gave me the opportunity to learn ministry. Everyone had to help. Thokozile and I were very active and volunteered for everything we could. We were young, full of energy and wanted to use that energy for Christ.

Two and one half years later, in 1999, I was asked to join the church leadership team. I had years of training from the ground up, I loved Jesus and now it was time to take responsibility for what I learned. My training took on a whole new level when our Pastor resigned in 2000. Our country was going through a terrible economic down turn, I lost my job, and I decided to respond to the call of God in my life. I was a temporary pastor for the church.

These were dark days in our country and getting darker. 2005 I entered Theological college and by 2008 I received my degree. I was installed as the permanent Pastor of Nketa Baptist Church.

Throughout this journey the Lord has provided miracle after miracle. The poorer, this abundantly one time rich nation became, the more Jesus showed up in big ways.

The greatest of miracles was to see the hearts of the people receive Christ as Savior and turn away from government for their needs and look to Jesus. No-one had a job, no-one could pay their bills, no-one could feed their family of pay for their house. Sustaining a family was from miracle to miracle. The entire economy of the Zimbabwe collapsed.

How we survived with 3 young children, no income and a church full of Jesus loving people was miracle after miracle after miracle. We managed to send our children to school, with no income. We can only look back and say, “Glory to God.” (All students in Zimbabwe must pay to go to school). No-one had money for a doctor, dentist or optometrist. No-one had money for medicine.

They came for prayer. Daily we saw tooth aches disappear, stomach problems disappear, eyes corrected. Jesus became our health care provider. Jesus became our income provider. Jesus became our bill payer. He still is and not for us alone but a countless number of people whom God has brought under our care. Hardly a day passes without a miracle encounter in our lives, and in the lives of the people God brings to us.

My words cannot explain what has happened here but Pastor Bill please understand it was JESUS. From the beginning of our ministry we have held on to one scripture. 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” NKJV

And today, Jesus, through you and your readers have given us this Cross as a testimony to the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. To God Be All The Glory!

While Jesus was providing all this for us our church grew. We have become known far and wide as a church for Jesus reaching throughout the community proclaiming Christ. We have established five more churches.

Here we are today, in 2017, and our economy is still in shambles. There are very few jobs and dependable government services are nowhere to found. Our source remains JESUS.

Prayer: Father thank you that Jesus is our provider which is way more than any government or employment can provide. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

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