During a post-Mid Year Conference holiday near St. Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal we decided to visit the grandmother of one of the students we used to disciple named Thabani. Thabani’s granny lives just outside St. Lucia. The visit was encouraging on several fronts.
His grandmother expressed joy in Zulu that we became friends with Thabani through the Gospel. His cousins expressed a desire to understand the Bible more clearly. They invited us to return to speak at their church so that they could better understand God’s word. It reminded me that African culture is beautifully fluid and relationally warm. But what encouraged us most was an exciting idea that Thabani shared with us. It may help to have some background knowledge so you can better share in our joy.
Thabani is one of the leaders of an influential Christian organization on the University of KwaZulu-Natal campus. You may recall that, in 2014, I studied Matthew and John with Thabani and his friends. Those gospels were instrumental in helping Thabani to more clearly understand who Jesus is and why he came. As a result, the ministry he was leading moved away from distorted prosperity teaching to Biblical faith.
During that year, I gave Thabani a copy of 9Marks book called What is a Healthy Church? (Please see photo below). I had forgotten about giving him the book (and I often wonder if students actually get around to reading them), but during our recent conversation in Saint Lucia he shared with us that he not only read the book, but he loved the book so much that, of his own initiative, he’s planning to run a one-day conference to teach the content of the book to other university students.
It reminded me to give thanks to God for the generosity of reformed evangelical churches and organizations in the United States of America. It also got me thinking that we should, with the help of your generosity, continue to spread the Gospel through such resources. So, if you’re reading this and you’re planning to visit South Africa anytime soon, please let us know. The Gospel Coalition is generously giving free resources to people from the States who are visiting the global South. We’d love to get more good resources into the hands of university students!
Thank you and thanks for your generous partnership in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!
The von Kühns in South Africa 