Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,
Christalla and I are home again from the United States. In last month’s issue, we gave you some feedback from our time in Florida. In this issue’s feedback section, I have included some excerpts of feedback received from those within the Colorado House Church.
We are so grateful to the Lord for the work that He has started in Colorado and for the beautiful vision He has given us for the house church. His Spirit is at work in the hearts and minds of the fellowship. Here is what some of the members had to say:
Jake Schwaiger:
What I have received from Pastor Andreas’ visit to gypsum is more understanding about the Word of God. I feel he is coaching us to be used for God’s kingdom, each with our own gifts. I also feel we grow closer as a group while he is here teaching us.
Karen Nulle
Having Pastor Andreas and Christalla over for dinner was very special. It took our relationship to another level. I value him as my pastor in a way that would not have happened if he had not come to visit. Our Gypsum House Church has become a really loving family for Jessica and I. Thank you to Alpha & Omega Christian Fellowship back in Cape Town for Sharing Pastor Andreas & Christalla with us! Blessing and peace to you all.
Josh & Heather
How Pastor Andreas has blessed us! Pastor is taking us deeper, even introducing Biblical counter cultural topics that are new to most of us such as: courting rather than dating, the Holy Spirit, praying in tongues, fasting and prayer. These are topics we have not heard from the pulpit before.
Pastor Andreas takes time and care to follow up on questions and prayer requests. He is looking into children’s curriculum which encourages us that he cares about details such meeting our children’s needs, praying for us and laying hands on our children and praying for them. He challenges us to take steps of faith in the presence of our church family which is an example to one another. Josh was prayed for to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and others were able to hear what praying in the Spirit sounds like for first time. Christalla offered good advice on parenting for those of us eager to learn how to raise children that walk with the Lord.
It is so encouraging to know we are loved. I even appreciate how he challenged our group about not answering the phone call/text. He has a father’s heart which is uncommon in American churches and even in American families. As spiritual adolescents, I believe this is something we admire, respect and are craving. We know we have a lot to learn from Pastor Andreas. It seems like this amazingly rare gift that he desires to spend time with us and offer thoughtful, prayerful advice on how to live the Christian life today. We would be fools to turn away from this opportunity. Thank you Pastor Andreas and Christalla.
Marie Torry
It has been pleasure once again to have Pastor Andreas and Christalla here in Colorado as a guest and spiritual leader. He has conveyed to us a wonderful vision to build on the Gypsum house church by creating solid and nutrient rich ground, through sharing and creating strength and encouragement in the spirit and soul of the first members of the fellowship. He shared, over the course of his stay, a wonderful game plan on how to accomplish launching this vision by using the analogy of him adopting the role of a spiritual coach. Pastor gradually rolled out a strategy of how we all could work together as a team by encouraging us to follow some fundamental guidelines in ministry. First he led us to scripture in Romans 12 asking us to examine our strengths in character and the gifts we might see in each other and ourselves as roles we could fulfil in this new endeavour of fellowship.
Second, he encouraged us to be mindful of prayer and fasting with the intention of creating a more vivid understanding of what God’s Spirit is attempting to convey to us daily, and help us to hone our gifts and Christian integrity.
Finally, Pastor Andreas emphasized several times the importance of graciously supporting each other and not allowing small offenses, which are inevitable in a small group of friends, to grow in unnecessary ways that would cloud, damage or hinder this beautiful opportunity to grow in the things of the Spirit together. He emphasized the fragile nature of this stage of planting, as with a seed, to grow and accomplish the common goal of aligning our fellowship and ministries here in the Eagle Valley with God’s will to glorify Him in heart, thought and deed.
It has been an honour to learn from and be in the presence of a spiritual leader who shares a strong vision for our community here in the Eagle Valley. We look forward to the further honour of being a part of the birth of a new house church ministry with strong guidance that will allow us to grow to be mature Christian individuals who thrive in a deeper understanding God’s Word and the blessings of being filled with His Spirit. We are eager to have more profound messages from Pastor Andreas to grow our individual gifts in the Spirit and ministries for a successful new endeavour for the Eagle Valley.
Mason Torry
I’m thankful for Pastor Andreas and his wife Christalla’s visit to relay the vision God had given him for the Gypsum house church and its potential in reaching the people in our spheres of influence by exercising our spiritual gifts.
I’m always touched by the gift God has given him in conveying the meat and mysteries of the Word which make me endeavour to search the Word more in order to understand and gain its wisdom to grow and reach people for God’s Kingdom. I’m also thankful for his prayers and discipling by conveying his own trials and blessings as he grew in his walk with the Lord.