JMFI REVIVAL AFRICA 2005
Mission Update
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
My trip to South Africa for REVIVAL AFRICA 2005 began in Tampa, Florida where Delta took my wife and I to JFK in New York. It was a beautiful trip. We arrived at terminal #3 and took the air-train over to terminal #7 where Cathay Pacific Airways is located. We were not there long and boarded for our long flight to Hong Kong where we were to take our next segment on to Johannesburg, South Africa.
We boarded Cathay Pacific and the take-off was perfect unlike my experience last December of nearly crashing. We settled in as the plane went up to 31,000 feet. They served us refreshments quickly. Sister Reckart and I settled back and took a nap. I awoke about three hours later. It was supposed to be dark outside now but when I raised the shutter the sun was shining bright. I wondered what in the world is going on. Where are we!
I ejected the little control device that makes a monitor come on in the back of the seat in front of me. This monitor is used to show the starting point and ending point and the location of the airplane in flight at that very moment. I looked at the display and the airplane was not flying west toward Vancouver, Canada as former flights had done. Instead we were flying toward the north pole and were somewhere above Hudson Bay. I then dug out the airline book in the back of the seat to see where we were going. On the back insert was a map of the different routes Cathay Pacific flies. I saw the one and only one that went up over the earth and down the other side of the world toward Hong Kong. Sister Reckart and I flew over the top of the world. Now that's what I call being on top of things!
The sun never went down as we flew over the north Pole area. It started to get dark somewhere on the down side of the world on the other side. We arrived in Hong Kong with no events. 14 Hours in the air and it was all very smooth riding.
We arrived Hong Kong and spent a couple hours in the Cathay Pacific lounge where they give frequent flyers free cold drinks, soup, sandwiches, and snacks. We boarded our next flight and flew overnight arriving around 7am in Johannesburg, South Africa. When I stepped off the plane the presence of the Holy Ghost was with me. I felt the sweet welcoming mighty power of God. The Spirit moved upon me in a gentle way. I was here to fulfill the will of God and not to fear. The Kingdom would be increased. The government of the Lord would be established stronger. I was here on a Divine mission and I knew the devil would fight everything I was doing. One of the things I have learned about the will of God is, when you are in the perfect will the devil tries to destroy you. That's why Jesus came face to face with the devil in the wilderness. He had stepped forth to establish the Kingdom of God and the devil was there to confront and oppose him. But Jesus was prepared for the battle. I had come to South Africa well prepared for the battle. I will not lose this war! I will not lose this battle no matter who rises against me. I was determined not to be side-tracked from the mission to bring Light to the Nations. Not all men are called to do this work. Not all men have this anointing. I can say as Jesus did, I HAVE FINISHED THE WORK YOU SENT ME TO DO. There is a wonderful sweetness and relaxation being in the will of God. The faith for this mission was established. Not to go forth in triumph would be the same thing as doubting God. This soldier is on the battle field and is suited up with the Gospel of peace. To back up this work I have the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. No one will win a war or battle against me. I am destined to be the victor over all my foes. I am predestinated to this victory.
The devil showed himself real good back in December when Sister Reckart had a heart attack and I was in the Philippines. A young novice who hated me being on the mission field without his permission spouted off his mouth to several people that I was not in God's will. He told people Sister Reckart had this heart attack to punish me because I was there against the will of God. This same young idiot went around telling people all sorts of lies to sow discord and create strife and hatred. But to God be the glory, these things did not discourage me. This novice has never established anything in his life and he DID NOT hear from God. According to this Korah, the Philippines should not hear the Gospel preached by me and many be saved? Give me a break! The many souls saved because of this mission trip and the work I did among the Ministers there was great. There was such an awesome move of God in the convention that the Ministers in attendance testified they had never seen such a move of God before in their life. Many received the Holy Ghost. Five received the Holy Ghost in one night as I moved among the crowd ministering to people. Many were slain in the Spirit. Backslid Ministers fell upon their knees: repented and restored right there in weeping and tears. A mighty move of God swept the convention. If God hated me being there out of his will, he sure did't stop what I was doing or these being touched and saved. Day after day we had this visitation from God. And this novice-railer would tell me God was against me for being there and God was going to kill Sister Reckart if I did not leave and come home? Such suggestive talk shows the mouth of the devil not the voice of God. This same enemy of God's work said to a brother in the Church: "I know Pastor Reckart will think Sister Reckart's heart attack is from the devil, but it is not, and I have to be honest with myself that he is out of the will of God." I am an old hardened champion for God. I know who hears from God and who does not. I know what this man's plan was: it was to tear down, destroy, and kill. But I was delivered from all three of his attacks Hallelu-Jesus!
The work in South Africa was a great work of God. It is awesome, no wonder the devil wants so bad to destroy it. I put it all into the hands of the Lord and kept reaching for souls and preaching; crying out to God for a visitation. God honored me each and every service. The Holy Ghost was there to confirm the Word. The very idea that God would strike Sister Reckart down with a heart attack to punish me for being on the mission field where many received the Holy Ghost is not only novice stupidity, it shows just how great the hate was against what I was accomplishing for the Kingdom.
Now, here Sister Reckart is with me on an airplane in April on a long flight to the Mission field deep into the darkness of South Africa, in a heathen and pagan land. Sister Reckart was in ICU in December and four months later with her helpmate to bring Light to the nations. No other woman was chosen of God to assist her husband in this work. That is why Sister Reckart and I work well as a team for God all these years. We are on a mission for God. Others who covet this and are mad can just continue to spout off their obscene railings. God is not impressed and I am not either. God called me and sent me to do this work and a brigade of demons will not turn me from it. "Nothing formed against you will prosper was prophesied to me." I weighed my gains and my losses. I knew when I arrived home the same novice would spread lies to remove people from my Church. But I counted the cost. I knew what he was up to back last October and November when God showed me him in a vision trying to rip wood off the Church to tear it down. I observed his going and coming. I watched as he went to different people and even slipped off to central Florida to spread his venom. But God was with me and this mountain shall be removed. Shall I cry about losing a few or rejoice because many were delivered and saved? I chose the latter. God began to move as soon as we arrived in South Africa. As the Spirit of God swept through that first Church service and authenticated my being there, I was determined no man shall destroy what God was establishing. Yea, the very gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The glory of the Lord God has been upon this mission work from day one. His blessings and leadership have directed my mind about this field of labor. I did not go there just to preach, jump around a little, take some self-serving movies to show off when I got back. I went there to see the Kingdom message of this Gospel preached. Acts 2:38 was preached greater then any man had ever preached it to these heathen people who are still bound in their idols and voodoo. We fought the battle and the Lord won! We went forth and the battle was the Lord's.
My first message in South Africa was entitled "We Must Cross-Over Or Be Damned." I started with Noah and his family getting on the ark to cross-over from a wicked generation to the future will of God. You cannot stay with the wicked you will be destroyed. You must come on and get with God's salvation plan and cross-over. Cross-over or die! I preached about the children of Israel who had to cross-over the Red Sea or stay in Egypt as a slave. The choice is cross-over or remain a slave to sin. If you do not have a mind and willing heart to cross-over and follow the will of God you will die under the judgments of God. I preached about the Israelites how they had to cross-over Jordan to enter into the promise land and receive their inheritance. I used these waters of the Jordan as the waters that separated them from their blessings. They had to cross-over to get their own blessings. God made a way the moment the priest stuck their feet in the water, it rolled back and they went over on dry ground. God is in charge of the cross-over. But we must cross over when he parts the way for us. I preached about the cross-over from Law to mercy and grace. The Cross is the cross-over place. O, come to the Cross. Come and fall down postrate. Come and cross-over from death unto life. I preached about water baptism the cross-over place between the old life and the new. The presence of God fell in the place again and again. Men received revelation from the Word of God. Sisters rejoiced. Little children sat in reverence and awe. God was moving in the Church house and they could feel the power. At the invitation for prayer many came forth and the power of God fell. Again and again the awesome power fell upon soul after soul. True, some got nothing and felt nothing, but many more then not had an experience with God that day. How many were filled with the Holy Ghost I do not know. How many were delivered I do not know. I do not run a score card and count the people like David did. To me, just let them stand, rejoice, praise God, and the power fell. I danced and danced before the Lord in the glory of his presence. No man shall take this dance of joy from my feet. This preacher will praise the Lord in the dance. At our first service many souls showed their hands ready to go to baptism having repented of their sins. We tried to fill the baptism pool but there was not enough water present to fill it. So the baptism was delayed. The devil always tries to hinder but these souls were baptized later on. The devil gets no victory because of delay.
Our tent was set up in an area of Pietersburg where the Acts 2:38 message had never been heard. There were some rather nice houses in the area and some poor areas near by. We were allowed to set up right in the middle of a strip center parking lot on some ground there. We heard that the area preachers sent word to their members not to come to the tent. The devil was working his mouth there at the same time working his mouth back home. Anything that makes this preacher more resolved to stand up and preach this message is when the devil runs his mouth and thinks his prattle will discourage me and cause me to stop. Jesus did not stop because the devil was running his mouth and I was not about to be hindered by this tactic. I now know our meetings must be earlier in the year because the month of April is cooling down and that part of the world starts into its winter months. So, we had good weather but the wind and temperature was not always agreeable. In spite of this we had the tent open every day to greet souls and counsel them one on one and do Bible studies. This was very successful as many came in under the tent to learn about who we were and what we were doing there. We planted the good Word of God in a sweet and humble way. We did not poke the seed in with harshness. We planted the seed tenderly and with gentle hands. We will know as time goes on how much good we accomplished in that area to establish a pioneer work. That was out mission. To go into a demon possessed area and push back the powers of hell and light a candle for the Lord. We did that and set up the Word of God. You known the Scriptures say men should not lite a candle and hide it under a bushel. We had Light to bring and we was going to set it on high. We brought Light to this heathen voodoo part of the city. Yes, the majority of people in this area are still trapped in their pagan religious customs. The Churches there have synchronized Christianity with heathenism. There is a ten million member Church there and these people have mixed all the ancient heathen practices of many gods and voodoo. They come together and shout and dance and their dance is filled with the devil and all sorts of ungodly behavior. They work themselves up into a frenzy and demons take over. They wear certain clothing and a ribbon with either a five-pointed star or a circle with a dove in the middle. They display these pagan and heathen symbols as a badge of their religion. They are in bondage and this demon control must be broken. In the village we were in it was reported to me that nearly 70-80% of the people were of this religion. The word went out to these people from their authorities not to attend our tent meetings. We were in the midst of the devil's kingdom to bring Light and deliverance and the devil did not like it. The devil does not want to give up one inch of his territory. But we came and invaded his domain. The power of God was with us as we fought against darkness and the prince and power of the air.
Our evening services were especially filled with the power of God. The temperature turned a little cool and a shiver came upon us, yet many still came out and the tent was either full or nearly full each night. We knew we were fighting against the devil and so we took every victory with great joy. Let us not become discouraged because we must win small victories. A victory is still a victory even if it is one soul, one deliverance, one miracle, or one move of God. That is how a house is built, one brick at a time, one soul at a time. Just add them to the Church and cement them in. Put them in place and secure them so you can build upon them. We had several ministers attend that came to the Acts 2:38 and Oneness truth last year. The years of planting through the work of Bishop Venter gave us a harvest in 2004 and here we are now in 2005 reaping where we sowed last year. We planted, someone else watered throughout the year, and God gave us an increase. Yes, we would like to have seen more done for God. We desire a greater victory. But we are pleased for what we did accomplish. The foundation was laid last year and now we are organizing the Ministry into a unity of faith and ethical conduct and order. Many there are Pastors trying to make something of themselves out of their poverty condition. They are poor and God helps them through the Church work to have some blessing to put food on the table and shelter. These humble men and women of God sacrifice a lot in their poverty and when they assemble in Church and begin to praise the Lord all heaven seems to fall down. Poverty is a curse but out of it comes much faith and praise for the small blessings that come. Each night of the services we had a different crowed it seemed. Some came to observe and did not come back. Others came and heard and received the seed. We saw God move upon men and women. The power of God fell each night of the preaching. When I ministered to the people the power of God was present to deliver, heal, and save. We had many who repented of their sins. Many who showed their hands for baptism. And several either were filled with the Holy Ghost or got a blessing near receiving this gift of salvation.
After our successful tent meeting we had a Ministers Training day where I taught on Ministerial Conduct and Order. We had several new men among us this night and their hearts were open unto the Word. I spoke of their vision and the unity of all visions under the government of God for one purpose and victory. I spoke of the work of Ministers, Deacons, Evangelists, Pastors, and Bishops. I taught them the different responsibilities and the work they could each do in their respective places. I set the Ministry in proper order. Ministers who are out of order become wandering stars to whom is reserved the midst of darkness for ever. They blaze hot for a few seconds and then they are gone. Many novices are these wandering stars. They think they are hot, that they have fire, that they are something special, and do not know they are out of control on a course of eternal darkness. Men of God who ultimately are great men learn humility, unity, and subjection to those who have the rule over them. These men know the respect God has for conduct and order. They would rather die then hurt the Church. They would do nothing against the work of a Man of God. They carry a burden for the lost and will work with and under another man's burden until God separates them unto their own work. These kind of men are few and far between.
After our Ministers training, which was powerfully anointed, Bishop Venter presented baptismal certificates to those we baptized last year. I had sent these certificates but the mail service in South Africa is not all that great and they were returned to me after about six months. I thought I had mailed them out again but apparently if I did they did not arrive. So I made new ones when I arrived there and those who were baptized got them. They were very happy. Then we had ordination of Pastors. Many of these men have been performing this office and had never been ordained. They asked Bishop Venter about being ordained. The Ministers agreed this was a good thing and I approved since these were mature men, men of faithfulness, and men who were not trying to set up their own work inside a work of God.
Bishop Venter read the charge to the Pastors and made it clear they had responsibilities that go behind their ordination. Some men want ordination but do not want to be told the criteria and authority that backs it up. They want ordained only for the authority they can then have, but often do not want any authority over them. They think of ordination as power rather then submission to responsibility. Bishop Venter told each of them to place a copy of the charge behind their ordination to be reminded of their commitment to the ordination. And if they failed to comply with the charges and fell into sin and error their ordination was canceled. The men humbled to the charges and fell down one by one upon their knees and were ordained with a mighty power of God present. It was absolutely awesome. Next a couple Evangelist were ordained and they were also instructed in the protocol of their work. They were told the ethics of an Evangelist how he does not try to kiss up to Church members and get familiar with saints. He is not to contact these saints of another man's Church and have only contact through the Pastor and in church services held by him. A lot of Evangelist go into a man's church and start growing their own following inside his Church by going to people's houses and having Bible studies unknown to the Pastor. Then these are prompted to go to their Pastor and try to convert him and if he does not convert to what ever doctrine or teaching the Evangelist is spreading in these homes, they are conditioned in their minds that they must one day have to leave this Pastor. This is not right! This is not the way for an Evangelist to do his work or office. I taught them an Evangelist has no right going to Church members of another Pastor and soliciting money for money. So many Evangelist will sneak around to the homes of a Pastor's church members and beg in a slick way for support. They do not go directly to the Pastor and ask for his support. This is unethical and should not be done. Any Minister or Evangelist who does this is a thief and a robber trying to come among the sheep AND NOT THROUGH THE DOOR AND THE SHEPHERD. If a Pastor allows these wolf-evangelist to do this and does not stop it, this wolf will make off not only with the wool of the sheep but in a little time the WHOLE SHEEP! Those to be ordained submitted to the ethics of an Evangelist. They were told when they leave a Church not to contact anyone in that Church except through the Pastor. They were then ordained.
This is setting conduct and order in place among the Brethren. Some men will not come under these leadership principals and so they must be kicked out by the seat of their pants and sent howling out of the Church. Yes, they will howl and look for sympathy from anyone they can get it. But a wolf is a wolf and when you pet a wolf, get your hand away fast because in due time you will get bitten. These ordinations were wonderful and a spirit of joy and gladness was upon the Brethren. We were establishing yet another vital integrity among the Brethren.
There were three Brothers there who had been Pastoring but had not been baptized according to Acts 2:38. They came from a trinity background and wanted the right baptism to be under and behind their Ministry. So, we took into consideration their previous work, their being Spirit filled. Their faithfulness helped us to determine they could be ordained. So, we scheduled another day of Minister training just for these three. After this was over the three Brothers went into the waters of separation in the name of Jesus Christ. One Brother then baptized his wife and the work continued to be established as more were brought under the conduct and order of this great missionary work.
We then went to Jane Furse with Pastor Phineas and we had a blessed time in God. There was an awesome presence of God as I preached on salvation from a Jewish book. Salvation is of the Jews. Gentiles must come into the Kingdom, the church, the olive tree. We had prayer and once again the power of God showed up as many were blessed.
After this we met with Ministers one on one to assist them in any other spiritual matters.
Then Pastor Reckart put on his engineer's hat and sat down to design and figure out the mathematics of a roof truss system for the new Church in Mentz. With this sketch on paper we went to the lumber store and purchased just enough for one truss. We had to purchase all the minor tools such as a circular power saw, framing square, hammer, bevel-square, chalk-line, measuring tapes, nails, glue, brushes, and all the lumber. All this was over $300 US. All to build one truss. However, the one truss materials actually cost about $125.00 since wood there is very expensive. We have to build 25 of these so you can see the expense of this project just for the roof. But, this will be our first Apostolic Church there. And the devil does not like it. With tools, wood, the engineered sketch, Pastor Reckart went to the Church and laid out the first truss on the concrete slab. We then began to cut each piece of wood to fit its location. The first truss came out perfectly. It fit perfect from wall to wall. We will now use this one as a pattern to make all the rest. It took a day to build this first one. But I believe with good help we can build the other 24 about 3 or 4 a day. This means on a spring trip next year there will be over a week of carpenter work with precision cutting of wood and assembly. This is not the work of novices. That is why novices just want to be seen and heard and want other people to think that their much jumping and hollering is all a man of God is supposed to do. No, a real man of God is trained unto the work wherein he is sent. I am a builder of the Kingdom and I am a builder of people and men, and I am a builder of churches. I am not one to tear down and destroy. But, I will put wolves out of the church and send them howling looking for someone to bandage their wounds and pet them.
I finished our stay there setting forth some policies and rules to help the Ministers learn how to work one with another.
I want to thank Bishop and Sister Venter for allowing me and Sister Reckart to stay in their house. I know this was a hardship on them since they had only a two-bedroom apartment. I know also with Sister Reckart's blindness this caused an extra measure of patience. I also thank little Sarah their daughter who gave us her bedroom while we were there. I made up for this by sharing with her my sweets (candy).
I thank the Pastors and those who worked together to make this missionary trip a blessed one. Much was done for the good of the Kingdom of God. The devil is still mad and plotting to tear it all down. But God will draw his sword and smite all who try to come in and steal, kill, and destroy!
I want to thank Brother Michael and Sister Donna Holt who once again showed great support for this missionary work by remaining home and taking care of the Church. Michael and Donna also sent nice King James Version Bibles to Bishop Venter and Sister Venter. Sarah also got her very own children's Bible which she took proudly with her to Church under the tent and every where she went.
Brothers and Sisters, this is a very long missionary update and I know I have rambled a bit about events, the devil opposing us, and the things we accomplished. I ask you to pray for us. We are in the battle. There has never been a time in my life the devil has used so much to try and destroy us. But, after 34 years as soldiers we refuse to quit or retire. We are not rich people. We borrowed to make this mission trip. And God will provide our needs through faithful friends who share this burden for souls. We do want to raise several hundred dollars to complete our first Church there. We want to take KJV bibles next time to all the Pastors. We want special Bibles for them.
If any of you feel in your heart God wants you to go with us on a missionary trip, please send me an email so we can plan together to make this happen. I promise you will never be the same again.
If you do not want to receive these emails please send me a note and you will be removed from our list. We need to hear from each of you. Otherwise we do not know if your name on the email list is valid any more or this is just going into the darkness of the internet. We will purge the list sometime the second week of May.
I pray the Lord Jesus himself bless the Church and each of you.
We are now on our annual fund-raising for mission work for the rest of the year. Our goal is to raise $10,000 by the last of November, 2005. Will you sow into this great work of God? Can I count on you to send in an offering to help us reach this goal? I will look for your letter of support soon.
Be encouraged,
Pastor Reckart