TEASA Newsletter September 2024

Celebration of Heritage Month

              “After this, I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could                 count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and             before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in                                                                   their hands.”

                                                                 Revelation 7:9

 

We are reminded of the beauty and depth found in our different cultures, languages, and customs as we were in celebration of Heritage Month. As the passage from Revelation 7:9 portrays a vision of harmony between all people, we honor the distinct legacy that every individual contributes to our common community.

 

Realizing that our differences only serve to enhance the shared narrative, let’s continue to unite in honoring the various backgrounds that have shaped who we are. Come along on this voyage of introspection, joy, and togetherness as we celebrate diversity’s strength in all of its manifestations.

 

Contents

    1. The BGM 3rd Annual Announcement

    2. TEASA Sunday

    3. The Fourth Laussane Congress

    4. Christian Healthcare Alliance: Healthcare Sundays (St Luke’s Day)

    5. City of Johannesburg: Christian Citizenship

    6. The DHA: Training Pastors for Marriage license

    7. The Department of Basic Education and the Values Of Our Children

    8. Introduction to our Communication Intern

 

The 3rd Annual BGM Announcement

           The Evangelical Alliance of South Africa warmly invites member churches, mission                      agencies, fraternals and different member categories and friends of TEASA to our                       next Biennial General Meeting. Be sure to join us as we celebrate what the Lord is                                 doing in South Africa and beyond, as TEASA churches work together.

               Pray with us as we also discern together what the Lord has in store for us in the                                                    second half of the 3rd decade of this century.

                The BGM is also an occasion to conduct TEASA Business, receive reports and                                                              consolidate our governance.

                                                               See details below:

                                                    Date:  March 28 and 29, 2025,

                                         Venue: Emseni Christian Conference Centre.

                               Times: Registration  8-9am on the  28th , Depart 4pm on the 29th

 

                                                        Registration form available here
                                                 More information will be provided soon.

 

                                                              Reverend Esme Bowers.

                                                                  TEASA Chairperson.

 

TEASA Sunday- A celebration of Unity in
Witness

          Hours before His execution in Jerusalem, Jesus offered a prayer for the  Church

                                                                across the ages.

      ‘‘I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them

       may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so

                                  that the world may believe that you have sent me. John 17:20.

 

     In response to this prayer, the Evangelical Alliance has – since 1995 – been home to 4

       million Christ followers walking and working together in unity and mission in South

                                                               Africa and beyond.

 

          TEASA Sunday is a day to celebrate this unity and Kingdom collaboration. TEASA

                                     Sunday, celebrated on 24 November is a day to :

              Get to know how TEASA churches collaborate and serve. See Downloadable

                                                                Powerpoint here

                               Join others in impacting South Africa and the nations.

              Pray for TEASA. If the Lord thought Christian unity is a matter to pray for, so

              should we. The enemy would much rather see the church divided and weak,

                                                       rather than united and strong.

                                    Give and strengthen evangelical unity and witness.

                                              See the downloadable info sheet here.

 

                                                       Register to participate here.

 

 

 

                                                             For more information:

                                                                    info@teasa.org

 

The Fourth Laussane Congress

      We had a small taste of Revelation 7:9 with the gathering of 5000 delegates from

             about 200 nations who were to participate in the Lausanne 4 Congress, held in

           Incheon, South Korea. What a wonderful picture of God’s mosaic of people. The

                   theme of the Congress was, “Let the church declare and display Christ”.

                                                              Some highlights:

            1. The diversity of the delegates was definitely a highlight. This is critical in

       helping the whole global Church wrestle with what it means to take the gospel to the                                                                                  entire world.          

           2. The diversity of voices on the stage and the quality of the Bible expositions

                                                                   were wonderful.

                            3. The attempts at getting the global church to collaborate

                                                         to close the gaps in fulfilling

                                          gaps in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

                            4. The shots of hope in the contribution of Gen Z’s to world mission.

                                                                  Some not-so-highlights:

           1. The program was often a bit too rigid and I felt a few times that the Lord was

                  speaking to us about something in particular but we were too program driven

                                                                         to pause.

           2. I felt our sister Dr Ruth Padilla Deborst from Colombia, had a prophetic word

                    for us on the issue of justice but because some powerful Pro-Israel voices

              objected to her mentioning Gaza, the conference felt the need to apologise to

              those who did not like what Ruth’s said. I felt the global church is abandoning

                                        our Palestinian brothers and sisters in their darkest hour.

 

                                                                             Peter Tarantal

                                                                    TEASA Mission Mobiliser

 

Healthcare Sunday- St Luke’s Day

SAVE THE DATE!!!

         The Christian Healthcare Alliance presents Healthcare Sunday, a day dedicated to                   celebrating, honoring, and praying for our healthcare professionals who have made

           significant sacrifices to safeguard our communities, particularly in recent years.

      This event provides an opportunity for us to express our collective gratitude and offer                                         spiritual encouragement to those serving in the healthcare sector.

 

                                                          Date: 20 October 2024
                                                            Time: 16H00 – 17:30
                              Location: Hebron Chapel, 6 Busschau Road, Fairleads, Benoni
                                                     Hybrid Meeting: In-person & via Zoom

 

              We warmly invite you to join us in this meaningful celebration. A detailed brochure                                                             and program will follow soon.

 

                           Let’s come together in faith and appreciation for our healthcare heroes.

 

Christian Citizenship

                                                              Christian citizenship

       What does it even mean? In a world in which power and might are often clothed in                    garments  of right and legality,it takes grace to discern right from wrong. Even more                grace to do  what is right, even if the majority sing the chorus of “might is right”. Like                  Daniel, living in a foreign land steeped in ungodliness and decadence, he stood as a 
                         light in a dark. How might that look like in South Africa today
                                                   http://www.alexanderventer.com/

      Rev Alexander Venter reflected with the Johannesburg chapter of TEASA on this
                                                                        theme.

Marriage Officer Training and Licensing

         TEASA arranged a meeting between the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and its                member denominational and church leaders to discuss the challenges the latter faces                when  interfacing with the DHA, particularly in the matter of officiating marriages and
                                       attaining  marriage certificates for the newly-wed.

 

                   At this meeting, the DHA committed to alleviating the administrative and
            communications backlogs within the Department that have led to the difficulties                      experienced by the Christian leaders. TEASA has requested the DHA to provide                             TEASA church members with training and certification that will enable them to
                                      officiate marriages and issue marriage licenses.

 

        TEASA would like to invite all interested pastors to register for this training by filling out                                                      the Google form found at this link.

 

       Once the registration process is complete, the DHA will be in touch regarding training                                                                    opportunities near you.

 

The DBE and the Values of our Children

         Just before 1994, South Africans started on a journey to redefine what freedom and a                         nonracial future in this republic could look like. The result was the nation’s                             Constitution As one of those at the table to craft it, George Bizos put it: it is not a                     perfect document. We can criticize it and even reform it, but we must never lose sight              of what it sought to achieve, which was to transform a deeply flawed society into one                                                 that had the common good of all in mind.

           That process of redefining human freedom never stopped. It continues in the various                                 sectors of our society. One such is the education sector. 

         TEASA is part of a coalition of faith leaders advocating that the Department of Basic                    Education should not roll out its Gender Responsive Pedagogy schools from  as early                 as pre school age.  It is a battle about who gets to decide the values of the country’s                 next generation: their parents or the government. See Advocacy presentation to the                                                                                       DBE here

 

 

 

Welcome Our New Staff Member:
Kgaugelo Mohlala

      We are excited to introduce Kgaugelo Mohlala as the newest member of the TEASA                 family! She joins us as our Communications Intrern, bringing a unique blend of                                                               expertise in Public Relations and Music.

       Kgaugelo holds a qualification in Public Relations from the University of South Africa,           and in 2016, she furthered her passion for music by studying at the University of                                KwaZulu-Natal. Her diverse background in both communication and the arts equips                             her with creative insights that will enhance TEASA’s media strategies.

       With her combined skills and experience, Kgaugelo is ready to contribute to TEASA’s                             growth and help share our mission through powerful storytelling and outreach.

         We are confident that she will be an asset to our team as we continue to connect with                                                  our community in meaningful ways.

                            Please join us in welcoming Kgaugelo Mohlala to the TEASA team!

 

Join TEASA

Since 1995, four million evangelicals in the nation have called the Evangelical Alliance of South Africa their home! We are a fellowship of Christ followers committed to impacting our nation and nations with the gospel in unity.

Become part of this growing community of witness by filling out the TEASA membership form on this link.

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