The Great Commission Course 2014

 

 

 

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

~ ISAIAH 6:8

 

I thought there was no way the Great Commission Course of 2014 could be anywhere near as good as last year and I was right.  It was BETTER!  This year I got to go with my big brother, Timothy, and our friends Ryan and Berdine.  It was wonderful!  The Great Commission Course is designed to stretch minds and muscles and to get Christians prepared and equipped to boldly go out and reach the world for Christ.  We learn a ton, even if we've done it before, as there's so very much to absorb, so much to learn, so many things that need doing, and so many lost people to reach.

 

 

You get pushed to the limits to do things you never thought you could do as you learn to more fully to rely on God.  Every day is filled to the brim with physical training, lectures, lessons, workshops, outreaches, field trips and much more, and even if the days had not been full, we still would've gotten so much out of them just getting to be with so many other like-minded Christians who truly want to follow and obey Christ with all their hearts.

 

We made it to the top!
On Table Mountain with Berdine, Feylin, and Taryn

 

 

Timothy, myself, and Ryan doing an obstacle course at camp.

Witnessing with Berdine at the waterfront



Bible drill could get a bit competitive but was super fun. :)



Smeared in shoe-polish to help us camouflage better for the night ops.
Really fun, except that shoe polish kind of burns. :)

 

The course starts with a 4 day camp, which several more of our friends were able to attend.  The camp gives you a taste of what is to come, but with more of a camp feel, games, and team-building activities, as well as impromptu tree-climbing, water-fights, and lots of laughter as we tried to prepare for the talent show for the last evening there, which came off splendidly.

 

"Now if you were to die tonight..."
A skit we called "Worst Case Scenario" where Ryan was the Christian witnessing to Oliver who was a hilariously stubborn unbeliever.  It ended with a duel and came out really funny. :)
 

 The guys at work the morning we went to help out at Kwasizabantu mission in Malmesbury.

                         

The course had been planned so that it would start with a hike up Lion's Head, but due to weather it was postponed to a few days later as part of the point of that particular hike was to see Cape Town spread out before us.  Anyway, it was a lovely hike when we finally did go, with a gorgeous view, and as the sun set we had our 'sermon on the mount,' scripture was read, and then we all sang 'Amazing Grace' to Ryan's chanter.

 

Ryan playing his chanter and Ryno playing the pennywhistle
atop Table Mountain.

All but two of us (who were lost but now are thankfully found) atop Table Mountain

 



Duelling at sunset atop Table Mountain.

Highlights of the course for me were the hikes, the fellowship, self-defence, the outreaches (I actually enjoyed it this year, got out of my comfort zone, and spoke to far more people in one-to-one witnessing than ever before!), and even speaking on the radio this year (last year I did not feel that went well for me). I also enjoyed the fun of practicing situational preaching where you try to respond as the other course participants play the parts of critics and see if you're prepared to answer questions of whatever crowd it is you're simulating speaking to.  Highlights for Timmy included target practice with the guns and Dr. Hammond's lectures especially.

 

Me with some of the younger girls the at Ocean View.



:)

Self defence with my friend, Feylin. Awesome fun! :)

 
 

One of the fun new things to try out for us were the tracts made to look like wallets, especially since the day we practiced that form of evangelism was Saturday and we were all pretty tired after a packed week and quite ready for Sunday.  We took turns "accidentally" dropping the wallets out amongst the crowds at the waterfront, and then sat down to watch and film who would pick it up and what their reaction would be.  It is a little embarrassing when you get caught "accidentally" dropping these wallets, and they are honourably returned to you.  That happened to me once and then I had to laugh at myself being so disgusted with the honesty of the place. :) Ryan got involved in a similar situation which started out with the lady yelling at him for purposefully dropping the wallet, but thankfully it was turned into a witnessing opportunity.

 



Me atop "Energy" at Rhodes Memorial!

 

 

Well, to sum it all up the course was fun, stretching, revitalizing, amazing, and life changing - in more ways than one!  I think we all grew by leaps and bounds, and to anyone serious about missions who's looking for a good place to start?  I think you've found one. :)

 

In His Service and Loving it,

Evangel