BSF Bible Study Fellowship

Johannesburg's version of Sams; being sold to WalMart

Had the privilege of attending a BSF meeting this morning with seven wonderful women who want to love and serve Christ in their everyday lives. We met at a Methodist church in downtown Joburg and 72 Christian denominations were represented. BSF is an international Bible study organization which was begun by an English missionary to China over 50 years ago. They are a non-profit, faith based organization headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with one goal: to study the word of God so we can become His witnesses in the world. They do a different book of the Bible each year consisting of 33 lessons between September and May with separate study groups for men and women. Bethel United Methodist in Spartanburg is the closest one to us. The material was wonderful as was the fellowship. I look forward to seeing if I can attend the one at Bethel. It takes a commitment to study and faithfulness in attending the meetings.

Tonight, I am having dinner with servants of the Lord from (XXXX). M/W are my hosts and I am looking forward to fellowship with them.  (Three hours later). What an incredible evening. Those of us who volunteer can only sit back in amazed admiration for the young couples who answer God's call not only to what appears to be impossible places to do impossible tasks but unbelievably dangerous ones. Yet they are clearly enjoying taking on these places/tasks for Christ in whom ALL things are possible. The difficulties for families go way beyond the mere inconveniences that would stall most of us in our tracks and about which we would probably complain endlessly (as we hightail it home), yet there is a genuine humility in accepting with good humor the joy of suffering for Christ (suffering is my term not theirs). They see these things as Paul did...part of the joy of serving. Amazing time of fellowship I will treasure. I will be having dinner tomorrow night with another couple who (like these this evening) have generously invited me into their home and their lives. One thing I am witnessing is how much they care for one another, not just about one another. As Christians we should all be so like Christ who said that the world would know us as His followers because we LOVE one another.