Joachim Rieck

History of Annual Meetings:
2004 – Initial meeting in Heidelberg, South Africa with the view to constitute SOLA 5
2005 – Antipas Reformed Baptist Church, Pretoria, South Africa. Sola 5 constituted.
2006 – Eastside Baptist Church, Windhoek, Namibia
2007 – Lusaka Baptist Church, Lusaka, Zambia
2008 – Goodwood Baptist Church, Cape Town, South Africa

Sola 5 is an association or fellowship of God-centred churches in Southern Africa, joining hands to bring glory to God on our subcontinent.

And so it was this year! Our fellowship as a group of SOLA 5 is brought to a climax, when as representatives of our churches we meet once a year, and in various parts of our subcontinent for a few days. Our main activities center around preaching, the giving of testimonies & reports, singing and prayer. There is also a ‘business component’ in which matters of common concern (theological education, finances, office bearers) are discussed. Our administrator, Hein Strauss was sorely missed at this gathering. Please pray for Hein as he recovers from back surgery.

The Goodwood Baptist Church offered hospitality this year. I can only speak for my Namibian countrymen. Theirs was a glowing testimony of praise for the wonderful hospitality extended to them by their hosts. The notorious Cape weather behaved itself, despite the gloomy forecasts of a wet and miserable weekend!

The focus of this year’s meetings was the 5 SOLA’s formulated during the Reformation of the 16th Century. This was a timely exposition of the ground on which we claim to stand: Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Soli Deo Gloria.

Brian Stone (Emmanuel Baptist Church, Johannesburg SA) set the tone and backdrop as he presented a memorable historical overview of the 5 SOLA’s.
Errol Wagner (George Baptist Church, eastern Cape SA) powerfully expounded the SOLA SCRIPTURA principle and left us in no doubt concerning the importance of this reformational principle, pointing out that neglect of this causes theological downgrades (backsliding) in the church.
Conrad Mbewe (Kabwata Baptist Church, Lusaka Zambia) expertly handled SOLUS CHRISTUS in his characteristic expository style, portraying the uniqueness of Christ from 1 Corinthians 1-3.
Roland Eskinazi (Goodwood Baptist Church) passionately presented SOLA GRATIA from the perspective of God’s grace extended to Timothy (1 Tim 1:12-17).
Otto Makalima (Wallacedene Baptist Fellowship, Cape Town) made his debut at this conference as he spoke on SOLA FIDE from Romans 3 21, 22.
Roland Kalifungwa (Lusaka Baptist Church) sounded the final trumpet, SOLI DEO GLORIA, from Isaiah 42. The text of Isaiah 42:8 resounded in our ears: “I am the Lord; that is my Name; my glory I give to no other.”

New Churches:
At our Annual Business Meeting 4 new churches were accepted into our fellowship:
(i) “Comunaho dos Crentes em Cristo” from Nampula province in Mocambique – the first church from Mozambique to apply for membership in SOLA 5.
(ii) Fairview Reformed Baptist Church in Mufulira (Zambia)
(iii) Mount Makulu Baptist Church in Chilanga, Zambia
(iv) Mbombela Reformed Baptist Church (Nelspruit, South Africa)

We thank God for the addition of these sister churches. I would encourage each of our member churches to pray regularly for each other. In our church, the Eastside Baptist Church in Windhoek, Namibia, we pray regularly for the churches that constitute SOLA 5. A practical suggestion is for each member church to include one of the SOLA 5 churches in their weekly bulletin, thus not only raising an awareness for these churches, but also helping our local church members to pray for the other churches.

Sovereign Grace Theological Seminary:
The Seminary which was established by common consent in 2006 (Windhoek) is clearly a blessing from God. Our vision is to provide quality theological education for Africa. Some of the course material which has been developed (both at secondary and tertiary level) is of excellent standard and will prove to be a great asset for the development of our churches and members in the future. The “blended mode approach of education” (i.e. distance learning & contact sessions) particularly favours the goals of SOLA 5.
At Eastside we are strongly considering becoming a satellite campus of SGTS in order that we may provide sound theological training for our people (i.e. for laity & pastoral training) in Namibia.
Some of the greater realities in terms of sustaining such an institution have become apparent this year. A seminary of this nature has men that need to be cared for, spiritually, emotionally and financially. One of the solutions is to bring SGTS directly under the authority of one of our local churches. Such a church would facilitate the seminary on behalf of all our churches. That means that we cannot expect that local church to carry all the costs. All of us have to help.
Will you please pray for the development of SGTS? A nd will you ask your church to contribute financially to this important ministry? Will you pray that, in addition to Bruce Button, who carries the load for tertiary education almost single-handedly, we would find some more lecturers?
At this annual meeting of our SOLA 5 churches, I believe that we have expressed a renewed commitment towards this seminary. We believe that SGTS has a unique role to play in the strengthening of the church on the African continent.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

Rieck's Report –

Zambia: Reformed Family Conference & SOLA 5 Conference (25^th August - 3^rd September 2007)

Lameck & Susan Mwewa, Conrad Kromberg, and the Rieck family left on 25^th August 2007 to represent Eastside Baptist Church (Windhoek, Namibia) at the annual SOLA 5 conference which was to be held in Lusaka.We left a little earlier to also attend the Zambian Reformed Family Conference which preceded the SOLA 5 conference.

The trip by car took us via the Caprivi, crossing the majestic Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo entering via Sesheke into Zambia.Having covered 1400 kilometres on the first day, we arrived (somewhat tired) in Livingstone.Being the Lord's day on the next day we worshipped at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in Livingstone (a church plant from Lusaka Baptist Church). The pastor there is Michael Bwembya. We had an opportunity to briefly visit the Victoria Falls at Livingstone, and were greatly moved by the majesty of God's creation.From there we drove on to Lusaka for the remaining 600 kilometres.

We were warmly welcomed at Kabwata Baptist Church by Charles Bota (Conference organizer) and Pastor Conrad and Mrs Felistas Mbewe. We were allocated to our very gracious hosts Amon and Yvonne Silwimba who operate a Lodge and Theme Park ("Dream Valley") on the outskirts of Lusaka. Zambian hopitality during this week was warm and generous. We thank God for many visible tokens and evidences of Christian love.Our children were thrilled to have space and such pleasurable surroundings.

Monday evening saw the beginning of the 18^th Reformed Family Conference. Emmanuel Sakala was the key note speaker on that occasion. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday saw 900 people gathered together for the Family Conference. We marvel how 4 churches managed to provide food and other logistics for so many people. What was truly amazing is that visitors from outside Lusaka were not expected to pay at all! The costs of feeding the multitude was borne by the hosting churches.

The Family Conference truly catered for the whole family. The young people had their sessions, and the women were ministered to by Martha Peace from the USA, best known for her good books that have helped so many women. The other speakers (also from the USA ) were Voddie Baucham and Jeff Noblit.Voddie and Jeff alternatively spoke to the Youth and to the School of Theology (another facet of the Conference). The preaching was powerful and relevant. We knew that we were in the hands of God. The rousing singing of great hymns (acapella!) will not be forgotten.

The 3^rd SOLA 5 Conference began on Thursday morning.Our theme "Biblical Love" was rooted in an exposition of 1 Corinthians 13. Whatever we may fail to be or to have – we must not fail to have the distinguishing marks of the church as outlined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Voddie Baucham, Jeff Noblit, Christo Beetge (Brackenhurst Baptist Church, South Africa) and myself shared in the expositions of this great chapter.250 Delegates attended this Southern African Conference. The delegates came from Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Swaziland and South Africa.

One of the components of this conference was the feedback concerning common projects undertaken by SOLA 5 churches. It is good to see our churches joining hands in meeting the needs of our suffering brethren in Zimbabwe. Some churches have joined hands to do church planting in Botswana. The South Africans are leading us in the establishing of a new Seminary (Sovereign Grace Theological Seminary in Pretoria) in association with the University of Africa. The Namibians and Zambians rejoice to see the growth of their churches in their respective countries.

When we sit back and survey the progress of the last 4 years since we had first met in Heidelberg (South Africa) to consider the constitution of SOLA 5, we are indeed stunned to see what the Lord is doing!I am certainly very encouraged by these developments.

As we survey these developments we also remember that no growth happens without pain. No genuine spiritual growth takes place without being fiercely resisted by Satan, the archenemy of God's church and kingdom. We rejoice however that light is greater than darkness, and that the truth of God's word is greater than all the lies that Satan sows in God's field. We know that prayer is a great gift from God, who says: "Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession." (Psalm 2:8)

Joachim Rieck

September 2007

Dear Friends,   Eastside now has a new website: www.eastsidebaptist.co.cc.   Enjoy !   Joachim Rieck Windhoek, Namibia

The opening paragraph of the editorial by Joachim Rieck, pastor of Eastside Baptist Church, Windhoek, Namibia:
Recently, in my devotional reading through the prophecy of Jeremiah I came across this text which 'grabbed' my attention:

"Oh land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord!" (Jer 22:29).

     

Meeting place	Corner Hebenstreit Street and Mission Road, Ludwigsdorf, Windhoek
Sunday services	9:30 and 18:00
Pastor / teaching elder	Joachim Rieck Tel+264(0)61 22-1445 (h) +264(0)61 22-0097 (o) +264(0)61 22-0097 (f) +264(0)81 240 9746 (m) E-mail  jrieck@iafrica.com.na
E-mail	eastside@iway.na