4th Sunday of Epiphany – 1 February 2026
Micah 6:1–8 • Psalm 15:1–5 • 1 Corinthians 1:18–31 • Matthew 5:1–12
Coming Events to Diarise:
Monthly Day of Prayer & Fasting – 7 February 2026
Denominational Conference 2026 – 23-26 July 2026, Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre, Dallas, Texas, USA. (Registration Open) – To Register, Click Here:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings in the name of the Triune God revealed in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As we journey through this season of Epiphany, we are invited to rediscover the Jesus revealed in the Gospels—not a mythical, domesticated, or culturally convenient version often spoken about in the 21st century, but the real, living Christ who reveals the heart of God.
Yet misunderstanding Jesus is not unique to our time. From the very beginning, people have struggled to recognise him for who he truly is. The apostle Paul reminds us that there are three broad ways people respond to Jesus and his kingdom. He writes:
“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor. 1:22-24 NIV)
The first group are those that seek signs and wonders from Jesus. Many Christians run around churches chasing prophets and apostles who promise them miracles and wonders. Yet, to such people Jesus says:
“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matt. 12:39-40)
To such people Jesus doesn’t promise a sign or a miracle. He promises the cross and the resurrection. That is the crucified Christ that Paul talks about.
The second group want a philosophical and scientific Jesus who makes logical sense. The like debating the gospel and the kingdom of God. They don’t see how it applies to their lives. Their faith is a something to debate and argue about with unbelievers. Jesus gives the same answer to them. He is the crucified Christ, not some religious guru.
The third group are those who have come to know the crucified Jesus. The know that kingdom living is about taking up a cross and following him. Kingdom living is not palace life, but a crucified life. That kind of life is a stumbling block to those that want signs and miracles, and foolishness to those that want a philosophy.
This week Paul reminds us that “…to those whom God has called, …[the crucified] Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
My prayer this week is that we grow in the knowledge of the crucified Christ who invites us to live a crucified life. Amen.
PRAYER REQUESTS & UPDATES:
Floods & Heavy Rains: Please pray for our brethren affected by the heavy rains and flooding in Namibia, Mozambique and Malawi.
Sick Brethren: Please continue to pray for the brethren who are suffering from various sicknesses.
Aruka: Aruka continues to struggle to break even. Please continue to pray for more business.
Have a blessed weekend!
Shalom!
Takalani
___________________________
REPEAT ANNOUNCEMNTS NOT TO BE READ IN CHURCH SERVICES
NATIONAL BUILDING FUND NOW OVER R1.4 MILLION
The National Building Fund has now passed R1.4 million.
Please support your congregation’s Building Fund by contributing additional offerings monthly or once off to the dedicated bank account as follows:
· Bank: First National Bank (FNB)
· Name: GCI Building Fund
· Account No: 6304 180 7835
· Deposit Reference: Name and Surname
You can also fundraise as a group or alone. You may have items that you no longer need or use which you can pawn and donate the funds, or approach friends and family who may be able to donate to the fund. If you need a letter to request donations please feel free to contact me.
Monthly Day of Prayer and Fasting –Saturday 7 February 2026
Our next Day of Prayer and Fasting is on Saturday 7 February 2026. Please see the dates for the rest of the year below, and diarise accordingly.
Please find some video links on Prayer and Fasting if you want to know more. Here are the links:
1. Fasting- The Forgotten Spiritual Discipline – https://youtu.be/7MgrVj_w9sY
2. Fasting Questions and Answers 1 – https://youtu.be/Mkk3U2KvPHg
3. Fasting Questions and Answers 2 – https://youtu.be/CghD-uxBbFk
4. Fasting Question and Answer #3 – https://youtu.be/ajKaWRgreLw (Question #3: How should I fast? Are there different types of fasts?)
Future Days of Prayer and Fasting:
· February 7
· March 7
· April 11
· May 9
· June 13
· July 11
· August 8
· September 12
· October 10
· November 7
· December 12
DECEMBER 2025 ISSUE OF FACE TO FACE PUBLISHED
Our December 2025 issue of the online Face To Face magazine has been published. Please find it here: Face To Face
Is Christmas pagan or a Gospel Proclamation?
Online Bi-Weekly Bible Study – 11 February 2026.
Please diarise and join the biweekly Online Bible study every second Wednesday at 19:00. The current series is: The Book of Proverbs.
To connect to the biweekly Bible Study, here are the details: Click
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89054374373?pwd=NFZVaFJjVGxqQjc5K0YyeWEzVVZMUT09
OR enter the details below to join the meeting:
Meeting ID: 890 5437 4373
Passcode: GCI2021
Time: 19:00
OFFERINGS: (should Christians pay a tithe?)
Even though some churches are not able to meet, we urge you to continue to give your weekly Thanksgiving offering that you would normally give during church services. The bank details for EFT and Cash deposits are below:
The Banking details for both the weekly Thanksgiving Offerings and the monthly Freewill Offerings are as follows:
EFT PAYMENTS
GRACE COMMUNION INTERNATIONAL-S.A –
Account No: 593 800 27523 – FNB Current Account Number
Ref. NameSurname Church
Please reference your offering so that we can send a receipt.
CASH PAYMENTS
GRACE COMMUNION INTERNATIONAL-S.A –
FNB Account No: 74451599946
Account Type: 32 Day Notice account
Ref. NameSurname Church
Please reference your offering so that we can send a receipt.