The Journey - Joubert, Willie

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Résumé :
The Journey is good news to anyone who loves Jesus, but not the church. It affirms various truths from the New Testament; e.g., you can experience deeply committed love and fellowship outside the walls of a building called church. You can live a radically authentic life that touches and transforms other lives without having to sit in a pew or chair listening to one man or woman every Sunday. You can walk away from religious expectations placed on you, to simply follow Jesus and enjoy his presence. You do not have to attend endless Bible studies to get closer to God, but simply be still and know Him. As a believer you are chosen, anointed and empowered to serve others in love. Why does the church life of our world look so different from that of the early Christians in the Book of Acts? This question led us to explore the very foundations of the church and we decided to follow Jesus wherever that will take us. We stepped out of the world of the church, for we began to see that most of what we had invested our lives in had more in common with the world than with the Word of God. Like Paul when he met the risen Lord on the way to Damascus and counted all he had as a religious Pharisee as garbage, we too walked away from religion to pursue Jesus. When we chose not to be purpose-driven, we were set free to be Spirit-led! We stepped off the religious treadmill of the same old, same old year-round unproductive programs and away from the futility of trying to meet people's expectations. We found the one who offered us living water to quench the thirst. It tasted so different than the holy water poured from the religious buckets of some big-name leader's anointing which we (and so many others) sought to quench the thirst. We came to the waters, tired and burdened by religion and its load, and he gave us a drink. A river of living water was released from our innermost beings, the burdens lifted and healing flowed through our bodies and souls. His yoke was placed upon our shoulders and was so much lighter than the religious burdens of the world of the church. We learned he was indeed gentle and humble in heart and we found rest for our souls. Our eyes were opened to the simplicity of the church as the body of Jesus and the Spirit helped us to see others and ourselves through his eyes. We were set free to walk in the world and minister to needs and help others find freedom. The Journey is our story walking out of the world of the church to learn to walk in the Way, like the believers in the Book of Acts-a return to the ancient paths of faith in Christ. It an invitation to put down the heavy loads and expectations of the world of the church and enjoy the presence of Jesus. It is an invitation to quit the rat race with purpose-driven leaders and follow the lead of the Spirit. It is an invitation to radically invest your life in the Kingdom of God by learning to walk in The Way.

Biographie:
Dr. Willie Joubert was born in what was known as Tanganyika in East Africa and grew up on a farm that his parents pioneered after World War 2. It was an amazing childhood growing up in amidst wild animals with no hydro, phones, radios or TVs! When he was 11 they moved to a farm in South Africa. Going to school in the nearby town unbeknownst to him at the time was the fact that one of his classmates in Grade 6 would be his future wife. For those interested, Willie has also written a book covering the lives of his parents and it is available as eBook on Amazon - A Century on African Soil. Following graduation, he attended the University of Pretoria where he completed a Master's degree in Semitic Languages and a degree in Theology and subsequently a Ph.D. in Old Testament Studies. Dr. Joubert taught Semitic Languages for 7 years at the University of Pretoria before he immigrated to Canada with his wife, Eda, and three children. In Canada he pastored in traditional churches as Presbyterian Minister and then in non-denominational settings, worked in church planting as well as in prayer ministry and applying his faith in business settings and in support of para-church ministries. These journeys led to a re-examining of the Biblical foundations of the Church and a conclusion that the future of the church will necessitate a return to the simplicity of the early church in small home-based churches where ordinary people will do the work of ministry. With this conviction Willie and Eda pioneered a home church and began to network with others. In the process he wrote a number of books and shared the copies with friends and with anyone interested in these. Recently he decided to formally publish these books so that a wider audience can tap into the resources. This book is the last in the series 'Being the Church in the World.' As stated, it covers the key practical issues and the challenges that they faced as they moved out of their comfort zone of the Institutional Church to pursue the Way described in the Book of Acts and in the pages of the New Testament. May it be a help to those who dream that the Church can be more than what they have experienced so far!