Teichert Family Update ... “Stopping to Breathe the Air of Eternity”

The family of Karl and Jenny Teichert are serving the Lord as missionaries with OC Africa, in South Africa. They moved to Johannesburg in November, 1997 with their four children; Ann, Scott, Stephen and John. Karl serves as the Southern Africa Director of the Southern Africa Regional Team. Their vision is to see a healthy, Bible-based church established in every unreached village and community in South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia and beyond. Their strategy is to partner with key African church leaders to research, train, and mobilize the body of Christ to complete the Great Commission. They are striving to equip local leaders in Southern Africa to reach their nations for Christ and send missionaries into other countries as well.

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“Stopping to Breathe the Air of Eternity”

Dear Family and Friends,

This is the chapter title of a book I’ve been reading, as well as the name of the course I’ve been facilitating with six ladies from our local church. The book is called “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” by Peter Scazzero. This is the third time I have gone through it, and each time it has impacted my life in a fresh way. The picture on the front of the book is a picture of an iceberg, which symbolizes how in our lives we only see the tip, while the layers of our emotional lives are buried beneath the surface. When we combine emotional health with slowed-down, contemplative spirituality, God can transform our lives in the deep places.

The chapter I am reading now is called “Discover the Rhythms of Daily Office and Sabbath.” It is very timely because after 19 years of ministry here in South Africa, Karl and I plan to take a four-month sabbatical. At first I was concerned about taking this time away from “work.” But as I have learned more about the purpose of biblical sabbatical, I have more peace and we are both excited for this amazing opportunity. We have been preparing for some time now to take a sabbatical after our kids left home, and the time has come!

“Eugene Peterson points out that even though the Sabbath has been one of the most abused and distorted practices of the Chris􀆟 an life, we cannot do without it. ‘Sabbath is not primarily about us or how it benefi ts us; it is about God and how God forms us … I don’t see any way out of it: if we are going to live appropriately in creation, we must keep the Sabbath.’”

“God knew that if Israel were to be true to her calling and purpose, they would need more than weekly Sabbaths. They would need longer stretches of rime to stop, to rest, to delight in, and to contemplate Him. For this reason, God built into their national economic and political life entire Sabbatical years. God commanded all Israel to give the land a “Sabbath of rest” one year in every seven … these longer sabbaticals too are a part of the rope God grants us to survive the blizzards of life.”

So that is our hope for this time, and we appreciate your prayers for us as we take this sabbatical:

   • For rest
   • To listen to the Lord as he leads and teaches us what we need to learn
   • For areas of growth, individually as well as in our marriage and family
   • For refocus and reorientation of the next season and our calling and purpose
   • To trust Him to provide while we are away
   • For our teammates who will be filling in for us

Thanks for standing with us!

Karl and Jenny

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OC Africa is an interdenominational ministry committed to developing, equipping, and mobilizing church leaders to multiply healthy, Bible-based churches in every community in Southern Africa and the world. OC is a faith-based mission who depends on the Lord to provide committed, financial supporters and partners. The contributions from these individuals help generate ministry opportunities around the world, impact missionaries and their global work, and provide a means for the International Mobilization Center to function. CLICK HERE to learn how YOU can be a part of mobilizing church leaders around the world by donating to OC.