Secunda-resident releases book about Jesus’ sacrifices

In his first book called Sacrifice, Mr Greg Odell, founder of Church25, explains the sacrificial system and how Jesus filled the sin offering, burnt offering, guilt offering, peace offering and grain offering found in the Old Testament.

The book Sacrifice took Mr Odell four years to complete and was finally launched on Amazon in September.

“Most people will only know Jesus as the sin offering and that He was the sacrifice that died for our sin. But there were many other sacrifices in the Old Testament. We should understand that

Jesus replaced the entire sacrificial system and fulfilled all the required sacrifices, being the sin, burnt, guilt, peace and grain sacrifices” said Mr Odell.

Mr Odell goes into detail about what the fulfilment of these sacrifices means for us and what one can expect when one receives Jesus as a “multifaceted sacrifice”.

“The book explains how peace with God was won, how our guilt is removed and how this should change how we live. It also explains why a burnt offering was necessary and how this redeems us from issues of defilement.

“The study of the sacrifices of Jesus was far richer than I expected. Jesus not only wants to get us to heaven, but he wants us to live free and powerful lives for His glory, these provisions are found in his sacrifices,” said Mr Odell.

The journey to write his book, started with a revelation to do with water baptism, but it morphed into something completely different, and he did not expect to write a book like this.

Mr Odell explained how he had begun researching and then writing, however he did not know what he was writing at first, but, he learnt as he went on and did not have any anticipation that the book would end up like this.

“The book grew. Things I never understood before began making sense,” said Mr Odell.

He would use an hour and 15 minutes every morning and would make use of extra time on weekends or public holidays to write.

Mr Odell described Sacrifice as a read to reach the normal Christian who has a desire to know the deeper things of God and was written to the point where any layman can understand it.

“I think that we Christians should be able to understand and receive the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice in a way that is not complicated.

“I found when I was studying the sacrificial system, that I could start to piece together other theological concepts and that using the tapestry of the Old Testament sacrificial system, I could create a single/coherent storyline that made sense,” said Mr Odell.

He said his greatest desire for people reading this book, was that people would understand what Christ has done for them, that they would appropriate His rich blessings as theirs, so that they would be free.

“Once you understand the actual sacrifices, you can start to receive the blessings as yours. You get to see that He did so much more for you than what you expect,” said Mr Odell.

The book is available on Amazon as a paperback and ebook, it is also sold locally on the Church25 website.

Mr Odell moved to Secunda in 2000 and found himself employed by Sasol Mining after completing his studies as a mechanical engineer at the University of Cape Town (UCT).

Currently, he is a senior manager for a mechanical and civil department at Sasol mining.

Together with his wife Candice, the couple share four children, Innocent (12), Aaron (8), Zachary (6) and only daughter Sarah-Kate (10 months).

The couple founded Church25 a year ago, and what began as a small group of about eight people in their living room, has since seen them ministering to a congregation of about 45 people at the Vos Viljoen & Bekker Building in Horwood Street, Secunda.

The name Church25 comes from the two fish and five loaves that Jesus multiplied to feed the 5000, which talks about the supernatural provision and multiplication from God.

“We are a church based on grace. We have been called to minister equally well to the “haves” and “have nots” and to build a bridge in between,” said Mr Odell.

Church25 works closely with pastors from eMbalenhle and other communities in distributing food parcels, as well as doing crusades.

“We are a family on a mission for our city, for our nation and beyond,” said Mr Odell.

Church25 is a charismatic church and believes in the Holy Spirit baptism, the gifts of the Spirit and more.

To learn more, visit their website on www.church25.co.za or visit their Facebook page Church25.