Church Planting In Durban

Last Friday I had the amazing privilege of leaving all my boys and flying up to be part of a team that was gathering from all over South Africa to boost the current congregation of Hope Church, Durban and to encourage them by participating in all sorts of evangelism before the official church launch on Sunday afternoon.

I really did have the most wonderful time - helped not least because I was staying on a mattress on the floor of a really wacky girl who had just moved in herself, but had air conditioning - oh glory! The word hot does not do justice to Durban - "stinking hot" and "dripping" are far better expressions. I have not sweated so much in my life, though I have lived in hotter places. The humidity was something to be experienced. I also had my share of mossie bites - why did God invent them?!

Anyway, the weekend was non-stop. We evangelised in the university, shopping malls, the beach - in fact anywhere we could, inviting people to church on the Sunday. Some of the conversations we had were amazing and some team members even got the chance to pray with people there and then. It is true to say that no matter where we are people are hungry for God, though most don't realise it. Many people responded negatively saying that they were Muslim, and this created interesting discussion from time to time.

The launch finally arrived at 4 pm on Sunday. We worked really hard all morning setting up the local school hall where the church meets and by 4.05 pm about 375 people packed themselves in to worship and hear about God. We reckon just over half were either Hope Church, visitors from local churches or the team, so a good number of folk really did just turn up. It was fantastic to worship God so exuberantly in English, Zulu, Afrikaans and Sotho - a little taste of heaven! Drew Land, a Texan and leader of the church gave the gospel brilliantly and just over 20 people came forward to receive Jesus there and then. I had the privilege of praying with some. It is so good to be at the raw edge of evangelism and to witness people coming to God for the first time. The hard work now starts for the church as they start all the follow up this week and in the coming months. Our prayer is for the church to experience phenomenal growth and to really have an impact in Durban. This prayer was certainly echoed in the prophetic words that flowed on Sunday afternoon. It was so good to spend a bit of time chatting with Gary and Nicky, our good friends and old boss from Helderberg. After a final evening spent having a laugh and letting our hair down with people in the church I flew back on Monday lunchtime to 3 very happy boys!