A healing conference

Early October we had the opportunity to take 35 local pastors to a church conference here in Cape Town called Four12. 

The name comes from Eph 4:12 which says, “To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”  God gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Eph 4:11) not so that they would do all the work of ministry themselves, rather that they would equip the saints, the people of God to do the work God has prepared for them to do.

For many of our pastors we serve at Hope Africa they have not had the opportunity to go to a large Christian event like this before.  Think of Youth Quake for adults (if you don’t know what Youth Quake is, here are a few photos from the good old days of youth ministry!)

Marie-Eve on her way to Youth Quake - 2005

Mike on his way to Youth Quake - 2005 

Most of the pastors would wake up very early and take public transport to Hope Africa.  From there I arranged transport and we battled through city traffic to make it to Four12. 

Many of the pastors shared how they encountered God during the times of worship and how renewed they felt in their spirits after spending time in God’s presence.  Many of the pastors also shared how challenged they were from the Scriptures during the teaching sessions.  I’m currently reading a John Piper book, in which he says, “The deepest longing of the human heart and the deepest meaning of heaven and earth are summed up in this: "The glory of God.”  In worship and in hearing God’s Word taught, we got to experience a little of the glory of God.  

After the conference, we had a time of debrief and 2 of the pastors testified to being healed of physical ailments during the times of worship! To God be the glory!

Many of the pastors also shared about some difficult times as well.  Some felt ignored by the white people while others felt they were spoken to rudely.  Many shared how certain things reminded them of Apartheid and how it was still difficult for them today. We were blown away by their willingness to share openly as usually those things aren't talked about.

Electricity poll in the townships

One lady who was with us, shared about how one night after the conference she again had no electricity in her home, and as a result she couldn’t charge her phone. The next day she was at the conference with a dead phone, so she looked for a help desk and asked the person there if she could charge her phone. The person at the desk looked down at her for not having planned ahead and having a dead phone. She walked away frustrated and blaming the help desk person for the legacy of Apartheid that leaves her in very poor neighborhood with no electricity.  

As she rejoined the conference and started to worship she felt God convict her of her attitude.  She shared, “The people at the help desk didn’t turn off the electricity to my house last night, I was blaming them, but it was not their fault.”  So the lady went back to the help desk person and shared how she was hurt by their privileged attitude and offered forgiveness.  The two of them wept and prayed together.

This was just one story of many small ways that God broke through cultural barriers to bring hope and healing this last week. We had planned 20 minutes for feedback time and we ended up taking almost 2 hours as the pastors shared experiences like this.

“Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  Some day when we, the children of God, are gathered before His throne in worship, there will be a group there of people that have come out of South Africa.  That group is going to be beautiful and it will represent all the different races that were divided here under Apartheid, Black people, Colored people and White people. 

Lord, may your Kingdom come, here on earth as it is in heaven!  And as the Kingdom of Heaven comes here on earth, we will see people from every tribe, nation and language together worshiping God, just like they will do in heaven.