we remember our pioneers...
“We have a cloud of witnesses”…Heb 11.34
We acknowledge the identified pioneers that uncompromisingly contended to bring an unadulterated truth to this and future generations. The list below (in no particular order) comprise of pioneers that we believe was not sent by God only with signs & miracles but with a message of truth. The below listings are not complete and will always be considered as work in progress. As information becomes available and as we learn we will add to this list.
Luke 16: 12 “And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?
the pioneers of yesterday...lest we forget
John G. Lake
1908 - 1913
John G Lake was stirred by the great move of God in the early 1900s and came to South Africa in 1908 as a missionary to win souls for the kingdom. Immediately upon arrival, he and other missionaries began a stir among the people and a riot among the religions. “The Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa” sees the light as a “spark” from this great revival. Miracles and healings followed his ministry. Witnesses described John G. Lake as God’s “Apostle to Africa”.
Andrew Murray
1835 - 1999
Andrew Murray’s ministry focussed on the teaching on the baptism of the Spirit, which was great influence on the Pentecostal Movement in South Africa. Murray was a Scott who had come to South Africa in 1838.
Die Christen Werkers
1935 - 1999
WH de Swart and CF Pretorius were 2 students to be trained as Clerics (priests) in 1929. During their training, they came to learn the truth of water baptism and obey the call of the Lord and cease their training as it was in contrary of the Bible. When they left the seminary they start sharing the whole gospel to humanity. At the time they were not convinced to organize around a church and preferred to be known as “die Christen Werkers”. Their calling was rooted in their own testimonies: “Die hele evangelie vir die hele wereld en as daar nie uitgegee word wat die Here vir ons gegee het nie, stop die vervulling”. In the year 1935, the ministry took the following turn: “23 of the 24 workers were later persuaded by the Lord that we should proceed with the formation of congregations except Br. WH the Swardt. Because they agreed at the offset that they will only move when a final decision is based on absolute unanimity. They did not want to make the decision of congregation formation. While Br. De Swardt had set himself apart for a certain time, the gathering awaited the Lord. After waiting two days for the Lord, Br. De Swardt came up with the conviction of congregation formation. The decision was then unanimous that congregations will be formed.” Today this ministry is known as The Christian Churches
Charles William Chawner
1908
Born in Canada in 1870, his family soon relocated to the United States, where he grew up. His healing and preaching ministry spanned the years 1898 (when he saw his wife instantly healed under the ministry of John Alexander Dowie) until his death in 1935. In 1908, God sent him to Africa, where his anointed miracle ministry resulted in what has been described as “the most extensive and powerful missionary movement in all Africa.” This was the beginning of the Assemblies of God.
Nicholas Bengu
1950
We remember his vision “Back to God”. The vision: “The Lord explained to me that I was authorised to serve Him, but I did not know how to go about it. He showed me a great ocean to which He brought me. There I heard the voices of many people crying in fear of death. They were all under the water and their hands and feet were bound with chains. But they were trying to set themselves free. They all had black faces. When I listened I noticed that one could hear their voices. They were speaking in all African languages and dialects, and yet I was able to understand them all. They were all pointing at me for I was standing on dry land, and said: ‘We are dying, we are dying. We are perishing. Help us out of here’. I felt a great sympathy and wanted to help them all out of there. But they were as many as the sands on the seashore. The more I tried to help them the more I sank into the water. Bewildered, I called on the Lord. Jesus appeared and lifted me out. He showed me an open Bible and said: ‘This is the Word of Life; study this Word, and through the words of this book you will break these fetters and free your people from the chains of sin, in which they have been bound for centuries. I wish you to do this.’
Reinhard Bonnke
1984
A storm had destroyed the tent roof and the masts standing but revival happened and changed the face of Cape Town. Many precious souls were saved. His message: ”I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross. I believe that the preaching of the living word of God is something that Africa hungers for.”
George Bowie
1909-1910
George Bowie came to South Africa in 1909 as a missionary. The Azuza Revival sparked his move and a in April 1910 that a Pentecostal Mission was started and became the The Full Gospel Church of God. His vision was to Evangelise the indigenous inhabitants of South Africa.
William Braham
1951
In 1951, Brother Branham held meetings in Durban, South Africa that awakened thousands upon thousands in our country. Healings, miracles, and salvation of multitudes of people were all the fruits of what was considered great memorable meetings. Many of the works of God that took place during those meetings were captured in book entitled, “A Prophet Visits South Africa”. In 1952, William Branham related a vision of a meeting in Durban, South Africa and stated publicly that “I’m going to have a meeting that’s going to consist of three hundred thousand people.” He also said that the vision was “THUS SAITH THE LORD mark it in your book.”. The fulfillment of this vision is still imminent. Something the next generation to pursue in this season.
Pappa Titus
1949 - 1977
He is known as the “Pappa” of many leaders in the pentecostal movement. Amongst the black communities he was one of the first leaders to oversee the converts of the revival that swept South Africa during the period of 1945 – 1970.
Frank Norman Weber
???
Bro Weber was a missionary evangelist with a vision, mission and mandate regarding the Great Commission. Evidence shows that he never belonged to a specific church and worked across church borders. His message of the unadulterated truth of he Gospel caused him to be persecuted by many believers and unbelievers. His life story is captured in a book written by his son, Victor.
Gert Foster
1944
Awaiting Commentary
Annetjie Coetzee
???
Awaiting Commentary
Jimmy Swaggart
1986
He visited South Africa in 1986. His ministry had a great impact in the pentecostal movement. Many of the leaders today got saved or been influenced by the gutsy and hard preaching against sin and his uncompromised holiness approach.
Billy Graham
1973
Billy Graham visited South Africa in 1973 and played a significant part in the transforming South Africa spiritually as well as politically. He preached to tens of thousands in Durban and Johannesburg. For twenty years prior, Graham had declined every invitation to come and minister in apartheid South Africa, insisting that he would only preach to a fully integrated audience. He stood firm for the biblical equality of all people and against ethnic divisions in the body of Christ Graham refused to preach in South Africa unless blacks and whites could sit together. He maintained that “Christianity is not a white man’s religion, Christ belongs to all people.”
Billy’s stance has been that “the ground at the foot of the cross is level. Any person can come.” He understood that racial harmony, and the equality of all people, were indeed part and parcel of the gospel. And indeed it is the gospel.
Robert Shambach
1970s
He (a disciple/mentee of Evangelist A.A. Allen) was a famous revivalist known for his powerful, dynamic preaching in South Africa. Many believers tuned in on an AM frequency on radio to receive revival manna, healings and deliverance. His radio program was heard daily throughout the South Africa. He might be remembered as one of the last of the great tent preachers.
memorial stones
"Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?"
(Joshua 4: 5-6)
Valhalla Park, Cape Town
Who can forget the Big Tent of Reinhardt Bonke that got destroyed and only the masts were standing after that dreadful storm. In the midst of that revival happened and changed the face of Cape Town. Many precious souls were saved.
Mosssienes, Parow
Mossienes was a well-known place where many had an encounter with the Lord. Mossienes was a farm community where several families lived. On this farm was a small hall, called Mossienes, where the first converts met under the ministry of WH de Swardt. Many remember it as the cement road, called Tierberg Street. Situated at the foot of Tierberg, at the bridge that crosses the railway line. The leaders were the prophet, Gertjie Vorster and the teacher, WD Witbooi. The exact address of Mossienes is 67 Glenboig Street, Parow. With congregation formation, the Mossienes was called th Glenboig Assembly. The group areas act (Apartheid) causes the congregation to be moved to Tiervlei, later called Ravensmead. Many remember this place as a memorial because many saw the Lord in His Glory here.
Cape Town Grand Parade
The Parade in the heart of Cape Town was a gathering place for all sorts of people who preached the gospel. It was a kind of free-for-all platform. Many testified of the significance of spreading the gospel to many and many got saved at the foot of the statue in the centre of the parade opposite the City Hall in Darling Street.
Princess Vlei, Grassy Park
Princess Vlei (also known as the River Jordan of Cape Town) has been a chosen venue for the practice of baptism by total submersion by Pentecostal churches of the Cape. Many groups came to Princess Vlei from all over the Cape Peninsula for baptisms.