Where are the Joburg Unchurched?

One of the goals for team #3 visiting Johannesburg was to meet and greet people in the Midrand area not currently attending a church.  We seek to learn from these people the reasons  that keep some people from attending.  We hope that if we design a new church plant to address their needs, it will draw these people in.  We specifically want to avoid drawing people away from other churches.  The mission of the Saddleback regional is to become a healthy model that will also provide help to surrounding churches.   

The downstream goal is to build up a strong core of Christian churches in the Joburg area.  One local advisor from IMB told us that if you win Johannesburg for Jesus Christ, then you win South Africa.  Strong churches working together have the capacity to send members out on mission in a coordinated strategy.  This is the goal of the PEACE plan that will address the five global giants.  The global giants are: 1) spiritual emptiness, 2) self serving leadership, 3) Poverty, 4) Disease, 5) Illiteracy.

We went into malls, the “Mugg and Bean” cafe, public squares and parks to find these people.  All people we encountered were quite friendly and very easy to talk to.  The problem was that most people we encountered claimed that they were church attending Christians.  We decided upon a bold plan.  On Sunday afternoon, we went to the Shisanyama beer garden where young professionals like to unwind and hang out before  the new work week.

A team of nine grandparent age white people entered a hot spot of the young blacks and colored.  The House music was throbbing.  It was difficult to hear, but we did successfully greet and speak with several people.  Once again we found them friendly and easy to get along with.  To our surprise most people that we spoke to said that they attend church.  Some stated that they had attended that morning, and were now relaxing in the afternoon.

People of Johannesburg, we love you.  You are inspiring.  You face tremendous problems with grace and dignity.  We hope to provide a fitting church home for some who do not now know Jesus.  May we partner together for God’s kingdom.

Contextualization: Our Challenge

What is the largest challenge that we face for planting a Saddleback regional campus in Johannesburg, South Africa?  In a word, the issue is contextualization.  Seeking understanding of world views, and guidance in our approach to lay plans, we interviewed people on the streets and also sought counsel from seasoned professionals in the Joburg area from organizations including churches, schools, and evangelical outreach.  

To contextualize is to adapt the visual appearance, the music and arts, the language, the terminology used, and the social references so that they are well understood by the local audience.  Most importantly the presentations, songs, stories, and prayers must be from and of the local community.  The gospel preached with integrity remains the truth.  The bible based principles for growing membership in spiritual maturity and growing the church remain the same.  The style of implementation adapts to the local culture.

The largest stumbling block reported for black South Africans, especially the young professionals that a Saddleback regional in the Midrand area wants to serve is the issue of animism and specifically the practice of ancestor worship.  Only in close relationship can this strong influence be effectively countered.  The first missionaries in colonial times tried to completely do away with African culture and to replace it with a Christian culture.  This might seem like an easier approach, but it is a disastrous destruction of identity.  There is no substitute for growing spiritual maturity through discipleship.

On one Sunday afternoon our team visited the Shisanyama (beer garden) to meet local young adults and to learn something about their culture.  My wife and I struck up a conversation and immediate friendship with Dr. Sambelo Mhlomi, who is a trauma care doctor in Kagiso Mall medical center.  He described how young black professionals live simultaneously in two different worlds.  The traditional beliefs and practices are closely tied to home (your birth village), and to your family.  Your education and professional work probably displaces you to a location far from home, and gives you knowledge and principles quite foreign to your origins.  Sambelo described that most of African culture is positive and good.  He has systematically excluded any practices that run counter to Christian principles.  

I asked Sambelo if one could recognize the bad practices because they tend to create fear or somehow trap and enslave the individual.  He agreed.  The nature of the gospel truth is to free the individual.  There is true freedom in Jesus Christ.  Practices that run counter to this freedom are to be avoided.  

Sambelo also confirmed that marriage is complicated for young black professionals.  Africa has the tradition of labola.  The groom must give a sizable payment to the bride’s family.  In most cases, there is a traditional wedding, followed later-on by a Christian ceremony.  This represents a double wedding expense.  Sambola had already gone through the traditional ceremony back in the village.  The Christian ceremony for Sambola and his fiancee is scheduled in a couple of months in the Midrand area.  Due in large part to the financial hurdles associated with marriage, many young professionals now choose cohabitation as an option.

Navigation

Our team left the hotel in Sandton early on Wednesday October 18, allowing for a generous time budget to arrive safely on-time to the start of a Purpose Driven Church conference for local Gauteng east-side provence pastors.  The conference, organized by Pastor Titus from Memelodi was held in the township of Springs at the Covenant Christian Church.  We planned for an on-time or early arrival because our team promised to help with the greeting and registration process.  We also planned to engage the pastors in supplying information for a spiritual and ethnic mapping of their district.  As advised and requested from a few sources, this mapping can help churches and evangelical groups to plan and to work together effectively to reach the communities.

After quite an adventure, we arrived early for a late starting conference.  Our drivers had GPS navigators, but they proved useless after leaving the highway and turning into the neighborhood.  No street signs and no house numbers exist in the neighborhood.  We immediately resorted to cell phones, calling the event organizers for directions.  Unfortunately the organizers were from out-of-town and not familiar enough to really help.

We happened upon a local police station.  The drivers went inside to get help.  The information given was vague and not sufficient.  Continuing on, we stopped a few different locals to ask for directions.  The locals were quite willing to help, but their directions led to no success.  

Finally, we ran across a police car on patrol.  We asked them to please lead us to the Covenant Christian Church.  We followed as they led us out of the maze back to a recognizable start point.  The police then instructed us to call once again the church pastor on our cell phone.  Tell the pastor the named street that we are on located between the gas station and a sports field.  The pastor should then then guide us to his church.   

Wow.  What would happen if a shooting, or crime in progress was reported at the Covenant Christian Church?  Would the police be able to respond?  The instructions from the pastor did successfully navigate us.  When we arrived, we saw that the church had no sign identifying itself.  In this community, churches, homes, and streets are not identified.  Local knowledge is essential for getting around.

This navigation scenario is strange and cumbersome, but represents a good metaphor for life.  We lose our way and often rely upon our own instincts and possibly ask advice from whoever we run across.  What did the police finally do?  They took us back to a recognizable place and instructed us to communicate with a source of truth.  When we are in trouble, we need to retreat to a known good place and communicate with God, the source of truth.

One Man’s Inspiration: Energy and Hope from Trash

Since the gold diggings opened in 1887, Johannesburg became a magnet for the poor and disaffected over the African continent.  The South African district encompassing Johannesburg is given the Sotho language name Gauteng which means “place of gold”.  Drought, disasters, and war over the African continent have fueled the source of cheap labor for the mines.  In the traditional scenario, desperate men left their villages and families behind, trekking by whatever means available to Johannesburg seeking work.  Today that trend continues.  Johannesburg is a melting pot for people groups spanning the continent.

The mining infrastructure served as an economic base to build Johannesburg into a modern city.  Driving along the highway one sees major corporation facilities from high tech to major manufacturing.  All of this enterprise can not keep up with the demand for employment.  Joburg holds the extremes from the super rich to the very poor.  Security is a major concern in all areas.  Half of the crime in South Africa occurs in Joburg.  Fences around neighborhoods and around individual homes are capped with high voltage wires.  Often a combination of barbed wire plus electric wires is used.  An atmosphere of constant fear and concern is evidenced by people with means defending their property, life, and possessions against attack by the desperate.

The ANC has failed to deliver on promises.  The current government is self-centered with ministers taking more than giving.  Six out of ten workers who can’t find jobs now will likely never find one.  What is Gods plan?  Is there a way to stem the tide of desperation?  On Wednesday October 12, members of our team had an interview meeting with Mr. Jimmy Furstenburg who is now managing director of CEP - Clean Energy Projects.  Jimmy is a member of the Methodist Church and a business leader.  He takes his role seriously as a member of society, blessed to be a blessing.

Jimmy obtained a double volume copy of the Purpose Driven Church, and Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren.  After reading it cover-to-cover Jimmy felt compelled to exercise the concept of “every member a minister”.  He wanted to do something real and tangible to make a difference.  Jimmy got in touch with a woman from the town of Mamelodi who was trained in the operation of clean burning incinerators that produce electricity.  Together they formed a business venture following a model that will not only feed much needed electric power to the grid, but will create jobs, enhance education, and promote the church.  

The raw fuel used for energy production is the waste that would otherwise clutter the townships.  The waste materials are however broadly distributed.  Collection and sale of trash at centers will provide useful work and some income for those who otherwise have no job.  Schools used as collection points will provide an incentive for students to earn some income and also to attend school.  The local churches as well may serve as collection centers.  The churches can reach out and engage with the community through hosting this community based enterprise.  In John 6:12 Jesus said after feeding a multitude:  “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted”.  The collection of waste for  clean energy production is certainly in the spirit of this passage.  We are trusted to become good stewards of the earth.

Once collected, the waste materials require sorting into categories for use.  The necessary activities involving pick-up from collection centers, waste sorting, and operating of the incinerator-generators opens new full-time jobs in the townships.  

Jimmy has pledged that 20% of profit from the enterprise will go directly back into the local community to make improvements.  The impact is described as win-win-win for the schools, churches, and the community.  Imagine the impact if more people asked God to reveal a plan, then became passionate and used their creativity, talents, and abilities to advance God’s kingdom and the well being of society.  This example of one man multiplied by the number of available and ernest people over the African continent could make real positive change.

Madala Rules

Madala is the Zulu word for old man.  It is a respectful word.  The “old guys Rule” or “old men rule” joke does not resonate in the African culture.  The joke is actually a call for respect.  Since the African culture respects the elderly, Africans don’t get the joke.

On Wednesday evening of our first week in Johannesburg we celebrated Ron Sipus’ 68th birthday.  Planning a mission trip that spans over your birthday date represents an additional sacrifice.  One gives up celebrating with family and possibly enjoying a favorite restaurant or activity.  

Drawing upon his professional experience as Head of Schools for Capistrano Valley Christian Schools, Ron has served as an indispensable team resource and leader for efforts to find out how the neighborhood schools work, what they offer to the community, and what the most pressing community needs are.  Ron is also a very enthusiastic and skilled photographer.  He has taken many of the excellent photographs that are documenting our trip.  With all due respect, Ron is our Madala for this trip.  Come to think of it, I will hit the milestone age of 65 next September.  Maybe I should have a custom “Madala Rules” tee shirt made.

Just Get Over It and Let God Work Through You

There I was at the Mugg & Bean restaurant, full of young professional customers on their lunch break.  We had some business cards printed up with the Saddleback Johannesburg Facebook site and Blog site to serve as hand outs to anyone expressing interest in our exploration for planting a new church.  Ron had already struck up conversations with a few people.  He found friendly responses.  He was on a roll.  How do I begin?

I was standing near a sidewalk table where two young attractive ladies had finished their meal and were casually talking.  I did not want to appear rude or pushy.  I certainly did not want to act like someone using a pick-up line.  There I was with my stomach in knots not finding any good way to reach out and engage these people.  

God must have had a good laugh.  He sent a gust of wind to blow the receipt off of their table.  I retrieved the receipt and said hello.  I told them that I was from the U.S.  as they might tell from my accent.  It is a strange feeling realizing that you are the one with an accent.  Anyway they were quite receptive to the idea of a new church in their area.  They agreed to having their picture taken with me any any of our team, and posted on Facebook.  The idea of networking through Facebook is quite natural to this young generation.

Team-3 Delivered Beyond our Abilities

We trusted God.  We pulled together.  We were spirit filled and effective.

Imagine the challenge for anyone that speaking before a full church represents.  Some have natural abilities.  Others will freeze up and choke.  Our team has roughly half speakers and half freezers.    Through spirit filled empowerment we all not only spoke but spoke most effectively.  We delivered. 

We were invited to attend Sunday services on October 7, at the Christian Family Church in Soweto with pastor Tony Mamarigane.  The church is now three years old with more than 100 attending members.  Tony describes it as “standing on one leg” because it survives solely upon a high quality of worship.  The membership needs to grow in spiritual maturity and to come into balance with the other purposes for sustained growth.

Our trip leader Dan Siems volunteered to give the sermon message for the 11 AM morning service.  After much prayer and a restless night Dan rose to the challenge.  He delivered above his normal human abilities.  He was dynamic and animated.  He described in practical and down-to-earth terms how a church grows to fill and balance the five purposes.  He stated that the entire team will present at the afternoon service.  Dan asked the congregation to return for the 4 PM afternoon service.  They needed to hear the stories about how ordinary people like themselves grew and performed good works of ministry.

Dan’s message and request evidently made an impact.  The evening service was well attended.  My wife Beth, who normally avoids public speaking, presented the introduction to finding your S.H.A.P.E. in ministry.  The presentation was clear.  It was understandable.  It was a revelation for the congregation to hear.  The Holy Spirit had taken over.  Each team member followed by describing how they learned of their S.H.A.P.E. through the Saddleback 301 class, and the particular ministries that they each are involved in.  The rich diversity represented by nine team members drove the point home.   Every member of the body has something to contribute.  I illustrated the concept that passions and abilities not normally associated with church work can make powerful contributions.  I described how the hobbies of photography and surfing when  surrendered to service in Christ can add a new dimension, attracting more souls to the body of Christ.  All ministries described by nine team members painted the picture of a vibrant church making a difference in the community.

Apartheid Belongs in a Museum, Not in Society

We visited the Apartheid Museum in downtown Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon, Oct 7 after landing from the 15-hour flight that morning, and settling into our hotel.  The goal for this first activity was to gain some historic perspective and understanding of the issue that has so profoundly impacted South African society.  Saddleback Pastor Bob Bradbury arrived on the same day, accompanying team-3.  He told us about his past personal experience, illustrating how the crazy apartheid atmosphere affected life.

In the 1970’s Bob was working in South Africa.  He had an assignment to pick up a black government minister from Swaziland, and to drive him to the Johannesburg airport for a diplomatic meeting.  Swaziland was not under apartheid rule.  They stopped on the way at a roadside car service cafe for a snack.  Bob went inside to place an order.  The waiter approached the car with two china cups of tea and some crackers.  Upon seeing both a black and a white man in the car, the waiter immediately turned back to the kitchen and poured one tea from the china cup into a plastic mug.  He delivered the plastic mug to the black man, and the china cup to Bob.  Later at the airport, the black Swaziland government minister was given the high honors red carpet treatment along with the other important diplomats.  Bob’s role at the airport was that of a less elevated driver.  This strange reversal of treatment shows how a government enforced judgement based upon skin color turns life upside-down with universal injustice.

My intent going into the museum was to understand how this intense preoccupation with race arose seemingly in a short time period.  I learned that the origin actually stretched back to early times.  Paintings by the bushman in South Africa date back to several thousand years.  The paintings from the 1800’s  depict a struggle against colonial rule.  The white settlers carried superior weaponry.  To counter this, the bushman artists believed that spiritual symbols depicted in the paintings might wield the power to defeat the colonists.  This scenario shows parallels to history in the United States where European settlers displaced the natives.  The conflict increased dramatically with the 1887 opening of gold diggings in Johannesburg.  

In 1948 the National Party won the whites-only election.  Prime Minister D.F. Malan passed a range of laws to ensure the separation of races.  The primary motivation for this action was fear.  The minority white rulers sensed the need for drastic action to insure their continued privileged status.  Fear is always a bad motivation.  The decisions made out of fear generally punish all of society.

Nelson Mandela was a head-strong, angry young man at the time of his arrest for high treason in 1956.  He was tested by the ordeal of 27-years in an island prison, fortunately  in the company of other intellectual dissidents.  Instead of becoming bitter, he learned patience and a right attitude towards all classes of society.  The intellectual dissidents dominated the prison environment with their writings and discussions.  Mandela’s reputation and public acclaim grew.  After his release in 1990, the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to both Nelson Mandela and President F.W. de Klerk for their historic agreement to end the oppressive apartheid reign.  The avoidance of a revenge war between the races was an unprecedented accomplishment by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by Bishop Desmond Tutu in 1995.  Problems remain, but this huge step forward is one of the greatest peace making accomplishments in modern times.

Final Preparations for Team #3 Departing October 4

Team #3 is making final preparations, praying, and ready to depart on October 4.

Shown in the photograph is the couples contingent of the team: David (far left) and Beth (seated) Bremmer,  Ron (second to left) and Carol (second to right) Sipus,  Dan (far right) and Darlene (center) Siems.  Three single women also on the team were attending a separate meeting.  

Pastor Bob Bradbury from Saddleback Church will be visiting Johannesburg during the same time period as the team #3 visit.  A Purpose Driven Church (PDC) seminar is planned for the October 17-19 time period.

Team leader Dan Siems has set the mission priorities as following.

1.  Help Pastor Bob Bradbury recruit pastors

   -  PDC training

   -  talk/network with local pastors and local contacts 

2.  Help lay groundwork for a new church community

   -  find a place

   -  find the people

3.  Understand felt needs and world views in Joburg

   - prayer walking

   - Mug and Bean moments

4.  Help local churches in Joburg

   - workshops

   - worship together

   - build good will (visit with Pastors)

Dan and Darlene Siems - Committed Trip Leaders

I first met Dan and Darlene at a Saddleback Church information meeting about the 12 Cities PEACE Plan initiative.  Beth and I decided to sit at the Johannesburg, South Africa table because we had a vague sense of God’s nudging us there, and also from a sense of wonder about this beautiful land.  We indicated that the fall months of 2012 would be good for us to travel.  Dan and Darlene stated that they were trip leaders for the fall, and that we were most welcome to join them.  They made us feel very comfortable and welcome.  I noticed right away that Darlene possess a great sense of humor and a charming personality.   I have learned subsequently that she keeps her commitments until an important work is finished.

Darlene has successfully organized our trip details while her day job responsibilities are absolutely exploding.  On rather late notice, her company set a software installation go-live event at a time just prior to our trip departure.   Her work day hours have escalated from 14 to 18-hour days.  We know that she is committed to God’s plan for Johannesburg and we pray for God to strengthen her, give her rest, and protect her from illness.

Dan has served a guiding role for all three teams going to Johannesburg.  He has been setting the goals and strategy for our team #3 trip.  As fortune would dictate, Dan’s mother in Michigan took a turn for the worst in her second bout of fighting cancer.  Being a godly woman who herself participated in several short-term missions, she told Dan that if her struggle became critical, or that if she were to pass away during the time of this team #3 trip, Dan was absolutely NOT to abort and return to the states.  It was her will and her desire that the mission trip shall follow God’s plan without interruption.  A funeral can wait.

In mid September the Lord called Dan’s mom home.  She is now worshiping in heaven.  Honoring his mother’s legacy Dan is committing all of his strength and creativity to follow God’s lead and make this trip successful.  We dedicate this trip and the glory that it brings to God’s kingdom in her memory.  

David and Beth Bremmer - Breaking out of the Bubble

My wife Beth and I live in an ideal environment with a loving family and very few problems.  We live in the Orange County bubble.  Why should we venture into the problems of other places?  We have long sensed God calling us to make a difference in his world.  We are now members of team #3 leaving for Johannesburg, South Africa to help prepare the way for a new Saddleback purpose driven church.   

Our trip preparations encouraged us to exercise “prayer walking” as a means to open our eyes and to let God show us the needs of a community.  Having volunteered for several years with the OC Human Trafficking Task Force, we are passionate about this pervasive issue.  On a recent Saturday an opportunity arose to participate in a community outreach event with the Faith Inspirational Missionary Baptist Church in Compton, CA.  Faith is a vibrant church that interacts directly with the surrounding community.  They exercise prayer walking with a targeted purpose.  On a monthly basis members and volunteers walk up and down the sidewalks, meet and pray with prostitutes, and effectively shut down the prostitution business for several hours.  

The pimps riding in their cars with cell phones are not happy with the church interference.  The head pastor of Faith Inspirational is a deputy sherif, in uniform, armed with a gun, also cruising in his black-and-white patrol car for our protection.  By necessity we are continuously in prayer during the entire experience.  From our base camp set up in a shopping mall parking lot we launch to the sidewalks in small teams composed of women who will approach the prostitutes, and men who follow close behind holding them in prayer, looking out, and guarding their backs.  

A fascinating power play begins.  We are shining an intense light into dark places.  Some of the girls dart across the street to avoid our encounter.  Others welcome the few minutes of relief that speaking with our group and being prayed over provides.  Our team leader Brenda has developed a very effective ability for welcoming and comforting these girls.  I told Brenda that her offering is like a comfortable sofa with a cool glass of water.  Life for these girls is pure hell.  They are victims caught up in something that they cannot visualize escaping.

I was surprised at the transformation shown by the girls in the company of our team.  On the street they dress provocatively, displaying an outward veneer that attracts men to their business.  In the presence of our team, the veneer melts away.  I see the pain and helplessness on their faces. Our team hands out toiletries upon which a phone number to a “safe house” is written.  The girls are encouraged, but it will take planning, daring, and effort for them to break away.  

We comforted two girls in a gasoline station driveway.  I wanted to move out of the driveway for safety, but that was not going to happen.  The unhappy pimp drove his car into the driveway shouting something at the girls.  I immediately grabbed a male partner positioning ourselves between the pimp and his girls, blocking his view.  The power play is real and God’s team has the greater power.  Brenda noticed that one of the girls in the driveway had visible bruises and could not lift her arms very high to give a hug.  Our hearts were broken at the sight of slavery in our society.  Families driving by waved and gave us words of encouragement.  This outreach ministry is making a difference that the community appreciates.