by Lieschen Venter In March of 2016, North Carolina signed a bathroom bill into law that applies to all of the state’s public schools. This bill specifies that students must use the bathroom which corresponds to the gender on their birth certificate and was created in response to a local ordinance in the city of … Read more
by Christelle Myburgh The Awaken Women’s Conferences in Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Swakopmund became an annual highlight for numerous women in South Africa and Namibia over the past five years. Countless testimonies of healing, restoration, deliverance and empowerment resonated after each gathering. Consequently, it was a challenging test of obedience to God when He led us … Read more
by Hercules Opperman The mention of Canada always conjured up thoughts of a cold, distant place where South African medical professionals go to escape long hours in government hospitals. After having received the call to go to Canada for so many years (sounded by many Shofar members who moved abroad), we responded by visiting one … Read more
The body of Christ, His Church, is like a journey on a train; where its doors open to take the hurting, broken and lost aboard. Our stories may not all be the same, but as we embrace our oneness, they converge – to become a beautiful narrative of shared experience and togetherness. Christ Himself is … Read more
by Jan-Cor Brink As a church, our main focus is to reach nations and generations through disciple-making, leadership development, and church planting. With the growth of our congregations over the past few years, we now have the challenge and responsibility of cultivating and maintaining a relationship with each individual and keeping them connected to our … Read more
by Hercules Opperman Shofar Institute will be presenting our residential Ministry Training Programme (previously known as Shofar Internship – see Shofar internship article 2016), starting January 2017! We’ve renamed the programme in order to distinguish it from our Shofar internship programmes running concurrently at our various churches. The programme no longer resembles a gap year, but … Read more
by André Kruger 20 years ago, I became a believer. Since then, not a day went by that I didn’t fully believe that God was all-powerful, able to do anything. However, around 4 years ago, my wife and I were confronted with the realisation that although we believed in the power of God, we never experienced … Read more
by Rayno Daschner (Shofar Rondebosch) Every second year around the coast of South Africa we get together a team (or three) of adventurers that rock the beaches for Jesus! This year we were particularly astounded at how hungry people are for both excellent heartfelt performances as well as heart-moving encounters with Christ. For example: in … Read more
TAX EXEMPT AND SECTION 18A APPROVED by Johann Hunter An application has been successfully made by Cyrus Missions Trust to the SARS for tax exemption, and importantly also for approval to issue section 18A certificates to donors (donations to PBO’s may only be deducted from a person or a company’s taxable income where that donation … Read more
by Fred May For me, the past year has been quite an extraordinary journey on so many levels. When it started I had already committed myself to an extended ministry sabbatical. And while we all may enjoy the idea of savouring an extended break from daily responsibility and labour, I discovered that there may be … Read more
deur Fred May Vir my was die afgelope jaar op meer as een vlak ’n buitengewone reis. Met die aanbreek daarvan was ek reeds verbind tot ’n verlengde bedieningsabbat. En terwyl die idee van ’n lang ruskans van daaglikse verantwoordelikhede en werk genotvol mag klink, het ek ontdek dat daar ’n onverwagse, betekenisvolle onderskeid tussen … Read more
OUR THREE FOCUS AREAS FOR 2015 by Hercules Opperman This past year’s focus on the harvest was not as much a prophetic season as a wake-up call to our vision as a church to reach nations and generations through disciple-making, leadership development and church planting. Having so many dynamic and vibrant ministries and activities in … Read more
by Phillip Boshoff (Shofar Pretoria) Our annual Convergence Conference is a highlight on our calendar and this year was no exception as our church family gathered from across the globe at the ‘Walled City’ of Ratanga Junction for a time of worship, refreshing, fellowship and vision sharing. It was evident from the opening moments that, … Read more
by Carlos Moses (Shofar London) God, in all His wisdom, has always known how our church’s vision statement would intrigue and inspire me. How much I would come to be in love with it. In love with it – because the notion of reaching the nations fits my cosmopolitan heart like a glove. Intrigued by … Read more
REFLECTING ON OUR TIMES by Fred May November 2015 was significant. It seems to signal an irreversible historical shift, globally. Scores of people, innocent civilians, died on the streets of Paris in a ‘war’ they never signed up for. They were simply minding their own business but in the ‘wrong’ place. The same thing happened … Read more
by Annake Bester (Kibwe) “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:15 (NIV) As Christians, being adopted into God’s family through His son Jesus Christ is a … Read more
A YEAR OF BUILDING IN OUR COMMUNITIES by Richard Wade We start the new year with the encouragement that God continues to build His Church with relentless passion. He breaks and He binds up, He nurtures and restores. He rebuilds the walls of the city with living stones. “The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He gathers … Read more
It’s time to bring out your summer gear because Amplified is hosting another exciting coast 2 coast missions road trip up the South African coastline from 26 December to 1st of January! This year our Coast-2-Coast team will be heading up the coast from Hermanus to Port Elizabeth, doing outreaches in five different towns including … Read more
Exciting speakers headline our fifth annual Convergence Conference, from 2-4 October 2015, at Ratanga Junction, Century City in Cape Town, South Africa. Local singer Louis Brittz will be one of the featured worship artists, together with our own Shofarband. Speakers include Rick Rusaw from Lifebridge Christian Church, Colorado, Stephen Lungu from Zimbabwe, Dr Corné Bekker … Read more
by Hercules Opperman Before returning home from Malawi, Ps. Henry Mkhomanya, leader of our Shofar Malawi churches shared a surprising testimony with me. He said that a local Muslim leader came to him during our visit asking why the white man builds for the black man and that it was probably costing a fortune. To which Ps. … Read more