let’s go london

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 it – because reaching the next generation, raising the next leader and planting a new church is always a strategic or spontaneous mystery. Inspired by it – because discipleship is the only true way people’s lives can be changed. And so it didn’t surprise me when God used my love, my intrigue and my inspiration to guide me to the UK.

In love

In 2014, I was part of a team that ministered at the annual Shofar London ministry weekend. Meeting the delegates from the different nations and sharing times of both laughter and tears was very special for me. I could immediately sense my love for London’s multicultural synergy and the possibilities it had to reach the nations.

At this particular weekend, in three unrelated occasions, people randomly suggested that I bring my wife and daughters with me the following year. Taking these suggestions as an invitation from God, I got up early one morning and asked Him to find a way to make it financially possible if He wanted us there again in 2015.

Going back to South Africa with this vision in my heart I could feel my love for the UK growing. It grew so much that I shared my dream with my family one evening around the supper table. My two daughters Carla and Evah were excited, to say the least, and my dear wife, Elmaree, was over the moon. We knew that we could walk this journey together, pursuing God’s dream for us and for England.

In the end, my daughters stood in faith for their own finances. They prayed and to our surprise, their finances were settled long before we left for London again. It was a very special moment when I took them to the exact spot where I spoke with God in 2014.

God’s love for England was quickly becoming our love for His people.

Intrigued

We came back from our trip on 8 September and immediately my prayers for this nation changed. I was fascinated and attracted by the country’s godly heritage and the legacy of raising men and women of God, like John Wesley, Spurgeon, Martyn Lloyd-Jones and William Tyndale to name just a few. I could sense that God wanted the legacy to continue and I felt that He wanted me to be part of it.

During October, I prayed the following… “Dear Father, if you want my family to move to England, please give our congregation in Worcester a building to rent so that we don’t have to share it with anybody else.” Two weeks later a Worcester businessman phoned me and the rest, as they say, was history.

I was very surprised because in my mind moving to London would take a year or two. So when God answered my prayer in just two week, sensed His urgency.

This urgency led me on a two-day fast in Wolseley, where God commanded me to go and pray in Tulbagh the one morning and then in Ceres that evening. Driving into that beautiful town, I felt God say that I should spend time with my sister, who lives there. Rowena offered me food and I decided to break my fast. This was the best decision I could have made – not because of the food (although it was delicious) but because of the way she presented it. It was God-inspired. My placemat and coaster were the British flag with the message “Keep calm and carry on” on them. The best message from the most unlikely place. I took this picture with my phone.

As I was talking to Elmaree about this confirmation, she agreed we started to pray together as a family. We are inspired by God’s faithfulness to disciple all the nations.

Inspired

At the moment we’re selling everything we own and planning on taking just the most vital necessities and, if everything works out, we’ll be leaving South Africa during the first week of February next year.

We need your prayers to hand over in Worcester and move to London. Our mandate for London is very simple – continue to build on the foundations that were put in place by our predecessors, establish a Head Office in the northern hemisphere and continue with the legacy God has given England and Europe.

We invite you to join us for the following events in the UK and Europe in 2016:

29 April – 2 May | Planted Conference UK (London, UK)
3 – 5 May | School of Worship UK (London, UK) dates to be confirmed
5 – 8 May | Planted Conference Europe Utrecht, Netherlands)
9 – 10 May | School of Worship Europe venue and dates to be confirmed
26 – 29 August | Planted Conference UK & Europe venue to be confirmed

God is moving people, not away from their homes, but closer to Himself. He’s shepherding His Church closer to his heart. Genesis 12:1-3 is still the Godly benchmark for every Christian family that wants to be part of God’s global discipleship strategy.
“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” Genesis 12:1-3

We don’t always have to literally move, but all of us have to move culturally and spiritually to be a blessing to those around us.

Mark wrote: “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation.” (the scope of our mandate)
Matthew wrote: “…make disciples of all nations…” (our cultural mandate)

Jesus said: “And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (our geographical mandate)
Partner with us as we take the whole Gospel to the whole world.

(The Moses family – Carlos, Elmaree, Carla and Evah)
If you’d like more information on how to get involved email us at info@shofaronline.org