Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. - Psalm 127:1
Understanding the spiritual need in Soweto and our calling to serve
Soweto, an urban area of Johannesburg, South Africa, has a population of 1,695,047. This vibrant township has a rich history and is known for its cultural diversity and resilience. However, Soweto also faces significant challenges, including high crime rates, poverty, ancestral worship, and a lack of access to sound biblical teaching.
The spiritual darkness in Soweto is profound, with many residents trapped in cycles of violence, addiction, and despair.
Currently, we do not know of any other sound reformed churches in Soweto. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity - the need for biblical truth is immense, but so is the potential for gospel impact.
With 12 official languages in South Africa and limited access to sound biblical literature and teaching, the mission field is vast and the laborers are few. Yet we believe in the transformative power of the gospel and God's call to reach this community.
Being a beacon of light through biblical teaching, training, and sending
Our vision is to be a beacon of light in Soweto, a church that will teach, train, equip, and send our members into the fields of Soweto. We believe in the transformative power of the gospel and the importance of sound biblical teaching.
Our mission is rooted in the Great Commission, as Jesus commands us: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV).
Church Building: To address the capacity issue, we trust the Lord to send partners to support our building project. We plan to expand the church building to accommodate a 205-seat capacity and add a cry room for mothers, a sound room, a prayer room, and a storage facility.
Community Visibility: We will improve our church's visibility by raising the current structure and adding a steeple with clear signage, making the church a true beacon in the community.
Ministry Expansion: We plan to convert the existing 3-bedroom church resident house into a 1-bedroom house and use the remaining space for a multi-purpose hall with a dedicated kitchen. The current garage will be converted to a classroom/bookstore for our literature ministry.
Explore the architectural vision for our expanded church facility
We are grateful the Lord has added to our numbers and spiritually growing our community. However, with growth comes its own challenges.
The church has been growing spiritually and numerically, and we are grateful to the Lord for continuing to add to our numbers. (The current seating capacity is 100, and we are continuously maxing out by God's grace.)
An integrated cry room and main church building is needed for mothers with small children. Families are part of the church service; we love it that way. The challenge is that when the little ones are uncomfortable or need a diaper change, they have to step outside. For some parents, this means missing the entire service.
Recent efforts have been made to improve the church, including painting the building and renovating the ablution block and its roof. However, more than these efforts are needed to address the current needs. We plan to add two more toilets with urinals for gents.
Our prayer meetings, a cornerstone of our ministry, are currently held in the open due to space limitations, which makes it difficult for our members, especially in winter.
Our Sunday School and other ministry meetings are currently held in the church's resident house, which is shared with the ministry intern and caretaker. This arrangement underscores the pressing need for dedicated and additional space for these ministries.
Church fellowship and meals are a big part of our ministry. Currently, for meals and church eats, we share the kitchen with the residents of the church house, making it difficult to manage space and hygiene. For some of our members, after-service meals are the only meal they will have for that day.
Our vision is to establish a training centre dedicated to preparing and empowering the next generation of leaders while equipping existing ministries in Soweto and surrounding areas with sound biblical truth. The need to train, equip, and send out leaders are immense, and the planned building alterations will provide the necessary space to fulfil this mission.
Sound biblical literature and translation are critical in a country with 12 official languages. Our literature ministry aims to address this need by using the bookstore as an outreach ministry for the gospel. As an extension of this ministry, we also plan to involve our members in translation work and printing, ensuring that the Word of God is accessible to all language groups within our community and beyond.
We plan to strengthen our security perimeter fencing by installing a new fence.
Expanding God's Kingdom through enhanced ministry capabilities
From a church that's maxed out at 100 seats to a beacon of light serving 205+ families, equipped with proper facilities to train leaders, serve the community, and spread the Gospel throughout Soweto's 1.7 million residents in all 12 official languages.
We invite you to join us in this building project for Moletsane Baptist Church. Your partnership in prayer and financial support is crucial in making this vision a reality.
Bank: First National Bank (FNB)
Account Name: Moletsane Baptist Church
Account Number:62668410154
Branch Code: 254005
Account Type: Current Account
Reference: Building
"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supplies." - Hudson Taylor