It’s always difficult for me to tell people a summarised version of the history of Oxygen Life Church which I have had the privilege of being at the helm of planting and establishing along with my wife, Angela, and a growing bunch of committed, Spirit-filled, Jesus- and people-loving fanatics. But I’ll give it my best shot!
After many years of preparation in other churches and in God’s special Holy Spirit boot camp, a fire began to burn in my heart in 2001 to leave the comforts of my local church, where I was serving as a market place pastor, in order to plant and establish a new church in another suburb of our beautiful city of Port Elizabeth.
With much prayer and collaboration with the pastoral team of the local church I was part of (the Storehouse) it was confirmed that I would be released with JOY and blessing in April 2002. We were released along with about 14 people from our home church and embarked on planting and establishing Oxygen Life Church.
From the first few months before our first meeting we saw some people come to know Jesus as Lord and in one week we saw two people make commitments to Christ and become Born Again. From there it just didn’t stop for a whole year; week after week we saw new people getting saved and burned out Christians being restored to wholeness and getting back into real loving relationships with Jesus and each of those within the church.
Since then we have continued to grow as a church, impacting many lives with the Gospel not only in our city but in various parts of South Africa and the world as we have worked alongside other churches who are like-minded in taking the Gospel of Jesus into towns, cities and regions with a heart of seeing healthy local churches established and the Gospel reach every heart (see the 'Our Friends' tab).
On a Sunday we continue to meet in a school hall and have been having two meetings for a few years now. We also have communities (smaller gatherings of the wider church community) meeting all over the city now. Our heart is to make a BIG impact for Jesus in this city. We will continue to dream big dreams and think big thoughts and live large for God. We don’t see how as Christians, one can embrace a life without impact. Where God is, there is ACTION! There is FAITH! There is MOVEMENT! There is POSSIBILITY! We are on a mission – His Mission. May we know the grace of Jesus, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in ever increasing measures to the glory of His name! Jesus IS Worthy!
My parents have struggled financially for years (almost 10 years now). Through these tough situations is how I actually came to rely on God and give my life over to Him (2004-ish). Through the years, my parents have asked me for money and sometimes I’ve loaned them money and sometimes I haven’t. Early on through wisdom from elders, I learnt that I should never “loan” money, I should rather “give” money with no expectation of receiving it back so that there is freedom in giving and no guilt put onto a relationship or a person. This was difficult for me as I thought in order to honour and respect my parents (a commandment) I needed to help them when they needed help. I had to make a stand for Jesus in my life and say that I couldn’t help them financially anymore. I had to separate myself from my earthly parents and follow what my Heavenly Father says is right and true. 2 Corinthians 12:14 “… After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children”.
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