Catching up with Werner Johannes Swart

Werner Swart

It was excellent catching up with Werner Swart in Kezi, Bulawayo. Werner is based in Dunnottar which is in East Gauteng Province in South Africa. Werner works with Harvest Evangelism and he is the African Director. His job incorporates facilitating transformation processes in Africa and the world and seeks to develop prototypes.

M.M: It’s just great having you in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe at this time. What are your comments about the 26th September 2010?
W.S: Zimbabwe is poised for incredible change and breakthroughs. I had the sense that the nation is united and the leaders that spoke at the prayer day had a key understanding of what it is all about. Everyone was focused on feeding the Nation. This is just a start to the change that God wants to bring in Zimbabwe. It was an incredible event in the history of the Nation and I felt privileged to be there. I will look back at marvel.

M.M: How did you get connected with key people in Zimbabwe?
W.S: I was introduced to Peter Cunningham in Bulawayo by Indonesian businessmen and we met Ken Sharp, a businessman in Harare. It was through these meetings that we had the Trumpet call conference at Wild Geese in Harare with Ed Silvoso and The Marketplace Meeting in Harare with leading government officials and prominent businessmen.

M.M: I have always believed and understood that no matter where I work, it is a place to share the gospel and win the lost. We hear a lot about Church and the Marketplace as though they were two separate things? Does some sort of bridging need to occur?
W.S: Absolutely. The two streams need bridging. In the world it’s all about power and control and then church is for a Sunday but what God does in and through the Church and what God does in and through the Marketplace is the same. Trumpet Call is amazing in that it is already addressing the divide. Pastors are challenged to facilitate change in the marketplace through farming. It’s an amazing prototype. We need the same in other areas like education, business, mining, and the Arts and crafts – in everything we do otherwise we’ll see it as “the secular” and “the church.”

M.M: I agree. But how do you see this happening?
W.S: We all need to make a shift in our thinking. Pastors for example, can make a difference in the marketplace while businessmen can see themselves as anointed and be used by God. There are Biblical examples but the coin just hasn’t dropped: e.g. Joseph tending his father’ sheep. He made a business decisions that expanded the kingdom. The miracle of the fish where Jesus told the disciples to cast their nets on the other side. This was a business miracle. The disciples sold the fish.

M.M: The International Prayer day for Zimbabwe was the first step where the Church in Zimbabwe has taken the lead in shaping the Nation. What are your hopes for the future?
W.S: I hope to hear many stories of transformation and to see all sectors of society get infiltrated geographically and sectorally. God directs this process and it will get viral. We start to take the initiative in our own spheres. No one will be able to stop it. The leadership God has placed needs to continue facilitating the course. It can become overwhelming but this is a God-given mandate to particular people/leaders. The way you got here is the way you’ll move forward: e.g. – Moses - he needed to stay on course. Although he appointed people, he still led.

M.M: What do you think is the greatest challenge in National Transformation?
W.S: Leading is the biggest challenge. I agree with John Maxwell when he says that “Everything rises or falls on the leader.”

M.M: It’s been really inspirational chatting to you. Enjoy your time in Kezi and in Zimbabwe and we certainly hope to see more of you.

By Molly Manhanga

Reflections on the Trumpet Call Prayer Day for Zim by Scott Marques

The Harare Trumpet Call meeting kicked-off at 12pm on-the-dot and reminded me of the Isaiah 58 verse saying that 'your gloom will be as the noonday sun' and that God will 'satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land'! The moment seemed to carry all of that prophetic sense in a very practical way.

The crowd represented the diversity of race, tribe, colour, denomination and vocation that we had hoped for. The 'Trumpet Call' song rang out exuberantly with the great last verse saying 'He is the Way to healing our nation, He is the Way to Transformation, He is the Way to glory and salvation'....and the verses saying 'Reach out church, reach out' following the verses of Isaiah 58. I can honestly say that it felt like Jesus was praised
and lifted up above all else.

Diverse contributions from leaders of the church demonstrated the extraordinary unity in the Spirit that God has worked-out in our midst. Although the numbers in the crowd, around 10,000 people, did not reflect the traction that one may have expected with the leadership buy-in, there seems to be huge potential to build on the sincere passion and direction of this
gathering.

The welcome by the general secretaries of the umbrella bodies was a special moment and reflected amazing love between denominations: Langton Gatsi prayed powerfully and Angus Buchan brought an exhortation, connecting us to the International Day of Prayer going on around the world. Following these contributions, Dr Goodwill Shana and Scott Marques preached on the heart-message and the practicalities of the church feeding Zimbabwe this year. Brian Oldreive and Father Chiromba prayed into these messages. Pastor Tom Deuschle led an offering exhortation and Dr Shana sent us off as the Foundations for Farming “Gumboot” dancers did a song and worship continued. It was a truly historic and memorable meeting.

I(Scott) received calls and messages for the rest of the afternoon of similar testimonies from around the country. The theme of passionate response to the Trumpet Call message seems to have been evident right across the nation, with wonderful connection at leadership level.

The challenge for us now is to explore how we can effectively take the message of Trumpet Call down through the networks and districts to actually see the millions in the body of Christ coming to hear and respond before November planting time.

We are praying and seeking God for the next steps, with a sense of urgency and moment that God has us in.

Thank-you for all your prayers, your love and support. Please continue to pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on Zimbabwe and beyond as it is in heaven.

Foundations for Farming Champs Update....

The Champions Gathering in September of 2010 was attended by 200 delegates.
Day one proved to be a momentous occasion as the sessions were attended by the church fathers comprising the three main streams in Zimbabwe, namely the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Council of Churches and the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference. This is surely unprecedented in this country and probably worldwide where all the church regardless of doctrinal differences has come togetheras one to endorse and fully support a single initiative. This of course is Trumpet Call! Churches together for Transformation!

Scott Marques and Brian Oldreive shared the vision of Foundations for Farming and Trumpet Call with passion and there was a hearty affirmation from all delegates that the time for rebuilding has come for Zimbabwe!

This Champs proved to be a very spiritual time with more emphasis on the hearts of men rather than technical teachings. Excellent Praise and Worship set the tone for every session and testimonies from far and wide were extremely moving. Two pastors from Uganda went the extra mile and after five gruelling days of bus travel, arrived at Westgate at four in the morning!

Boet Pretorious was outstanding in presenting the Well Watered Garden .
Of real significance was the delegation of farmers from Ficksburg South Africa. These amazing men and women of God had Isaiah 58 planted in their hearts some years back without really knowing why and were overjoyed to find the answer at Champs! They said they can feel the tensions rising in South Africa over theland issue and were wanting answers as to how to react as Christian farmers.

Brian’s exhortation to “share land and teach” struck a powerful chord in their spirits and they went back full of hope with definite plans to emulate Jesus,and with humility and unselfishness, serve their community and country. The station was as usual looking pristine and as Craig always says “The fields at the September Champs are for me far more visually stunning than in March – Seeing fields weed free with thick mulch reveals the heart of Foundations for Farming. And when we see land around Zimbabwe in the same condition this time next year we will know that revival has truly begun!”

"Your Prayers are Needed"...from Brian Oldreive

ZIMBABWE IS AT A CROSSROADS OF HISTORY

A new era is dawning, and either our hurting nation will be rebuilt on the world’s money and the world’s system of human tradition, or on God’s way through a strong and united church, obeying and applying the Word of God to all of life.

In an unprecedented way, all groupings of the wider Body of Christ are gathering in many centres throughout Zimbabwe on
SUNDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER

WE ARE UNITING AROUND THE LORD’S BLUEPRINT PLAN FOR REBUILDING A NATION IN ISAIAH 58:1-12

This plan begins with a loud trumpet call to turn back to God, and away from the selfishness in the heart that has been the root cause of all problems on earth. This plan is magnificently expressed by God’s people together removing the yoke of poverty and oppression of the poor. The rebuilding of the nation begins with this heart and by faithfully using the land that God has given us.

This cannot happen with one obedient church, or one denomination, (although this may well be the beginning point) but by the incredible critical mass of effectiveness of all of God’s people building together in unity, as happened in the story of Nehemiah.

WE ARE APPEALING TO ALL ZIMBABWEANS AND THOSE IN THE DIASPORA
AS WELL AS THOSE WITH A HEART FOR THE POOR AND FOR THE GLORY OF GOD IN ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD TO JOIN US IN PRAYER THAT THE LORD WILL HAVE MERCY AND LIFT HIS CHASTENING HAND FROM US AND ALLOW THE REBUILDING TO HAPPEN HIS WAY

Please pray that the rebuilding will be done through the humility and unselfishness of Christ Jesus, expressed in His people, so that when the Lord allows us to prosper once again, we will not fall into the pride, selfishness, and materialism of the ways of the world.

GOD’S PEOPLE CAN DISCIPLE A WHOLE NATION!

NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR HOLY GOD

“FOR NO-ONE CAN LAY ANY FOUNDATION OTHER THAN THE ONE ALREADY LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST” (1 CORINTHIANS 3:11)

Trumpet Call: Bulawayo Business Breakfast

30 business people were invited to the breakfast at Holiday Inn in Bulawayo. The turnout was fantastic.

Pastor Kenneth Chirimuta from Victory Fellowship opened the breakfast in a word of prayer.

Tapiwa Chizana,(Partner in Deloitte and Touché and leader of Thembalezizwe Church), spoke about what Trumpet Call is and basically said it is a Call to love God, love each other and to love the poor. It is also a Call for the Nation to feed itself through Foundations for Farming – farming through Biblical principles. Foundations for Farming is LIFE TRANSFORMING. This transformation of hearts will affect the way we live, work, farm and so on.
The Church and leaders are engaging the business community to be involved with Trumpet Call. God is refining the Church and increasing the unity of leaders. Christians in the Marketplace play a key role in the transformation of the Nation as in the case of Joseph found in Genesis. David was anointed by Samuel but it wasn’t until he had a “Goliath moment” that he was really noticed. We have a “Goliath moment”; to see the Kingdom of God expanded in Zimbabwe.

What are we asking from the businessmen?
1. To use their influence, reputation and resources to mobilize the market place and within their local churches for a transformational work of the spirit amongst all people.
There is a media blitz rallying the Church and Nation for September 26th – For such a time as this.
Economic transformation happens when people of God take their rightful place. It’s a divine moment to see God’s glory shine.

Peter Cunningham (Prominent Businessman in Bulawayo) followed on from Tapiwa Chizana saying that Trumpet Call is from Isaiah 58 – “To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?” In essence, Trumpet Call is a Call for the Church to Action. We look at the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18 – 20 and it says make disciples, baptize them and them speak/teach them. Kingdom advance is led by practical action before teaching.

In Zimbabwe right now, we have 16% food security but God has prepared this time for us – a specific moment. This is the time we need to act and demonstrate God’s life, love and power in us. Foundations for Farming is a unifying platform for the Nation to feed itself.

Trumpet Call is a Call to lead the Nation to transformation. If 1 million Christians planted 0.5 hectares before or by November 25th and did everything the same, we’ll have enough to feed ourselves as yields will go up. Jesus is actively on the move in this and it’s our prophetic moment in Zimbabwe.

Peter went on to share how the Catholic Church and 300 Bishops are100% behind Trumpet Call and Foundations for Farming; how the full weight of the government is behind this as well. The exciting part is that the Christians are being asked to teach the Nation how to farm and that God receives ALL the glory. God is moving in Zimbabwe. There is dynamism of Jesus moving miraculously in our Nation and Trumpet Call will change the spiritual climate in Zimbabwe. September 26th is the launch for Calling the Nation to “GO FOR IT!”

Marketing Campaign: We have 56 hours of television time on training and teaching, 200 hours on radio over the next 3 months, 500,000 flyers are going out in Shona, English and Ndebele and we’ll have Operation Trumpet Call sites across Zimbabwe and there is a real sense of movement and the Church in Action!

It is a Heart thing as God wants our hearts. If we embrace Kingdom principles, there will be fruitfulness in our lives.

The businessmen responded positively and are eager to play their part.

Summarized By Molly Manhanga

Trumpet Call update by Scott Marques

‘Trumpet Call! Continues to gather extraordinary momentum as we run into the month of September, with a view to some special times on the 26th of the month. It has been a great joy to see teams visiting key leaders in the church, marketplace and government this week, all receiving such favourable response and encouragement. Progress is being made on securing venues in Harare and ten other cities around the country, as well as sound systems and mobilisation strategy. A small team is with Angus Buchan in South Africa as I write, to connect relationally and prophetically with him for all that God may for us together in Zimbabwe and even further afield through Trumpet Call!. Potential continues to develop for heart-and-soul participation of Christians in the marketplace, as well as many in government and key positions of influence. It is awesome to see how God is working through such diversity of people and diversity of gifting with remarkable unity of purpose.

The Trumpet Call! to the church to turn wholeheartedly to God with renewed passion for Jesus, renewed passion for one another and renewed passion AND ACTION for the nation is ringing out! Faith is rising in the hearts of many for the church to deliver the wisdom of God at the level of the poorest (staple-feeding an entire nation) as a spring-board for further transformational influence into all sectors of society for the rebuilding of the nation and the demonstration of God’s glory far beyond Zimbabwe. I keep praying ‘that they see our good works and praise our Father who is in heaven.’

There is a big day for Trumpet Call! where 56 leaders from across the twenty six denominations under Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) plus 56 leaders from across every diocese of the Catholic Church are gathering at River of Life Westgate for a day of ‘Vision and Activation for Trumpet Call!’. We hope that this will result in the full buy-in of the denominational churches under Zimbabwe Council of Churches to augment the formal engagement of the Catholic Church (Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference) in Trumpet Call! This would make Trumpet Call! a fully church-wide initiative, owned by the Heads of all Christian Denominations. We hope to interview many of the key leaders at this gathering, as well as some key leaders of the evangelical Heads of Denominations, getting their comments on what God is doing in Zimbabwe. We imagine that these interviews will form part of a television and media campaign to call the churches together on September 26th.

God’s grace is amazing. He did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3.17)

Thank-you Father for your love and your purpose to bless all the nations of the earth through your Son and through your sons, your people. Lord, have your way in us in this nation so that those who do not know you may be saved and that this nation may shine your glory far beyond our borders.’

By Scott Marques