The second Anti Human Trafficking Conference in Port Elizabeth on August 31 will ‘raise the bar’ in equipping the Body of Christ to work together against the evil of human trafficking, said co-convenor Major Margaret Stafford.

Speakers at the conference at Fountain Vineyard Church are Professor Beatri Kruger (above), of the Department of  Criminal and Medical Law at the University of the Orange Free State, who will talk about the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill and legal loopholes hindering the fight against trafficking; Errol Naidoo, Director of the Family Policy Institute and a leading parliamentary anti-trafficking lobsbyist; and Melanie Doucakis, a photojournalist and human rights documentary photographer who will share some real human tafficking stories and experiences that he has encountered.

Stafford, who  is national coordinator of the Salvation Army’s Anti-Human Trafficking desk, said that last year’s inaugural conference succeeded in raising awareness of the multi-disciplinary challenges faced in combating the multi billion dollar criminal industry of human trafficking. This year the goal is to move forward by consolidating on the greater level of awareness, she said.

While originally conceived to bring the Eastern Cape up to speed with other major centres in confronting this modern form of slavery, the conference, which brings expert speakers from different parts of SA together at one venue, will benefit anybody from any part of South Africa who is interested in tackling the problem, she said. The event will include open microphone times when delegates can ask questions and express views.

“We would love to see representatives of SAPS and more counsellors at the conference,” Stafford said.

Reflecting on the inaugural conference in September 2012, when delegates expressed the hope that the long-awaited law on human trafficking would be passed that year, she said it was frustrating that the legislation was still not enacted. The Bill was finally adopted by the National Council of Provinces in March, 2013 after it was before Parliament for six years. But it has incredibly still not passed the final hurdle — being signed into law by the President.

Stafford said she recently had an opportunity to personally urge ANC Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa to urge President Zuma to prioritise signing off the Bill.

Conference registration which includes lunch and teas is R50 per person. Further information is available from Margaret Stafford at 082 455 3664 or Dave Pederson at 083 651 4955. Friday, August 24 is the final date for registration.

PETER TARANTAL of OM South Africa attended the biannual WENSA (World Evangelisation Network of South Africa) National Consultation at the Good News, Convention Centre, Muldersdrift, from July 16 to July 18. This is his report on the event.

About 120 leaders of church and mission in and from South Africa met at the Good News Convention Centre, Muldersdrift from July 16 to 18, 2013 for the biannual WENSA national consultation. It was a time to worship God and celebrate what He is doing, to connect and be refreshed.

We started by looking at our past – tracing the beginnings of the story of the mission of the South African church. We were reminded that with all its remarkable achievements, this story, like all other accounts of the growth of God’s kingdom, helped build into the foundations of church and society fault lines that deeply impact our mission – in past, present and future. This theme was further explored in a discussion of a contextual theology of mission, working within the framework of the Cape Town Commitment. We issued a special statement (see below) and decided to call on SACLI (SA Christian Leadership Initiative) and Heartlines to convene a meeting focusing on comprehensive reconciliation. We will also convene a leadership group representing theology, church and mission, including the new generation.

Stories of hope
We celebrated stories of hope – from a testimony of social transformation through prayer and reconciliation in a rural community like Mkhondo in Mpumalanga to the story of unity and reconciliation on national level with leaders from the church, politics and the world of business through SACLI.

Not only did we do serious business, but we had time to celebrate the 21st birthday of a promising leader who grew up as an orphan.

The consultation programme provided ample opportunity for the meeting of networks and the strengthening of projects and initiatives. Special attention was given to the place of women and the new generation in the mission of the South African Church. The former highlighted the painful experiences of women in society as well as in the church and its mission. This calls for confession, reconciliation, restitution and the opening up of new opportunities. The latter highlighted the education sector that has unlimited opportunities for ministry and mission, in South Africa and beyond our borders and the importance of media. The participation of children and young people – as participants, as part of the preparations and as visitors – enriched us and made us realise the need for meeting this new generation in their own world and to invite them to help shape the future of our mission. We decided to relaunch the Student Mission Network.

Networks and focus groups
The following networks and focus groups gathered in breakout sessions:

• Mission mobilisation
• Mission & Media (involve and learn from new generation)
• Orality (Southern Africa network)
• Integral Ministry (WENSA endorses the Micah Declaration)
• Mission Trainers (database, functional network)

The delegates expressed deep appreciation for the good work done by other existing WENSA networks, as well as by partnering churches and organisations.

We acknowledged that our society and world are facing serious challenges and that as church we have to continually re-examine who we are as a church and how we do mission, so that we can truly be salt and light to our world.

On the last day of the conference, on the occasion of the 95^th birthday of former SA President Nelson Mandela, we thanked the Lord for his life and example, leading South Africa on the road to healing and reconciliation.

Theology of Mission: Special Statement
The meeting has taken note, with gratitude, of the convergence in missiological thinking in our time. Evangelicals and ecumenical are in agreement on a comprehensive, biblical definition stating that

1.      Mission is primarily the initiative of the tri-une God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit who, through His Word and His Spirit, is gathering His church from all nations upon the earth.

2.      The glory of the church is that God calls us to join Him in His mission

• by proclaiming his Word and by calling men and women to salvation and faith in Jesus Christ (kerugma)
• by planting the church, his body, among the nations and by nurturing and strengthening the community of believers (koinonia)
• by concretising his love for the world by meeting the many needs of the world, the poor and the destitute, the marginalised and the oppressed, the sick and the suffering, and by accepting responsibility for his creation (diakonia)
• all of this we do in humble gratitude for what God has done for us, and to the glory of his Name (leitourgia)

3.      One of the most urgent focus areas for mission in our time and our South African context is that of reconciliation. In spite of recent events in the history of our country we are still living in a deeply divided society where all the fault lines of the past – of racism, prejudice, fear, inequality, selfishness and injustice – are still too evident. The church, sadly, is often a reflection of the world around us, struggling against the same enemies in our midst. The legacy of apartheid is still with us, with all the injustice and suffering and alienation, caused by it. We are horrified to note the many instances of violence, especially against women and children, in the country, and within the Christian community.

The land and church is in dire need of healing. We therefore commit ourselves to a ministry of reconciliation. We acknowledge that lasting reconciliation to God and with one another requires the acknowledgment and lament of past and present sin, repentance before God, confession to the injured one, and seeking and receiving forgiveness. It also includes our commitment to seeking justice and reparation for those who have been harmed by violence and oppression.

Udo Karsten.

South African Christians who would like to know more about how modern science relates to faith in God are invited to attend the annual Faith and Reason Conference (FRC) in Pretoria on Saturday, August 17.

The theme of Christianity and Science was chosen for the 7th annual FRC following the successful visit to South Africa by Oxford University mathematician, philosopher of science and Christian academic, Professor John Lennox, who addressed capacity audiences at the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University earlier this year, said conference organiser Udo Karsten.

Eminent Christian scientists and philosophers will adress the conference which is aimed at thinking, lay Christians who desire to engage responsibly with the issues of the day, said Karsten, who is the founder and President of AntWoord, a South African Christian Apologetics ministry that hosts the FRC.

“We desperately need more informed and thoughtful Christians in our country who could engage a sceptical world credibly and with integrity for the sake of the Gospel,” he said.

The speakers are:

• John Gilchrist, who will argue that in spite of the discovery that the universe is 13.7 billion years old and question as to why God took so long to make man, He actually moved resolutlely to fulfill his purposes with the shortest time possible.
• Dr Michael Jarvis, who will speak on reconciling an evolving universe with Evangelical Christianity.
• Dr Richard How, on ‘Answering the Scientific Arguments of Popular Atheism’/
• Professor Danie Strauss, whose topic is ‘Why the (natural and social) sciences are not “exact” ‘.

The Faith and Reason Conference which has been held annually since 2008 was started with the help of students and staff of the Southern Evangelical Seminary in the United States, said Karsten.

“We have South African friends who studied there in the area of Christian Apologetics. They were willing to serve us with their expertise and we felt that South African churches and seminaries lacked the kind of indispensable teaching that they had to offer. That was the beginning of a long and insightful partnership that bore particular fruit in putting together the 2010 conference.

“This conference was undoubtedly a highlight for us for it included the visit of Dr William Lane Craig to South Africa. He is a world-renowned author, speaker and debater in the area of philosophy and apologetics. Part of his tour to South Africa included a debate with two very liberal scholars in theology whose ideas had received a fair amount of exposure in the Afrikaans media, but oftentimes did not receive the necessary critical response,” he said.

There is no registration fee for the conference at Kerksondermure at the corner of Hendrik Verwoerd Drive and Hippo Ave, Znuewartkop X4, Centurion. However donations will be appreciated in support of the work of AntWoord. Catering is available for anybody who would like to order a R60 lunch pack for the day. Orders should be made on or before August 15  at antwoorde@yahoo.com or by calling  Udo at 082 730 3933. Delegates are also welcome to bring their own lunch or to visit the restaurants at the nearby Centurion Mall. More information about the conference is available online.

The South African Cabinet has ignored the advice of numerous stakeholders and NGOs and approved a new, controversial National Drug Master Plan (NDMP) that promotes the flawed philosophy of  ’harm reduction’, says Doctors For Life (DFL), in a media release.

DFL says the approval of the plan on June 26, despite numerous stakeholder submissions requesting that ‘harm reduction’ be removed from the plan, ‘create the impression that the State is pushing the agenda of a small group of activists’. DFL likens the decision to the 1997 legalisation of abortion on demand which it says was imposed against the will of 75% of the country’s whites and 85% of its black population.

The NDMP is the country’s blueprint for preventing and reducing alcohol and substance abuse and its associated social and economic consequences.

DFL says that even though the term ‘harm reduction’ appears to be a vague, benign term, within the field of substance abuse and policies to combat it, it has a very specific meaning. ‘Harm reduction’ promotes very specific, controversial ideas like needle/syringe exchange programs where the government provides clean needles and syringes to drug addicts, shooting galleries (safe injection sites) or drug substitution therapy like tax free funded drug hand outs, legalising the use of dagga and ultimately legalising all drugs of abuse. At the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime’s (UNODC’s) 52nd session of the Annual Commission on Narcotic Drugs (which still stands), major economies like Russia, the United States and China refused to sign the final resolution unless the words “harm reduction” were removed.

The new NDMP claims to promote a so-called “localised” or “South African version of harm reduction” (page 3 of the NDMP), says DFL. It says the plan boldly links two mutually exclusive strategies to fight substance abuse: “harm reduction” on the one hand and on the other hand, the more sensible way of Prevention, Awareness (Education), Supply reduction, Demand reduction and Rehabilitation (Diversion programs and Policing would fall under those mentioned). Although the new NDMP includes some of these strategies in combating substance abuse, its stubborn promotion of the controversial “harm reduction” principles is beyond logic. Whatever the version, the ‘harm reduction’ philosophy remains the same in the NDMP as when used internationally, says DFL.

In Sweden, harm reduction is still only practiced on an experimental level in about three out of approximately 3 000 districts, says DFL. Holland has been closing down their so called ‘coffee shops’ where recreational dagga use was allowed because, as explained in a letter from the Dutch minister of Health and Justice: “..This law will put an end to the nuisance of criminality associated with ‘coffee shops’ and drugs trafficking”

In a recent report Scotland politicians have reacted with fury after figures reveal the widespread use of the drug methadone on prescription in Scottish prisons, says DFL. The methadone failure rate is 97% and now costs Scotland £30m a year. The number of addicts on Methadone increased 400% in a decade. More people are now dying from methadone than from heroin. Scottish Conservative Chief Whip John Lamont said: ”We have a major problem with methadone in Scotland and it needs to be addressed now. The SNP (Scottish National Party) has lazily parked people on the heroin substitute (methadone), giving them no hope of recovery, and now we are paying the price.” Labour justice spokesman Lewis Macdonald said: “With a large proportion of deaths involving methadone, it would appear that the approach being taken to treatment isn’t working properly and fails to prevent addicts combining drugs into lethal cocktails”.

Unless the approved NDMP was drastically changed from the final draft, under chapter 4, page 68, the NDMP explicitly states that the South African community has not agreed upon what this so-called SA version of “harm reduction” is, says DFL.

“It is premature to make ‘harm reduction’ one of the pillars of the new plan, while the NDMP goes on and openly admits that it is controversial and needs more discussion first” said Dr Albu van Eeden, CEO of DFL.

The SA government cannot even handle offering rehabilitation to the existing number of drug addicts, while the NGO sector carries the bulk of the burden. Yet the government has now approved a strategy that can in effect take tax payer money to hand out free, highly addictive drugs like methadone, as well as clean needles and syringes to drug addicts. Safe injection sites were also being considered and will cost the country even more, says DFL.

DFL says it is disappointed that the SA government took the plunge into adopting a weakened and watered down approach of tackling a very real drug problem that has exploded in SA the last few years. On the other hand, it says one wonders whether the Cabinet was fully aware of the devastating consequences of the new NDMP when they decided to approve it?

“This is clearly no time to allow drug addicts to continue in the misery of their addiction by implementing programmes that condone drug use. DFL would therefore like to caution the government and public as the outcome of the current direction in which it has decided to curb substance abuse could unintentionally rather prove to be harm production,” says DFL.

• DFL is a Christian-based organisaton that represents more than 1 400 medical doctors and specialists, three-quarters of whom practice in South Africa. Since 1991 DFL has been actively promoting sound science in the medical profession and health care that is safe and efficient for all South Africans. DFL has played a leading role in combating substance abuse while chairing one of the 9 provincial substance abuse forums in SA for almost 6 years. 

MARK BURNETT

Four-time Emmy Award Winner; Executive Producer,
Survivor, The Voice and The Bible

• Session 4: Unscripted Leadership
• Named one of The World’s Most Influential People, Time Magazine
• Producer of a renewed series on each of the four major U.S. television networks, with over 1,200 hours of programming that regularly airs in 70+ countries worldwide
• Together with wife Roma Downey, he produced a 10-hour docudrama series on The Bible releasing globally Spring 2013
• Inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame, he is listed as TV Guide’s Most Valuable Player and has a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame

“Inspirational Leadership Quote from GLS 2012:
“Out of struggle very often comes victory.” – Condoleezza Rice

About the GLS

The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day event designed to inspire and equip Christian leaders for the sake of the local church. Founded 19 years ago by Willow Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Bill Hybels, the GLS has trained and inspired more than a million leaders all over the world through the input of world class church, ministry and business leaders. Willow Creek Southern Africa is presenting the GLS 2013 at 12 venues around SA and Namibia during October/November. The local GLS events will combine big screen presentations and live worship. While the summit is primarily targeted at church leaders, it is open to anyone who wants to attend. Attendees usually include church and community leaders, university students, academic, government and business leaders.  Some summit topics apply to general leadership concepts, some are focused on church leadership but are adaptable to any leadership context and other topics are focused primarily on church leadership. In 2012, the GLS reached 160 000 leaders, at dozens of locations in 90 countries and 42 languages.

(See the Dates and Venues and the Fees and Registration at the bottom of the page .)

View video:

Dates and Venues

4-5 October 2013

• Johannesburg @ Mosaiek Church

11-12 October 2013

• Durban @ Grace Family Church
• Vanderbijlpark @ River of Life Family Church
• Port Elizabeth @ Harvest Christian Church
• Nambia, Walvis Bay @ Walvisbaai Gemeenskaps Kerk

18-19 October 2013

• Cape Town @ Common Ground Church
• East London @ Christian Centre
• Namibia, Ongwediva @ Foursquare Church

25-26 October 2013

• Cape Town @ AGS Goodwood
• Namibia, Windhoek @ DRC Windhoek West

1-2 November 2013

• Durban @ Kloof Harvest Church
• Secunda @ Kruik

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu (Photo: Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation).

Originally published in Christian Today

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said he would rather go to hell than worship a God who was homophobic.

The South African Nobel peace laureate made the outspoken comments at the launch of a global United Nations campaign against homophobia.

The Free and Equal campaign will promote lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, as well as an end to homophobic discrimination and violence.

Archbishop Tutu said he was as passionate about the campaign as he was about ending apartheid in South Africa.

“I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place,” he said.

“I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.”

Archbishop Tutu has been a long time campaigner in support of gay rights.

He said discrimination against homosexuals was “unjust” and that they should not be seen as a “peculiar breed” but as human beings.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the UN was working to decriminalise homosexuality in more countries and wanted governments to strengthen protection for members of the LGBT community.

“I constantly hear governments tell me, ‘but this is our culture, our tradition and we can’t change it’… So we have lots of work to do,” she said.

African Christian Democratic Party President, Rev Kenneth Meshoe.

African Christian Democratic Party president, Rev Kenneth Meshoe, today criticised  recent remarks by Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the launch of the United Nations’ “Free and Equal” campaign to promote fair treatment of LGBT persons.

At the event Tutu reportedly said: “I would not worship a God who is homophobic.” The retired archbishop also said he would rather go to hell than to a homophobic heaven.

 “Archbishop Desmond Tutu is out of order when he alleged that God is a homophobic God, and that he finds fault with Scriptures that teaches that a homosexual lifestyle is a sin before God,” says Meshoe, in a media statment.

“We ask Archbishop Tutu not to confuse people who respect the Scriptures and we advise him to keep his unbelief to himself if he does not believe in the teachings of the Holy Bible.

“There is nowhere in Scripture that teaches us that God hates anybody. It is Biblical teaching that God loves everybody but that He hates sin. If sinners cannot live up to the standard of the word of God they should not find fault with Scripture.

:We urge all those whose conduct and morals violate Scriptural teaching to repent from their sins be they adulterers, homosexuals, murderers or rapists,” says Meshoe.

Call for Government action on TV and Internet porn

Senior Christian leaders who met in Pretoria yesterday (July 31, 2013) say that if  ailing pay-TV provider TopTV goes ahead with its plans to launch three pornography channels they will intensify a nationwide boycott of the broadcaster and its supporters.

TopTV hopes that the addition of the porn channels, which was approved by broadcasting regulator ICASA in April 2013, will help to save the business. The porn launch is being held up by the business rescue process which includes negotiations with Chinese broadcaster and prospective shareholder StarTimes.

In a statement released after yesterday’s meeting, the Christian leaders say research overwhelmingly indicates that easy access to pornography – whether on the internet or television – is harmful to women and children and destructive to marriage and families.

“As a result, the undersigned Christian leaders and its affiliate organisations in South Africa reiterate our commitment to the nationwide boycott of TopTV, its advertisers, sponsors and retail partners,” says the statement.

The church leaders say they will immediately cancel the boycott if TopTV scraps its porn plans and commits to providing family-friendly content.

Spiralling rates of rape, sexual violence
“The Christian Church is tragically aware of the spiralling rates of rape and other forms of sexual violence and abuse of women and children in South Africa. We are therefore horrified that a government agency like ICASA would provide a failed business a license to broadcast three hard-core pornographic channels in a nation where a woman or child is raped or sexually abused every few minutes,” say the Christian leaders.

The statement cites a media report that records rapes of elderly women in various parts of SA and reports an expert opinion that rape of the elderly is on the increase.

“We are extremely concerned about governments failure to effectively combat the widespread abuse of women, children and the elderly in South Africa. The South African Government’s indirect condoning of the broadcast of hard-core pornography on television, coupled with its failure to significantly reduce sexual crimes, makes South Africa one of the most dangerous countries in the world for women, children and the elderly to live. We ask why, when governments like that of Great Britain are introducing legislation to restrict access to pornography on the Internet, our government insists on liberalising an already liberal broadcasting regime.

“We, the undersigned, as Christian leaders in South Africa, call on our government to fulfil its constitutional obligations to restore the safety and dignity of women, children and the elderly in SA by urgently amending the Broadcasting Act to prohibit all forms of pornography on South African television. We further encourage government to install filters on the internet at tier-one level to block all sexually explicit content entering the country. This measure will serve to protect vulnerable children from being exposed to hard-core pornography on the internet, including adults being harassed by unwanted guerrilla marketing tactics by unscrupulous porn merchants,” concludes the statement.

The statement is signed by:
The Apostolic Faith Mission of SA (AFM/AGS) – Rev Isak Burger (President)
The Assemblies of God of SA (AOG) – Rev Ernest Hlophe (General Secretary)
The Baptist Union of SA – Rev Angelo Scheepers (General Secretary)
The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference – Archbishop Stephen Brislin(President)
Church of England in SA (CESA) – Rev Desmond Inglesby (Presiding Bishop)
The Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) – Rev Braam Hanekom (Moderator)
The Full Gospel Church of SA – Rev Anton van Deventer (Moderator)
The Methodist Church of Southern Africa – Rev Ziphozihle Siwa (Presiding Bishop)
The Evangelical Alliance of SA – (TEASA) – Rev Moss Ntlha (Secretary General)
The Association of Vineyard Churches in SA – Rev Costa Mitchell (National Director)
Christian Family Church SA – Rev Johnny Slabbert (COO)
His People Christian Churches SA – Rev Gilian Davids
Shofar Churches SA – Rev Fred May
Family Policy Institute – Errol Naidoo (Founder and Director).

South Africa’s premier ‘adult entertainment’ exhibition, Sexpo, has a new exhibitor this year – the Salvation Army.

And does God approve? “It is His idea and He is fully on board!” said Major Margaret Stafford, national coordinator of the Salvation Army’s Anti Human Trafficking Desk.

Through divine inspiration and extraordinary favour the Salvation Army will have a free, high profile opportunity to share its anti-trafficking message throughout the event at the Nasrec Expo Centre, Johannesburg from September 25 to 29.

“We believe emphatically that God birthed the idea of going to Sexpo in our hearts, so we didn’t expect any opposition but we were blown away by the absolute wide open arms of welcome from the organisers. We didn’t expect that but we knew that God would go ahead of us and that if it was His will He would open the doors. Well, He flew them open! It was amazing!” said Stafford.

Positive about message
She said after hearing that exhibition stands at Sexpo cost
R60 000, the Salvation Army decided they would somehow raise the money. But when their media house approached the Sexpo organisers with their proposal they were so positive about their message that they said they would give them a prime position at the entrance to the exhibition and they would only charge them R12 000.

“Then another donor stepped up and said I’ll give you R12 000. So it is costing us absolutely nothing,” she said

The favour continues. Durex condoms have a lounge at Sexpo and have given the Salvation Army an hour slot at lunchtime each day to present their message. Stafford says they will make full use of the offer with an industrial theatre presentation and talks by speakers including Marcel van der Watt, a university lecturer, former police detective, and Gateway News columnist; and Melanie Dukakis, a photojournalist and human rights documentary photographer. Some porn stars at the event who are strongly opposed to human trafficking want to support the Salvation Army’s message. Other donors are sponsoring tables and exhibition material. And others may help with providing ‘Jesus Loves Porn Star’ New Testaments, bracelets with the Human Trafficking Helpline number, and other giveaway items.

God’s timing
God’s timing in the battle against the evil of human trafficking is also evident in this week’s great news that President Zuma has signed the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Bill into law, and that the weekend of Sexpo will take place at a time when the Salvation Army International has called its members throughout the world to pray and fast for victims of sex trafficking, she said.

“We only do what we do because we love Jesus and we do these strange things like going to Sexpo because we believe that Jesus is part of everybody’s life. You can try and shut Him out but ultimately you cannot,” said Stafford.

“We are not going in [to Sexpo] and saying ‘Well done, this is brilliant. We are saying ‘Here is an alternative lifestyle for you which may work better. Sex is God’s idea, not man’s idea. The devil perverted it. We are going to be a good voice there.”

Stafford says that the Salvation Army’s exhibition will take visitors through an intense experience that will confront all of their senses with anti-human trafficking information.

“As you come out there will be a table with people willing to talk to you about what you just experienced – a kind of a debriefing. There will be some things to take away from the stand, and we want to set up a prayer booth so that if you need prayer there will be people to come alongside you.”

PATRICK LENCIONI

Founder and President, The Table Group; Best-selling Author

• Named as one of The Gurus You Should Know, Fortune Magazine and America’s Most Sought-After Business Speakers, The Wall Street Journal
• A leading organizational consulting firm, The Table Group advises clients with ideas, products and services to improve teamwork, clarity and employee effectiveness
• Author of ten business books with more than three million copies sold, including The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything in Business
• Patrick continues to be one of the Summit’s most requested speakers

“Inspirational Leadership Quote from GLS 2012:
“With education it doesn’t matter where you are coming from, it matters where you are going,” — Condoleezza Rice

About the GLS

The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day event designed to inspire and equip Christian leaders for the sake of the local church. Founded 19 years ago by Willow Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Bill Hybels, the GLS has trained and inspired more than a million leaders all over the world through the input of world class church, ministry and business leaders. Willow Creek Southern Africa is presenting the GLS 2013 at 12 venues around SA and Namibia during October/November. The local GLS events will combine big screen presentations and live worship. While the summit is primarily targeted at church leaders, it is open to anyone who wants to attend. Attendees usually include church and community leaders, university students, academic, government and business leaders.  Some summit topics apply to general leadership concepts, some are focused on church leadership but are adaptable to any leadership context and other topics are focused primarily on church leadership. In 2012, the GLS reached 160 000 leaders, at dozens of locations in 90 countries and 42 languages.

(See the Dates and Venues and the Fees and Registration at the bottom of the page .)

View video:

Dates and Venues

4-5 October 2013

• Johannesburg @ Mosaiek Church

11-12 October 2013

• Durban @ Grace Family Church
• Vanderbijlpark @ River of Life Family Church
• Port Elizabeth @ Harvest Christian Church
• Nambia, Walvis Bay @ Walvisbaai Gemeenskaps Kerk

18-19 October 2013

• Cape Town @ Common Ground Church
• East London @ Christian Centre
• Namibia, Ongwediva @ Foursquare Church

25-26 October 2013

• Cape Town @ AGS Goodwood
• Namibia, Windhoek @ DRC Windhoek West

1-2 November 2013

• Durban @ Kloof Harvest Church
• Secunda @ Kruik

Andre Bekker.

African Anglican leader suggests Tutu was paid to support gay agenda

Former homosexual and managing director of New Living Way Ministry Andre Bekker has urged South African gay rights activists Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Constitutional Court Judge Edwin Cameron to advocate for the dignity and respect of former homosexuals.

In an open letter addressed to Tutu, Cameron, United Nations Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay, and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Bekker says he noted with great concern that on July 26 in Cape Town, when the UN Human Rights Office launched its first global public education programme to raise awareness and respect for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) community, no mention was made of raising awareness and respect for former homosexuals.

‘Outright discrimination’
Describing himself as an opponent of all discrimination against the GLBTI community, he says the failure of the UN and gay organisations to advocate on behalf of former homosexuals is “outright discrimination”.

“Gay organisations and their supporters oppose former homosexuals’ equality. Equal rights belong to all people. Yet the addition of former homosexuals would ensure tolerance for all segments of our society,” says Bekker.

He continues: “The decision not to be identified as gay is one only an individual himself can make. However, there are those in society who refuse to respect individual self-determination. Consequently, former homosexual men and women are reviled simply because they dare to exist.

“The demonization of former homosexuals by gays themselves is a sad end to their long struggle for tolerance. The fact that former homosexuals and their supporters are now oppressed by the same people who until recently were victimised themselves, demonstrates how far the gay rights movement has come. Indeed, a new chapter in the movement is needed – the right of those with unwanted same-sex attraction to explore their heterosexual potential, should they wish to do so.

“I draw your attention to the fact that a significant number of former homosexuals are devoted believers and have strong religious conviction as a result. Religious Freedom and Freedom of Speech remain constitutional rights of importance to them.

“Equality must be extended to all people, and all must be treated with dignity and respect. Former homosexuals do not ask for others’ approval – only their tolerance.”

Tutu’s remarks criticised by colleagues
Meanwhile, Charisma News reports that Tutu’s widely reported  pro-gay remarks at the recent UN launch in Cape Town have drawn fire from colleagues, with one African archbishop going so far as saying Tutu may have accepted payments to say what he did.

Anglican Archbishop Yinkah Sarfo of Ghana strongly condemned Tutu over his declaration that he would not worship a God who is homophobic, adding, “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. … I mean, I would much rather go to the other place [hell].”

“Archbishop Tutu is respected in the Anglican church and around the world, but this time he has misfired, and all Anglican bishops from Africa, Asia and South America condemn his statement in no uncertain terms,” Sarfo told Ghana’s Adom News.

Sarfo said Tutu’s comments were not the stand of the entire Anglican communion, which is increasingly led by traditionalist voices from the global south that adhere to a more conservative theological perspective.

”We [other African bishops] suspect that retired Archbishop Tutu may have collected some moneys from some of the Western governments or from gay rights activists to do their bidding, but the Anglican Church condemns gay practice,” Sarfo said.

Jeff Walton, the Anglican programme director for the Institute on Religion and Democracy, also reportedly condemned Tutu’s statements.

“Tutu’s declaration demands that God operate on his terms,” Walton says. “Tutu’s god is one that many will recognize—an idealized version of ourselves times 2 or 3. God operates on a whole different standard of holiness beyond this self-constructed deity.

“Tutu never speaks for the majority of Anglicans in Africa. The center of Anglican leadership on the continent has moved to countries like Nigeria and Kenya. Apart from Tutu’s dismissiveness, African Anglicans are very interested in spending eternity with God and want their neighbors to share in that, too.

“African Anglicans have quickly become the majority voice in the Anglican communion. They focus on evangelism and discipleship, seeking to win souls for Christ rather than prioritize earthly political ambitions.”

‘Lack of scriptural understanding’
In an Opinion piece published in Christian Post, US national Christian-based talk show host Janet Parshall says that Nobel laureate Tutu “may have been heroic on his work to end racism in Africa, but his recent statements on homosexuality show an utter lack of understanding of what Scripture says on the subject of sin and sexuality”.

She writes: “The Bible is not ambiguous on how marriage is to be defined– one man and one woman. There is no confusion on who designed sexual expression and where that mystical act is to be enjoyed and confined – within marriage. No pre-marital sex, no extra-marital sex and no same-sex expression. God makes this issue very clear because He loves us – and has our welfare at heart.

Unfortunately, Desmond Tutu’s remarks were political not biblical. They were also very damaging because they fail to acknowledge the seriousness of sin. They likewise fail to affirm the completed work of the Cross.

All of us are great sinners in need of a great Savior. His love is meaningless without His law – and that does not make God homophobic. It makes Him holy.”

Cornerstone Christian College is pioneering a unique tertiary education model that combines the benefits of e-learning and a campus-like environment at local churches.

Cornerstone Christian College in Salt River, Cape Town has introduced a new concept in tertiary education in South Africa, taking quality, affordable higher education to students where they live, in partnership with selected churches.

The rollout of the novel Conerstone Learning Community programme (CLC) began in July. Several CLC campuses are already up and running and the immediate goal is to have 50 established  throughout South Africa by January 2014.

Students will be able to complete degree, diploma, and certificate courses in an environment that  takes advantage of latest e-learning technology whilst offering a traditional campus life experience.

Local church environment
Each CLC has a dedicated resource centre with a local server to download programme content and an equipped auditorium facility for live interactive discussion forums with other students enrolled in the same programmes. The local church environment offers students the benefits of enjoying pastoral care and community in the church rather than studying alone.

Cornerstone has come a long way from its humble origins in the 1970s as a minor institute, operating from the back room of a small Cape Flats church (then known as the Cape Evangelical Bible Institute) to the internationally recognised, Christian academic institution that it is today, said Tony Georgiou, head of business development, in an interview.

Cornerstone offers  degree, diploma or certificate programmes in Business Leadership, Education, Interior Design and Decoration, Fine Arts, Psychology, Sociology / Community Development and Theology. All these programmes have full accreditation with the Council on Higher Education in South Africa.

Commenting on the institution’s multi-facted approach that includes academic, cultural and social elements, Georgiou said:  “Getting a well-rounded education, with high academic standards and a focus on character formation, means that Cornerstone graduates are highly regarded in the marketplace, civil society and with government. Through our Cornerstone Learning Community Programme, we are bringing the unique Cornerstone education ethos to the wider South African community; at a price which is well below the fees charged by other universities.”

He said that experts around the globe agree that the future of education is based on ‘flipping the classroom’, where students watch the lecture on a tablet on their own and then meet with their peers. As a group, the students meet with their lecturer and together they work through and debate the content. This unique learning approach is firmly entrenched in the learning ethos at Cornerstone.

“Our institution is the pioneer of not only the CLC model, but also in creating mini campus-like experiences through the church network, where students receive a unique Cornerstone education experience.” he said.

Christian ethos
Another factor that separates Cornerstone from other academic institutions is its Christian ethos. Cornerstone strives not only to produce exceptional scholars and visionary leaders but to inspire students to go into society and permeate their working environment with the principles of the Kingdom, said Georgiou.

Aware of the value that collaborative efforts will bring to maintaining and strengthening its position as a sought-after academic institution, Cornerstone has forged a formal partnership with New York’s Christian College (NYACK University) and has established informal ties with numerous other universities such as Bethel University and Azusa Pacific University in the USA.

As a private institute, Cornerstone does not qualify for government subsidies and relies heavily on individuals and companies to provide bursary funding for high-performing students who have difficulty in meeting their fee commitments and to cover staff and faculty salaries.

Joel Barker, a world-renowned futurist, once said: “Your past success and current success, is no guarantee of future success. You need to change your paradigm, in order to remain sustainable and competitive.” In line with this leadership philosophy, the Cornerstone Board has implemented a strategic plan to position their Institution as a University of first choice for students, within the next 3 -5 years. For the immediate future, 50 CLC’s will be established across South Africa by January 2014. Their Bachelor of Commerce and Foundation Phase in Education programmes, which have been submitted for accreditation, will also be offered from January 2014.

More information on Cornerstone is available at www.cornerstone.ac.za.

PHOTO: Mail & Guardian

God has given the ailing Nelson Mandela to the nation as a “message for this moment” say South African Church leaders who met in Pretoria yesterday to consider the state of the Church and the nation.

Noting the prayers and good wishes for the former President from all sectors of society, the leaders say that God is “rekindling our spirit of national unity in the consciousness of what Madiba represents, to inspire our hope”.

“Our challenge is in the responsibility that comes with that consciousness,” say the leaders of the SA Council of Churches (SACC), the SA Christian Leaders Initiative (SACLI) and denominational leaders, in a statement. (See full statement)

Future generations will judge us who were privileged to have lived in the times of Mandela by how we used the opportunity to make our country and the world what it should be – and we dare say ‘to make the world what God wanted it to be’.

The statement acknowledges Mandela’s example of reconciliation and statemenship during his Presidency and recognises him as “the Father of Our Constitutional Democracy”.

“When we started as a new nation under Madiba in 1994 every one in the world applauded us. We looked like we were about to create heaven on earth!” the statement says.

First gift of reconciliation
But it says that many people have remarked that Mandela’s “first gift of reconciliation” did not unite South Africans but “made us tolerant of each other at best”.

However God is now using Madiba in his extended illness to challenge us to look at ourselves and ask if we are not beginning to wallow in greed and self interest. He is also using the time to challenge us to unite behind the noble values that Mandela represents, say the church leaders.

They say the churches are calling for united action to make the best of Madiba’s values our pattern of social conduct.

“In the months ahead we shall be unpacking under God, a range of action proposals with our churches, to look at how we each have contributed to the decline of the Mandela Promise, and seek to have us pick up the second Mandela Gift of unity in action for a better South Africa, and a better world,” the statement concludes.

Leaders at yesterday’s meeting were: Bishop Jo Seoka (President: SACC); Bishop Zipho Siwa (Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of SA); Dr Jerry Pillay (General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of SA); Bishop Malusi (Ethiopian Episcopal Church of SA); Rev Moss Ntlha (General Secretary of The Evangelical Alliance of SA and Chairperson of SACLI); Rev Hermy Damons (NEC member of The Evangelical Alliance of SA); Rinel Hugo (NEC member of SACC); Marcus Van Wyk (Coordinator: SACLI); Dr Prince Dibeela (General Secretary of the United Congregational Church of SA).

iafrica.com reports that the church leaders also led prayers in front of the Pretoria hospital where Mandela is soon to mark two months in care. They say that according to IOL, Seoka added that Mandela was conscious.

LIZ WISEMAN

Executive Strategy and Leadership Consultant; Best-selling Author

• Former executive at Oracle Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, she held positions as Vice President of Oracle University and as the global leader for Human Resource Development for 17 years
• President of the Wiseman Group, a Silicon Valley leadership development firm
• Contributor to Harvard Business Review and author of the best-selling leadership strategy book, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter
• Liz coined the term “Multipliers” to describe leaders who amplify the intelligence of others utilizing specific practices to deliver twice the performance for their organizations

“Inspirational Leadership Quote from GLS 2012:
“If you are not dead, you are not done.”
– Craig Groesche

About the GLS

The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day event designed to inspire and equip Christian leaders for the sake of the local church. Founded 19 years ago by Willow Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Bill Hybels, the GLS has trained and inspired more than a million leaders all over the world through the input of world class church, ministry and business leaders. Willow Creek Southern Africa is presenting the GLS 2013 at 12 venues around SA and Namibia during October/November. The local GLS events will combine big screen presentations and live worship. While the summit is primarily targeted at church leaders, it is open to anyone who wants to attend. Attendees usually include church and community leaders, university students, academic, government and business leaders.  Some summit topics apply to general leadership concepts, some are focused on church leadership but are adaptable to any leadership context and other topics are focused primarily on church leadership. In 2012, the GLS reached 160 000 leaders, at dozens of locations in 90 countries and 42 languages.

(See the Dates and Venues and the Fees and Registration at the bottom of the page .)

View video:

Dates and Venues

4-5 October 2013

• Johannesburg @ Mosaiek Church

11-12 October 2013

• Durban @ Grace Family Church
• Vanderbijlpark @ River of Life Family Church
• Port Elizabeth @ Harvest Christian Church
• Nambia, Walvis Bay @ Walvisbaai Gemeenskaps Kerk

18-19 October 2013

• Cape Town @ Common Ground Church
• East London @ Christian Centre
• Namibia, Ongwediva @ Foursquare Church

25-26 October 2013

• Cape Town @ AGS Goodwood
• Namibia, Windhoek @ DRC Windhoek West

1-2 November 2013

• Durban @ Kloof Harvest Church
• Secunda @ Kruik

There has been a sudden increase in participation in the Jericho Walls  ’7 days on the wall’ campaign for non-stop prayer for revival, salvation and social justice throughout 2013 says Daniel Brink, National Coordinator of the Initiative.

Over the first six months of this year 169 groups/churches have registered for initiative, each taking one week to pray continuously for revival. But recently registrations have already doubled to a total of 322, he says in a project update newsletter.

The increase may be due to socio-economic problems, as people have become increasingly angry and violent, while facing many problems including that of unemployment, he said in an interview this week. He said that at present South Africa is one of the most violent countries in the world.

Notable areas of increased participation in the ’7 days on the wall’ campaign are Paarl, Franshoek and Wellington where 31 churches have got on board since youth leaders started taking the initiative some months ago. This prayer awakening is spreading to other areas of the Cape Peninsula, notably in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town. Soweto and Johannesburg have also seen an increase in participation. 

Brink says that the increase in prayer for  revival is very encouraging, and that his faith has subsequently grown. He says that it seems as though God is about to pour his Spirit out on South Africa, which may be headed for great change. The project has also seen prayer rooms implemented at schools in Paarl, where staff and learners participate in the initiative during lunch breaks. Brink says that it’s amazing to see that youth have also become involved in prayer weeks.

He urged churches and other community projects to register to join the ’7 days on the wall’  initiative at www.globalprayerwatch.org/7days. Interested parties can also contact the Jericho Walls office at watch@jwipn.com or can call the office on 021 919 7988 between 9am and 13:00pm.

National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega calling for prayer ahead of the Marikana shooting anniversary. (PHOTO: eNCA)

Report compiled from eNCA, News 24 and BD Live

National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has urged all South Africans to pray for those affected by the infamous Marikana shooting which marks its first anniversary tomorrow (Friday August 16).

Phiyega, South Africa’s first woman head of police, made the call on Sunday as she led a prayer service in Cape Town for those who were affected  by the events in which 44 people were killed during a wage-related strike at Lonmin’s platinum mine in Marikana in August last year. Police shot dead 34 striking miners on August 16, 2012 while trying to disperse and disarm them.

“I ask that we pray earnestly as we spare a thought for the families, the friends and the colleagues of the security guards, police officer, workers union officials, workers and innocent bystanders who have lost their lives during this tragedy,” said Phiyega.

She said the Markiana shooting has deeply affected members of the SAPS as well as herself.

“The Marikana tragedy also affected us as police, both as individuals within the service and also as an organisation. As the leader of the organisation, the tragedy has also impacted me. I feel the pain they are experiencing just like the police officers who were on duty in Mariknana. I am learning to come to terms with it,” she said.

Phiyega said that at an opportune time she plans to visit mining communities to try and heal the rift caused by the deaths at Marikana.

Meanwhile commemorations at Marikana tomorrow (Friday) are taking place under a cloud of political division and ongoing violence in the area. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will not take part in the Marikana commemorations, spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said in a statement today (Thursday). He said the organisation of the commemorations “has been hijacked by the so-called Marikana Support Group and the programme filled with only opposition political parties”. He said that previously there was consensus between the NUM, Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union [Amcu], Solidarity, Uasa [United Association of SA], and various other stakeholders, including the mining companies, that deputy president of the country Kgalema Motlanthe’s office would organise the commemorations.

Seshoka said the good intentions of Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa were “muddied” by what he described as the unilateral hijacking of the commemorations.

The NUM initially welcomed Mathunjwa’s invitation to its president Senzeni Zokwana to the commemoration.

He asked Zokwana to share the stage with him in an attempt to ease tensions in the platinum belt.

Several violent deaths in the area following the Lonmin strike have been blamed on rivalry between Amcu and the NUM.

Lonmin signed an agreement with Amcu this week, recognising it as the company’s majority trade union.

The agreement set a threshold of a 30% membership for any trade union to be recognised by the company.

Membership of the NUM, which used to be the majority union, has dropped to 20% of Lonmin’s workforce.

Seshoka said the mining sector had always been a multi-union environment where smaller unions with as little as 3% membership co-existed with the NUM irrespective of its majority.

“The National Union of Mineworkers saw it fit to not be party to these commemorations as well as to desist from organising separate commemorations as these may fuel tensions.”

At a news briefing on Tuesday, it emerged that workers had asked Amcu, their legal representatives, the SA Council of Churches (SACC), and the Marikana Support Group to organise the event.

South Africa Council of Churches president Bishop Johannes Seoka said the organisers wanted the event to be peaceful and inclusive.

A judicial inquiry into the Marikana deaths a year ago has made little progress and has been plagued by numerous postponements.tle progress. Yesterday the chairman of the Marikana Commission of Inquiry, Judge Ian Farlam, postponed the proceedings again because of a delay in securing funding to pay the fees of lawyers for the injured and arrested miners.

Hettie Brittz.

Hettie Brittz, bekende ouerskapskrywer (Kweek kinders met Karakter / Kweek gesonde gesag / Kweek Dissipline met Deernis) en –spreker, tree tussen 1 en 8 September by pieknieks en praatjies in die Wes-Kaap, Vrystaat, Noord-Wes, Gauteng en Oos-Kaap op tydens haar landswye Immergroen Lentefees.

Dié inisiatief roep gesinne op om ‘n nuwe seisoen saam met die nuwe lente te vier. Dit plaas ‘n feestelike klem op gesinne se saamwees en saamdoen, sé Immergroen Ourskap in ‘n persverklaring .

Volgens die kreatiewe Christelike ouerskap diens bied hulle fasiliteerders regoor die pieknieks en praatjies aan sodat gesinne toerusting kan ontvang om ‘n verskil in hulle gesinslewe teweeg te bring. Gesinne word ook genooi om self inisiatief te neem en op Lentedag en die 8ste September in enige park, by hulle gemeente of sommer saam met vriende gesinspieknieks te hou en die foto’s in te stuur om Immergroen prudukte as pryse te wen.

Gesinne is in krisis en sommige glo nie meer dat ‘n gelukkige gesin die norm kan wees nie, sé die verklaring.

PE Hoogland nooi almal uit na piekniek met Hettie op 8 September
PE Hoogland Gemeente, een van die kerke wat deelneem in die Lentevees kondig: “Sy [Hettie] sal op Sondag 8 September 2013 tydens die oggenddiens om 08:30 optree en daarna nooi ons die hele Port Elizabeth gemeenskap (ouers / grootouers / amper ouers en selfs onderwysers) almal uit na ’n lekker – saamkuier – gesins – piekniek saam met Hettie hier op Hoogland se lowergroen grasperke vanaf so 10:30!

“Alles is gratis so ons nooi almal om jou piekniekmandjie te pak en saam met Hettie te kom gesels en leer oor die reis van dissipelskap by ons kinders …

“Dit beloof werklik om ongelooflike oggend te wees en ’n wonderlike toerustings geleentheid vir enige iemand wat iewers in hulle lewens met kinders te make het of jy nou ’n ouma is wat smiddae huiswerk moet doen of ’n onderwyseres met 30 woelwaters in jou klas.”

Navrae kan gerig word aan Leandra by Hoogland se Kerkkantoor 041 367 1485 / leandra@pehoogland.co.za of aan Lynette van Wyk lynettevw@gmail.com.

Die Immergroen Lentefees landswye program en meer besonderhede is beskikbaar op die webwerf www.immergroenouerskap.co.za of hulle Facebook bladsy. Intussen kan jy gerus luister na Hettie se ouerskapswenke elke Dinsdag- en Donderdagoggend net na 6h opKykNET se Dagbreek program.

Pupils line-up to touch the ‘Beast’ after listening to Chad Daniel’s presentation.

 “Everything has a small and mostly invisible beginning. Think of each of us being conceived as a baby. Even cancer in its initial stages cannot be seen or felt.  You can’t see it, but it’s there.”  — With this opening statement, US evangelist Chad Daniel began his talk on sin to pupils at the Bellville High School, Cape Town, yesterday.

Now there may not be anything unusual or different about Daniel’s message.  But the way he illustrates it surely is. He uses three different-sized snakes to demonstrate his point. The smallest one is a mere 18 months-old. The medium snake is 4 years old and the biggest, a 7 year old Burmese python, is the 3m ‘Beast’ that weighs in at 70kg.

With the help of his living sermon illustrations Daniel had the learners’ attention as he continued to explain that bad habits and addictions all start out insignificant and in the dark.

Chad Daniel illustrates sin with the aid of three snakes — the small one and a medium-sized one wrapped around his left arm — and the 3m ‘Beast’ held by his team members.

“In the beginning you can control and hide it. However, as you feed it, it grows and will reach a stage when you no longer can keep it hidden.  Eventually it becomes so big that you not only cannot hide it, but you also cannot control it.  Finally it will control and destroy you – if not physically, then most definitely spiritually.”

The students listened raptly and jumped at the opportunity to meet the reptiles face-to-face before Daniel left. He said there is no typical reaction that can be ascribed to his audiences.  However, he said he was overwhelmed by the response in Valhalla Park, Cape Town, where most of his audience were Muslims. They begged him to come back, hungry for the Word and the message he brings. 

Daniel, who has been a youth pastor for the past 20 years, said that along the way he realised he needed something to draw the teenage generation into the church. As he hails from Louisiana, USA where the swamp people are famous for catching reptiles and crocodiles, he decided to use snakes to illustrate his message on sin. He travels the world with his message and has been visiting South Africa for the past 10 years. This month he has been calling on schools in the Western Cape.

Although Daniel’s target audience is usually between the ages of 12 and 30, his messages relate to everybody.  However he said he has found that the rate of salvation declines sharply after the age of 21. Therefore it is important to get the basics to the young ones, before it’s too late.  He said he has a passion for reaching out to the fatherless generation – who have many teachers, but no fathers to look up to for guidance or an example.

Daniel said he does not visit schools at all in the USA, as they are not allowed to talk about Jesus Christ in the schools. He told the pupils at Bellville High yesterday that we enjoy a wonderful privilege in South Africa, where we are allowed to freely bring messages of hope and salvation to the scholars of the mainstream schools.

He said he has also recently sent 10 000 DVD presentations in Mandarin to the underground church in China. 

Daniel formerly worked for Joyce Meyer’s organisation with which he still has close ties. He is also affiliated with ISOM, which has the largest video Bible training curriculum in the world. More information about his ministry is available online at  www.youthbytes.org and www.isom.org

‘Child pornography bust prove sexual crimes against women and children are out of control’

The Family Policy Institute (FPI) today called on the Government to take urgent action to stop the free flow and and dissemination of adult pornography in South Africa, stating that it is spread via the same channels used to distribute child pornography.

The arrest this week of a school principal, teachers, a doctor, an attorney and a businessman for the manufacture and dissemination of child pornography proves that the Government’s liberal attitude to the unrestricted availability of pornography has created a crisis, says FTP in a statement.

The statement continues: “Research indicates that sexual predators use adult pornography to groom their child victims. Adult pornography is widely available and accessible to minor children in South Africa. Children as young as 10 are downloading sexually explicit images to their cell phones. Some are also producing pornographic videos of themselves and sharing it with friends.

“Family Policy Institute calls on government to urgently introduce internet filters at tier-one level to block pornography from entering the country. We also call on government to urgently amend the Broadcasting Act to prohibit the broadcast of pornography on South African television to protect vulnerable children from exposure.

“The soaring rates of rapes and sexual abuse of women and children in South Africa indicate that government has failed its constitutional obligation to protect vulnerable women and children in society. Incidences of sexual depravity appear to escalating in the country. Babies as young as 4 months old and elderly women aged 70 to 100 years old are brutally raped in a nation that claims to be a leader in advancing women’s rights.

“Incredibly, within this environment of increasingly bizarre and brutal sexual crimes against women, children and the aged, a government agency gives a failing pay-channel the green light to broadcast hard-core pornography on television. Evidence shows that minor children are often exposed to hard-core sexually explicit images as a result of adult negligence. Should Top TV launch its proposed porn channels on South African television, child exposure to pornography will no doubt escalate.

“Research shows the wide availability of pornography in society is destructive and harmful to women and children. This is evidenced by the fact that South Africa is currently regarded as the rape capital of the world. More than 64 000 women are raped annually in SA. In addition, reports indicate that more than 25 000 children are sexually abused every year in SA.

“Child pornography is no different to adult pornography. They both mercilessly exploit vulnerable women and children for the sexual gratification of men and more importantly, for profit. Pornography must be totally prohibited in a country where sexual crimes against women, children and the aged are out of control. The smut merchants who produce and disseminate pornography do not discriminate. Men, women and children are all fair game in this nefarious industry that thrives on human misery and exploitation.”

VIJAY GOVINDARAJAN

Top 50 Management Thinker;
Professor, Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business

• Ranked #3 on Thinkers 50, an elite list of global business minds published bi-annually
• Educated in India, he held faculty positions at top business schools: Harvard University, INSEAD, Indian Institute of Management and Tuck School of Business
• Named as one of the Top Ten Business School Professors in the World, Business Week; Top Five Most Respected Executive Coaches on Strategy, Forbes; Rising Super Stars, The Economist
• A prolific business author, his books include ‘The Other Side of Innovation’ and ‘Reverse Innovation’

“Life is not measured in time. It’s measured in love, contribution and grace.” – Carly Fiorina

About the GLS

The Global Leadership Summit is a two-day event designed to inspire and equip Christian leaders for the sake of the local church. Founded 19 years ago by Willow Creek Community Church Senior Pastor Bill Hybels, the GLS has trained and inspired more than a million leaders all over the world through the input of world class church, ministry and business leaders. Willow Creek Southern Africa is presenting the GLS 2013 at 12 venues around SA and Namibia during October/November. The local GLS events will combine big screen presentations and live worship. While the summit is primarily targeted at church leaders, it is open to anyone who wants to attend. Attendees usually include church and community leaders, university students, academic, government and business leaders.  Some summit topics apply to general leadership concepts, some are focused on church leadership but are adaptable to any leadership context and other topics are focused primarily on church leadership. In 2012, the GLS reached 160 000 leaders, at dozens of locations in 90 countries and 42 languages.

(See the Dates and Venues and the Fees and Registration at the bottom of the page .)

View video:

Dates and Venues

4-5 October 2013

• Johannesburg @ Mosaiek Church

11-12 October 2013

• Durban @ Grace Family Church
• Vanderbijlpark @ River of Life Family Church
• Port Elizabeth @ Harvest Christian Church
• Nambia, Walvis Bay @ Walvisbaai Gemeenskaps Kerk

18-19 October 2013

• Cape Town @ Common Ground Church
• East London @ Christian Centre
• Namibia, Ongwediva @ Foursquare Church

25-26 October 2013

• Cape Town @ AGS Goodwood
• Namibia, Windhoek @ DRC Windhoek West

1-2 November 2013

• Durban @ Kloof Harvest Church
• Secunda @ Kruik