Origins of The Message

The Message was originally planted by Holy Trinity, Gardens in February 2003.  At that point it was basically an evening service aimed at UCT students and graduates.  It had no full-time staff, but a steering committee headed up by Fritz van der Lecq had the responsibility of overseeing the work.  In July 2004, Fritz left the Message to further his studies in the USA.  Paul Schoenfeld, in his second year at GWC was asked to take over as head of the steering committee at that point.

It was becoming clear that for the Message to truly move forward, it would eventually need a fulltime pastor.  However being a predominantly student congregation, it did not have sufficient funds to employ a pastor. 

Towards the end of 2005 St Stephens had grown considerably and plans were being made to both extend the building as well as plant a church.  Someone suggested a partnership between the Message and St Stephens: Paul would work as the fulltime pastor for The Message and St Stephens would pay half his salary.  In turn, Paul would be tasked with gathering and heading up a team from St Stephens to plant a morning service for The Message.  This seemed a real answer to prayer.  So in January 2006 Paul become the first full time staff member of the Message, and in June that year started gathering a team of people from St Stephens to plant the Message morning service.  Eventually on 1 October 2006 with about 25 people from St Stephens,  the first morning service was held in Hillcrest High School in Cecil Road.

The Message today:

Establishing the morning service attended mainly by St Stephens folk was quite different to a normal church plant.  For example, one of the major goals was to ensure that we developed a united church.  No one wanted to have two distinct and clearly different congregations.  We wanted to ensure we all shared the same values and vision.  One of the consequences was that less emphasis was placed on evangelism. 

Consequently although we have seen new people attend the morning service, we have not seen the numerical growth we had initially hoped for.  However, what has been tremendously encouraging is seeing people learning to open their homes and build relationships with others across age and cultural barriers.  There is a real sense of the older wanting to minister to the younger folk, and in turn the younger folk been a great encouragement to the older folk.  People are clearly growing spiritually and are truly learning to love one another. 

As a result of the lack of numerical growth, we have also been forced to think through ways in reaching people.  Inviting non-Christians to a church service just doesn't seem to be the most effective way anymore.  We are therefore thinking and talking lots about how to make the Christian community an intentional way by which to reach our non-Christian friends and neighbours.  We have a long way to go, but with God's grace we will hopefully become more effective.

Lots has also happened since the morning service was first started.  The staff team has grown to 3 fulltime and 1 part time worker; a church office has been set up in Main Road in Rosebank, children's ministry is flourishing and we have strengthened our student work considerably.  Student Bible Study Groups meet weekly on a Wednesday night, there are student camps and we are planning a ministry apprenticeship program with the first candidate hopefully joining the program next year.  To God be the Glory!

For more information contact The Message at:

• website: www.themessage.org.za
• or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it