Underneath the multi million rand property, the Sunday line up of luxury cars at an affluent suburb of Sandton is a South African led church that cares about the well being of people, family and the country.
Pastor Wilma and Andre Olivier in their Sandton Church in South Africa. All pics taken from their social media pages mainly Instagram.
It doesn't matter what background you from, color, nationality or status in society you will find something that will attract you to stay in this spiritual home.Yes it uses its glamorous state of the art building to lure lost souls and pray long enough that they see beyond the Sunday church event that sees singer and now author, Lloyd Cele amongst its worship leaders.
Idols SA finalist, Loyd Cele lead the worship team every Sunday.
Humanity, humbleness and humility is the order of the day and triumph any pride or ego. But you will still be treated as a VIP from the moment you step out of your car.
Every church service, pastor Andre meet and chat with guest and members of the congregation
Screengrab from the churche's instagram page
"Welcome to Church, enjoy the service, let me help you with your child mam and hop on the cart let me give you a lift inside" are some of the first words you will hear from the moment you step out of your car. The car guards and ushers, some I'm told are doctors, engineers and almost any top profession you can think of.
Since its situated in one of the wealthiest suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa the church attracts members from Africa and all over the world. But its senior pastor, Andre Olivier and his wife, Wilma were once drug addicts from Cape Town.
The church has bought the Kyalami on track. The venue used to host the annual LGBTI event, Feathers.
"When I started this church, I wanted everyone to belong. I remember during our first days, a security guard once came to me and ask if he can come to church. How could I say no to him," Pastor Wilma as she preaches to a fully packed audience of females who have gathered for her monthly girls meeting, Sisters of Africa.
Before the meeting, the ladies are given a free pampering treatment, from massages, spar treatment and a market which often sells ladies clothes that are branded with positive inspirational messages.
last year's cover copy of the Sisters of Africa magazine
Both her and her husband are business minded and have authored numerous books published.
They have collaborated those skills and material to cater for the congregation as they connect over a healthy snack or ground coffee often prepared and sold but the same members of the congregation who have committed their time to volunteer in the church. The church is attached to Hillsong Church.
My instagram pic at sisters. My new friend is @resh1203 on Instagram please follow her.
Rivers Church is a family church and caters for individual spiritual needs of each member of the family. With its children's area, Kids Zone a hit to all the visitors and us single moms. The youngsters have their annual youth summer camp that is praised for boasting confidence and building friendship amongst teenagers.
My son, Siphiwokuhle Ndabeni with an award he achieved after
The youth camp also helps new families who have just relocated from all over the country and continent as the youngster are able to quickly make friends.
activities outside the Kids Zone
Another extension of engaging with the congregation intimately is through a connect groups which runs every fortnight Thursday. In these groups are scattered all over Johannesburg and hosted in members homes. This is where believers are provoked in their thinking of what the Sunday message meant to their lives but also challenged to apply the Biblical principals in their daily lives.
Above is a picture of me on the day I was baptized and Kimantha and Saagar are leading a connect group that I belong to.
A child dedication service taking place
I have been following pastor Andre's preaching for the past two years, I could say he is a firm believer that change starts with an individual before impacting the community,country and the world at large. His time on stage doesn't last any longer than 45 minutes preaching and all his Biblical teachings are practical.
From how to deal with your finances as an individual and business to being the one who influence positive change in the work place or business. His messages are often well researched with him reading across all genre to find quotes of world leaders and ordinary people to tie in with his topic.
The church believe it exist to worship, reach, connect with people all kinds as well encourages volunteering
If you are looking for a spiritual home this Easter, this might be a home for you. Try them
The history of the magnet spiritual sanctuary that draws thousands of multiracial crowd also has a history of humble beginnings and many obstacles including that of neighbours complaining about influx and being accused of preaching the gospel of prosperity.
A meeting taking place at one of the baby classes of the church. Children from the age of 1 upwards have their own classes and teachings are relevant for that particular group.
"It is through giving, I would like to call it sowing that we are able to build this campus and buy the one in Kyalami, Ballito and Centurion. Everything we do, we do it for the people cause we want to win souls for the house of God"said pastor Andre in one of the sermons.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BASED ON MY OBSERVATIONS
1. The fancy building and luxury cars might intimidate you but if you approach any of the members, they will gladly show you the way.
2. If you do stay you will be encouraged to be volunteer in any of the department of the church.
pastor Andre encourages reading. I purchased these at a Sisters of Africa Conference two years ago. American based life coach, Valorie Burton is billed to speak again this year. I'm giving away two tickets. Simply like, share and comment on the article.
3. You will be encouraged to read books not only spiritual books but across all genres so you are aware of what is happening around you and strengthen your spiritual journey.
If you do become a member, there will be times when you are called to pray for the country and its leaders. But that is for an hour once every third month
5.While the ladies have Sisters of Africa Conference, there is a Men's Conference too. This year, Austrailian based pastor and Evangelist, Brian Houston of the Hillsong Church is billed to speak at the conference.
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Barely a year ago, she was an extra playing a character of a slay queen in the South African Telenova, The Queen. Little did she know that in a few months time, she will land a job as a presenter in one of the biggest township television station.
New kid on the block, Bokang Lebina
Bokang Lebina,24 couldn't contain her excitement when her form of being a presenter on Soweto TV was approved. For a week, she will be presenting Kasi Vibe, a music show on the station based in the famous township Soweto on Vilakazi Street, Orlando West.
Bokang visiting the Trending SA studio with mentor, Nonhle Thema and class
The talented youngster, was one of the South African, upcoming talents that was mentored by veteran tv presenter, Nonhle Tema. But her love for TV and arts had always been there when she was growing up. She has appeared as a guest presenter on the children's programme, Yo-TV and a commercial Nik Naks advert. "I've always been a creative person. My grandmother taught me how to sew when I was young. I wanted to be a model too but I was told, I was too short for it. But I have never pursued my dream even after completing matric at Mondeor High.
Go getter Bokang Bouncy Lebina
Though her strong background is that of an actor, landing a cameo role on Mzansi Magic's drama The Qeen. This after she couldn't continue financing her studies in advertising at Boston Media House, Bokang felt polishing her skills in what she also love wouldn't be a problem.
Guest presenter on Kasi Vibes
"I guess when you truly love something, you go after it. This is also what I would advise young and upcoming artist to never give up. If its something you truly love. Work hard have patient and faith and also show interest too but never give up," she said.
Bokang is one of the aspiring presenters who are mentored by Nonhle Thema
With the entertainment being so pretentious Bokang says she hope she is able to bring her unique self to the table.
This an advise she got from American TV host Steve Harvey when he had a group of high school students who were confused on which field to take for college. "The one Thing you do every morning when you wake up and the last thing you do before you go to bed will lead you where you want to go". For Bokang who describe herself as being shy but outspoken those words sparked the fire in her.
Busy in rehearsing for her role as a new presenter
"I was always comfortable in my own skin.I will come and promote self love because the industry is full of pretentious people. Some pretending to be something they are not because they think people love what they do. People will love you as you as you are. I also dont place value in material things hence I'm able to grow at my own pace in the industry," she said.
TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BOKANG:
1 She can sing and think she is a good singer at it too
2.She makes her own clothes
3. She's very shy and hates attention
4.She is a good cook with the interest of going to a culinary school to learn more about food
5.She's funny
6. She spent some time in Lesotho during her childhood years
7.She has never had fake nails
8.She makes her own wigs
9. Doesn't really like make up
10. She is a homebody and enjoys her own company
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IF the premier of Gauteng Province, David Makhura can come dine with us, why don't you?
Gauteng premier, David Makhura coming to greet the mobile at the Auto and General Small business Market in Dainfern. pic Outspoken Multimedia
Last week, we were fortunate to be among the small businesses that were invited to showcase at the Dainfern, Auto And General Business Market.
Ndabeni Creatives assistant, Xolani Ndabeni ready to assist customers
From everything, arts and craft, clothes and books were amongst many things that were on display in the market that is aimed at boosting small black businesses in Gauteng.
Our arts and craft stand was there not only to document the event so we can share those memories with our customers on this blog. But we were boosted too.
Our customer trying to choose from the variety we have
Thank you to all that came through to support. I'm always looking forward to talking to strangers alike about their upcoming wedding, or the ordinary debate where I am often trying to convince people that not only Zulus and amaXhosa wear beads. But I'm so glad that our long Ndebele necklace are still the favourite amongst our customers.
Ndabeni Creatives team, ready to serve at the Dainfern business Market Friday.
I cant lie and say, starting a business has been a walk in the park. But we take note of each lesson learnt and move forward. One of the greatest lessons I've learnt in this journey though, Is that I have been fulfilled all along. I don't leave with the feeling of regret or fear of starting anything.
Our customer here is trying something new for his upcoming wedding.
Through writing in this blog, I somehow healed from all the pain I've been through. I can now look at tomorrow and hope. Whatever happened to me then, was meant to happen. Through a skill that I first saw in primary school, I was able to mend myself and bring dignity to the name Khanyi Ndabeni.
Our new customer Kabello Modiga came to party.
If you live, work around Johannesburg and would like us to visit your work place, market please book us on 076 360 7744 same number to order any of our items and remember we deliver all over the country and items take up to three days to get to you.
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Here is a link to the Auto and General Small Business Market video for you to look at.
According to Solomon Izang Ashom, there are pastors, prophets and there are spiritual gangsters who pose as man of God and manipulate as well as deceive people.
SPREADING THE WORD...Solomon Ashom is often invited to radio station to talk about bogus churches in South Africa.
To stage their miracle, they recruit desperate job seekers in Hillbrow, Johannesburg and other parts of poverty stricken Gauteng areas.
YOU TOUCHED MY GODO!!!....Solomon Izang Ashoms is every false prophets nightmare
This they do by finding actors who can deceive their flock into believing that they have been instantly released from the bondage of being wheelchair bound.
Some times produce fake medical report and of course it was through this "man of God".
Through biblical scriptures such as 1 Chronicles 16:22 DO NOT TOUCH MY ANOINTED ONES, DO MY PROPHETS NO HARM.
EVIDENCE ......SCREEN GRAB of how Alph made headlines in 2019
They instill fear to those that spotted any wrong doing on their parts. They crush their truth by spreading rumors of how this witness to the wrong doing was either going to steal church's money or if its a woman, they want to sleep with the pastor. The witness or truth bearer often backslide.
PROPHET BUSHIRI COLLECTIONS.... A screengrab I took from one of the Bushiri church official. The Collection was close to R200 000 a week.
You often feel hurt as the church was the only place you thought you were loved.Majority of black South African Christians are even accused of loving this new cult like church more than their families. This person, is often still in the spiritual level of being Loved by Jesus and believing they will overcome any challenge their going through. They only need follow any instructions from this man of God.
SMALL BEGINNINGS... get a simple Bible and read the word, understand it first
The foreign you are, the more believable you will be cause even the Bible tells us, a prophet will be more respected elsewhere than at home. So you believe and continue carrying the Bible, only to open it again on Sunday during his service. You feed off whatever he gives you from the very same Bible.
You do not read beyond what he has prepared for you on Sunday or Bible Study, Home Cell, Choir practice etc. He feeds you the Bible and you take it all and eat it.
Recently, I wanted to give Alph Lukau a trophy and a standing ovation after that resurrection stunt he had pulled two weeks ago. Excuse me for addressing him this down. You see, when Alleluia International Ministries hosted the ladies conference, I was assigned to to do that movie for the then newspaper, I worked for, The Sunday Times.
After the conference, Lukau was seen driving this car
A page three story that saw me up all night witnessing, a white couple getting married on the spot, proposals I do not know how many to count, and of course the main course was the oil inside the most expensive glass whiskey jar rubbed in all the ladies fingers...Did I get a man after that, NO! I'm still single and not looking. But thanks to the paper for coughing up R2500 ticket for me to witness this most expensive church movie. Lukau who is known to drive the most expensive cars and recently was blessed with a mansion worth over a million in Sandton, has taste for material things.
Alph is well connected too. He conducted the wedding of former President, Jacob Zuma's wedding and he visited the church twice, according to our knowledge.
His huge office in Sandton Church boast a huge private gym, big flat screen TVs, a leather furnished boardroom and he walks around with body guards and every now and then he is escorted by the JMPD to church when hosting an event. Oops!! Sorry, did I mention Idols SA tenth season winner,Vincent Bones and Bongani Nchang were leading the worship team during ladies night conference? But then again, asikholapho, ku rough kwi entertainment industry yase South Africa. Fame doesn' t pay here. Maybe it used to, but it doesn't anymore. The few who tasted money would never share the secrete of how to make money. So we not judging brothers ku rough macala, we understand, gotta do what you gotta do to pay rent, feed family, provide as man right?
Last year, Solomon organised the Movement against abuse in Churches.
Ten years ago, no one could speak ill of these men of God, Solomon, who is now based in South Africa was just a journalist for a Christian Magazine, the Parable. He was going about his business, when a story of TB Joshua landed on his lap.
That was the first time I got the barrage of attack from everywhere. That was even before the September 12 2014 the guest house belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nation(Scoan) collapsed killing at least 115 people, 84 of them were South Africans.
" I broke the story from a very reliable and close friend of his", said Solomon. "He told me how TB Joshua was not real, there was a mountain that he goes to pray, he hypnotize people, he was also accused of sleeping with young girls. That story was wide spread to a point that he got hold of my publication, and told his congregation I was gay, he went behind my back and tarnished my name with advertisers.For me this was the beginning of the work, I didn't know I will do. With that story more people came forward with their stories of the abusive, manipulation, family relationships broken all sorts of social ills you can think of that is caused by these so called man of God and we are OK with everything. NO! Not in My Name.
SPEAK OUT... Movements have been establishsed against the abuse in churches.
People trust me now. In some cases, I am their first point of call as soon as they see there's something fishy or they have enough evidence to expose the person. I can say the most disturbing story I have ever done were the two boys molested by their pastors in Soshanguwe Pretoria. That for me was the most horrific story ever.
Nigerian pastor, Tim Omotoso during his trial for sexually abusing young women
Don't get me wrong, all cases of sexual abuse are horrific but what made this stand out, the two boys were young and both wanted to be preachers. He molested both of them, one cant relate his story without hitting his head against the wall or cause harm to himself. It is a real painful story. You want to help the person more to find peace because the damage done and the pain is really unbearable even for the person listening to the story.
Solomon will host the one man protest Sandton, Greyston Drive tomorrow lunchtime and at Chris Hani in Soweto Thursday March 8
Solomon said he saw himself more as an activist for Christianity or good." When I started this, no one believed me. There were people who went behind my back and destroyed all my contacts because of what I do. I interrogate every story that lands on my lap. If the evidence is good enough, then I pursue it. If I do not tell the story of the evil then I wouldn't be serving God. I am one of those that says, Not in my name.
SPEAKING OUT... If we can all take part and so Not in my name. Our society will be freed from False prophets.
"I do not only create the noise on social media but I am actively involved in churches and all community uplifting work. My wife and I have a little charity that we do down in the Eastern Cape. I consider South Africa my second home. My wife is from South Africa and I spend most of my time in South Africa. Then why not help to better the country by doing one thing, that is right.
I come from a Christian home. Back home in Nigeria, we don't believe in any other thing but God. We read and interpret the Bible together. My wife and I do daily devotion together. We ask each other questions of what we think the scripture says before we even go to church.
I love Nigeria but I also love South Africa it is my second home
. I expose and let people decide for themselves the truth. When I first started, no one believed me, I'm from Nigeria and in South Africa and I finance everything that I do. People are starting to believe me now, I did not have an agenda when started. I got death threats to a point where I had to shift my wife from our house.
Amongst many church leaders that Solomon has spoken against include, Malawian Pastor, Shepherd Bushiri popularly known as Major One, Papa, Daddy by his followers.
Bushiri or major one with president Jacob Zuma
It is up until former president, Jacob Zuma left the office that Bushiri and his wife were arrested for, fraud and money laundering early this year. In the past, the Malawian pastor was untouchable. His financial accountant confessed to a journalist that the church pocketed about a million a week in anointing oil, water, car stickers, cds anything sold in the church. Bushiri didn't bank it. It is still unclear if the rock star preacher, a self proclaimed billionaire who filled up FNB stadium before rapper Cassper Nyovest made the term fashionable. He was a trend setter, boasted of owning three privates jets, hotels, all kinds of expensive top of the range cars.
"I know all these victims go to the church not knowing they are deceived. People become so brain washed that they think everything that they need is through this man of God. I think my Nigerian background helped me. I'm not scared of them, I know the worst they can do is kill me. But then that is the price I'm willing to pay for the truth. These guys are all powerful guys and I'm a nobody. But this is a battle between light and darkness. We all fighting in the spiritual level,"
We need to look after for each other
Drum Magazine was one of the publication that carried a story of a Klerksdorp Bishop who raped and sexually abused women. The whistle blower is said to be under witness protection programme after someone tried to kill her. Pitso is still behind bars.
Solomon says he believes it is the history of South Africa and the beliefs in quick fixes and witch doctors that South Africans fall prey in these foreign pastors. "Majority of these pastors even consult with witch doctors and use magical portion from witch doctors to hypnotize the masses that flock into their churches every Sunday. Him on the other hand has the muti which he wont reveal and the Bible that he carries every day so that people believe they are real. I stand today and I say I know the truth and these people are deceiving you....#Not in my name.
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Last Friday, we attended the memorial service of the late jazz singer, mama Dorothy Masuku.
The legendary singer was laid to rest yesterday at the Wespark Cemetery. While we didn't attend the funeral nor not in a position to write a tribute to mama, we thought we can atleast share the pictures from her second memorial service held at the Joburg Theatre last Friday. A fitting tribute from Mara Louw and legendary Sibongile Khumalo. Mam Dorothy was described as someone who put a lot of passion in everything she did by her grandson Chipo Mtetwa.
Idols SA former judge, Mara Louw also sang at the memorial
Veteran singer, Mara Louw paying tribute to Jazz singer
A screen picture of Mam Dorothy with a friend
Mara kept guest entertained as she spoke of the late star
Jazz singer and veteran, Mama Sbongile Khumalo also paid her tribute
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