Africa For Christ believes wholeheartedly in establishing sustainable indigenous churches. For that reason, we choose to focus on planting churches, as God directs, in one area at a time and pouring into and strengthening the Body of Christ there until such time as that church is able to thrive and grow under local leadership.
Humble Beginnings
Africa For Christ’s first church plant is located in Mozambique’s Limpopo River valley in Xai-Xai, Mozambique. It began as a Bible study under a tree in 1995, when Johan and Lana van Helsdingen and their young family moved to Bairro Seis, Inhamissa in Xai-Xai with the goal of ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of the people there. That first church plant, registered in Mozambique as Igreja Evangélica África Para Cristo, is now a thriving indigenous church under local leadership from which a number of churches have been planted in neighboring areas. From the beginning, the Igreja Evangélica África Para Cristo churches were founded with a mindset to reach out to others with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and as a result, new churches continue to be established. We believe that if a church is grounded in Christ through the Word of God, prayer, worship, and outreach, God will bring spiritual growth and cause that Body to thrive and flourish. Our goal is to establish this firm foundation within each church and to allow that church to find its unique expression of worship and service to God under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit. Today, those involved in the ministry of Africa For Christ and Igreja Evangélica África Para Cristo stand in awe of what God has already done and look forward with anticipation to what the future holds.
