By Puisano News Reporter
The Biblical cry of “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” in Isaiah 6:8 was responded to in Thaba Nchu last week as those touched by this call knelt down in the presence of all gathered to be ordained for the Lord’s ministry. Three were ordained as Pastors and two as Elders.
This happened in a spirit-filled and blissful service at Ebenhezer Family Church under the Pastorate of Dr Gino Alberts and his wife, Pastor Junia Alberts. It was a day of celebration with joyous songs, words of encouragement and powerful sermon. The energetic and lively Joy Xaba was the day’s programme director.
Those ordained as Pastors were Dikgang Mosehle, Ntlaloe Mabope and Seriti Mabope, and those installed as Elders were Suzan Moatlhodi and Elizabeth Motlhatlhedi.
The ordination service was presided over by Dr Abraham Bodibe of the Ebenhezer Christian Fellowship in Zamdela, Sasolburg.
The service was also attended by several pastors from various denominations, who also delivered messages of support to the church and the candidates for ordination. Amongst them was Pastor Mojalefa Moloi of House of Bread International Ministries in Sebokeng. Offering his message of support, Moloi said the ordination of the lesser known parishioners was an indication that God was taking an unpopular route of raising up the nobodies to do the work of the ministry.
Delivering the sermon, prior to anointing the ordination candidates, Dr Bodibe called on the new pastors and congregation to get ready and begin to praise the Lord for the great things that He was about to do.
His sermon was based on Isaiah 54: 1 – 3, which calls for a barren women to sing and shout for joy for she will soon bear children. This was a message of hope for those who thinking that nothing good will ever happen in their lives. He encouraged the congregation to expect God to do wonders in their moments of barrenness, which he described as inability to produce.
Bodibe also warned that the churches are in the state of barrenness with no growth numerically, financially, intellectually and spiritually.
“Barrenness has crept into the church. The church is not yet there where God wants it to be. Before Jesus comes let us grow,” he preached.
Bodibe mentioned that as the barren woman is called to sing and shout for joy in the period of barrenness, Christians should do likewise and praise the Lord even when things are rough and tough. “Recipe for growth is praise. Give Him praise,” he enthused the congregation.
The Alberts, who are the founders of Ebenhezer Family Church, were all smiles and could not contain their joy each moment of the service. They expressed their wholehearted gratitude and thanked all and sundry.
“We are very much thankful to the Lord who made all this happen. It is all by his grace. We are very much grateful for the support we received from various Pastors, churches, our own church members and the community around here. We can say today we are all Ebenhezer family. To us there is no visitor here. Once you enter this door, you are part of us,” said the Alberts.
