The Message Trust South Africa
What we do...
The Message SA has developed a strategic approach to urban ministry in the following ways.
In Prisons: We have a primary focus on youth offenders as we seek to break the cycle of poverty- crime-prison. This is accomplished through providing long-term, focused intervention in the lives of young offenders. In 2014 we initiated our Job Readiness and Life Skills course in Drakenstein Prison. In 2015 we will begin the Message Entrepreneurship Programme (MEP) which will provide intensive training and development for young men in prison. Our Aftercare department provide the support and through-care necessary to help re-integrate prisoners into society upon their release.
In Enterprise: We believe that true discipleship equips young people for all of life. We believe God has made men and women to enjoy fulfilling work and in this way contribute to a flourishing society. The Message Leadership and Enterprise (L&E) Centre will not only create employment, but will seek to train entrepreneurs and release them into community-based micro-enterprises. In 2014 we developed and launched our business brand ?Gangstar Enterprises?. We also employed our first ex-offenders in The Soft Machine, an existing micro-enterprise that we have taken operational responsibility for. We are also currently pursuing premises that will serve as the long-term base as our Leadership and Enterprise Centre.
In Community: Our approach to community transformation is called Eden and is focused on the toughest urban neighbourhoods. In partnership with local churches, our teams are committed long-term and their key distinctive is that they live at the heart of the communities they serve. Our first Eden Team, in partnership with Jubilee Community Church, was recruited in mobilised into Salt River during 2014. We are working with three further churches in a pre-Eden phase of community engagement that we trust will lead to Eden Teams being panted in the near future.
Through Creative Mission: The Message Trust is a Gospel Centred organisation. In order to keep mission at the core of all our activities, we are developing mission teams who will serve alongside our other ministry areas. In 2014 we recruited our first mission band who will be going to the UK for 6 months training at the Message Academy. Following their training they will return to serve in South Africa. Additionally, we are looking at developing sports, performing arts, and other mission teams that will enable us to present the Gospel to young people in relevant and effective ways.
The exciting element to this strategy is where these four elements intersect. We believe that facilitates a dynamic discipleship environment that will result in developing young South African leaders who will become ?Urban Heroes? ? equipped to effectively serve God as agents of community transformation.
Our passion is to see the vision of Isaiah 61:3 fulfilled across Cape Town:
?They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendour.?
South Africa
The mission of The Message South Africa is to raise up generations of urban heroes. We want to create opportunities for tens of thousands of urban teenagers and young adults to hear the good news of Jesus in word and demonstrated in action.
We do this through community transformation, creative mission and Christ centred enterprise.
WE BELIEVE IN...
1. The one true God who lives eternally in three persons?the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
2. The love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world.
3. The divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God?fully trustworthy for faith and conduct.
4. The dignity of all people, made male and female in God's image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which incurs divine wrath and judgement.
5. The incarnation of God?s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ?born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin.
6. The atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.
7. The bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.
8. The justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ.
9. The ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness.
10. The Church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers?given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit's gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love.
11. The personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgement, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.
