Love is key to true Gospel, says #YTAUnite founder Kyle Driver

“Believers have to step up and lead by example more than ever before and we have to go get the harvest of souls like never before,” said  #YTAUnite movement founder and pastor, Kyle Driver, in an interview with Gateway News.

Kyle gained attention in Cape Town Christian circles about five years ago when he led a campaign to host a youth event at the Newlands Rugby Stadium. He said God told him in 2013 to hire the stadium for a Youth Transformation Revival, which transpired on April 27 2015 with 25 000 young people impacted with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The event resulted in the birth of Youth Transformation Africa (YTA) and was supported by South African businessman and Global Day of Prayer and Unashamedly Ethical founder, Graham Power, and was opened by evangelist and author Angus Buchan.

YTA has hosted an annual event every year since, albeit on a slightly smaller scale. However, according to Kyle, each event has attracted thousands of people with many hundreds being saved and making a commitment to follow Jesus.

The relatively young pastor said his life was forever changed when he was radically saved and set free from alcohol and drugs by the power of the Holy Spirit on April 2 2006. This experience prompted him to start preaching the Gospel on trains, in churches, at crusades and youth meetings both nationally and internationally.

A few years later, Kyle had a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit whom he said entered his room, causing him to feel a power surge for almost 40 minutes during which he shook and wept. During this time, he was delivered from all demonic oppression and received a mandate from the Lord to: “Go set my people free.”

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Kyle boldly states that God uses him “powerfully in the gifts of the Spirit” and said he believed that “the anointing makes the difference”.

The young pastor acknowledged that, as is often the case, there were people who God used to pave the way for him to go into fulltime ministry and to mentor him.

“There are a few men that played this role in my life; what’s important is that we remain teachable. Pastor Andy Lamb, Pastor Russel Van Wyk and Dr Rodney Howard Browne are mentors who have shaped me into the minister I am today. I am currently under the covering of Drs Rodney and Adonica Howard Browne from Revival Ministries International and I am accountable to them,” he said.

When asked what some of the key learnings have been during his time in ministry, Kyle replied: “Not to be in a hurry and relationships are more valuable than events.”

He added: “The encouragement that I get from God is simple: Scripture says that nobody must look down on you because of your age. My encouragement to others would be that you must keep going – maturity never comes with age but rather by character and conduct, so be an example,” he said.

For all believers who want to live a life surrendered to Christ, Kyle said that flags that believers should look out for in order to identify the true Church of Christ from an imitation or the true Gospel from false teaching were, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

“Love can never be faked. Jesus said He will know us by our fruits and true, authentic power always flows genuinely when Love is the foundation. When you truly love, as a pastor, you lay hands on people out of compassion and not for show.

“A healthy boundary that young believers can set for themselves in order to hold on to their salvation is ensuring that they are around the right people. The Bible says blessed is the man who is not seated in the council of the ungodly,” he said.

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In conclusion, Kyle said: “Every believer is called to ministry. The Bible says in Acts 1:8 that we will receive power to be a witness. Whatever sector we are in, God wants to use believers. The ‘seven-mountain mandate’ calls for believers to touch every sector and have impact, so that souls can come into God’s Kingdom.”

Kyle has been married to his wife, Melissa, who is also part of the #YTAUnite, for six years. He said they are currently fostering their soon-to-be-adopted daughter, Sophie.