Fire falls at epic #YTAUnite 2017 event

Photos: Keanan Messias and Joshua Cambell

More than 5 000 young people from Cape Town and surrounds joined in worship, praise and renewing their lives in God at the #YTAUnite event at the Belville Velodrome last Saturday.

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Kyle driver, chairman of Youth Transformation Africa (YTA) said “we saw 5 000 young people lift up Jesus. 900 were saved. Over 1 000 were baptised with the fire of the Holy Spirit and young people were set free.”

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Addressing church leaders and media before the event he said YTA’s vision was to hold the event annually and from next year to take it to other parts of the country, impacting young people, communities and even government through the power of the gospel.

The #YTAUnite pre-programme kicked off at 2.30pm with Drummers Unite, a band of four drummers taking the stage. The crowd went wild when the drummers played their solo parts — especially when Chanté Phillips did hers.

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The missional band Kinetic IV, with their young and hip sound expressed their belief that “we are made for more”. #ThisIsOurTime is their motto.

Pastors Bradley van Reenen and Vincent Alexander shared encouraging messages of hope. There was also a time of prayer for youth and the nation and everybody joined in praying out loud a prayer that was displayed on the screens.

The YTA Choir and YTA Dancers were awesome in their precision and outfits.

Heinz Winckler blessed the audience in song and spoke about recent experiences that drew him closer to God. He reminded the audience to keep God’s commandments and to listen to God when He speaks, when singing Lord have Your way. He ended  by singing his new hit Roar referring to “Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah’s mighty roar that calls us to true freedom and purpose”.

Johan Brits brought everyone back to the heart of worship. It is really on his heart to tell people that God is taking us to seasons of obedience. In his own personal life he can clearly see that in a lot of things God is testing our hearts, before we reach our seasons of blessing.

“The highlight was when Neville D took a selfie with the audience, from the stage,” according to one of the attendees, Olivia Daniels. The world-renowned singer engaged with the crowd as they chanted “Jesus!” with him. Ta-Te Faywers, a young lady from Kimberley, joined him on stage to do the rap of #LikeFire and #NobodyLikeJesus.

Jonathan Rubain was the last artist to take the stage. His fingers danced over the strings of his guitar as only his can, and instantaneously, majority of the audience swarmed the passages, jiving to his “Afrikaans pinksterkoortjies” such as God sorg vir die mossies and Toe die Here my siel kom red het, toe kry ek ‘n lekker smakie.

“We can sing everything and anything, but please don’t forget the ‘Pinkster’ ones”, he said.

Every artist was unique and brought different genres of music to suit each and every listener. The stage setting, lighting and sound was of high quality. The MC’s were funny, yet blessed and really engaged with the crowd to get them screaming, laughing and praising the Lord.

Young ones ran to the front of the stage to not only enjoy the music, but also make right with God. The event surely delivered as promised, it transformed lives…

Keith Daniels, from a youth in the Beacon Valley said: “To the organisers and donors, to set off an event like this gets 10 out of 10! To pull a crowd like this, means the media was excellent. The sound, the security, everyone that had a task, gave exceptional value. For an idea to be born and materialise like this, is awesome. From the outside, it sounded like thunder! It was really blessed.”

He suggested that the preachers could have started earlier because when it was time for them to minister, many people had already left. He said he hoped the City of Cape Town would start investing in the event to boost it.

Other responses reported by YTA’s media team include:

Nineteen-year old Max Swartz from Parkwood in the Southern suburbs said he invited his mother to attend the event with him. “When they asked people to come to the altar in front, my mother was the fifth person, who walked to the front. It was amazing, a person must never stop praying for a family member, to also accept Jesus as Saviour.”

Christolene Bamboe from the youth group, Coach Youth, in Atlantis, said it was a blessed event and that she experienced the Holy Spirit in the Velodrome, throughout the day. She said more of these events must be held for young people, to praise and worship Jesus.

Brandon Ludick from Sarepta in Kuilsriver said, he also experienced God in the indoor stadium. “To see so many young people, who have accepted Jesus into their hearts, was an extraordinary sight to behold.”

After the event, many were seen still in hype singing and dancing outside. They formed their own circles and exchanged contact details with others, with promises to keep in touch and visit.

Kyle Driver thanked the supporters, pastors and media for their involvement. The next YTA event is planned for November 2017, at the Athlone Stadium.