Karoo Mighty Men team inspired after gathering at Shalom

Angus Buchan back to lead KMMC’s Sunday session

The Karoo heartland is set to change from an arid landscape into a fertile field of worship and fellowship.

Those attending the fifth Karoo Mighty Men Conference, which will take place from  April 24 to 26, 2015, will have a rare opportunity to enrich their relationships with both their Holy Father and brothers in Christ.

The space and silence of the Karoo make it a very special place to spend time in the presence of the Lord. Camping in that environment also makes it a unique setting to enrich existing relationships and form new friendships.

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Furthermore, conference-goers will be able to deepen their understanding of the Lord God Almighty through a powerful line-up of speakers that includes Angus Buchan, Afrika Mhlophe, Louis Els and Isak Burger who will convey God’s word.

Jannie Moolman, KMMC coordinator and owner of Rusoord Farm on the outskirts of Middelburg, where the conference is hosted each year, is excited that Mighty Men spiritual father and founder, Angus Buchan, will again lead the Sunday morning family session.

Vision for 2015
Moolman recently returned from a trip to Shalom Ministries together with two of the speakers, Eastern Cape pastors Afrika Mhlophe and Louis Els, where Angus imparted his vision and guidelines for Mighty Men meetings during 2015, which are also being held in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State, Western Cape and Amanzimtoti in KwaZulu-Natal.

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Moolman says he returned to the Karoo inspired and ready to prepare in faith for KMMC 2015.

“After visiting Angus one cannot help being inspired by his faith-filled attitude. He is so positive and so full of the Lord’s presence that being with him motivates you to rededicate yourself to the Lord’s service.”

Moolman says the trip to Shalom also enabled him to spend valuable time with Mhlophe and Els as well as meet with other Mighty Men conference organisers.

Moolman says Angus is excited about returning to the Karoo for which he has specifically set aside time, even though his travelling schedule has become more demanding with outreaches to Israel, the UK, the US and Brazil.

“There is much excitement among the KMMC organising committee who believe the event is going through renewed development and that 2015 will represent a watershed point whereby those attending will be encouraged to enter into a deeper relationship with God.

“We believe that we have a very special speaker team this year added to which are Retief Burger, Joe Niemand and Dewald Gouws, who will again lead praise and worship during the event, will make a live recording to produce a CD.”

Afrika Mhlophe is also excited about KMMC 2015, which will be the third year that he brings God’s word to the thousands of men who gather in the amphitheatre-like setting at the foot of the Renosterberg.

He says the trip to Shalom, meeting Angus and connecting with organisers and speakers of other Mighty Men Conferences was both inspiring and encouraging.

Mhlophe says there is already growing excitement about Angus’ return to KMMC.

“I have had a number of people expressing enthusiasm for the event this year and keen anticipation for Angus’ message.”

Reconciliation
Mhlophe, who has a heart and a calling for promoting the gospel of reconciliation among South Africans, reminds that: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).

He says although reconciliation was introduced into the global political lexicon as a favoured outcome for conflict by South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy, it remains unfinished business in our country, both within and outside of the church.

Mhlophe contends that the reason reconciliation is incomplete is that we have focused on a racial and political process, whereas reconciliation first has to be achieved in our spiritual lives by the grace of God, mirroring Jesus Christ’s forgiveness on the cross.

He is convinced that the KMMC, which allows men to spend a few days isolated from their normal lives in the world and focusing on their relationship with God, fosters the restoration of their other relationships, be it family, friends, work colleagues or fellow citizens.

The KMMC has, since its inception, had a focus on reconciliation and the restoration of relationships.

For instance, last year those that participated in the KMMC’s 40 Days of Prayer, which took place in the period leading up to the conference, spent much of their time praying for reconciliation and the restoration of relationships.

Dave Turner, one of the local organisers of the KMMC, who is a farmer in the Middleburg district, lay pastor in a local church and led the KMMC’s 40 Days of Prayer says: “The purpose of the Karoo Mighty Men Conference is to support change in men’s lives by God’s grace, allowing them to return home and love their families and neighbours in ways they have never done before”.

Restoration of relationships
“Starting with the family, let’s believe God for the restoration of relationships; husbands and wives, fathers with their children and children with their fathers. Then also relationships with extended family, with fellow believers, with colleagues, with neighbours and with those in authority,” he adds.

Those that participated in the KMMC 40 days of Prayer last year prayed the following prayer, which Turner distributed and again applies to KMMC 2015:

“Father, we thank you for the many thousands of restored relationships that have occurred in the past as a result of men attending a Mighty Men Conference, and we pray that You will come and do this again in our midst.  We pray for everyone attending the conference this year, that Your will is for them to have godly, healthy relationships at every level.  We pray that those who need to ask forgiveness would be convicted to do so, and that those who need to forgive would repent of harbouring offence and be set free.  We pray that repentance, forgiveness and restoration would flow abundantly, and we pray that relationships everywhere would move up to a different dimension”.

KMMC 2015 aims to change men’s lives, by God’s grace, through leading them to salvation in Lord Jesus Christ and reconciliation with God, which will allow them to return home renewed, to love their families, neighbours and fellow South Africans.

“We hope to lead people into a closer relationship with the Lord, which will impact on the quality of all their other relationships,” says Moolman. 

For more information contact Ruthi van der Merwe at (M) 082 857 7839 (F) 049 842 3310 EMAIL: info@karoommc.co.za WEB: www.karoommc.co.za