Many powerful God moments at nation-building Time2Rise event outside Bloemfontein

Christians from all over South Africa, who responded to a call to unite for change in the country, gathered for a weekend of intense worship, prayer, strategic input and planning at the Time2Rise event outside of Bloemfontein.

Economist and marketplace Christian leader Dr Arno van Niekerk, who facilitated the weekend’s proceedings together with Senekal bridge builder Pastor John Mathuhle, told Gateway News afterwards that his main takeaways from the weekend were that “God’s people are uniting like never before” and “spending time in God’s presence over the weekend”.

The audience and those ministering on the stage pressed through temperatures of up to 36⁰C and well into the night to get through the weekend’s packed programme. All were rewarded with inspiring messages from a lineup of leaders, stirring prayer and uplifting worship with a number of memorable God moments. Former chief justice Mogoeng Mogoeng was the keynote speaker.

Some of the standout moments included a time of healing on Friday night initiated by Mathuhle, as leaders representing different cultures washed each others’ feet and repented over attitudes and actions which hurt and divided the nation and held different groups back from fulfilling their destinies.

Another significant time occurred on top of a koppie where the gathering dedicated South Africa to the Lord, cancelling the dedication of the nation to “ancestors” during ANC centenary celebrations in 2012. Similar dedications of the nation to the Lord by other leaders in recent years were acknowledged and Saturday’s ceremony was described as sealing the dedication. Leaders from different cultural groups each read portions of the dedication declaration [See the declaration here] and the ceremony concluded with various prophetic actions and sharing communion. There was a holy moment when the crowd on the hilltop noticed that during the ceremony two distinct cross shapes had formed in the clouds (See photo of the clouds below and other images from the dedication).

When news broke later on Saturday morning that Israel was under an unprecedented attack by Hamas terrorists the gathering prayed fervently for Israel.

Van Niekerk said he is also encouraged by feedback he has received from Saturday afternoon strategic sessions where people gathered in groups representing various sectors of society to seek solutions for SA. “These discussions deepened the family feel of the gathering,” he said.

He said he was also encouraged by many testimonies of “small miracles” as people in the crowd ministered to each other during the weekend. He was also grateful that God had used His people to cover the costs of the weekend which were more than R400 000.

He said a commissioning session involving prayer, worship and declarations, led by Zane Meas at the end of the event on Sunday was also a standout time in which “you could really sense a new wineskin was being birthed”.

Van Niekerk also highlighted new initiatives which were announced at the weekend. “The one is really, we are working on a new constitution for South Africa that aligns with biblical values. And we are working on a new, collapse-proof financial system based on gold and silver that can create an alternative economy.”

He said a new national prayer strategy will be announced soon.

Reporting back on the results of an online campaign to identify people who could lead the nation he said: “We received over 44 000 vote for leaders. The Top 50 will meet soon to pray and plan regarding a righteous government. If a vehicle were to be created, it will be separate from Time2Rise. Only those leaders who want to be involved will be part of the process.”

During the gathering Van Niekerk emphasised that Time2Rise is not a political organisation but a catalyst to mobilise Christians to arise. He said Time2Rise as an entity or a movement is not even the focus. The important thing is for Christians to arise in this season. During the event the gathering heard a report that Christians in several other African nations were saying they were waiting for SA to ignite the move that is destined to spread through Africa.

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