Ministry Training for Existing Pastor

Ministry Training for Existing Pastor

Hello everyone.My name is actually Barend Christian de Wit but I am called Ian (being the last part of Christian)

I am 47 yaers old and lived in Kimberley.I have been married to a wonderful wife, Marieta , for 25 years. We have 2 beautiful sons,whom we treasure as gifts received from God.

During my teens and young adult years, I was a real rebel, causing my parents many grey hairs. Church and God , in particular was not very high on my priority list.

My wife fell pregnant in the last semester of her matric year. Not knowing what to do, I thought I would do the honourable thing and get married. The first few years of our marriage was really rough and the only time we would be in church was for either a wedding or a funeral. . Or finances up to this point was really good and we lived a wealthy life style. By the more we got, the further we grew from God in our lives.But we were brought back to earth and reality with a real bang as everything suddenly started to fell apart. My vehicle broke down and,because I used my vehicle to do my work as a debt collector. I started loosing the one contract after another.

Guys doing reposessions was on my doorstep nearly everyday.It came to a point where we lost everything and had to move in with my parents in law.I felt like a complete failure as a provider,spouse and father. I had no one to blame but myself for our situation. But somewhere in my mind I came to the realization that I had to get out of this terrible situation and get back on my feet. With money borrowed from my father in law,I started a small food stall. At first it was quite a struggle,but as days went by, I actually started to show some profit, As it was quite lonely I started to read my army issued Bible for the very first time, I started feeling a change in me.We even started going to church and family cells. We were actually really happy for the first time in our lives.But that was all about to change. On 21 May 2001 as I was crossing the road, on my way to my stall, I was hit by a vehcle and flew 40 metres through the air. I was immediately rused to the hospital where my wife and family members were called and told to come as they werre not sure how long I have to live,

I remembered opening my one eye as my other was a mess of blood and skin, and saw my wife crying. I tried to comfort her saying that everything would be all right and all that she must do is to pray for my recovery.I suffered severe breaking of my right leg in 12 places, my arm in 6. I lost the sight out of the corner of my right eye and was informed that I would never walk again. I was in and out of the ICU. During that time I had a real encounter with God where I made a solomn promise that if I was given another chance I would serve Him with all in me.Well it is now 18 years later and I have kept my promise. Though they told me I would never walked again and being pushed on a wheelchair out of hospital after 71 days in ICU. I am jogging and playing tennis.

In September of 2001 in me and my wife gave our hearts to the Lord and we were baptized as born again children of God.
There was this constant urge inside us to do more and more.

In 2008 my desire to serve the Lord was put to the test. I was asked to take over as preacher at the Bushmen congregation near our town. Being a person not able to speak in front of others, I tried the Moses trick saying that I am weak with words and not a good spokesman. Our Pastor told me that if God brings you to a situation, He will provide the means to take you through it. On that Sunday morning I preached a full sermon for 3 hours without any hesitation or stuttering and as they say the rest is history. In 2015 I started praying to God to give me a place of worship in our community, to make it easy for people battling with transport, to get to church. Well the Lord provided us with a beautiful building, chairs and an amazing sound system and we were all set.In September 2015 I started a small congregation, under the wing of the big church with 11 people.The desire to serve the Lord was toxic and pretty soon we started to experience growth

Currently we are between 40 and 50 attending the church. Every service is an occasion where we invite the Holy spirit to fill the building as we pray for sickness, for provision but most of all to thank the Lord for His love and provision.

I knew that the Lord had called me to service, but there was no need to study, but thanks to Christian Leaders I am now able to fulfill my dream and desire to be in His service permanantly