This is a big year for World Outreach. We’re celebrating our 90th anniversary as a Mission Agency. To celebrate this anniversary, we’re going to be looking back at our heritage through our 2022 Nations Issues.
We enthusiastically invite you to join us as we take you on a journey from our humble, faith-filled beginnings to be poised at one of the most pivotal moments in modern day missions
The Birth of World Outreach Africa
In 1971, a big tent and truck were purchased to be used for evangelism.
Joseph H. Berry met Dr Len Jones for the first time in 1968 and joined World Outreach as its first South African representative. Formerly known as the Slavic and Oriental Mission, the name was changed to World Outreach when several countries were added such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Kenya.
A house was bought in Alberton which was used as a dwelling place and an office was attached to it. It became the home and field office for World Outreach South Africa (SA). As the work grew, the office of World Outreach SA had to move to Halfway House where a bigger place was bought.
In 1969 David and Doreen Khoza joined World Outreach. In 1971, a big tent and truck were purchased to be used for evangelism. Twenty-one churches were planted in Swaziland, as well as twelve churches in South Africa. We also went to evangelise in other neighbouring countries, such as Botswana and Zimbabwe.
In 1981, the World Outreach Bible School (WOBS) was started. Over four thousand Pastors have been trained in the college to date and many of them are actively pastoring large congregations all around South Africa. Jeremiah Malaka later joined us in Evangelism. On 20th November, 2021, the WOBS celebrated 40 years of ministry and training.
We are forever grateful to God for what he has done and continues to do. At present, we have ten lecturers teaching at the Bible School. These lecturers are unpaid volunteers who have returned to help with gratitude for what the Lord has done for them. We give all glory to God for what has been accomplished through World Outreach in Africa.
Today, WO’s presence on the African continent includes the countries of South Africa (SA), Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Egypt. South African missionaries now serve in Southeast Asia, Mozambique, Botswana, and Macedonia, as well as in migrant outreach programmes within SA.
Dr David Khoza
Principal, World Outreach Bible College Soweto, South Africa
(This article can also be found in our Nations Magazine – Issue 2, 2022. Do you want to discover more about the World Outreach Nation Magazine? Take a look here.)