Rufaro developed into a thriving music ministry with several hundreds of bookings per year. Still Peter, Vangi, and Oliver maintained a policy of never cancelling on a smaller church in favour of a larger one’s offer. One day Peter received a call from an influential local pastor.
“Look, I know your policy,” he said. “But something has come up. We have an unprecedented opportunity to host a big 5-night Gospel campaign in the Birmingham City Hall. We’ve got a well-known evangelist, but we want Rufaro...”
“Who is the evangelist?” Peter asked.
“A German guy from South Africa, called Reinhard Bonnke.” What?? Surely this was no coincidence!
One month earlier, Peter had happened upon a magazine published by Bonnke’s ministry, Christ for All Nations (CfaN). It outlined CfaN’s upcoming plans for expanding evangelism in Africa. With magazine in hand Peter had sensed the Holy Spirit saying “The Lord has a role for you to play in this ministry.” Despite his attempts to dismiss it, he could not shake this prompting from God, and now there seemed to be a reason behind it.
He phoned around and each church that he explained to was willing to move their dates, and Rufaro committed to the campaign.
After the event Peter recalls meeting with Reinhard. “I told him about the magazine article and what I believed God had said to me. He was a little taken aback. ‘I’m sorry, Peter, but we really don’t have any use for a preacher or a musician. There’s nothing for you.’
‘Oh,’ Peter said, disappointed. ‘I really felt the Lord spoke to me.’
Peter thought he’d better get going, and stood up to take his leave. But then Reinhard said, ‘Well there IS one thing. But it’s nothing for you.’
‘What is that?’ he asked.
‘Well, I need someone to kick our transport department into shape.’
‘Reinhard, that was my profession! I was the managing director of a motor dealership. I’m a skilled engineer. I know that world!’
‘What? Would you come for that?’ Reinhard asked, amazed.
‘I would’...”
Questions
- Ephesians 1:7-8 addresses the redemption of Christ. Peter thought that his past life as an agnostic motor mechanic was rubbish, but God redeemed it and crafted it into a gateway for further ministry. How have you seen God’s redemptive work active in your life? What in your past are you believing God to redeem?
- Verses 9-10 of Ephesians 1 mention how God reveals the mystery of his will. Has God ever led you in a direction that seemed mysterious? What do you imagine Peter was thinking, as a successful music minister, when he sensed God calling him back into motor mechanics?
- In Exodus 3:1-10 God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. How do you think Moses’ time spent shepherding “on the far side of the desert” prepared him for this task?
- How do you think his experience previously following the call of God prepared Peter for the opportunity to join Christ for All Nations in their transport department?
Ephesians 1:7-10 KJV
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Exodus 3:1-10 KJV
1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
