Free State Province

1. Rephrase vision:
Christian leaders in South Africa: committed towards spiritual renewal, moral restoration, social transformation and combined action with the purpose of impacting the entire nation

2. Our understanding of the SACLA Agenda
· Promote unity, shared vision and combined action
· Spiritual renewal
· Moral restoration
· Social transformation
· Facilitate and network: tracks and giants
· Encourage and support regional and local action
· Leadership empowerment
· Advocacy
· Theological debate

3. Local office
We are fortunate to have a city operational office called God’s Kingdom in Action where a number of city and provincial initiatives are hosted. We are of opinion not to call it a SACLA or Transformations office but an office supporting Kingdom initiatives cutting across church and racial boundaries. The functions of this office are:
· Promote and live a kingdom culture
· Support a process of hope, reconciliation, cooperation and shared vision in our province and city
· Provide logistic support for the provincial and city process and events
· Fulfill a bridge function within the church e.g. between white and black, between reformed and charismatic/pentecostal etc
· Mobilise energy and resources behind a kingdom vision
· Connect with national initiatives and processes

5. Principles of operation
· God’s kingdom is focus
· Passion for unity
· Respect for diversity in body
· Crossing divides of all sorts
· Empowerment of local congregations
· Working together in partnership, accountability, love and trust
· Synergy and power of networking
· Holistic approach
· Ongoing process gaining momentum
· Foundation: prayer, leadership & solid relationships

6. City process
The Kingdom city process started in 1990 with the following dynamics: building trust and relations amongst church leaders, pray for the city, determining God’s redemptive purpose for our city, developing a shared vision and strategic framework for our city, spiritual fathers taking spiritual authority over the city (eg press releases on controversial issues), raising up spiritual sons, establish Bloemfontein Prayer Network, embarking on joint projects eg HIV/Aids and poverty alleviation, weekly fellowships including pastors’ wives, developing a database, sharing ongoing information of city process, access to local media, having city events since 1990 (city consultations, prayer events, reconciliation gatherings, part of national initiatives and hosting road shows, leadership retreats, consultations with provincial and local government, business breakfasts, provincial summits, leadership training, youth concerts, hosting jointly national and international speakers).

The domain concept and SACLA “spinnekop” is shared but little progress has been made to identify local champions to mobilise the various tracks or sectors.

It is extremely difficult to try and assess what progress are made. Most of the time it feels like we are scratching the surface.
A lot of good things are happening spontaneous: do not try to understand or coordinate everything. The Holy Spirit is in charge.
There is an increase in awareness of the bigger picture regarding the Body of Christ
There is an increase in spiritual energy in the city pot
Kingdom seed has been sown
The church leaders carrying the city vision are a few and are not from the most influential congregations
Black leaders have emerged the last few years and are taking more Kingdom responsibility
Both spiritual fathers and strategic operators are needed for process (national, regional and local). However, it is important to clarify roles and functions to ensure sustainability as both groups have access to vast resources and expertise.
The Youth Network needs institutional capacity
Limited financial resources
The inequality gap between resourceful and less resource congregations are increasing. Although significant improvements regarding housing and services have materialised the last 10 years churches in the former townships must still cater for more depressing socio economic communities under increasing pressure to cope with daily struggles of members to survive. There is also a substantial flow of members from poorer to smarter churches.
Attempts should be made to assist local congregations to develop into multi purpose community centres operating 7 days a week
Institutional and entrepreneurial capacity is needed amongst church leadership (including elders)

7. Free State Christian Church Leaders Forum
The Premier, Ms Winkie Direko, has called the Christian Church Leaders to discuss matters of mutual concern in 2001. The outcome was the start of a provincial Kingdom process. A Forum came into being consisting of church leaders with a provincial and/or regional area of responsibility. During the last 3 years progress was made with regard to: vision (The Church in the Free State: United in Christ), mission (to act as a facilitation platform for the Church in the Free State to be a prophetic and united voice to address her needs and challenges and that of the community in a holistic approach), strategic issues (unity, communication and needs and challenges) and planning, leadership, organisational development, constitution, NPO number, SARS number, financial admin, consultations with Government, provincial prayer network, networking with towns, linkages with national initiatives (SACLA and Transformations Africa), business plans for funding, HIV/Aids desk, serving on Provincial MRM committee, fundraising, building, provincial prayer days, AGM’s. The second summit was held on 24 June as part of sharing the vision, being a facilitation platform, part of a process, progress, informing, building relations, crossing the divides, obtaining the bigger picture, respect for diversity, and providing hope.

· Observation: The forum is still in her early days and phase 1 has just been completed. The leadership of the forum has not taken adequate ownership of the Forum yet. The big question is: what products and services can the forum produce in a church environment of formal and organised church systems (less interested) versus little administrative and management capacity in other circles (more interested)?

8. Provincial Summit
The Second Free State Christian Church Leaders Summit was held on 24 June with the theme: 10 Years of Democracy: The Church’s Response and Way Forward. The purpose was to:
· Thank the previous Premier for her role as Christian leader in the province
· To welcome and dedicate the new Premier
· To provide a platform for church and civil society leaders to reflect on 10 years of democracy
Some 250 persons have attended the summit. Read more...