Grace Bible Church’s Presiding Bishop Mosa Sono and his wife MaBishop Gege Sono during the Good Friday Celebration last year. Grace Bible Church
The Grace Bible Church has planned a rousing Good Friday Celebration in the heart of Soweto this Easter.
The renowned church, now running for 40 years, promises congregants at the Orlando Stadium a stirring gathering at one of the most important gatherings on the South African Christian calendar.
Grace Bible Church's three-day Good Friday Celebration attracts thousands of people from across the globe to the home of DStv Premiership giants Orlando Pirates.
Prior to 2011, the event was held at the church's premises, followed by the Jabulani Amphitheatre in 2009 and 2010. Such was its popularity that a bigger venue was needed, and Orlando Stadium was identified as the preferred choice.
An even bigger crowd is expected this Friday when Grace Bible Church founder and Presiding Bishop Mosa Sono is expected to open the 2024 edition of the Good Friday Celebration at the football Mecca to commemorate the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This year’s theme is 'God's Overflowing Love'. The event returned last year after taking a back-seat due to Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions imposed during 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The speakers include "host-in-chief" Sono, Grace Bible Church's Bishop Ezekiel Mathole and guests Prophet Annanius Ralekholela and Archbishop Gladstone Botwana.
Highlights of the second day include a special youth celebration and a concert not to be missed, headlined by the Grace Bible Church Band and several "surprise" artists.
Sono said participants should expect the "pure" word of God, who will speak through his servants. "We urge people to bring those who are going through problems and have lost hope. They need to hear and be encouraged by the word of God," he said.
"We exist because of the obedience to God made by Jesus Christ as a living sacrifice. He who had no sin was tortured, mocked and killed for our sins. It is the most important weekend in the Christian calendar and reminds us of the unconditional love of God. We will be sharing those good news while remembering the gift that Jesus was to the world that He paid the ultimate prize to save those who believe in him and make him Lord of their lives."
He encouraged devotees to embrace the event and expect to hear from God. He urged them to open their hearts, ears and prepare to do as the word of God expects.
"We also have elections coming up and it is important to bring this moment before God and pray for peaceful campaigning, ballot casting and the outcomes," he added.
Over the past weeks, various branches of Grace Bible Church across the country have been holding outreach events to "win souls" and urge people to attend the event. In addition, congregants who accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and saviour at the main campus in Pimville on Sunday were given fee tickets to the event. There were also promotions activated during church services and via social media.
Entrance and parking tickets are available online via the website www.gracebiblechurch.org.za at R5 for each day. They may also be purchased tickets via the Grace Bible Church app, available for download on the Google Play Store, Huawei AppGallery, and iOS App Store.
Services start at 10am on all three days with gates opening at 8am.
Parking is available at Nkanyezi Stimulation School, Lereshe Primary School, Shomang Primary School, Orlando High School, and Rugby Stadium in Orlando.
Congregants are urged to bring food provisions to the stadium. Informal traders will also be selling from kiosks at the stadium.
An evening prayer for the Good Friday Celebration started yesterday at Pimville main auditorium and will end tomorrow. Thursday has been set aside for final preparations and a dry-run ahead of the "main course" on Friday.
Thousands of volunteers from the church will provide frontline essential services such as ushering, parking attendance and security.
Pretoria News
kennnedy.mudzuli@inl.co.za
Related Topics: