Page 1 - Good News April 2014 paper
P. 1
t was a cold evening. The skies were patchy with giant warehouse could not seem
clouds and chilly winds gusted from the peaks. more opposite. It was a sad reality
IHoward drove me to the church where I was to of modern life, but I could do
preach. That first Friday night as I sat on the nothing to fix the gulf between
platform I looked across a gathering of 200 people; young and old in Kimberley, or
there were no young people. I leaned over to anywhere else in the world. Only a suggested. I nodded. As I opened the door, the blast
Howard and asked, “Where are the young people?” revival of faith in Jesus could do of music must have knocked my hair back! In that
“Reinhard, would you like to know where all the that! instant I received a spiritual vision of the reality of
young people in Kimberley are?” Howard I would go back and preach my the disco. In the flash of the strobe lights, I did not
answered. After the service, he drove through the heart out to the old people again see young people dancing with joy. I saw frozen
streets until we reached a large warehouse, ablaze on Saturday and Sunday. Perhaps images of boredom, fear, loneliness and insecurity,
with gaudy neon signs. One large sign blinked out God would move in their hearts, one after the other, captured on the faces of those
the word, 'disco, disco, disco'. and they would begin to make a young people. Each of those haunted faces spoke
The parking lot was jam-packed. I could hear the difference in the lives of their own to me of emptiness - pure emptiness!
boom of the heavy base beat. “This is a den of young people. That seemed the Now I knew what the Spirit had wanted me to see. I
iniquity,” I said sadly. Howard nodded, “This is the best I could hope to achieve. felt the undeniable compassion of Jesus surging
latest thing, Reinhard. It is a 'discotheque' and But as I turned to get into the car, I within me. I wanted to weep for the precious,
young people flock here.” stopped in my tracks. The Holy searching young people of Kimberley. They lived in
Spirit began to speak to me. I had the city that was diamond crazy, yet they did not
Drawn to the world no idea what the Spirit wanted me know that they were the diamonds God had
I felt a shiver go down my spine. How could the to do, but I knew I could not leave. created. They were more precious in His sight than
Church compete for the attention of their youth mountains of wealth. He cared enough to die for
against such a temptation? The quiet little church Empty, lonely people
Continued on p. 12
building we had just come from, and this pulsating, “Let's take a look inside,” Howard Continued on p. 12