How I See It

By PJ Smyth

Recently I was asked in a TV interview ‘So who is PJ Smyth?’ Somewhat paralysed in the glare of the lights I gave a lame answer that I doubt even a genius edit will be able to salvage. The answer that I wish I had given goes like this: I am a Rescued One. I am one plucked by Christ from the flames - the flames of future judgement and the flames of a self-centred life. I am a grateful man with a debt of love to Jesus and the gospel, and for my fabulous wife and three sons, good health, food on the table, a warm bed, legions of friends. Man, talk about a host of cherries on top! But if you pushed me, here’s what’s at the heart of my heart:

‘The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church’ (Eph. 1:22 Message).

For the first twenty years of my life I thought Jesus was great but the church sucked. I wanted to be an international Christian sportsman or a Rock Star for Jesus, or anything that would jazz up boring old Christianity. But then at university I walked into a pumping local church and everything changed. In a flash I saw the beauty and potential of a Bible-style local church. I got it: the church is the raison d’être of creation. She’s the only thing going through to eternity. She’s God’s launch pad for world redemption. If the world is a wheel then the church is the hub.

Here’s to a life of helping thousands of Bible-vibe local churches to get planted and strengthened! Here’s to churches in the villages and cities that delight in God’s sovereignty, are intoxicated with God’s grace, are drenched in the power of God’s Spirit, and obsessing for the unsaved and the poor.

Getting down to specifics, after seven years of church planting in Zimbabwe, we felt God tell us to move to Johannesburg in South Africa to do ‘it’ again, ie to plant a reproducing base church. GodFirst is now six years old and we have fifteen Sunday meetings in nine different locations around Jo'burg. I love all the action at GodFirst, and I also give an apostolic lead to other churches, helping them mostly with matters of doctrine and leadership.

I feel a strong calling to two things: first, to the restoration of the New Testament apostolic elements of city-shaping, culture-engaging and soul-winning. Second, I am determined that our generation springboards off the outstanding apostolic foundation and momentum generated by our fathers. We are not going to wander around in the desert for forty years ‘transitioning’. We are stepping-up and stepping-out, in-step with Jesus Christ. In the words of Braveheart, ‘Are you ready for a war?’ Raise your glass to Jesus Christ, our Great General!

PJ has gathered and developed a fine team of leaders who all march to the same drumbeat and are together producing a truly exciting church where people are continually being converted and discipled, and where new congregations are being released with extraordinary speed.

PJ has been blessed with a wonderful leadership gift yet is humble and teachable, and a great friend to have on your side.

Throughout the last year he has been confronted by an encounter with cancer, which came ‘out of nowhere’ with alarming speed and impact. He and Ashleigh have handled the whole experience with exemplary patience and courage, not hiding the trauma, but coming through enriched by their fellowship with Jesus through the darkest days and nights.

The leadership team of the burgeoning GodFirst church have handled things with great skill during his months away from the helm. Now, as PJ re-emerges, things are back under way and my expectation is days and years of increasing fruitfulness for the glory of God.

The growth of GodFirst has caught the attention of other pastors and church leaders in the nation, thereby providing PJ with opportunities for fellowship, encouragement and even training conferences for church leaders from many different backgrounds and cultures. I anticipate that he will become an influential friend of many as well as an apostolic father to an army of sons that he is raising up.

How I See It

By PJ Smyth

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