“I realised that the Bible has all the answers. Then with Langham preaching skills, I’m able to learn the solutions in the Bible as it was meant back then, and then I’m able to translate it to how we can apply it now. It’s been a game changer. So if there was more, I would keep going.”
Francis Thore is a lay pastor at Extension 44, a mission church in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. During the week, he tutors high school students in maths and physics, as well as working in website development for churches and non-profits. Despite an already busy schedule, ministry is a priority for Francis!
He shares, “I do preaching once a month. I’ve been doing that for the past four or five years.”
Francis is looking to go into full-time ministry in the future and is in the process of exploring study options. In the meantime, he’s been able to complete Langham Preaching Levels 1, 2 and 3!
A revolution in preaching methods
Francis first attended Langham training in 2017, when his church sent him and other young people to be trained as preachers. It was part of the church’s heart to grow people in ministry!
Francis shares, “What I learned there changed my preaching game, like 360, it was a revolution. So the second year, I actually begged my priest to let me go again and asked that they raise funds for me. And then the last one, Level 3, was in 2021. I also had to take a leave from my busy life. But I thought, ‘No, I have to finish this thing, because it’s actually a game-changer.’”
Attending the preaching training with Langham changed the whole way Francis views the Bible. It also impacted how he related to other Christians and the way he is able to engage with and interpret certain topics of the Bible.
Francis says, “I realised that the Bible has all the answers. Then with Langham preaching skills, I’m able to learn the solutions in the Bible as it was meant back then, and then I’m able to translate it to how we can apply it now. It’s been a game-changer. So if there was more, I would keep going.”
The Word alive in the lives of young people
Francis is heavily involved in youth ministry, which he has a particular passion for. He’s been greatly encouraged by how his preaching from the Bible has helped young people in his church to live by applying God’s Word correctly and usefully.
He explains, “I preached about the David and Goliath fight. David was very confronting to Goliath. He was going towards the challenge, following the challenge, and then he was speaking out of confidence [through God]. So after preaching that one, most of the young people in my church started facing their problems.”
One particular young man Francis was ministering to learned to lean on God and trust Him with his finances. Francis shares, “He had a goal, but then he wasn’t keen on saving money. He was just spending money recklessly. That was his challenge. So now he’s saving money each and every month. He’s applying God’s word to his life.”
Now Francis has a goal to introduce as many church youth leaders to Langham Preaching as possible. He explains, “So that even the youth teachings translate the Bible the way it’s supposed to be, without trying to make it fit their own personal agendas. And then that way, young people and the whole congregation can learn the truth of God and enjoy the freedom that comes with Christ.”