Church leaders preach message of love, peace

With the Country slowly recovering from its tough economic and financial times, church leaders have called on South Africans to turn to God as a source of spiritual strength, moral guidance and a sign of hope.

This as millions of Christians and Jews celebrate the Easter holidays.

Thousands are celebrating and observing Easter Friday – the day when Christ died on the cross for the sins of man.

Reverend of Methodist church, Nomsa Nomqolo says, “Through his death, we are given new life and reconciled to God. To those who have been through tragedy, there is still there because when we go through trials and tribulations God is there. In God times he is still there.”

In Soweto, visitors and church members turned up to listen to the word of God.

“It is so many people who have come to worship with us. It is a historic place so everybody wants to be here and as a community we help each other during good times and bad time. It’s today where we remember that Christ died for our sins,” said Reverend Nomqolo.

The Orlando Stadium drew an impressive crowd with Bishop of Grace Bible Church, Mosa Sono.

“In the new testament the church becomes the body of Christ to be a community who believe in his death and resurrection and the work that he has done in their lives,” Bishop Sono adding that churches should be a beacon of hope.

“I think people are not going to church as much as they should. We as the church are also to blame because we fail to communicate in a practical way on how the gospel can affect people on a daily basis.”

The Easter Friday celebrations culminate on Monday.