Rev. Ralph and Rev. Sharla Paul established Ambassadors for Jesus on the 20th September 1992 in the confines of their lounge, with a desire to provide comfort, counsel and a place of worship for people residing within the surrounds of the Umhlatuzana, Woodhurst and Kharwastan area. The church name was derived from 2 Corinthians 5:20.
For purposes of fellowship, authentication and co-operative connections, the congregation is affiliated to the International Assemblies of God, the largest Spirit-filled church in the world.
Due to numeric growth, the church relocated to Woodhurst Secondary School in October 1992.
In March 2004, land was purchased on 32nd Avenue, Umhlatuzana for the dual purpose of providing a worship centre and rehabilitation centre for people struggling with substance abuse as well as those infected by the HIV pandemic.
The building project commenced in March 2006, 2 years after the initial procurement of the property. The delay was attributed to us complying with the site engineer’s specifications as well as the re-zoning of the property according to metropolitan legislation.
Our vision was to provide a place where people searching to know God are not only welcomed, but taught Biblical principles, thereby developing a loving and caring Christian community, creating a global impact and international outreach.
At times, developing momentum in the building project was not easy. It took sacrifice, constant investment of time and endless amounts of energy.
The reality is that we experienced budget constraints because of the ever increasing cost of building materials and the interest hikes. However, we are indebted to our congregation for their high level of commitment and maturity which assisted in us overcoming all setbacks and didn’t consent to a focus on the initiative at the expense of the ministry. The realistic identifiable limitations and our ability to overcome them, coupled with the productivity, collaboration and a “mind-set of excellence” amongst all partners, the completion of our building project is considered as a triumphant victory. We salute the loyalty of our project managers, Rev. Ralph and Rev. Sharla Paul, in ensuring that we occupied our new premises on 2 February 2008.
The church has a strong spiritual zeal for prayer and faith in God for miracles, healings and transformed lives. The church offers counselling and encouragement to those seeking a life of victory. In its history the congregation has experienced the wonderful move of God’s Spirit on a regular basis. Families in the community can attest to the impact that our Church has had in their lives. The church has a rich history of being a blessing to the African continent… We have seed planted in over 25 nations of the world, and we continue to maintain this vision.