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Erlo Stegen
Erlo Hartwig Stegen (1935 - 2023). South African missionary and revivalist of German descent, born on Mbalane farm near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to Hermannsburg missionary descendants. Raised Lutheran, he left school after grade 10 to farm but felt called to ministry in 1952, evangelizing rural Zulus under apartheid. After 12 years of preaching with few lasting conversions, he experienced a transformative revival in 1966 at Maphumulo, marked by repentance and reported miracles. In 1970, he founded KwaSizabantu Mission (“place where people are helped”) in Kranskop, which grew into a self-sustaining hub with farms, a water bottling plant, and schools, serving thousands. Stegen authored Revival Among the Zulus and preached globally, establishing churches in Europe by 1980. Married with four daughters, he mentored Zulu leaders and collaborated with theologian Kurt Koch. His bold preaching drew 3 million visitors to KwaSizabantu over decades.
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Sermon Summary
Erlo Stegen emphasizes the importance of spiritual growth for those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. He outlines key practices such as watching and praying to avoid sin, having regular intimate times with God through prayer and Bible reading, and maintaining fellowship with other believers. Stegen illustrates these points with a story of a stagnant church that revived after addressing hidden sin and committing to prayer. He stresses that spreading the Gospel is essential for personal and communal growth in faith. Ultimately, he encourages believers to actively engage in their spiritual lives to remain vibrant and fruitful.
How to Grow
For those of you who have surrendered your lives to Jesus Christ you need to know how can one remain spiritually alive WATCH AND PRAY. Don't allow sin in your life or give any room to the devil. Example: A certain Malawian church suddenly became stagnant. In response, the conregation met more regularly to pray for growth. The numbers continued to dwindle until a member confessed to having stolen money from a recently widowed family. When this was dealt with the church promptly gained new life and members. If you want your personal life with God (and your church) to grow then remember to watch and pray. HAVE REGULAR TIMES WITH GOD. Intimiate prayer and reading of the Bible are very important for spriritual growth. The Bible is your food - eat it daily as often as you can. HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THOSE WHO ARE SURRENDERED TO THE LORD. A red hot coal loses its fire if it is isolated. SPREAD THE GOSPEL. Witness to others about Jesus Christ. The gospel is vital for any progress or civilization to occur. Spread the Good News
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Erlo Hartwig Stegen (1935 - 2023). South African missionary and revivalist of German descent, born on Mbalane farm near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, to Hermannsburg missionary descendants. Raised Lutheran, he left school after grade 10 to farm but felt called to ministry in 1952, evangelizing rural Zulus under apartheid. After 12 years of preaching with few lasting conversions, he experienced a transformative revival in 1966 at Maphumulo, marked by repentance and reported miracles. In 1970, he founded KwaSizabantu Mission (“place where people are helped”) in Kranskop, which grew into a self-sustaining hub with farms, a water bottling plant, and schools, serving thousands. Stegen authored Revival Among the Zulus and preached globally, establishing churches in Europe by 1980. Married with four daughters, he mentored Zulu leaders and collaborated with theologian Kurt Koch. His bold preaching drew 3 million visitors to KwaSizabantu over decades.