Thobezweni Sithole
Mhlengi City Church | Johahannesburg, South Africa
Tell us about your family.
My wife is Mpilo Sithole, and we have been married for 8 years. She is a faithful partner in both life and ministry, and I am deeply grateful for the way she loves Christ, serves our family, and supports the work of church planting. The Lord has blessed us with two wonderful daughters. Our eldest is 7 years old Mbonge, and our youngest is 1 year old Hubo. They bring great joy, laughter, and perspective to our home, and parenting continues to be one of our greatest joys. We enjoy spending time together exploring Johannesburg, taking walks, and sharing meals.
How have you seen God working in your family?
Over the past few years, we have seen God’s faithfulness in countless ways. He has sustained us through the joys and challenges of church planting, providing grace for each season and reminding us that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. One of the greatest evidences of His kindness has been the way He has continued to unite us while deepening our dependence on Him. We have learned that ministry flows best from a healthy home, and the Lord has been teaching us to prioritize our marriage and family while serving His church. This season has also required significant trust as my wife has pursued new vocational opportunities while we continue planting Mhlengi City Church. Through these transitions, God has repeatedly shown Himself to be our faithful Provider, teaching us to hold our plans with open hands and to rest confidently in His sovereign care. By God's grace years of praying for her to transition into a Radiology program has been answered.
How have you seen God working in your church?
We have seen God’s faithfulness in remarkable ways over the past year. He has continued to grow Mhlengi City Church; not only numerically, but more importantly spiritually. We have welcomed new members, seen increasing commitment to discipleship, and watched more people step into meaningful service and leadership. One of our greatest joys has been witnessing stories of salvation and renewal. We have seen people move from spiritual apathy to genuine hunger for God’s Word, and others who were far from Christ begin to explore the gospel with sincerity. It has been a privilege to watch the Lord awaken hearts and draw people to Himself.
We have also seen God answer many prayers. He has provided faithful volunteers, strengthened our leadership, and brought together a diverse church family from different backgrounds who are being united by the gospel. Our prayer gatherings have become increasingly significant, reinforcing our conviction that God delights to work through the prayers of His people. Perhaps most encouraging has been seeing believers grow in their confidence in Christ’s sufficiency in the midst of suffering. Rather than abandoning their faith when faced with loss, disappointment, broken relationships, or uncertainty, many have continued to cling to Christ with deeper trust. Watching people wrestle honestly with difficult providences while continuing to believe God’s promises has been a powerful testimony to His sustaining grace. Through it all, we are increasingly convinced that Christ is building His church. The visible growth is encouraging, but the deeper miracle is seeing ordinary people transformed by the gospel—growing in holiness, loving one another well, and learning to treasure Jesus above everything else.
What is your church’s mission/vision?
Mhlengi City Church exists to make disciples who know Jesus, enjoy Jesus, and exalt Jesus. Our vision is to see the gospel of Jesus Christ fill and shape Johannesburg through gospel proclamation, intentional discipleship, and church planting. We long to see lives transformed and communities renewed for the glory of God.
How can we be praying for you?
Marriage and Margin: Pray that our marriage would remain healthy and Christ-centered, and that we would have the wisdom to maintain healthy rhythms of rest and family life while serving the church.
Provision for a Larger Ministry Space; Pray that God would provide the right permanent venue as we are quickly running out of capacity in our current meeting space.
Strength and Encouragement for Our Volunteers: Pray that God would sustain, encourage, and grow our volunteer team as they faithfully serve, and raise up more workers for the harvest.
To send Thobezweni a note of encouragement, write to HelloCP@spanishriver.com.
How have you seen God working in your life?
One area where God has been graciously growing me is learning to genuinely celebrate what He is doing in and through others. Church planting can subtly tempt you toward comparison, competition, or measuring your faithfulness against someone else’s fruit. The Lord has been exposing those tendencies in my own heart and teaching me to rejoice whenever Christ is preached, His kingdom advances, and His people flourish; even when it is through someone else’s ministry. He has also been teaching me that leadership is not about building my platform but about equipping, encouraging, and releasing others to use their gifts for the glory of Christ. I find increasing joy in seeing others grow, take responsibility, and succeed. That shift has been both humbling and freeing, reminding me that the church belongs to Jesus, and His kingdom is far bigger than my own ministry.