Pastor César Castellanos travelled from Colombia to the UK to worship with LifeSpring church last month. He preached in the morning, aided by an interpreter, Jorge Andres Catana Vera. After the service, he visited the church’s new home, the old Riley’s Snooker Hall on Oxford Road, where he and the LifeSpring team prayed together. Lynda Bowyer
THE FOUNDER of an international Church was the special guest at a day of celebration for a Reading fellowship last month.
Pastor César Castellanos, founder of Mision Carismatica Internacional (MCI) and also the father of the G12 Vision based in Bogotá, Colombia, visited LifeSpring’s meetings in Tilehurst, on Sunday, July 8. Afterwards, he visited the church’s new home, The Pavilion, in Oxford Road. MCI was founded in 1983 by Pastor Castellanos and his wife Claudia, a former senator of Colombia. It now has more than 300,000 members, based in cell groups and satellite churches.Aided by his interpreter, Jorge Andres Catana, Pastor Castellanos explained how he discovered the vision of G12 and, throughout his sermon, gave personal anecdotes to underpin his message. Intertwined with the meeting, at which more than 200 were present, were celebrations from both young and old;a birthday bouquet was presented to 90-year-old Betty Wheeler and testimonies were given by Kate Pierce, Emily Hollands, Andrew Gardner and Lewis Kelly.LifeSpring, currently holds its services in the main Hall at Prospect School, Tilehurst, but has acquired the former Riley’s Snooker Hall on Oxford Road, Reading, and change of use permission has recently been granted by Reading Borough Council for the building to be used as a church, and the building will be renamed The Pavilion.After a lunch with LifeSpring’s pastors Neville & Jackie Hollands, Pastor Castellanos visited the church’s new home to see the progress of ongoing renovations which are transforming the once derelict void into a building fit for purpose. A substantive programme of phased construction works are planned and Pastor Castellanos discussed these with Neville and members of the construction leadership team. Also present were Neville and Jackie’s teams of 12 at LifeSpring Church which share responsibility for the church’s outreach and discipleship programmes.Pastor Castellanos’ visit ended with a session of group prayer.LifeSpring’s pastor, Neville Hollands was delighted to welcome the church’s special guest. ‘It was an honour for us to receive Pastor César, pastor of one of the biggest churches in the world,” he said. “His ministry, teaching, faith, and lifestyle have not only challenged, but inspired us to believe for greater things in our families, church, and nation.
“We are very thankful to the Lord for connecting us to Pastor César and his ministry.”
At one level G12 is simply a cell church model to help fulfil the Great Commission by every leader being encouraged to train and raise up 12 leaders to do the same – just like Jesus did.On another level, G12 is about love, holiness, anointing, winning souls, family, faith, discipleship, and much more. It is a vision to impact towns, cities, and nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
For more, log on to www.g12.me
