Churches from the Trans-Orange Conference (TOC) and the Northern Conference of South Africa (NCSA) have held a joint launch of OneVoice27 at Sedaven Estate in Heidelberg, Gauteng, bringing two conferences together for the Southern Africa Union's rollout of the global digital evangelism initiative.
The launch was held on Sabbath, 12 September 2026, and was led by Southern Africa Union Conference (SAU) President Dr. Paul Shongwe, joined by SAU departmental directors and the leadership of both participating conferences. NCSA President Pastor Peter Maligudu and TOC President Dr. Phaswana Makuwa attended alongside directors, pastors, and church board members from congregations across Gauteng.
The initiative is anchored in the Communication and Sabbath School and Personal Ministries (SSPM) departments, but is designed to mobilise every department, leader, pastor, and member across the Union.
SAU Communication Director Pastor Thulane Mkhize addressed content creation, challenging members to become intentional contributors rather than passive consumers of online material. Phones, photographs, videos, graphics, and personal testimonies can all serve the Church's mission, he said.
SAU Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Director Pastor Jerry Nemaranzhe focused on remaining grounded in Scripture. Technology is a tool, not the foundation of the work, he said, and meaningful evangelism must flow from a relationship with God. Members were encouraged to measure their impact not by views, likes, or followers, but by whether their online presence connects people with the gospel.
A significant moment came when Dr. Shongwe led congregants in consecrating their mobile phones for ministry, dedicating the devices as instruments for outreach rather than only for communication and entertainment. The moment underlined a recurring theme of the launches: sophisticated equipment is not a prerequisite. A smartphone can record a testimony, share a Bible verse, encourage someone, invite a friend to a church programme, or livestream a meeting.
The joint format brought two conferences into a single launch, and many congregants indicated a commitment to serve as digital missionaries within their own networks.
The Sedaven launch is one of several OneVoice27 events rolled out across the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division in recent months, including launches in the Cape Conference's Epondweni District, Durban, the Zimbabwe Central Union, and the Southwest Angola Union Mission.
