Dr Stuart Robinson, a former missionary to Muslim countries, wrote a book entitled 'Mosques and Miracles', which cites many astonishing and remarkable occurrences of Muslims from Middle Eastern countries responding to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. This phenomenon has been verified by numerous others, including South African minister David Smethurst, who relocated to Australia from South Africa and Zimbabwe in 1988.
During his sixteen years in Africa, he witnessed many thousands of people exuberantly become followers of Christ. This was evidenced by the explosive growth in numbers of the congregations he served during that time.
"This was a period of historical spiritual significance for southern African Churches. because when that exponential growth ceased, it allowed a period of consolidation so that the next generation of Christian leaders could be developed," David Smethurst explained.
He was speaking to Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson, an Australian Baptist Minister who has been reflecting on God-inspired movements within Christendom in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
David Smethurst and Mark Tronson have followed similar pathways in the types of faith ministries they administer. They have both travelled extensively within their ministries and both have ministered to their respective national elite athletes as well as to people in the corporate sector.
David Smethurst commented, "Although I became a follower of Jesus Christ at 18, my greatest challenge as a young man was when in Zimbabwe, when I had reached the immediate pinnacle of the corporate greasy pole at 26. My choice was to respond to God's call to Ministry or accept an unbelievably lucrative offer."
The rest is history, and the Lord's ministry blessings have been bestowed upon David and his wife, Margurita. Their hallmark has been a clear understanding of expectancy, in allowing God to encounter His people without pastoral interference.
"In my pastoral ministry I determined to be a coach, not a pastor, in that a coach has a very definitive role, whereas a pastor is assumed to be 'the one', and even worse the 'jack of all trades'. One emphasis I gave as coach for Christian living was 'unmistakable godliness'," David Smethurst mused.
Since migrating to Australia David and Margurita have further developed their itinerant ministry which includes evangelism, conferences, pastor's meetings, churches right across the spectrum, home groups, schools, universities, youth groups, military bases and prisons.
"Our ministry is multi-purpose," David Smethurst explained. "As well as helping Christians to be more vibrant witnesses for Christ, we minister into areas of need with seminars as well as CD & DVD series,"
From Loss to Recovery
Healing the Home
Marriage at its Best
Healing the Wounded
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Margurita's beautiful series
The Beauty of Jesus
Excelling in Service
A Holy Spirit Revival
Being on Fire for Jesus
Destiny – fulfilling your dream
David Smethurst's international ministry has specialized in Eastern Europe supporting 35 orphanages (some 4,500 orphans) through their own charity, Smethurst Ministries Inc.; preaching the wonderful message of Jesus, and encouraging many in their Christian walk. He's also been enmeshed in honour and wonderment with a quiet unobtrusive ministry within Middle Eastern countries to Muslim people.
"Obviously I'm unable to say very much about this as it would inevitably put people's lives at risk, but what I can say, is that as Stuart Robinson records in his book, dreams play an astonishingly important part in Muslim people coming to Christ," David Smethurst said.
They have a base in England from which David and Margurita engage their international ministries and train teams for short term missions to Eastern Europe and the Middle East. This also serves as a respite facility from their busy lives and the tightrope of some of their ministry experiences.
As a South African-Australian, his ministry has included Olympic chaplaincy at both the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, Rugby World Cup 2003 and Commonwealth Games, and he has submitted his name for Beijing 2008.
"With beautifully spoken English, much of it from the Bible itself, a generous clarity of thought and conviction, David Smethurst is described as the quintessential man of faith in Christ. This means, he simply trusts in the Lord
Jesus," Mark Tronson stated.