Two years ago, the leadership team at Tana City Center Church, headed up by Tanteraka and Jaela Randrianjohary, started praying for an opportunity to plant two new churches into their city.
“We believe that God has called His church to go where the people are and bring Christ to every neighborhood and form a new community through which His radiant gospel can shine through . This is done through planting churches”, says Tanteraka.
Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar is a sprawling city of over a million citizens, with double that in the surrounding urban areas.
Tana City Center Church identified two new areas of the city to plant into, with two of their own team stepping up to lead each of the new sites.
“The first one is in Andoharanofotsy, Tanjombato – a suburb in the south of Tana. For the past 10 years, this suburb has seen lots of new development and extensions. Schools and shopping centers have sprung rapidly. With all that happening we felt God leading us to consider planting a church there. Ny Avo our youth pastor along with few other young adults have started to move there and started a home group.”, explains Tanteraka.
The second site, is in a low income part of the city, but only a short distance from Tana City Center’s original location.
Daniel and Niry, one of our eldership couples are going to be leading this plant. They themselves have grown up in a similar environment and have a heart for this community. Both of them have been involved in the education field. If doors open, they have a dream to start a primary school within 2 years. This will be a real need, value adding project to the community.
In September this year, the two sites began holding Sunday meetings, and will do a formal launch when each grows to around 50 regular attendees. Now, two months in, Tanteraka tells us that both sites are doing well!
“Each of these sites are now gathering around 20 to 30 people each on Sundays. There is a sense of fresh beginning and courage. Great to see how people are serving and using their gifts as we reach and build these 2 sites.“
“With Ny Avo being young we thought that it will be difficult to reach families and the contrary is happening. “
Finally, Tanteraka shares a couple of prayer items for the new plants:
- For God’s protection and courage: it seems that the enemy is attacking both leaders with health issues.
- For God’s provision
- For evangelism: a strategy to reach people and preach the Gospel boldly in those areas.