River of Life Christian Ministries was founded on 2 October 1994, by Pastors Thamo and Mirolyn Naidoo. After graduating from Bethesda Bible College in 1987, Thamo and Mirolyn were assigned to oversee the Sharon Full Gospel Church in a small, semi-rural community in Greytown. The strong pioneering grace upon Thamo’s life quickly became evident as their ministry began to transform the spiritual landscape of the church in that area. What seemed like an ideal environment for a peaceful life was soon disrupted by Thamo’s stirring conviction that “There has to be more to God.” This internal struggle led to intense searching and the conviction that their time of ministry in Greytown had ended. They realized they were on the brink of a new season, which could only begin if they summoned the courage to leave their comfort zones, relinquish the prospects of senior leadership within their denomination, and abandon the security of a newly purchased property in Greytown.
A series of events confirmed the necessity for them to leave. During a three-day fast, the Lord revealed to Thamo that He was about to do something new on the earth. On 1 June 1994, at a Ministers Convention at Skogheim, Port Shepstone, Thamo received prophetic confirmation to leave his established work and embark on a new journey. The mandate was clear: “Plant a church that would be a breath of fresh air to traditional Christianity." While the mandate was clear, the details were not. Like the Patriarch Abraham, no cost was spared in pursuing the greater purposes of God. In September 1994, Thamo and Mirolyn left Greytown to begin an exciting journey in Christ. Their only resource was the promise given to them: “I will not fail you” (Joshua 1:5).
Finding a premises to launch the ministry was no easy feat. Thamo’s greatest concern was to avoid the controversy of planting within communities with already established churches. The most ideal location was a small factory building in an industrial area. This obscure location soon became the altar for a powerful move of God. A two-year lease was signed at a rental of R1610 per month.
At the inaugural gathering, no more than 30 people attended. From the outset, Thamo and Mirolyn adhered strictly to the instruction not to ask anyone to join the church, but to trust that the Lord would send them. Within 18 months of signing the lease, the property was placed on the market, and the church was granted the first option to purchase. The timing was inopportune, as the church lacked the resources or financial capacity to buy. Again, a clear word was given to Thamo to engage in negotiations for the purchase. The words “The coin is in the fish’s mouth, the miracle is in the house” encouraged Thamo to present an offer. Within 30 days, a deposit of R150,000 was raised, and within the next 30 days, a bank loan was secured to acquire the property. These words remain guiding principles for all ventures within the River of Life Church and Gate Global Family. While securing the buildings, God was working to raise up people who would be sent to this house.
One of the greatest expressions of people being sent to ROLCM was manifested when Pastor Aaron and Pat Govender, through divine orchestration, resigned from their flourishing ministry in search of a new season with God. Their journey led them to this inconspicuous location where an unprecedented partnership emerged— the older serving the younger.
On August 11, 1996, at a special gathering, the newly acquired buildings were dedicated to the Lord, and Pastor Aaron and Pat Govender were inducted as Associate Pastors of River of Life Christian Ministries. By this time, the ministry had grown to nearly 150 people. Pastor Aaron and Pat provided great support and stability to the household as Thamo’s international ministry travels began to grow.
From the beginning, it was clear that the establishment of ROLCM was intended to facilitate the birth of a reformational message that would reach the ends of the earth. Various national and international forums, such as the Apostolic Schools of Ministry (ASOM), conferences, seminars, and dialogical forums, were consistently hosted.
In addition to becoming a fully-fledged congregation, ROLCM evolved into a multifaceted protagonist in the current Apostolic Season. It became the nerve centre, engine room, laboratory, and storehouse where nations would come to receive spiritual nourishment. Delegates, both local and international, attended the Apostolic Schools of Ministry, hosted twice a year. Nations came to examine ROLCM, much like the Queen of Sheba examined Solomon's kingdom.
The vision of "flowing into the nations" is carried out through the mission of "reaching the unchurched," "resourcing the churched," and "reforming the nations." This is not merely a motivational statement but an integral part of how ROLCM administers and governs its Christ-sanctioned mission on earth.
The year 2012 marked a watershed moment for River of Life Church. In a similar fashion, the lives of Thamo and Mirolyn, as well as the entire ROLCM family, were disrupted as God shifted Pastor Thamo and Mirolyn from Pietermaritzburg. The mandate was to plant a church in the heart of the financial district of South Africa. On February 12, 2012, GATE Sandton was launched. The baton was passed to Celvan and Yosanie Pakkari, who now serve as Senior Elders, continuing to build upon the foundation laid by their spiritual parents. The successful continuation of ROLCM's vision is a testament to the laying of strong Apostolic foundations and power of transgenerational building. Today, ROLCM remains a sacred location for countless individuals who journey here seeking a clearer understanding of God's purposes.
Celvan & Yosanie Pakkari – Presiding Senior Elders
Celvan has been in ministry since 1990. He is married to Yosanie and together they have 3 children Jesse, Tulliyah and Joel. After graduating from the Bethesda Bible College in 1992 he served as a Pastor under the guidance and tutelage of Thamo and Mirolyn at the Sharon Full Gospel Church of God in Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
After the relocation of Pastor Thamo & Mirolyn to Pietermaritzburg, Celvan was handed the responsibility of the Pastor of the local church in Greytown.
With having encountered the message of this present Apostolic Season he knew that transition and change was inevitable.
In July 2000 , a year after their marriage Celvan & Yosanie resigned from the denomination & planted household within the same community called Elijah Christian Ministries. It was not long after the decision to pioneer that a new property was secured. The ministry began to flourish and in an economically depressed climate.
When Thamo and Mirolyn relocated to Sandton in February 2012, Celvan & Yosanie came to serve on the ministry team until October 2012 when he was placed as Senior Elder of the River of Life Christian Ministries.
Celvan gives oversight to various other pastors and church leaders and he facilitates a weekly gathering of Pastors in Pietermaritzburg. He is committed to seeing the body come to maturity and is passionate in his pursuit for kingdom purpose
He has travelled regularly both locally and internationally. Some of the countries include Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, USA, Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, India, Singapore & Malaysia. Constrained by his mandate, Celvan has a passion to reach the eastern world with the message of this present season. He travels regularly to India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka conducting leadership seminars and conferences.
Thamo & Mirolyn Naidoo – Founding Elders
Thamo and Mirolyn have been married since April 1985, and have been in ministry since. They are graduates of the Bethesda Bible College (1987), and were ministers in the Full Gospel Church of God (FGC) in South Africa, until September 1994. Their first appointment to ministry was to Sharon Temple (FGC), Greytown, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa in 1987.
They earned their Masters degrees in Church History and Church and Development respectively, at the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
In June 1994, Thamo and his wife Mirolyn were divinely prompted ‘to plant a church that would be a breath of fresh air to traditional Christianity.’ Consequently, the River of Life Christian Ministries (ROLCM) was established in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on 2 October 1994.
Thamo has earned the reputation, amongst his colleagues and peers, of a pioneer with an unmistakable propensity for leadership, a profound ability to exegete the Word of God, and resolute obedience to the Lord.
Thamo currently provides spiritual oversight to churches both nationally and internationally. Thamo travels extensively, addressing church leaders on the call for the restoration of the church to ancient biblical patterns of building, and for the emergence of the corporate son of God in the earth. He accomplishes this through leadership and development forums.
Thamo & Mirolyn presently reside in Sandton, Gauteng with their 3 sons - Theron, Sherwin & Rylan and their families.
