A Legacy of Miracles, A Mission of Love
Built by Faith, Standing in Grace
The History of Ridgecrest Family Church
Praying about planting a church
Back in 2002, while serving at Florida Baptist Church, Norman and Gabi Schaeffer noticed the growing number of new housing developments springing up along Hendrik Potgieter Road, heading west. They shared how they felt a gentle stirring in their hearts—an awareness that this growing community would need a church to call home. So, they began praying and trusting God to open the right doors at the right time. And He did! Not long after, they came across a beautiful piece of land overlooking the valley, right in front of Snuggles Nursery School. It was up for sale for R500,000—and that’s where the dream began to take shape.
Planning to make a vision a reality
As the vision for a new church began to take shape, excitement started to grow. Steve Mann, the BNA Coordinator, and Angelo Scheepers, the BU General Secretary, were inspired by the idea and joined in to help turn the dream into reality. In 2003, on a Sunday full of hope, a small group from Florida Baptist Church—who lived in the area—began gathering in a hall at Snuggles Nursery School, generously offered rent-free. It wasn’t long before others joined the journey—Kurt and Janna-Kay Holiday, Charlie and Angie Lechner, and their families soon became part of the growing church family.
A faith venture
The property was close to our hearts—it was a step of faith from the very beginning. Then, in what could only be described as a divine appointment, a team from the USA arrived at Florida Baptist Church to do evangelism. Their leader, Dr. Dick Thomassian from TIME Ministries, along with one of his board members, asked Norman about his vision and where help was needed. Norman shared the dream of Ridgecrest and took them to see the land. As we walked the boundary of the property, we prayed together. At the end of that special time, they surprised us with a gift—a ‘tithe’ of the property’s cost. God had provided the first R50,000!
Just a few weeks later, we received an unexpected call from our friend Carl Martin in North Carolina. His aunt had passed away, and he had finished settling her estate. Now, he was looking for a Christian ministry to bless with a tithe from the inheritance. With great joy, we told him about Ridgecrest and how the funds would help us move forward. Soon after, R278,000 arrived—another clear sign of God’s faithfulness. On 15 September 2003, we were able to purchase the property. What a moment of celebration and gratitude!
Church growth and formal establishment
During this time, our little community of faithful members continued to grow, and eventually, the church was formally established. Each week, Norman, Steve, Charlie, Kurt, and others shared God’s Word with dedication and love. A midweek Bible Study began, and we joyfully celebrated Baptismal services together—it was a season full of life and growth.
In 2005, Norman and Gabi felt God calling them to serve in Botswana, and it became clear that Ridgecrest needed a full-time pastor. Lucas and Zillah Potgieter heard that call and answered it with willing hearts. They began their ministry with us on 6 July 2005.
Not long after, a significant shift took place—within six months, almost the entire leadership team was called to serve in different parts of the country and even the world. Only Kurt Holiday and Lelly Freeman remained to carry the baton. It was a time of change, but also the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for Ridgecrest Family Church.
Miraculous moment unfolded
God truly works in incredible ways to carry out His plans, and He faithfully provides the right people at just the right time to help build His Church. One of those people is Bryan Berndt, who joined Ridgecrest with a wealth of experience in building operations. He stepped in as our building operations supervisor and manager, bringing with him not only deep expertise, but also a heart full of passion, tireless dedication, and uplifting encouragement. Without Bryan’s commitment and energy, our building simply wouldn’t have been ready for dedication today.
Bryan shares one of the many moments where God’s hand was clearly at work: In early March 2007, the church received a bill from the Johannesburg City Council for rates and taxes—an amount of R86,195. At the time, our building fund held R76,000. We were faced with a choice: pay or pray. And we chose prayer. Amazingly, R86,154 was written off. That miraculous provision was a powerful confirmation of God’s will for us to move forward with the church building—and it was just the beginning of many more miracles to come.
Site Development Plan
Before we could submit the Site Development Plan (SDP), we first had to clear up the rezoning of the property. According to municipal records, things didn’t look too promising, and despite several attempts, we couldn’t find any documentation showing that the land had been rezoned for church use.
Then came a breakthrough—Bryan managed to track down Anscha Kleynhans, a woman who had worked in Town Planning years before. That connection turned out to be a blessing! Within just a few days, Bryan was able to collect the original zoning certificate from her. What a joy and relief that was—it meant we could finally move forward with the SDP!
The year 2008 became a time of consolidation and preparation. Mr. Nel from Kempton Park kindly assisted with the drawings, and on 15 December 2008, the SDP was approved and the building plans were finalized.
God had provided, He would complete the work
The actual building project kicked off on 31 January 2009 with the Turning of the Sod Ceremony, a significant moment for all of us. As part of the process, the Civil Engineer required soil tests, since the soil’s texture made them necessary. However, these tests would add extra costs. After some investigation, we discovered that soil tests had already been done years earlier, and the results were safely kept by Dave Jones of Snuggles Crèche. What a blessing! Additionally, soil samples were taken from our land, with one hole dug where we planned to build. The Engineer accepted these previous reports, which allowed us to move forward and begin the raft foundation on 28 May 2009.
Finding those soil test results, and realizing the tests had already been done on our land, saved both time and money—an incredible answer to prayer! At this point, miracles were unfolding one after another. The cost for the raft foundation was R307,540, which was paid, and after that, R24,000 remained in the Building Fund. It felt like such a milestone, and it was clear that God had provided for us every step of the way. We believed He would continue the work—though I know some had their doubts along the way!
The first bricks were laid
From July to December 2009, we had several discussions with potential building contractors, carefully evaluating the options. After much prayer and consideration, Geoff Bateman Projects was chosen to take on the task of building Phase 1 and 2. Excitingly, the first bricks were laid on Wednesday, 2 June 2010, marking a huge milestone in the journey!
The brickwork progressed quickly, and thanks to a generous donation, the classrooms and small hall were built. We were also blessed by the involvement of another Christian brother, who helped with the roofing after the trusses were delivered. And with that, the year 2010 came to a close—full of progress, faith, and blessings!
Another Miracle
The building work continued to progress steadily, with finances keeping up with the required payments. We were blessed by the support of the Cyril Black Trust, a membership loan of R50,000, and adjustments made to our loan from BNA.
Our congregation worked tirelessly, raising funds through jumble sales, scarves, pancakes, and even brown money—each effort bringing in much-needed support. We were continually amazed by the donations that flowed in from both known and unknown sources, some small and others large. It was a constant source of joy and gratitude.
One of the most memorable moments came on 16 March 2012—our “Red Letter Day”—when our application for electricity was approved, and soon after, we were connected. It was nothing short of a miracle, a testament to God’s provision and faithfulness!
The Building Stands
The building stands as a powerful testament to God’s unfailing goodness and faithfulness. It challenges all of us to make an impact on the community at every level, for His glory.
This achievement is not the result of human effort alone. God intervened and accomplished what we could not have done on our own. He alone deserves all the glory—never man.
