Back in the 1940's a young man by the name of Michael Attllee had a brilliant rugby career ahead of him. He met, and later married, Molly Frost in Port Elizabeth in 1952. They had the joy of having their firstborn son - Anthony - in 1953. This joyous event quickly turned to tragedy as it came to light that Anthony had serious complications. He sufferred from fits and was diagnosed as both blind and deaf. Mike and Molly loved their little boy and looked after him as best they could. Molly's sister - Thelma - was a Bible believing, born again believer and she testified to them of the grace of God and the need to come to salvation in Jesus Christ. Mike, at first, would have none of it ,but a short while later he had a telephone conversation with his father - Wilfred Attlee - who told him of a strange dream that he had. He dreamt that an African man prayed for Anthony and that he was healed. Mike scoffed at this but his father urged him to find out more about this from his siter-in-law! Eating some "humble pie" Mike asked Thelma if there was any basis of truth to his father's dream. Thelma and her husband Cecil Botha were just too pleased to relate the accounts of Nicholas Bengu who had been used of God to pray for the sick and they were healed. There were no cell phones or web pages in those days so Mike went to enquire at the local Assembly of God where Thelma and Cecil attended.
Mike was led to Jesus by John Bond and the next Sunday he and Molly made a public commitment of their lives to the Lord Jesus. John promised to get a message to Nicholas Bengu who eventually came to the Attlee home in Port Elizabeth and prayed for little Anthony. There was no immediate healing nor any sign of any change in him, yet, God had somehow put an assurance into Mike and Molly's hearts that Anthony was healed. Over the next few months there were steady signs as he improved. The fits stopped and he was able to see and hear - becoming a very normal little boy except for a slight squint in his one eye and a slight limp. Mike walked away from his rugby career, got fully involved in the local church and after only about five years, was sent into the mission field to Livingstone in what was then Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). In 1961 he was called to minister in the Assembly of God in Durban.
Mike's ministry soon touched the hearts of believers who opened their homes and invited their friends to Bible Studies in the Durban area. The "Home Bible Studies" soon spread inland to Pinetown, Westville and Hillcrestand and to many towns up and down the east coast, both north and south of Durban. The work gradually spread to all parts of South Africa till the time of Mike's death in 1990. Faithful men continued the work and the churches "continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42)
In Cape Town there were assemblies in Thornton, Durbanville and Montague Gardens and in early 2009 there was a "Home Bible Study" taking place in the home of Janene de Kock in the Durbanville, Cape Town, area. A young lady by the name of Aniska Peackock came to personal faith in Jesus Christ through these studies. Shortly thereafter (in June 2009) Aniska and two other believers followed the Lord Jesus through the waters of baptism at the home of Francois and Johannie Visser. Many friends and family members were present to witness the personal testimonies of the believers and their baptisms and to hear the Word of God that was shared that night by Rupert Freese.
Aniska's mother - Annatjie Marais from Langebaan - was present at the meeting and was stirred in her heart to ask about the teachings that her daughter had received. In the ensuing conversation, Annatjie spoke of a group of ladies that gathered regularly at her home in Langebaan to study the Bible and pray together. (See her testimony under Testimonies). Francois offered to travel through to Langebaan to share in the Bible Studies with this group of ladies if they so desired. Annatjie was delighted and accepted. Francois and Johannie and their 3 small children, Hannah, Erik and Dirk (aged 5, 4 and 2) drove up to Langebaan one evening every week for the Bible Study, arriving back around 11:00 pm, where three sleeping bodies were carried from garage to beds. There was great joy at the working of the Lord Jesus in the hearts of all and for the grace of God keeping the family safe during their travels. As the meetings continued into 2010, Francois and Johannie's 4th child - Herman - was born on 22 March. With great delight the believers in Langebaan welcomed the family with their new three day old baby!
There was always warm hospitality enjoyed as eager minds and hearts drank in the Word of God. The ladies loved seeing the young family and keenly received the foundational ministry of the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ. Quite a few of those ladies came to a bold faith in Christ and were baptized in water. Over the course of more than a year, some husbands of those ladies and a few younger couples started attending.
Many others were willing to faithfully travel through from Cape Town every week to sow and water the seeds of the Word of God - Rupert Freese and Alex Dibden amongst others. The foundation was laid and Jesus Christ was established as "the Chief Cornerstone". The Bible Studies continued till about 2015 when the believers began breaking bread together. Louwtjie and Annatjie Marais moved to Durbanville to be closer to their children and medical facilities in December 2015. The fellowship continued meeting "from house to house" as in the book of Acts 2:46 with the believers growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ - the Head of the Church. In 2016 the fellowship was able to rent the building of the local Bowling Club for a mid-week and a Sunday morning service.
In 2018 there were some major constitutional changes that were proposed in the light of the government's investigation into religious affairs. The Fellowship spent much time praying and searching the scriptures and came to the conclusion that the early church did not have a central controlling body. The churches established in scripture were essentially local churches with local elders and responsible for their own affairs. The decision was taken in January 2019 to draw up a local constitution and the Langebaan Christian Fellowship became an independent local fellowship with no ties to any denomination or central body. At that time the fellowship was also able to relocate to larger premises at the local Pikkieland Pre-primary school where the believers still gather for the Sunday morning and mid-week meetings. The fellowship is continuing steadfastly in the Apostle's Doctrine (Bible Study), Fellowship, Breaking of Bread and Prayer (Acts 2:42), "pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God" (Phil 3:14), striving to "present every man, perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col 1:28).