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PRETORIA, South Africa – “We have the challenges of the city on our doorstep,” says Charles Dekiewit, pastor of Central Baptist Church in downtown Pretoria, one of the host cities of the 2010 World Cup.

A little more than 2.2 million people live in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital. Like many cities worldwide, its challenges include homelessness, prostitution and crime.

“We literally have prostitutes operating around the vicinity of the church,” Dekiewit says. “We do not want to be a church of isolation, and we want to be reaching our community.”

One way the church is ministering in its community is through “Big Screen Outreaches.” Passersby are invited to watch World Cup games projected onto a screen in the church gym. Several churches are partnering together to host 12 of these events. Along with screening the games, the volunteers cook meals for the guests and talk one-on-one with as many attendees as possible, getting contact details and sharing Christ.

Church members wander around each event offering tea and coffee, making visitors off the street feel welcome and easily chatting with and praying for strangers.

“I think it’s gone well and am impressed with the hard work people have done for these events,” says Maire Fleming, a long-time church member and a hospitality worker for the events.

Dekiewit has noticed increased fellowship within his congregation — people getting to know each other more meaningfully and working together with an enhanced depth of relationship.

“We are doing something for the Kingdom,” says Dekiewit. “We as the people of God can use the [World Cup] for the sake of His Kingdom and that God would be honored and glorified.”