Leon & Este-Lee: Preaching GRACE & POWER to a passionate generation

Interview by: Jackie de Lange

Leon du Preez is an influential Christian leader growing in prominence within South Africa. Known for his dynamic preaching and passionate ministry, Leon has seen his global reach expand through an online ministry and locally through their five church plants across South Africa. Happily married to Este-Lee for 13 years, the couple have two daughters and are the founders of Encounter Church.

Working for God’s glory
Growing up in a traditional religious household, Leon knows firsthand how “dead religion” drives one further from God, and how a touch of the supernatural power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit can change one’s life in an instant. Because signs, wonders, and deliverance ministry are often misunderstood, Leon has attracted his fair share of critics (he operates in the role of a prophet in the Body of Christ – Eph 4:11-13). We sat down with him and Este-Lee to probe further and address some of the pressing questions people have.

Q When did you feel called to start your own church?
Leon: I served faithfully in another ministry for over ten years until I was sent out into itinerant ministry, founding Encounter Ministries. For three years, my wife and I travelled across South Africa and other nations, holding revival meetings. In 2016, I had a radical encounter with the Lord whereby I received an instruction to plant a church on a specific date: September 18, 2016. Encounter Church was named to reflect my assignment: “Called to bring a supernatural encounter to this generation through the demonstration of God’s spirit and power.” We are a church of the supernatural, a family church, and a church with a strong Kingdom culture. The centrality of our message is around the pre-eminence of Christ.

Q Who does your ministry fall under (as spiritual oversight)?
Leon: I am blessed to have served an impeccable man of God within the body of Christ. After serving him faithfully for ten years, I was blessed and sent out into ministry with hands being laid on me by the presbytery. From the very beginning (more than 15 years now), the Lord has surrounded me with a covering of wise, elderly men who lead churches with thousands of members. Additionally, I am connected to various networks within the body of Christ. I have a peer group that keeps me accountable, ensuring transparency in my ministry. I also have a board of elders and directors, as well as an external board, who continually hold me accountable in all aspects of my life – my family life, financial life, health, spiritual life, and marriage.

Q Why do you believe signs, wonders, and deliverance are so important?
Leon: Paul makes it very clear that where there is power, the faith of people will be in the power of God and not the wisdom of men (1 Cor 2:3-5). In 1 Corinthians 4:20, Paul goes on to reveal that the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in a demonstration of power. In Acts 2:20, Peter addresses the people of Israel, saying: “Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst.” Jesus’ ministry consisted of four parts: teaching, preaching, healing, and casting out demons. More than half of His ministry was dedicated to signs, wonders, and miracles. God is supernatural. True signs, wonders, and miracles will always point to Jesus Christ and cause people to give Him the glory.

Q You operate in the ministry role of a prophet. Can you unpack this for us?
Leon: As a prophet in the fivefold ministry, my role is to reveal the heart and mind of God to His people. A prophet hears directly from the Lord and communicates His messages, warnings, directions, and encouragements to the Church and the world. Traditionally the prophetic ministry consists of three realms: the spirit of prophecy, the gift of prophecy, and the office of a prophet. The spirit and gift of prophecy are limited by exhortation, edification, and comfort, for the protection of the gift and those being ministered to, but the office of a prophet is the highest level that has been given a grace to go beyond – their words carry a higher level of authority, rebuke, and revelation than the other fivefold gifts. The office of the prophet edifies the church, brings correction, comfort, exhortation, guidance, and direction and, most of all, equips the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph 4:11-13). Prophetic ministry operates best when pastors and their members both understand and have a unified view of the prophetic and how it truly functions. If there is one ministry in the Body of Christ that needs to be taught, it is the prophetic ministry. Prophetic ministry can bless or curse, build or break down. We truly need to value this ministry to be able to receive the full reward that is connected with it. Prophets are crucial to the health and direction of a church in order for them to prosper and advance. God uses his prophets to cause both the church and the nation to prosper, as evidenced in 2 Chronicles 20:20, “Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”

Q What advice would you give to someone who has never experienced a miracle or received a prophetic word over their life, but desires to?
Este-Lee: First and foremost, you need to have faith and believe in God’s grace for you. I would advise readers to stay hungry and open and to honour the gift upon the man of God present in the room. The Bible declares that when you receive a prophet in the name of a prophet, you will receive a prophet’s reward. In Western culture, we often misconstrue honour, leading to familiarity. The anointing, signs, wonders, and miracles don’t flow where there is familiarity and a lack of honour.

Q You recently collaborated with Joshua McCauley, hosting a Grace & Power conference. Tell us more about this partnership.
Leon: My relationship with Pastor Joshua McCauley was divinely orchestrated by God. I met Josh and his wife at the end of last year. On the exact evening we met, I was supposed to be the keynote speaker at a mega-conference in the USA, but the Holy Spirit forbade me from going. That same evening, after cancelling my travel plans and tickets, I met Josh by “coincidence”. Initially, it was a bit awkward as we came from opposite streams and had heard [stories] about one another, but we ended up talking for over four hours about Jesus. Our hearts and spirits instantly connected! Since then, our families have become close and our friendship has grown, leading to ministry collaboration, which was never even the main intention. It’s refreshing to meet someone who has gone through similar struggles, been rejected by most, and shares a kindred spirit where there is no competing, but completing one another! You can always measure truth by the level of attack against it. Some will be shocked, confused, and resist the friendship, but it only proves the hand of God even more in this. This collaboration is truly God-ordained. I have yet to meet someone who can reveal Jesus and speak about Him with such passion, and it has birthed a brand-new passion in me. We are hosting Grace & Power conferences throughout the nation, and you will see much more coming in the future!

Q There are many “fake” and “flashy” prophets in Christian circles – most notably in Africa…
Leon: First, I don’t believe in the concept of “African prophets”. There are only “prophets” – those in the Bible and those today. Second, I must say that I cannot give my opinion. A prophet is void of any bias and personal opinion. What I can say is that it is a misconception to think that only prophets in Africa are “fake” and “flashy”. We have different cultures, and often, these cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings. When we try to box God into our cultural and traditional ways of thinking, we risk offending others and missing a move of God. There are many “flaky” and “flashy” prophets in the more developed Western world as well – not only prophets, but also pastors, evangelists, teachers, and apostles. Labelling [an entire fivefold ministry role] as false, fake, or flashy can cause us to miss what God is doing. When we speak of “African prophets”, we unintentionally create division within the Body of Christ. We should simply speak of “prophets”. Africa and South Africa carry a great purity in the move of God! We have to protect it!

Q How does one identify a true prophet?
Leon: The difference between a true prophet and a false prophet is whether God has chosen and appointed them or not; and whether they draw you closer to God or further from Him! That is the fruit of a true prophet. We are to judge a prophecy by its accuracy, but a prophet by their fruits. A prophecy can be inaccurate while the prophet is true. In the same manner, a prophet can be false while prophesying accurately. But a true prophet will have a very high rate of accuracy, especially in the area of prediction. When it comes to false prophets, the Bible describes them as wolves in sheep’s clothing – not shepherd’s clothing. This means they appear as part of the flock, blending in with believers, but their goal is to lead you away from Christ to serve other gods. Many people incorrectly label fake prophets as false prophets today. A fake prophet is someone who has never had any genuine prophetic calling or experience but instead fabricates and falsifies prophetic acts for personal gain. They often use deceit and manipulative practices, such as paying people to confirm false prophecies, staging fake healings, and exploiting followers for money. Their motives are centred on self-promotion and financial gain rather than serving God or the community.

Q What has been the biggest challenge of being in the spotlight?
Este-Lee: The toughest part of leading a church and being in the public eye is being misunderstood. It’s disheartening when you give your best to people, only for them to take offense and leave the church, or betray you at the slightest opportunity. By keeping myself away from these distractions, I stay focused on what God has given us to do – which helps me to remain pure.

Q What do you guys do as a family to unwind?
Este-Lee: We absolutely love watching movies together as a family. Our daughters love eating popcorn and chocolate while drinking hot chocolate as we sit back and unwind. We love the ocean so our ideal holiday would be on a secluded island.

Q What do you wish the public knew about Leon du Preez?
Este-Lee: I wish the public knew how incredibly dedicated Leon and the people who call Encounter their home truly are. They see this as more than just a job – it’s a calling that goes far beyond a 9-to-5 commitment. I’ve seen my husband betrayed, slandered, and attacked for serving Christ, yet his response is always to pray and love those who have harmed him, even at his own disadvantage. He has taught us that it’s not our place to seek vengeance: vengeance belongs to the Lord. I’ve witnessed him give everything away, even to those who have spoken ill of him. Leon’s greatest desire is to see people step into their calling, ministry, blessing, and prosperity.

For more information about Encounter Church, visit encounterchurch.co.za. For more information on the online Bible school (Global School of Ministry) see gsom.tv. Leon has also written several short courses on various topics including “How to hear the voice of God” and “How to see visions”. Visit leondupreez.com.

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Date published: 25/09/2024

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