Surprise Sithole

Pastor Surprise Sithole is a Mozambican Christian leader, evangelist, and the International Director of Pastors for Iris Global Ministries (Heidi and Rolland Baker's ministry). Born in the late 1960s into an animist family in the small village of Cachote, Mozambique — destined by family tradition to become a witch doctor — he was converted at age 15 after experiencing what he describes as an audible voice in the night warning him to leave home or die. He and a companion fled into the jungle for two weeks, eventually arriving at a village where a Christian named Mr. Lucas had been told by God to expect them. Sithole was led to faith there. He has since been instrumental in planting 15,000+ churches across Africa and speaks 17 languages. His autobiographical *Voice in the Night* and other works document his ministry. He is one of the principal contemporary African indigenous-Christian leaders within the broader Iris Global / Heidi Baker ministry framework.

• Cessation — Strong continuationist; Iris Global / Pentecostal-Charismatic framework.
• Healing in Atonement — Affirmed in operative ministry context.
• Theology and Pattern — Affirmed substantively; the Mozambique revival and broader Africa revival under Iris Global ministry are documented modern revival contexts.
• Experience as Confirmation — Substantial; Sithole's catalog includes documented supernatural-encounter testimony (his conversion narrative; ongoing ministry-encounter material).
• Unreached Peoples Priority — Substantial; 15,000+ churches planted across Africa through indigenous-leadership empowerment framework.