Tony Cummings spoke to the frontman of CLIVE WILLEMSE & THE NOW GENERATION

Clive Willemse

Namibia may be a small African nation of two million inhabitants but as well as the diamonds, copper and zinc it sells to the world it now has another successful export - praise and worship gospel music. Clive Willemse & The Now Generation have become international ambassadors for Namibian gospel. Their album 'Nation Of Worship' is beginning to find an enthusiastic audience with its artful blend of oviritje and Damara Punch folk musics with the modern worship of Israel & New Breed and Hillsong to create something vital and fresh. Over in the UK for several engagements, Clive Willemse spoke about how 'Nation Of Worship' and particularly the song "The David Praise" is connecting with congregations wherever it is played. "I wrote 'The David Praise' after reading the Bible account of how King David led in the Ark of the Covenant by dancing before the Lord. I began to think what it would be like if David danced like the people of Namibia danced and the song started to fall into place. 'The David Praise' is on our 'Nation Of Worship' album and now whenever we sing it we are seeing people getting to their feet and dancing before God. We ministered at the Wellington Christian Centre a day or so ago and the congregation were really touched by the Spirit with that song."

With their backing band Clive Willemse & The Now Generation number 15 men and women yet despite operating in a small, poor nation where 55.8 per cent of the population live on $2 per day they are able to tour all over Namibia and even in South Africa where they appeared on the Gospel God TV programme. Clive gives credit for the seemingly impossible task of keeping such a large ensemble together to God and Namibia's growing number of young Christian business men. "They have supported us financially and really see the value and vision of the group," he said.

The origins of the group go back to 2006. In that year they recorded Namibia's first ever live CD/DVD 'Worship In The City'. They quickly became a fixture on the national church scene so that when international preachers such as Dr Myles Munroe, Apostle K C Price and Bishop Matthew Ashimolowo visited Namibia to undertake conference they used Clive Willemse & The Now Generation for worship.

The multi-cultural group are excited to see the unbiblical division between black and white churches beginning to dissolve. Commented Clive, "More and more we are seeing God bringing a Kingdom mindset to the chuches and the divisions between black and white Christians are beginning to fall away. We believe we have a part to play in making this happen."

Clive Willemse & The Now Generation

Plans are already afoot for Clive and the band to visit Brazil in 2014 and while there record a live album. It's a challenging road on which the band are travelling but clearly Clive Willemse & The Now Generation are determined to keep on it. Said their charismatic frontman, "We believe as a group that God's assignment to us is to serve our generation and to see arise a truthful, hones and real generation of worshippers in Namibia, in Africa and throughout the world, that worship God the Father in Spirit and Truth. A generation of worshippers - as we call it the John 4:24 generation."