In Cape Town, South Africa, Mesa workers Josh & Kari McIntosh and Mark & Marcie Harris serve with East Mountain, a transformational community created to form leaders contextually in South Africa. Since its inception in 2012, East Mountain has equipped Christian leaders by coming alongside churches, schools, and Christian organizations to develop faithful, rooted disciples.
Their work is carried out through two primary initiatives. The first is Trek, a program where East Mountain teams travel to churches and communities across South Africa, offering biblical teaching and leadership development. The second is their residency program, an immersive, community-based experience where residents live on campus and participate in biblical studies, leadership training, and practical ministry opportunities. These residents, coming from across South Africa and beyond, are equipped to return home and share what they have learned in their local churches and communities.
In the wake of apartheid, South Africa still faces complex social, cultural, and economic challenges. Deep divisions persist, alongside cycles of violence, substance abuse, and fatherlessness. While many identify as Christians, discipleship is often shallow, and many churches lack trained, healthy leaders. It was in response to this deep need for strong, godly leadership that East Mountain was born.
One of East Mountain’s greatest strengths is its residency model. Each term, young men and women—both local and international—come to live on campus. Josh and Kari currently host the female residents, while other staff members live nearby. This close-knit community creates an environment of deep learning, where residents grow not only through their coursework but also by witnessing healthy marriages and Christ-centered relationships, often for the first time.
“As residents reflect on how community life and Christianity intersect, they are challenged to evaluate their own culture and discern what aligns with Scripture and what does not.” says Marcie, Mesa Worker and mentor. “It’s neat to see them struggle to wrestle with their faith in culture and come up with a biblical culture as believers together.”
Life together brings deep lessons in conflict resolution, how to serve alongside people of different backgrounds and cultures, and the importance of true biblical community. Twice a month, East Mountain hosts a traditional South African barbecue, or braai, gathering staff, partners, and current and former residents around the table. These meals, which last several hours, create space for vulnerability, laughter, and discipleship. As residents observe and engage in Christ-like relationships, they have an opportunity to live out the skills they’ve learned in the classroom.
The effects of this equipping are felt far beyond campus. Graduates have gone on to serve in sports ministries reaching young boys in Cape Town, engage in evangelism in Uganda, and strengthen local churches across the region. Many residents leave transformed, exchanging insecurity and pride for confidence, humility, and a deeper love for God and others. One local pastor, recognizing the powerful foundation the program provides, remarked that he would not send young leaders to Bible school without first sending them to East Mountain.
Looking to the future, East Mountain envisions an even greater impact. They hope to train additional leaders for the Trek program, allowing their curriculum to impact additional communities and develop well-prepared South African leaders. For the residency program, they are praying for the resources to purchase land where they will build a new home for East Mountain residents. There, residents will live alongside house parents—ideally a South African couple—fostering a stronger sense of community while moving toward greater sustainability and cultural integration.
God is working mightily through East Mountain and through Mesa team members like Josh, Kari, Mark, and Marcie. On the mountain, young leaders find a sacred space that bridges past hardships with hope for redemption. As they grow in Christ and return down the mountain, they spark transformation in hearts, churches, and communities—one leader at a time. God is powerfully at work through East Mountain and Mesa workers like Josh, Kari, Mark, and Marcie. Young leaders continue to find community "on the mountain," a sacred space between the hardships of their past and their vision for a redeemed future. As they grow in Christ and return down the mountain, hearts, churches, and entire communities are being transformed, one leader at a time.
Stories from the Field
