A Christian pastor in South Africa has sparked outrage after encouraging worshipers at his church to drink deadly rat poison.

Pastor Light Monyeki told worshipers at the Grace Living Hope Ministries to drink from a bottle of water laced with noxious Rattex to 'nourish their bodies' and 'heal their sickness'.

After the pastor took a sip from the bottom, 'a multitude of congregants voluntarily ran to the front to have a drink of the deadly poison', the church claimed.

Sharing pictures of Monyeki pouring the poisoned water down congregants' throats, the church wrote in a Facebook post: 'The man of God, Prophet Light Monyeki demonstrates power of faith by causing congregants to drink Rattax; deadly poison to show forth their faith.

As he was doing that he said “we do not need to proclaim faith because we are believers. If nyaope [a street drug] boys can smoke Rattax for more than eight years, who are we? Death has no power over us”.

Then he declared life from above upon the water mixed with Rattax; and spoke nourishment unto bodies and healing unto the sick.

A multitude of congregants voluntarily ran to the front to have a drink of the deadly poison. After declaring nourishment and healing, Prophet Light was the first one to drink.