Pointers to the future of The Assemblies of God in the New South Africa.
Profile by Dr CUTHBERT CHIDOORI
My First General Conference of the Assemblies of God
The Congress on Mission and Evangelism held in Durban
W F P Burton and some Congo Missionaries
Nicholas
Bekinkosi Hepworth Bhengu
– His Youthful Dreams
– His Preaching
- Bhengu and Education
- Bhengu and Money
- Miraculous Experiences
- Spiritual Happenings
- The Sanctifying Spirit of God
– His Departure
Bhengu’s “Isinthunzi”
- Government and Politics
– Some Faults, Virtues and the Burden
of His Heart
President Lucas Mangope of Bophuthatswana
William
Frederick Mullan
The Fairview Assembly
Fred Mullan and the Gifts of the Spirit
A Miracle and a Vision
The Revival in Norwood
James E Mullan
Paul O Lange
William Branham in Durban
Oral Roberts in South Africa
Billy
Graham in Salisbury and Durban
The American Missionaries from Springfield, Missouri
C. Austin Chawner and the Portuguese Work
August Kast and the Mount Tabor Mission Station
Colin
La Foy and the Coloured Leadership
The Work in Zimbabwe
Mauritius and Reunion Island
Special
–1
Special
Answers to Prayer – 2
A Beautiful Square with Good Vibes
Prayer and the Hippie Revival
The Young Turks
Tensions within the Group
The Split
of 1981 – Part One
The Split
of 1981 – Part Two
The Beginnings of the Faith Movement in South Africa
The Statement of September 1989
The Charismatic Renewal
The Start of the Pentecostal Revival World Wide and The Swedish Pentecostal Assemblies
Epilogue
APPENDIX 1 : How to be Filled with the Holy Spirit
APPENDIX 2 : The National Church by Nicholas Bhengu
APPENDIX 3 : Article from the Argus 5/02/1981
APPENDIX 4 : Pointers to the future of the Assemblies of God in the New South Africa (10/06/94)
In
considering the future of our beloved church in the New South
Africa one has to make a distinction between the organization
of the movement and the essential character of its life. One
cannot separate these aspects. It is necessary to recognize both
and to give a place to each. Organisation is important, but if
that is concentrated on without giving heed to the aspect of
life, the result in the end will be dead institutionalism. Yet
without a workable organisation the life will be dissipated or
stifled.
It seems to the General Executive that the key to the future life of our
church is found in integrity, a value applicable in many ways. We would
emphasise a few of these.
INTEGRITY – THE KEY TO OUR LIFE OF WITNESS
As a church we must keep our integrity with regard to the bible as the Word of God. This means that we must know the Bible, must understand it and study it; we must preach it, we must believe it, we must be guided by it in all things, and we must never allow rationalisation or tradition to deflect us from the foundations of Pentecostal Evangelicalism which have made us what we are.
In the New South Africa we will probably be tested in regard
to syncretism. The politicians wish to be all things to all men religiously.
It is bound
to be unpopular to proclaim Jesus Christ as the only name by which one
can be saved. We do not advocate a hostile attitude to other religions.
We do not even suggest that it is wrong to co-operate with those of others
faiths in humanitarian projects touching on our common humanity and on
the fact that God is the Creator of us all. But in the matter of salvation
and the supreme Lordship of Jesus Christ there can be no compromise.
In the new South Africa where the religious playing fields are about
to be leveled, we must maintain our integrity in regard to Jesus Christ
our Lord and Saviour.
Likewise in regard to marriage and the family and all sexual mores we
must maintain our integrity. Abortion, homosexuality, sex outside marriage,
divorce and all related matters will increasingly require us to articulate
and act on biblical principles with courageous integrity.
We will understand the nature of the true Church, walking a slim dividing line between sectarian dogmatism and worldly-minded ecumenism. We must understand the true nature of Mission and maintain integrity in regard to that. The Epistle of James teaches clearly that faith without works is dead. The widows and orphans have a claim on us, as do the wretched and the naked, the ignorant and the downtrodden. Yet in giving heed to the social implications of our faith in Christ we must never forget that evangelism is the supreme component of the Church’s Mission. We must gain a new integrity in evangelism by teaching a costly discipleship. We must ponder continually the words spoken by Bishop Manus Buthelezi preaching on the Good Samaritan. He said, “I lie wounded in the dust of life’s highway, and my brother does not even know that I am bleeding to death.” It is not enough to preach to such a one. Practical help is called for too. Yet preach we must. In response to the out-of-balance emphasis on social works at the expense of Gospel proclamation which we can observe in many of our contextually minded brethren, we must never lose our emphasis on evangelism. A balanced integrity here is essential but not easy.
Also in the euphoria of the newly liberated South Africa
we must not become “starry eyed” about our new rulers. They
are only human. The time might come when corruption, so prevalent in
the previous
dispensation, will call for integrity in us as a witnessing church. The
church of Jesus Christ might yet have to speak out against unrighteousness
in the business and political worlds. That will require integrity in
the Assemblies of God if we are to be more than court prophets.
Last week Brother Stevens an elder of the Buffalo Flats Assembly passed
on to be with the Lord at the age of 87. A few hours before he died he
said, “The Church in the New South Africa must know in whom they
believe, what they believe and why they believe.” Previously he
had said, “ Many false ‘gods’ will be introduced.”
The spiritual life of the Assemblies of God must be manifest in the New South Africa by spreading peace and truth through the Gospel at grass roots level. Our task is not so much to impress Governments or gain a place of prominence in church councils but to witness to the common people the love of God in Christ Jesus, teaching and showing them what it means to be a Christian.
ORGANISATIONAL STEPS INTO THE FUTURE
We have to give attention to organisation because rightly or wrongly our integrity as a Christian church can be brought into question because of our seeming to be three movements. After serious discussion by the General Executive it was apparent that the heart felt need of the people is for a widespread coming together of all our members for fellowship in spiritual happenings of various kinds ( eg. youth meetings, ladies meetings, etc.) There should be “once off” happenings bringing together all Assemblies of God members in different regions, but it should not end there. Ongoing committees for bringing about such happenings must be established so that in time, understanding and friendships will grow across the racial divide. This will facilitate various structural revisions which are necessary.
At Cyara in February this year the Wider Executive meeting proposed the DC’s and Regional Fellowships should combine at least twice a year, not for business but for fellowship. Some regions have already moved in that direction, but by and large not much has been done. Therefore we the General Executive give a mandate to all DC’s and Regional Fellowships to meet together (1) for fellowship and (2) to organize convention like events in their respective regions and so bring together the grass roots membership of all racial groups for fellowship. Monitors will be appointed in each region to see that this takes place.
Furthermore this document is signed by the General
Chairman and the General Secretary and carries the official weight
of the
General Executive. It
is to be read to all the people attending the meetings described in
the foregoing paragraph. Strong efforts will be made for the
Chairman ( Bro
Bond ) and the Vice Chairman ( Bro Hleta ) and Bro La Foy to be personally
present when the document is read to the people.
The General Executive strongly feels that the matter of our having
three sets of bye-laws must be addressed urgently. If it is not possible
within
a reasonable time to produce one set of bye-laws applicable to the
Assemblies of God as a whole, it would be advisable to scrap all bye-laws
and operate
with none until one common set can be made.
CONCLUSION
In sending out this statement the General Executive appeals to all Assemblies of God members to pray for wisdom and grace to do the will of God.
Signed
J.S.W. Bond and V. Nkmonde
10th JUNE 1994