Church urged to introspect on development
Zolani Kraai | Wednesday July 16, 2025 14:09
The call was made by the Botswana Council of Churches' (BCC) Acting General Secretary, Goitsemodimo Onneetse, at the Kgolagano College Convocation Retreat, convened at Kgolagano Centre here recently.
Onneetse said post colonial era, the church under the auspices of the some missionaries from the London Missionary Society (LMS) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana amongst others, significantly contributed to community development initiatives such as education, infrastructure development, health and access to water to the hard to reach places.
She regrettably noted that the ecumenical movement is rapidly fading away demographically in Botswana in terms of advocacy towards addressing challenges Christians and the general public face.
Onneetse further noted that nowadays, churches are becoming dependent on government grants in many thematic areas, a situation which she described as a self-reliance crisis and despair amongst Christians.
“It’s sad that 60% of the population in Botswana is living in unstable household conditions thus creating a huge gap driven between the rich and the poor as motivated by elements of poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
“At the same time, 25% of the 2.3 million population of Botswana in the categories of adults is living in abject poverty, but whilst appreciating the efforts made by government, the church remains to play a low profile in complimenting government efforts thereof,” she shared.
With regards to internal divisions that continue to wreck havoc in the various churches, Onneetse said churches are failing to create a conducive environment with theological grounding for the respective congregants and clergy to contribute ideas creating interventions that could help address challenges and effects of social injustices of poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
“Churches play multifaceted role in both internal governance and leadership, and democratic societal progress in human and infrastructural development as well as advocacy for social justice and human rights,” she said.
“Internal divisions, which very often are fuelled by political persuasions and social issues should not be a hindrance in introspecting and creating new pathways to re-strategise logical frameworks that could improve the lives of, not only Christians, but Batswana in general.”
Onneetse added that whilst gender equality does not imply that women and men are the same, they should have equal value and should be accorded equal treatment in all respects of ministerial structures and leadership.
Turning to poverty, she stated that it remains a challenge in the church and a factor hindering the church development, as it seeks to reach and convince people who argue that if God is love and is fair, He wouldn’t allow some people to be rich whilst others are poor.
“I would like to encourage the church not to leave the above challenges in the hands of government or politicians alone. The church should work together with the state to deal with challenges that affect both,” she said.
“The church needs to understand that what affects the state, affects the church too thus when the church promotes unity, the country will be united and work in solidarity to work on the dynamics of curbing poverty, addressing inequality, and tackling unemployment. ” Earlier, when welcoming delegates, Kgolagano College, Principal Rev Dr Prince Dibeela, explained that the convocation is the gathering of current and former students of the college.
He added it remains a tradition which has been kept for many years to keep the college connected to reflect on academic and societal experiences.
Delegates also represented churches from Pentecostal, mainline, sangomas, and traditional doctors association who are also students of the college.