Personal reflections on the efficacy of church registration regulations

Correspondent | Friday January 30, 2015 14:50

I would like to add that while the process is appreciated, one wonders if another method - referendum - could not have yielded more precise results as to what the general Christian fraternity would have desired. Nevertheless, the process is appreciated, and at times we fault our representatives because we do not engage them on issues, which touch us, and we leave it to others to decide on our behalf, and yet we are in best position to point out what is working and what is not working.

Getting onto the main debate, let me firstly indicate that I am not quite sure what the problem is that needed to be solved, who the complainant is, what analysis informed the decision, how conflict of interest issues have been handled, as well as the authenticity of those whose opinion swayed the government to take action.

While I will not claim to be an authority on the matter, I recognise that man as a spirit, which lives in a body and has a soul has been created by God, is possibly out of depth to try to prescribe how God’s vision or plan should be rolled out. Therefore, in expressing my concerns I will make reference to the bible. This is because it carries an account of how man came into being and it also serves as man’s operators’ manual. The basis for this is 2 Timothy 3:16;17

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God (or man of God) may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (NIV)

The concerns I have gathered are centred around the mushrooming of Churches, as well as foreign Pastors, and the flock being fleeced by unscrupulous Pastors.

Although my intention it to address myself to the issue of number of members required to enable one to register a church, it will be pertinent to firstly deal with the understanding of what a church is. There is a church as an organisation where people of the same belief congregate and worship.

There is also the church as defined by Jesus Christ, of people who individually and collectively by having an indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit are the church, the body of Christ. In other words, the human body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who authenticates a Christian. And since the Holy Spirit has to indwell such a body for the person housing the Spirit to qualify, the choice is not just up to the individual there has to be a Divine intervention.

Now the Great Commission of Christians is as Matthew 28:18 – 20

Then Jesus came to them and said, “aAll authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”. (also Mark 16:14;15 and Acts 1:2)

And again Jesus said, to the Apostles He had chosen:

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit...

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:4-8)

In John 14:16, 26

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever  the Spirit of truth...But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you”.

Now from the above quotations, it can be seen that the issue under discussion is beyond man’s design, as the Maker Himself prescribed how His Kingdom would be propagated. Jesus personally called twelve disciples and subsequently sent out 70 two by two, and at Pentecost about 120 received the Holy Spirit at the onset of their mission. In turn they converted about 3000 in one day. Jesus had previously said to Peter, “I tell you that you are Peter (rock), and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matthew 16:18. Now it is clear that the real church belongs to Jesus Christ.

And it does say in the bible John 4:24 – God is spirit and His worshippers must worship in Spirit and truth. And again God /Christ cautions against believing every spirit but they are to be tested. Matthew 7:15-23 buttress the point that as a tree is known by its fruit so are the genuine disciples of Jesus Christ.

The genuineness of a church cannot be confirmed by the number of membership. The word says that where two or three are gathered God will be in their midst.

So church planting biblically was based or founded on individuals, Peter and Paul specifically and not on numbers per se. Now within the ordained are those who are not necessarily operating in the spirit. Mind you, they could belong to a large congregation and they could adopt titles as per the bible to lend credence to the task.  Perhaps, their message being palatable to the community they serve in. Conversely, a small congregation could be biblically on the dot and not that patronised because people have to enter through the narrow gate and indeed few find it. What is clear is that God is the owner and builder of the church.

The outcry also about “fire churches” is at variance with the bible. Elijah prayed for fire to come down, hence the God who answers by fire is the genuine God. Moses beheld a tree which was on fire yet not consumed and a voice from within cautioned him to take off his shoes and not approach closer as the place was Holy. God Himself has said He is a consuming fire. The sporadic church growth, which seems to have irked some sectors of the community is in “fire churches”.

In the Botswana church history, missionaries planted churches based more on doctrines, replicating what pertained in their homelands. Now the current scenario that is drawing people is of the word and the Spirit working in concert to prove the statement that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Again seekers of God need choice, even with regard to what intervention is needed in their lives to bring them in alignment with God.

It should be noted that the word says, “Seek first the kingdom of God not a church and again the word says the kingdom is within you.

So, to be won to the Kingdom one needs to encounter a “man of God” and such are few and such are to plant churches and they cannot start with 250 people. Just like any other association starting from scratch starts with few.

In order to contextualse the spread of the Gospel, it is worth noting that after Jesus, two men - Peter and Paul - had the charge for the Jews and non-Jews respectively. And indeed the Christian message has reached nations as Paul enlisted others to assist him in spreading the message. And indeed, Paul specifically indicates that the churches met in people’s homes.

Coming back to the establishment of church, it is well worth noting that really the genuine church is vested in Jesus Christ and He chooses whom He will task to a specific people. Invariably, whoever the individual is so charged has to go about setting the core ministry team not different from other community or even institutions established. Apart from splinter groups, an Apostolic or missionary church establishment by nature can only take off by few people who would then by nature of their calling go on to have possibly exponential growth, which with time would replicate based on the testimonies of attendants.

It is a universal truth that God is supreme, albeit different religions and doctrines. Now the God of the bible being supreme, nevertheless, in His design He has left the choice to man whether to choose Him or not (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Pegging church planting at 250 is one way of saying that no one will be called at this stage to plant a new church entirely. And just like what happened even under regimes which prohibited church establishment, it is inconceivable that people will cease to meet in homes to get to know God more, which in turn lead to establishing churches.

Although one may come a long way from being a church goer, active participant (served in Sunday School, Youth fellowship, Women’s fellowship, Administration, Deaconate and Church governance ), it has to be acknowledged  that it does not qualify one as being enabled to participate in the spiritual. That can only come through a process whereby you receive the Holy Spirit and are so led, then and only then are you a bonafide child of God.

With regards to being equipped to function in God’s Kingdom, it is clear that it is up to God where one will be deployed.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received...So Christ Himself gave the Apostles, the Prophets, the Evangelists, the Pastors and Teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. (Ephesians 4:1,11,12)

With regards to missionary work, it is clear that we received the Christian faith through evangelists coming out here to plant churches and extend their churches from various places. And it should also be born in mind that those who are hungry will similarly go where they see what is a higher anointing at work to connect to the same grace.

So in conclusion let us leave things as they are. Things of God incur wrath if not spurred on by God. The word says “judge not and you will not be judged”. The other questions, which beg answers are:

What is the focus on, spiritual or worldly concerns

Is it to lessen the load for the government administrators as opposed to lost souls being enabled to access the message and actions appropriate for their conditions and for them to have a relationship with Jesus.

Protecting those already in while locking out those who are yet to be called

Shunning revival that is currently taking place in Botswana

Perhaps favouring those who are least interested in Christianity by turning down the spiritual voice or those whose focus is on the Spirit and signs accompanying.

Other associations are not affected, hence this will be discriminatory and goes against the spirit of freedom of association.

Shirley Itumeleng Tiny Segokgo