BCC not main umbrella body

| Monday March 22, 2010 00:00

In terms of numbers one can say that there are three main umbrella bodies for churches in Botswana namely Botswana Council of Churches (BCC), Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana (EFB) and Organisation of African Independent Churches (OAIC). The Seventh Day Adventist and the Jehovah's Witness do not belong to any of the above bodies.

There are also several 'Pentecostal' churches that do not belong to any of the above bodies. The BCC includes churches such as the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Church to name a few. These are referred to as 'Mainline' churches.

The Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana includes churches such as Apostolic Faith Mission, Full Gospel Church, Pentecostal Protestant Church, to name just a few. These are referred to as 'Pentecostal' or 'Evangelical' churches.

The OAIC includes churches like Head Mountain Church of God (stand corrected on proper name). These are referred to as 'Zionists' or 'White garment' churches (this not being their definition).

In a recent publication of Mmegi we read about the National Strategy for the Promotion of Good Social Values. It says a task force comprising of Ntlo ya Dikgosi and the BCC has compiled and submitted a report, which has now been approved and adopted for implementation. At this stage I'm not questioning the contents or intention of the National strategy, but rather the ownership and partnership of the church in Botswana towards the formulation of this report.

Perhaps things are not as I see them but according to what I read in the Mmegi it sounds like it was the BCC taken as the umbrella body for all churches. I'm of the opinion that any national strategy that includes the church must be well-understood by the church so that the church can speak about it from an informed position.

A similar assumption was made when the Marital Bill was discussed. It was alleged at the time that the church was consulted when in fact the same BCC was the only organ consulted.

The point I'm making is that may the government be made aware of the diversity of representation of the church in Botswana and may the BCC desist from the temptation of representing all churches when it has not been given that mandate.

I trust that in future such errors should be avoided so that those in authority should not be seen in a bad light because we the church do not explain our operations. May the relevant bodies seek common ground to discuss and be part of national development and not to build our own empires. 

There should be a forum where churches can also debate issues of national development just like Ntlo ya Dikgosi and MPs have theirs. By churches I'm referring to all Bible believing churches, those who accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ and His finished work of the cross.

We may differ in certain doctrinal interpretations but we are all united at the cross of Jesus Christ and on issues of national development. It is, therefore, the mandate of the church to see that there are good social values in the nation.

Percival J Mtetwa Gaborone