adminNozibelo Maphosa, Sunday News Reporter
THE church should play a leading role in complementing Government efforts in fostering both community and national development goals rather than attacking it, a Zion Church Bishop has said.
Speaking on the sidelines of a church crusade held in Bulawayo recently which was attended by thousands of the church’s congregants, Bishop Jameson Pedzisai of the Zion Apostolic Church said the church should not work against the Government but should aim to promote a cordial working relationship in order to achieve national development goals.
“The role of the church is to work with the Government and not to oppose it. We are not supposed to oppose the country’s leadership but we must help them in maintaining peace. We as the church should not involve ourselves much into politics but in humanitarian assistance,” he said.
Bishop Pedzisai said the church was a Government branch that should preach peaceful co-existence and extend its hand to the needy and poor.
“Right now there are a lot of things happening and it is the role of the church to come in and help. In case of drought and floods, we must be helping the victims.
“Zion as a church helped a lot of people when they were affected by floods in Chivi. We know quite a number of people who were affected and some are our church members. Even today we sometimes visit the flood victims,” he said.
Bishop Pedzisai said he would like to advice other congregations to stop interfering with politics and maintain their religious stands of winning souls to God. He also said Christian organisations should avoid criticising other churches and religions.
“Christian organisations are there to unite people and not to criticise others. What we are seeing and hearing now where churches and church leaders are attacking each other is not healthy. We should complement each other as religious organisations.
“We should also avoid too much interfering in national politics. Rulers are God given, let us not involve ourselves in politics.
“There should be a marked difference between a politician and a church leader. We as an organisation support the Government for its moral uprightness and the freedom of worship they have continued to grant us.
“Instead of attacking the Government we should actually come together as churches and pray for our country and its economy,” said Bishop Pedzisai.
Zion is one of the first indigenous churches in Zimbabwe. It has more than 15 000 members in Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter