Nkhoma V Livingstonia: The gospel is the winner
It’s been an age old ferocious ecclesiastical battle of two synods, Livingstonia and Nkhoma. For many years now, they clamoured with uncharacteristic zeal over administrative boundaries for their so called “synod territories.” All manner of weapons: pangas, stones, unpalatable words, “illegal” land occupations, anger, hatred, including (surprisingly) prayers, flew as part of a flurry of strategies intended to resolve the never ending feud.
I can’t tell the number of physical and spiritual casualties that have fallen by the way side so far as a result of the battle but I bet there must be some, what with all the burning intensity of the offensive commitment offered by the two feuding combatants.
Like many others, I stood anxiously as an active witness in the entire fracas, pondering the difficult reality that was unfolding just in front of my eyes involving renowned men of the white collar. I asked, what and whose war are they fighting? To benefit who? Are they trying to help God? Which God? The same loving, caring, patient, forgiving and powerful one I know? Will there be any more energy for them to preach the gospel after laboring tirelessly and endlessly in the “holy” war?
Going by recent events, I am relieved to see that the hot air seems to be simmering away, what with the Nkhoma synod declaring unilaterally the new “no boundary policy”, not just with their erstwhile “enemy” but across the country and beyond, meanwhile bringing Blantyre and other international synods into the fray.
Some may be asking, who has therefore won the battle this far? Certainly, none of the warring synods but God and the sweet Gospel of Jesus Christ. You ask how? It’s because the Gospel will now be preached to the ends of the earth without any boundary restrictions as espoused by the book of Acts 1v8 of the bible “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”
Mark 16v15 also says, “Go into the entire world and preach the good news to all creation.” Do these verses not sound any familiar to you? Let me tell you, those little kingdoms called “synod boundaries” have been broken and for sure, God has prevailed over man’s pride.
See what, when God desired to promote the gospel, others may have been busy promoting their little “synod kingdoms”, leaving the work of God aside. Some of these “synod kingdoms” even turned into quasi-ethnic groups promoting their cultural traditions and languages instead of promoting the gospel of truth, which is the very mission of the church.
For once, I yearn to see missionaries from the synods working tirelessly side by side in love, going to unreached areas of the other synods, preaching the gospel and bringing souls to the Lord and discipling them especially in these end times for this is the will of God.
Do I seem to undermine the role of administrative structures in helping to propagate the gospel? Certainly not. But where administrative arrangements are seen to constrain the very mission of the church, to spread the gospel, I would rather do away with them or review them for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Who needs any more evidence to show the extent of the increasing hunger for the gospel among God’s people with all the numerous marital problems around, immorality, fighting, corruption, homosexuality, hopelessness, and hatred outside and even inside the church? Jesus in Mathew 9v37 says, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
And if the workers are busy fighting over boundaries, who will do the work of harvesting the crop that Jesus has worked tirelessly to bring to readiness for harvest? For those belonging to Blantyre synod, why should you get any worried with the unfolding events? If I was part of you, I would start praising God for opening more doors to reach out with the gospel while working side by side with brethren in the other synods for that is exactly what you were called for by God if all of you carry that calling.
All you would need to do is open your spiritual eyes, reflect prayerfully on the challenge before you and grab the opportunity to take the gospel through your missionaries in far places as Nthalire in Chitipa, Lundazi in Zambia and Wimbe in Kasungu district etc. I mean preaching the true gospel of salvation and peace not merely building and filling prayer houses with people without God’s presence in urban or related areas.
You will discover that in most of these rural places, there are many “Christians” yearning to have a deep and personal relationship with God. They go to church religiously without any commitment to the values of God and life of genuine faith in Christ. Their leaders serve the pulpit during the day and gule wankulu or witchcraft during the night. They are dying for the gospel.
In fact the Nkhoma Synod General Secretary, Rev David Chifungo (pictured) sums it all in the nation newspaper saying they made the decision to adopt the “no boundary policy” to ensure peace, forgiveness and reconciliation between the two synods.
I trust he really meant his word for these are the very Christian virtues that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is meant to yield the world over so that the world may once again become a better place to live in as originally desired by the creator, a world ruled by love, righteousness and heart fellowship.
By the way, is the General Synod also hearing this voice?
Email: pjjere@globemw.net
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