Digest 73, originally sent Sat Oct 30 07:34:23 1999
There are 2 messages in this issue.
Topics in today's digest:
1. The Cape Conference
From: "Mashudu Ravhengani" <Ravhenmj@xxxxx.xxxx
2. Re: SDA and Council of Churches
From: "Lungani Mfeka" <MfekaL@xxxxxx.xx.xxx
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 10:21:59 -0400
From: "Mashudu Ravhengani" <Ravhenmj@xxxxx.xxxx
Subject: The Cape Conference
Dear Friends,
The Cape Conference in known in the SDA cycles as a conference that refused to merge with the black and the coloured conferences. Some call it a racist conference. People often overlook two important points viz. that the merger has nothing to do with racism, and also that the overwhelming majority (about 69%) of the CC constituency voted for the merger. Having said that the fact of the matter is that from the view of someone who is looking from a distance it looks like the 'good-old apartheid' arrangement.
However, recently I have noticed something in the CC that tells me a different story. From the announcements that Pastor (or do we call her pastoress) Shirley Allen has been sending I have noticed some things that I have not seen in other conferences. I see a conference that is trying to bring people of different cultural backgrounds together. This does not look like a window dressing type arrangement, but I see the CC making a real effort in bridging the gap. I don't know whether this is something that the conference have decided or it just a natural development. Whatever it is, it is good.
Few weeks our very own Jongimpi was a guest speaker at the CC youth rally. His comments after the rally were "all I can say is we should not be hasty in writing our church off when it comes to this chronic problem of merger", that to me said a mouth full.
If you look at the Women Ministries rally program that Shirley sent, you will notice that the program reflects the diversity of our rainbow nation.
This is a powerful approach to unity. Change is coming slowly and the pre-conceived ideas (of the membership) are slowly eradicated. This is a revolution. If you want a successful revolution you need to go to the rank and file, and that's exactly what the CC is doing.
Often we think we know much about each other before we meet each other, and after we have met we realize how little we know about each other.
Heaven help us all!
Shirley and your administration, keep up the good work.
Have a happy Sabat! Tell them at S school, The King is at the door!
Jeremiah
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 29 Oct 1999 07:57:42 +0200
From: "Lungani Mfeka" <MfekaL@xxxxxx.xx.xxx
Subject: Re: SDA and Council of Churches
Amen, Jerry.
>>> "Mashudu Ravhengani" <Ravhenmj@umdnj.edu> 10/28/99 10:35PM >>>
From: "Mashudu Ravhengani" <Ravhenmj@umdnj.edu>
Dear friends,
(I apologize for writing such long message, just bear with me, there
is a point that I am trying make but it is difficult to do it in few
lines)
I believe that we can learn a lot of people of other churches. Some
will remember the mail that I sent few days ago that emphasizes this
point, I believe and agree with what E.G White said, that some members
of the Catholic Church are going to be saved into the kingdom. I
currently have a boss who is a devoted Baptist, if ever I have ever met
a Christian, he is one.
There is a difference between people and systems of religion. This is
the reason why the Bible says come out of her MY people. There are
God's people who are members of systems (churches) of ERROR.
Having said that, the Bible says do not be equally yoked with
unbelievers. And the quick response will be they are not unbelievers,
they are also Christians. As I said above I have no problem with people
but the systems of error. People do not join the SACC, but church
organizations (systems) do. When we join the SACC, we are unequally
yoking ourselves with these systems of error. Remember the churches that
are members of the SACC are bound by the decisions and rules of the
SACC.
Moreover, what do we mean by believers? Believers are people who people
in something, that's obvious. What is it that we believe in? We are
believers because we believe in God and more so (since there are many
who have the same claim), in some belief systems (27 beliefs), and those
who do not believe in the same things are unbelievers [of those things
that we believe in]. It does not mean we should not befriend them, we
should, that's our mission, but we should not be yoked (married) to
them.
Many have talked about the positive role that the SACC has played in
the apartheid struggle, and I agree. However, I disagreed with their
methods, I believe liberation theology is not theology at all or let me
say its not Biblical. I didn't and still do not believe that one is
justified to kill in order to secure a political liberation. I believe
that apartheid was evil, but should we use evil methods to get rid of
the evil system? Does the end justify the means? (Few years ago I wrote
a 20-page essay challenging Liberation theology)
I hope no one will misunderstand what I am going to say next: I believe
that the abolition of apartheid has not aided our mission in any way, in
fact, it has produced more sinners, in our churches materialism is now
the new theology. Does it mean apartheid was good? No! Apartheid or no
apartheid, people need the Lord! If the oppressors had the knowledge of
Jesus as they claimed, apartheid wouldn't have existed.
I would rather be saved under apartheid rather than been lost in the
new South Africa.
I do not see how joining the SACC will enhance our mission. We have
difference agendas. It is not by joining popular organizations than our
impact in the community will be felt, but by what we do. As they say
actions speaks louder than words.
Our primary mission is not to lobby the government for some legislation
that enforces some Christian morality. Our mission is to preach the
life-changing gospel of Jesus. There is power, wonderful power in the
Blood. The heart is the heart of the problem (thanks to Jongimpi), not
socio-economic issues, they are the results of the problem. When there
is a revival (change of heart), reformation (change of ways) will
follow; there is no true reformation with a revival.
I hate abortion, I think it is evil and cold blooded murder, however,
efforts of Christians to enforce the anti-abortion laws are laughable.
Abortion is not a problem; it is the results of the problem. If they do
not abort, they will abuse or do some devilish thing. People need the
Lord. And somehow, the SACC has forgotten this. There are so busy
addressing the temporal needs of the people and forgetting that there is
a God who says, "Come unto me all who are tired and*" They are earthly
minded and don't care about heaven. Few years ago I remember listening
to Bishop Tutu on national Television saying that he does not believe in
heaven and the new earth. I was shocked, may be I was not supposed to be
surprised.
We, as church, have failed and continue to fail to fulfill the mission
that God as called us to do. All we need is to follow what God says. If
we have followed what God said we would be leaders not followers. We
have many problems, but joining the SACC will not solve any of our
problems, in the contrary it will create more problems. The SACC does
not know our mission and they can't help us in fulfilling it. Their
agenda is temporal whilst ours is eternal, yet we still have temporal
responsibilities: ADRA, and ACS in the local churches fulfill this
important function. We are people who are heavenly minded with earthly
responsibilities, we are not earthly minded with heavenly
possibilities.
The Bible prophecy warns us about the image of the beast, and as
Adventist we know that the protestant churches have already taken their
positions in fulfilling this prophecy. About two months ago the Anglican
Church came up with the recommendation that the Pope should be the head
off all the churches. This is not one of those Adventist juice rumors,
it was in ANN, I guess most of you have seen it.
This is not the time for us to be compromising in order to get some
acceptance, we are to arise, for this is the time to stand for the
truth. But we are fast asleep. It distresses me to see how we are so
much interested in everything else except preaching Christ and Him
Crucified, our sole reason (I believe) for existence. When we talk about
Cyber evangelism, there is deafening silence. The rocks will definitely
take our place.
Preach the word brethren. Today take some few minutes to tell someone
that there is a God who cares, and that He is coming soon!
I have been to the mountaintop, and I have seen the Promised Land.
Nothing in this world excites me any more.
I just want to tell somebody the King is at the door!
I am going home!
Yes, I am heavenly minded and I pray that if I be of any earthly good,
it must be when I lead others to know Him better.
Maranatha! Maranatha!
Jeremiah
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