I believe in Churches breaking up!
When churches break up for whatever reasons, it becomes news and a point for heavy debate. Most people don’t like to hear and experience Church break-up. What I just find fascinating is that majority of us are in fact beneficiaries of churches breaking up.
Rev Hamilton Y. Gama, Source: Brian Kamwendo |
As I heard about Nkhoma Synod consecrating Mzuzu congregation this past weekend and the induction of Rev Hamilton Yassin Gamahas the first historic minister of the congregation and Northern Region, I had mixed feelings. By the way, what is the church called now-Mzuzu CCAP of Nkhoma Synod…?
Here is my brother in the Lord I have known and worked with for many years now getting into the “Livingstonia Synod territory” where my other brothers, uncles, parents, etc are church ministers. Do I rejoice or feel bad about the developments? Knowing the history of conflict of Livingstonia and Nkhoma Synods, I was not sure how to take the news! For a reminder, Livingstonia Synod set up a similar congregation in the heart of Lilongwe which is headquarters to Nkhoma Synod, almost ten years ago!
To my brother Rev. Hamilton Yassin Gamahand Nazulu, congratulations on such a bold move in the ministry of the Lord. The journey has been long. Rev Brian Kamwendo (of Nkhoma Synod) who shared this news on facebook is himself a long time friend and at one time a colleague at TWR. So, in addition to CCAP (Sinodi) and my church, this new Nkhoma Synod Congregation gives me more opportunities for fellowship in the regional town. I think it is just the names that will be confusing initially!
But yes the issue of churches developing this way got me thinking again. For a moment, my mind went back to history and remembered that in fact churches have always broken up from individual congregations, churches, synods, unions, assemblies, etc. Even the growth of the New Testament was based on the scattering of the apostles which eventually led to the growth of the church. These breakups have always extended the Kingdom of God and its influence.
The churches born out of break-ups have some needs which they meet. The older churches will always contest this because often they are too comfortable within them. They are like Hillary Clinton and Trump. The former camp thinks they are best placed to continue meeting the needs of the people forgetting they are few if not many others disgruntled ones that need some healing too.
A group enjoys the warmth and fellowship together and even when the numbers are huge, people enjoy belonging to that group even if no one knows them at the church. Parting ways is painful hence most churches are uncomfortable to breakup.
We forget that God in fact included the breaking-up as part of His Kingdom growth strategy. If children decided not to move away from parents, there would be no successive generations or indeed growth the family line. Breaking camp enabled growth of empires.
As people and churches break away to form new ones, they discover new and utilize their gifts to the maximum. They extend their area of influence thus populating many areas with the Gospel. Just thirty years ago, Malawi had much fewer churches than they are now. The revivals and the break-ups then led to a growth in the Pentecostal and charismatic movement which has subsequently revived the mainline churches too. Little did we know thirty years ago that Malawi would have churches like the Living Waters, Calvary Family Church, Presbyterian Church in Malawi, Charismatic Renewal Ministries International, etc. And then the coming in of Nigeria-founded churches has also in its own ways shaken and strengthened the earlier established ones.
While there is often confusion, anger and competition for and in resources and members during such break-ups, things tend to normalize after ten or so years. These break-ups disturb the status-quo and makes people wake up and adjust in ways that attract growth and maturity in them.
While I do not like the personal effects of any church break-up, I believe the developments are for the good of the church and God’s Kingdom.
Lastly, here is a warning; even this new congregation should be ready for a break-up soon or later if God’s Kingdom through Nkhoma Synod is to move on. You may not like this statement but if you are Kingdom-minded, you will welcome it. In fact, at this rate, we need more new churches, as long as they are Christ-centered, committed to thorough Bible-teaching and Kingdom led.
Disclaimer: I am not a church historian.