The Sunday Mail
Bishop Margaret Takaedza Gwaze of New Revelation Glass House Ministries International (Chitungwiza) speaks to Tendai Manzvanzvike about the women’s conference her church will host this week. She speaks about the importance of empowering women in the church, and raises her concerns that in some ministries, leaders have become bigger than Jesus. Bishop Takaedza also gives a prophetic word on bond notes.
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TM: What is your theme this year?
MTG: As New Revelation, our 2016 theme as a church is from Hebrews 11:3, which says: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
This is where we have derived the Woman of Standard Conference’s theme: “With God All Things are Possible” (Matthew 19:26).
And, this year’s edition is unique. Men are welcome, but we decided to include girl children from as young as five years old. They will participate in various activities, including ushering. By so doing, we want to catch them young, and start creating extraordinary girls, who will become extraordinary women. We also want to instil confidence in them.
We are talking about faith, where we are saying that with God, all things are possible, but without faith, it is not possible. I find that women are just speaking the Word of God, studying it, going to church, praying and fasting, but they are not doing the word of God. They are not acting the word!
TM: So what you are saying is that doing the Word is the missing link?
MTG: Yes! We are doing everything, minus doing the Word as the Lord instructed us, because you cannot be blessed while you are sleeping, doing nothing. After prayer and fasting, you need to go out there and work, and have exposure. Even if you get information, you don’t sit on it. You act on that information to achieve the desired goal.
That is why we say with God, all things are possible. So, action, action, action is required from women.
There are so many subjects of doing the word, from Genesis to Revelation. For example, if you want to be healed, you confess healing. When the word says give, you act on what it says. But so many people are not doing it. James says faith without works is dead. (James 2:17) If you want to prosper, you need to work instead of waiting for benefactors.
God will locate you when you are in the right place. That’s acting the word, instead of just sitting at home.
TM: But we see many women buying and selling, and doing a number things to take care of their families!
MTG: Indeed, women have improved a lot, but as the church, we need to continue to encourage and empower them, so that they raise their standards. For, the end product we want is an extraordinary woman, extraordinary muroora, and an extraordinary personality wherever she is.
Sometimes women speak about limitations more than they do about God, or talk about the devil more than they do about Jesus. But when you act the word, you just speak positively, and whatever you confess will come to pass.
TM: And the speakers?
MTG: We have a line-up of powerful speakers who will talk about women and health. We need to be educated, and not spiritualise everything. Then there is women in business session, under Zim-Asset; deliverance and a prophetic service.
They are Bishop Esther Kataya (Zaoga), Bishop Dr Mel Makore (Celebration International Church, UK), Mrs Junior Mavu (Cancer Association of Zimbabwe), Pastor Violet Kadzunge (Midnight Ministries), and myself.
TM: How do you make women understand this doing the word?
MTG: I preach what I do most of the time. Now I am a chrome miner, which used to be a male dominated area, and some women in the church have followed suit, with some branching into gold mining and farming. As you know, the anointing flows from the top. And Jesus said we shall do greater works, if we believe in Him.
Before hearing this word, I used to think that this was for men, but I share the things that I do, and I do not hide information. Those who want to act, go for it.
Thus, I am empowering women. I am talking about the Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation in church. Many people have put blinkers on Zim-Asset thinking that it is political, but it’s not politics.
Zim-Asset is me! It is going to benefit me, the church and the work of God.
Let me also add that Zim-Asset is biblical because God says He will bless the works of my hands. (Deuteronomy 28:12) Zim-Asset is encouraging people to work with their own hands, thereby empowering them, their families, churches communities and the country at large.
When I am empowering my country from the pulpit, is that politics?
TM: Women go to church, declarations are made and they say Amen to that. Then they wait and nothing happens. The flip-side is that the church has made followers too dependent on the man or woman of God. How do you address this within the context of your theme?
MTG: I will continue to encourage them to act the word. But I also agree with you that because some pastors just want to be honoured — not that there is anything wrong with that — but zvanyanya, zvanyanya (it is now too much)!
The way some of them are seeking fame is just too much, because it is now as if people are being ordered to worship the pastor.
When the pastor is not there in some churches, the service is not conducted. When Mai Mufundisi is not around, there is no Mothers Union. Why should your absence stall the church’s programmes?
When you see such things taking place, then there is a “me, me, me” element in that church. Believers must realise that there is only one God they worship.
TM: Do you as a church body speak to such pastors?
MTG: It’s not easy to rebuke such pastors because they do not want to associate with others, and they do not want to be rebuked. We are praying behind the scenes for divine intervention, but zvanyanya.
But as pastors, we should tell each other the truth, that truth that we do not want to tell our congregates, where we expect them to always give us. We cannot only tell them the truth when talking about giving to the pastor.
But acting the word also means giving to those in one’s community and beyond.
Money is now a major issue in the church, but the issue must be raised when there is a need, and transparently as well, and not always raising money issues in every Sunday service.
TM: You feel very strongly about this? How are you funding the conference under such economic challenges, especially the cash shortages?
MTG: My birthday is this month, and normally the congregation buys me presents. This year, I told them that our priority was this conference because it is a major event on our calendar.
So, I diverted the presents to ensure that we successfully host the conference. This was after we had cancelled a number of activities that also needed funding. But all in all, it was not easy, but through prayer and fasting, and the knowledge that with God, nothing is impossible, we are nearly there.
TM: How about catering for the needy in the church?
MTG: In our church, we have what we call the Bishop’s table, where we collect foodstuffs every month, but not for the Bishop. We have a large store room where we stock the foodstuffs. We identify the needy in the church and Zengeza community whom give. Some approach us, and we assist where possible. Even with school fees — from primary to tertiary level.
TM: Final remarks . . .
MTG: We invited people from other churches and we look forward to seeing them towards the end of the week.
I also want to talk about permanent blessings and deliverance from all problems. With God, everything is possible. Limitations will disappear.
Finally, there is a prophetic word for our nation Zimbabwe regarding bond notes. God spoke to me about bond notes, and said people should not fear or be anxious about them.
Initially, it will seem as though there is some confusion, but this will be for a short while. Things will get better in Zimbabwe with the introduction of bond notes.
So, we are just relying on what God said about bond notes. We need to hope and have faith. Hope is expecting good things from God, not bad things. Let us not be discouraged by people from other countries.
All shall be well with Zimbabwe, for in such an environment, some people are starting businesses.
So, it begins with you — having a positive mindset. God puts a way where there is no way. It’s all about His favour on us.
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