The Sunday Mail
Leader of the Zion Christian Centre Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi exudes confidence in many ways that can never be missed.
This has inevitably rubbed on to his congregation.
When it comes to celebrating in the house of God, little boys and girls, youths, women and men are not shy to demonstrate their skills on the dance floor.
And the unity of purpose has seen them funding their own building projects. As a result, 11 schools stand in different provinces of the country to date.
In addition, thriving agricultural projects are sustaining the livelihoods of members of the church, most of whom are from a poor and rural background.
But what exactly inspires Bishop Mutendi and his church, who have taken on the missionary work beyond borders in the SADC region, Europe, North America among others?
“The founder who happens to be the father had everything in place. You talk of obedience as one of the highest forms of worship. Can you imagine Christ went through what we call a college of obedience – Hebrew 5v8 – (Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered). He went on to learn obedience. How did he learn? Through hardships!
“We talk, we pray and we are blessed with the 1913 Holy Spirit. We talk but the Holy Spirit teaches and explains. I noticed the Vice-President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) quoting that scripture in Acts, ‘In the last days shall I pour the Holy Spirit on all flesh’.
“This a spiritual church led by the Holy Spirit. When Christ left this earth he said to his disciples, ‘I am going’. He says I will give you a new leader. ‘Who is this new leader,’ the disciples ask? The Holy Spirit will guide you! That’s what has guided this church from 1913 up to now,” Bishop Mutendi said.
Much effort had to be put into building a culture of hard work.
“We started as early as 1923-24 with communal lands. We grew up hearing them saying tichamboenda kumunda wekomisi. Munda wekomisi is the communal lands.
“They worked together, feeding the sick or who come to seek healing, looking after the sick. As early as 1932 they were thinking of building their own schools. The Catholic Church was running schools; Dutch reformed church was running schools and other churches.
“Little did they know they had to go through the ministry of education, apply for permission, all those things. So those who could read would teach others to read, those who could write would teach others to write. From the grassroots that’s what we can do together.
“With the spirit of togetherness there doesn’t seem like there is something we cannot do (Genesis 11v6). ‘Look these people are one, they have one language they do things together there is nothing that can stand between them and what they want to do’. If you look at us individually surely we are poor but together…! The Holy Spirit keeps us together. Those who pray together stay together,” added Bishop Mutendi.
This culture saw Bishop Mutendi’s father, Reverend Samuel Mutendi, put up unregistered schools which were operated by untrained teachers. However, they were being arrested and the schools were burnt down. Having taken over ZCC in 1977 at the age of 37 after his father’s death, Bishop Mutendi’s task was to fill the void that his father had left and to lead the church to a new and higher level of socio-economic development. The church has seven high schools, four primary schools and two resource units for the visually impaired. It also has an adult literacy programme, a college of music and plans to construct another university.
The church, Bishop Mutendi said, is busy embedding a legacy of hard work in people through skills training and self-help projects. The schools are also embracing a more technical and vocational curriculum to produce employers.
“I am leading the church along the traditions established through the sterling work of Reverend Samuel Mutendi who was my father and mentor. From day one I have managed to uphold the legacy of his 63 years of ministry to the Zionist following Christ’s commission, which we continue to pursue as a church. My vision is to fulfil the mandate of the one who sent me. To carry out the great commission of Jesus Christ as commanded in Matthew 28v19. I try in my own small way to fight the three evils of ignorance, poverty and disease as read in Hosea 4v6 and Luke 4v18,” added Bishop Mutendi.
Under the stewardship of Bishop Mutendi, ZCC bought a farm in 1981, leading to the eventual development of Mbungo Estates in Masvingo. The church built there has a capacity to hold 20 000 people. Bishop Mutendi believes that the indeginisation programme introduced by the Government came in handy for their church members.
“What impact can we have on the people? We tell them to work. We are lucky we have a Government that is empowering the poor. When we talk about indigenisation I think this is best for ZCCs who benefit a lot from it. The tradition of this church is tilling land, we are better than the Marange people when it comes to tilling. When it comes to metal work ooh we are babies,” acknowledged Bishop Mutendi.
While recent trends have seen many prophets rise up with followers hopping from church to church, Bishop Mutendi said many Christians need to be encouraged to strictly observe Christian principles.
“At one time I thought the people are no longer seeking God, they are seeking prophets.
“People of Zimbabwe really love God. But they are facing a lot of problems.
“Life is difficult but the people love God. You can be assured of that. More Christian evangelists need to be deployed to preach and convert all who believe that Jesus died in order for us to be saved,” Bishop Mutendi affirmed. Prospects of the future could never look brighter as the church has embarked on a multi-million-dollar school project in Belvedere which started last year.
“The future for ZCC is very bright. We continue to see the expansion of the church ministry within and outside the country. A look at our calendar of events and the crowds that gather at such conferences is evidence enough,” concluded Bishop Mutendi.
