The Sunday Mail
PASTOR Erasmus Makarimayi says a decade ago, when the Lord gave him a revelation about New Gate Chapel, he thought that he was being led to fellowship in a church by that name, but that was not the case. He tarried in prayer seeking direction until God revealed the full meaning of the vision. Pastor Makarimayi (EM) (pictured) recently spoke with Tendai Manzvanzvike (TM) about the long journey to fully establishing a ministry — New Gate Chapel — and the compelling message of the grace of the Lord Jesus.
TM: On April 23, New Gate Chapel was launched in Harare. One of the most striking things was your testimony, when you said the Lord gave you a revelation for the church in 2007. It took nearly 10 years to implement it. What was the revelation, and why did it take so long to come to fruition?
EM: Thank you Tendai for the grace to proclaim the grace of God wherein we stand. Grace and peace be multiplied to you. Back in 2007 while praying intensely to God to deal with a myriad of challenges I was facing, I saw the name New Gate Chapel in the skies. What first came to mind was that this was the church I had to attend. I looked for it physically and on the internet, but didn’t find it. I continued praying, fellowshipping in various churches.
In 2009 as a family, we planned to leave the country. Everything was completed and we were about to exit Zimbabwe, but the hand of the Lord was upon me and His incontestable voice said that I should lead His people New Gate Chapel in my native country.
I recanted and intensified prayer to grasp the revelation. We registered the church. We shared the vision with those around us at that time and prayer meetings were held. Since then, through the vehicle of New Gate Chapel we conducted other intermittent services, although we were not structurally functioning as a church. In 2015 God told us to begin assembling as a congregation in Harare and we invited those around us and met on 23 April 2016 to launch the ministry with services commencing on May 1, 2016. By the grace of God, in just five Sundays, we have witnessed tremendous and exponential growth.
TM: What is the ministry’s vision and doctrine?
EM: Having travelled extensively on the mission road, I was surprised as I was finalising the paperwork and preparation for New Gate Chapel when God asked me what the message to the church was. You are aware I have been writing weekly devotionals for a weekly newspaper since 2010 and other outside publications bordering around messages of inspiration and motivation.
The short of it is that God said His message to the church is grace. So, as New Gate Chapel, we proclaim the grace of God that ushers people into their destiny.
Our doctrine is ably put by Apostle Paul in Romans 11:6 which says, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”
TM: When you say that you will be preaching the message of grace, what exactly do you mean because people now argue that there is a tendency to break down the gospel of Jesus Christ to suit personal interests, just like saying the gospel of prosperity and others?
EM: The Bible doesn’t mince its words to state that there is no other gospel than grace. Anything that is not the grace of God is perversion.
Paul in Galatians 1:6-7 says: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”
Additionally, preachers are admonished to the New Testament. The Lord says in 2 Corinthians 3:6, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”
Beyond the New Testament, ministers will be killing listeners.
TM: There is also an increasing number of ministries coming up, whose focus is the gospel of grace. Why? Is this the latest fad?
EM: I am happy to hear that. Truth will be ubiquitous and it will be easier to differentiate between the church and cults, between heresy or false doctrine and the gospel.
TM: However, criticism levelled against those who preach the grace message is that they are giving people a licence to sin because they say that grace is there already. What is your comment?
EM: Grace, (you may be aware grace is a person, the man Christ Jesus) empowers believers to worship their Father without guilt, shame, condemnation or low self-esteem.
A perversion of the gospel is deceitful and hypocritical. Our holiness is Christ. Apart from Christ Jesus, the standard of God’s holiness can’t be met. Self effort is nowhere near and is a smack at God’s face for the completed works of Jesus Christ, a denial of Jesus who alone is the way to God.
TM: From 2007 to April 2016, what have you been doing in terms of ministry work? And, did you attend Bible School?
EM: I have been ministering on various platforms, in various settings and churches. And, also taking quite a chunk of my time is my membership to the team of Jesus for Africa Evangelistic Ministries led by a formidable evangelist of our time, the affable Evangelist Paul Saungweme.
So, I have been to almost every part of our beautiful country. Indeed, I have attended Bible schools and Theological University, and I am still studying.
TM: New Gate Chapel is launched when the nation is facing a number of socio-economic challenges, on one side, while there is also a lot of skepticism or cynicism about the formation of new ministries, and the church in general, with critics alleging that church ministries are now business ventures for the men and women of God. What’s your take on the criticism?
EM: Yes, the nation is experiencing challenges, but our comfort is the Christian hope which assures us that better things accompanying salvation are coming.
Whichever way you look at it, we are always nearer better even if heading into a slump. And having no proof to support the view of the critics or discredit it, a believer’s private study and prayer will help.
Jesus taught in John 16:13-14, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.”
Particularly pertaining to the coming of New Gate Chapel, my conviction is that we’re coming to diversify the platform to access truth.
TM: And, who is Pastor Makarimayi?
EM: Pastor Erasmus Makarimayi is married to Ethel, a union blessed with a daughter Ruvarashe.
TM: And your parting remarks.
EM: Let me sum up by talking of the need for salvation. The reader has to understand that before Jesus came in the flesh (called incarnation), people were buying and selling land and houses, as well as getting jobs and tenders and marrying and wedding.
His coming, His death, burial, resurrection and ascension surely should mean more.
Many are lured to the church on the wrong premise. An unsaved person can buy houses and cars. The difference is that the unsaved is dead and a born again believer is alive.
Genesis 2:17 records, “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
From that time, everyone was dead, merely existing and leading life as dead beings.
But Romans 5:12,17 explains, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned… For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.”
With an option of either life or death, please choose life. Please, please dear reader, if you are not yet born again confess Jesus and live. Romans 10:9 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
And in 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
A better future lies ahead. Continue in the grace wherein you were called.
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