Difference between revisions of "Grace Community Church, South Africa"

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|Box title    = Meserete Kristos Church
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|Box title    = Grace Community Church
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|image        = Image:Et-map.gif
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|image        = Image:Sf-map.gif
 
|imagewidth  = 300
 
|imagewidth  = 300
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|caption      = Ethiopia: World Factbook, 2009<ref name="cia">"Ethiopia," ''CIA World Factbook''. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/et.html (accessed 7 June 2009).</ref>
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|caption      = South Africa: World Factbook, 2009<ref name="cia">"South Africa," ''CIA World Factbook''. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html</ref>
 
|Row 1 title = Location
 
|Row 1 title = Location
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|Row 1 info = <center>Ethiopia</center>
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|Row 1 info = <center>Philipstown, South Africa</center>
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|Row 2 title = Contact Information
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|Row 2 title = Date Established
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|Row 2 info = ''Group's Contact Information''
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|Row 2 info = <center>1990's</center>
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|Row 3 title = Date Established
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|Row 3 title = Presiding Officer
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|Row 3 info = <center>1948</center>
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|Row 3 info = <center>Leon Pula<ref>"Africa." Africa Summary. Mennonite World Conference, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. <www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Africa%20Summary.doc>.</ref></center>
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|Row 4 title = Presiding Officer
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|Row 4 title = [[Mennonite World Conference|MWC]] Affiliated?
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|Row 4 info = <center>Group's presiding officer''</center>
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|Row 4 info = <center>Yes</center>
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|Row 5 title = [[Mennonite World Conference|MWC]] Affiliated?
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|Row 5 title = Number of Congregations
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|Row 5 info = <center>Yes</center>
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|Row 5 info = <center>7</center>
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|Row 6 title = Number of Congregations
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|Row 6 title = Membership
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|Row 6 info = <center>484 (2009)<ref>"2009 Mennonite and Brethren in Christ World Membership: Africa Summary," ''[[Mennonite World Conference]]''. http://www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=16 (accessed 7 June 2010).</ref></center>
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|Row 6 info = <center>1,027</center>
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|Row 7 title = Membership
 
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|Row 7 info = <center>172,299 (2009)<ref>"2009 Mennonite and Brethren in Christ World Membership: Africa Summary," ''[[Mennonite World Conference]]''. http://www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=16 (accessed 7 June 2010).</ref></center>
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
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The '''Meserete Kristos Church (MKC)''' is the primary Anabaptist-related group in [[Ethiopia]]. In 2009 MKC had 172,299 members in 484 congregations scattered across all 18 Administrative Regions of Ethiopia.<ref>"2009 Mennonite and Brethren in Christ World Membership: Africa Summary," ''[[Mennonite World Conference]]''. http://www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=16 (accessed 7 June 2010).</ref> In addition to the 484 official Meserete Kristos Church congregations, there are also 834 congregation planting centers. <ref>Meserete Kristos College. "Why Meserete Kristos College." http://www.mkcollege.org/Why-Mk-College.html. web (accessed July 8,2010)</ref> As of 2009, Meserete Kristos Church is the largest national Anabaptist conference in the world.<ref name="name">Sandra Joireman, ''Church, State and Citizen'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009), 86.</ref>
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Grace Community Church is a Mennonite World Conference church located in Philipstown, South Africa. Philipstown, South Africa is located in the heart of a rural sheep ranching territory in the northwest part of the country.<ref>Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.</ref> Most recently, the Grace Community Church in South Africa has reported to have 1,027 members in seven different congregations.<ref>"Africa." Africa Summary. Mennonite World Conference, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Africa%20Summary.doc&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.</ref>
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== Stories  ==
  
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== Stories ==
 
 
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|PageName=Meserete Kristos Church
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|PageName=Grace Community Church
 
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=== Origins  ===
 
=== Origins  ===
  
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In 1945, before Meserete Kristos Church even existed, Mennonite missionaries entered [[Ethiopia]] in association with [[Mennonite Central Committee]] and Mennonite Relief Committee looking to bring relief to the country a few years after the Italian occupation of 1936-1941. <ref name="bop">Nathan B. Hege, ''Beyond Our Prayers'' (Scottdale: Herald Press, 1998)</ref> Since the missionaries weren't granted missionary status by the Ethiopian government, the early Mennonites in Ethiopia focused all of their energy and resources into relief work. They brought a shipment of relief goods and acquired access to an old cotton gin building which they then converted into a local hospital. <ref name="bop" /> It wasn't until June 7th 1948 that Dorsa Mishler and Daniel Sensening, two mission representatives, obtained permission for permanent mission status from the government, a helpful addition and complement to their previous relief work.<ref name="mciea">Alemu Checole, "Mennonite Churches in Eastern Africa," in ''A Global Mennonite History: Volume One, Africa.'' ed. John A. Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder (Kitchener, ON: Pandora Press, 2003)</ref> By 1950, the transfer of the mission from Mennonite Relief Committee to Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions was complete.<ref name="bop" /> Under their new status, mission work could expand into education and evangelism which they immediately took advantage of when, in that same year, they built the first of their many schools in Deder.<ref name="mciea"/>
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The church began when Pastor David Makaleni decided to build a church and evangelize within the Philipstown community in the 1990's.<ref>Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.</ref> Makaleni became a legend in the area for carrying the gospel to many workers struggling to live on sheep farms. He drove thousands of miles to spread the good news. During his life, David planted nearly 20 cell groups and rid most of the plantations of the alcoholism that was creating an epidemic. <br>After some time, Grace Community Church had mentioned that they would really like to have some of their members ordained. Tim Lind, a Mennonite Central Committee representative, helped connect Grace Community with the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe.<ref>Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.</ref> During 2001, Bishop Shenk and his wife Nancy, travelled to Philipstown to ordain pastors and advise the church on how to install deacons.<ref>Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.</ref> <br>
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[[Image:David Makalani.png]]<br>
  
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One Saturday night on June 16, 1951 a group of ten Ethiopian nationals planned to be the first group of believers baptized by Mennonite missionaries in the country.<ref name="bop" /> These ten men and women lived in the "closed" area of Nazareth where missionaries were banned from proselytizing. Therefore, the missionaries brought them to Addis Ababa, the capital of [[Ethiopia]], which was an "open" area where missionaries could operate. The missionaries believed they could take the Nazareans to the capital in order to skirt the restrictions. The ten Ethiopians were baptized and returned to Nazareth, however, the Nazareth governor found out about their trip and scolded the missionaries for their actions. There weren't any serious repercussions, but the missionaries were made to promise never to baptize people from any "closed" area ever again. The Meserete Kristos Church today marks this date as the day when the church officially began, as they celebrated their fifty year Jubilee in 2001.<ref name="bop" /><br>
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Pastor David Makaleni <ref>Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.</ref>
  
 
=== Growth  ===
 
=== Growth  ===
  
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From January 17-19, 1959 the first meeting between national lay leaders and Mennonite missionaries took place at a general council meeting in Nazareth. This date signified the first in a series of steps to transfer church authority from the Mennonite missionaries to Ethiopian lay leaders. Throughout the meetings, lay leaders and missionaries discussed and developed a structure for the various congregations meeting on the missions.<ref name="gameomkc"> Hege, Nathan and Richard D. Thiessen. "Ethiopia." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. March 2010. Web. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/E84.html (accessed June 8, 2010)</ref> The Ethiopian lay leaders eventually took over the missions entirely from [[Mennonite Central Committee]] and Eastern Mennonite Mission including the schools and hospitals in three stages.<ref name="EvangelicalsAA">Johannes Launhardt, ''Evangelicals in Addis Ababa (1919-1991)'' (New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2004), 151</ref> The first stage, implemented in 1962, allowed Ethiopian nationals to minister their local congregations in conjunction with the missionaries. Missionaries couldn't interfere with the administration unless they were elected by the congregations. The second phase began in 1964 to substitute nationals into different posts in mission run projects. Another event that marked a major transition point in the history of MKC occurred in 1964 when the former mission-directed organization was dissolved and the first church constitution was approved. Finally, the third phase in 1965 declared that Ethiopians who had been serving as assistants be appointed to the executive committee, while the missionaries themselves become assistants. It was also during these meetings that the title Meserete Kristos Church was proposed. The term "Mennonite" was not included within the name of the church because it was decided that the term "Mennonite" had no significant local meaning and might connote a cult following since it was named after a man.<ref name="gameomkc" />
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==== Apartheid ====
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==== Heavenly Sunshine ====
 
  
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In 1962, a group of young high school students from the Orthodox Church came to Dr. Rohrer Eshelman looking for a teacher to teach them english.<ref name="bop" /> The doctor agreed to teach them english so long as they used the Gospel of John as their textbook. The students agreed and pretty soon became more interested in the gospel than the english lessons. Even though they recognized the scripture as possessing ultimate authority, these students wanted to stay within the Orthodox church because at the time evangelicals were negatively associated with foreign missionaries. With this in mind, the students didn't join MKC but rather formed their own church which they called Semay Birhan or "Heavenly Sunshine". MKC still maintained ties with these students and helped them whenever they could. For instance, MKC sent some of their own members to assist with Semay Birhan worship services and eventually helped bail Semay Birhan members from jail when they were arrested by the government for "unorthodox" worshiping practices. Semay Birhan became a very charismatic group; members would join in mass prayer, cast out demons and speak in tongues. As the original members graduated from high school and pursued higher education, interest spread rapidly among university students and the group continued to grow. In 1966, the university group and Ethiopian members from the Finnish Mission Church began to meet together. These two groups resolved to be united in one group and eventually settled on Mulu Wengel (Full Gospel) as the name for their new church. In 1972 the communist government banned the Mulu Wengel church and outlawed meetings of any kind. Looking for a new group to call home, many members from the former Mulu Wengel church joined the Meserete Kristos church in 1974. As a result, the present-day Meserete Kristos church is more pentecostal than many of its sister Mennonite churches.<ref name="gameomkc" />
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The Philipstown community continues to be an area of economic depression influenced by sheep farms.<ref>"Grace Community Church." Mennonite Mission Network. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;lt;http://www.me nnonitemission.net/OurWork/Partners/Pages/GraceCommunityChurch.aspx&amp;amp;amp;gt;.</ref> The sheep farms are the main source of wealth in the community, and as it was before the apartheid, the farms belong almost solely to white farmers. Because of this, these white farmers employ large numbers of African workers.<ref>"Grace Community Church." Mennonite Mission Network. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;lt;http://www.me nnonitemission.net/OurWork/Partners/Pages/GraceCommunityChurch.aspx&amp;amp;amp;gt;.</ref> While the church and Philipstown community can feel disgruntled in a culture that had been closed by color for so long, Grace Community Church has rapidly grown since apartheid. Pastor Leon Pula is the head of the church at the moment. For quite some time, now, Pastor Pula has been fervently involved in politics. During 2006 he was the only person of color in a senior government position and had already been a deputy chairperson for a branch of the African National Congress (ANC).<ref>Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.</ref> He has only been allowed to hold congress since apartheid is finally over. The African National Congress finally came to power in 2006 and the victory released a lot of emotion for change.<ref>Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.</ref> Pastor Pula continues to be a well known leader within the community and has continued to try and bridge the gap between the opposition party and the ANC. Although the church has grown tremendously since apartheid, the economy has completely plummeted since the opposing party lost power.
  
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==== Communist Influence ====
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== Contemporary Trends ==
  
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On the day of September 12, 1974, Haile Selassie I, emperor of [[Ethiopia]] since 1930, saw his power instantly disappear as the military managed to successfully take over the government.<ref name="bop" /> This coup represented a significant transition from the previous monarchical system utilized for centuries toward a communist oriented government. In general, it looked as if the government would produce positive reforms as they enacted drastic land reform policies and deprived landlords of their oppressive power; however, the outcome for religious organizations looked bleaker. As the communist government gained more power and espoused atheist Marxist values, resistance against religious organizations increased. Study materials that contained anything other than Marxist doctrine were suspect and eligible for confiscation. Therefore, all church study materials MKC produced had to be hidden and smuggled from place to place. The communist government instituted a program in which everybody had to attend meetings numerous times a week presenting Marxist philosophy. These party indoctrination classes were in large part an effort to "re-educate" citizens and provide a deterrent from any other services deemed counter-revolutionary. Beginning in 1977, the government issued a law decreeing that no person under the age of thirty would be allowed to attend church.<ref name="bop" /> Some young people defied and circumvented this law by dressing up in older style clothes to prevent themselves from being caught. It was also during this time that the government began to enact physical barriers against religious organizations around the country, including MKC. These acts of aggression against the church included arresting church leaders, forbidding church meetings and encouraging thugs to beat up MKC members.<ref name="bop" />
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While the affects of apartheid continue to be present, the church members in Philipstown do believe that a change has been made. They would agree that they are living in a free country, because while it is still not good it’s much different that it was.<ref>Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.</ref><br>Recently, efforts have been made to build relations with other Anabaptist churches, including the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa. However, even though these relationships have been made, neither BIC nor Mennonites have continued to nurture this church. Even still, the church continues to grow and study the scriptures to their best knowledge.<br>Pastor Leon Pula believes that the focus in the church right now is on the youth. The church would like to develop the youth to be able to keep the church alive and get them ready for leadership.<ref>Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.</ref><br>Pula and his wife, Leah, have had some success with facing other struggles within the community as well, such as drinking and fighting. They have led counseling, generating many success stories along with peace and healthiness.<ref>Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.</ref> <br>Setting up a ministry in the Philipvale Primary School has been another project for Leon Pula. This ministry is an outreach to the youth in the community, and the youth group meets every night.<ref>Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.</ref><br>
  
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In January 1982, the Marxist government confiscated all of Meserete Kristos' offices, worship buildings, bank accounts and physical property. In addition to the confiscation of property, six of MKCs leaders were arrested and held in detention for 50 months.<ref name="bop" /> They were kept in cramped conditions, knowing that at any moment they could be executed. These six MKC leaders included: Kelifa Ali, Kiros Bihon, Shamsudin Abdo, Negash Kebede, Abebe Gorfe and Tilahun Beyene. While these church leaders were in jail and with no buildings to congregate in, church members took it upon themselves to hold church services in private. A law was in place at the time stating that nobody could meet in groups larger than five people except on holidays. Recognizing the magnitude of this law, MKC members organized a network of "cells" in which members would meet at each others houses in groups of five. A majority of these cells did not include any form of leaders or trained pastors because there weren't enough leaders to go around, but rather were comprised of ordinary church-goers. There was always the constant risk of police raids, so members communicated by word of mouth and attendees entered and left the house individually.<ref>Wilbert Shenk, "New Wineskins for New Wine: Toward a Post-Christendom Ecclesiology," ''International Bulletin of Missionary Research''. http://prodigal.typepad.com/files/wilbert-shenk---new-wineskins-for-new-wine---toward-a-post-christendom-ecclesiology.pdf.</ref> This cell organization allowed the underground MKC to flourish as people intimately shared their personal faith in small groups of trusted friends. Attendance grew exponentially as people became disillusioned with the communist system and were searching for meaning in life other than Marxist doctrine. The Meserete Kristos Church officially ceased to exist; however, the democratization process in 1992 initiated by the newly founded government allowed the church to reemerge and obtain some of its lost property.<ref name="NonformalTheologicalEducation">Bedru H. Muktar, "Non-formal Theological Education: The Meserete Kristos Church Experience," ''Mission Focus''. http://ambs.edu/files/documents/news-and-publications/publications/mf/Mission_Focus_Vol_5.pdf#page=24. </ref> This ten year period of underground activity didn't serve the communist government's intended purpose of decreasing church attendance. Rather, it signified a drastic explosion in church membership as numbers rose from 5,000 to 34,000 members.<ref name="NonformalTheologicalEducation" /><br>
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[[Image:Leon Pula.png]]
  
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==== Meserete Kristos College  ====
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Pastor Leon Pula praying over a member in his congregation <ref>Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.</ref>
  
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In 1983, throughout the years Meserete Kristos Church was operating underground, Yeshitila Mengistu, Kedir Dolchume, Tadesse Negawo, Siyum Gebretsadik and Shemelis Rega began to give informal leadership training.<ref name="mkcbeginnings">Meserete Kristos College. "Meserete Kristos College: Beginnings." http://www.mkcollege.org/Beginnings.html. web (accessed July 8,2010)</ref> This informal training allowed various congregations to train elders and evangelists. In 1994, the Meserete Kristos Church Bible Institute (MKCBI) was founded in order to provide biblical training to pastors, evangelists and leaders within [[Ethiopia]].<ref name="mkcbeginnings" /> In 1997, MKCBI was reorganized as the Meserete Kristos College.<ref name="mkcbeginnings" /> Today, Meserete Kristos College has been fundamental in addressing the constant need for church leadership as church membership continues to rapidly expand. According to the Meserete Kristos College website, they currently offer three programs: "A two-year Diploma in Bible and Christian Ministries in the Amharic Language, a two-year Advanced Diploma in Bible and Christian Ministries, and a four-year Baccalaureate Degree in Bible and Christian Ministries in the English Language."
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=== Identifying as Anabaptist  ===
  
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=== Contemporary Trends  ===
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The major way that Grace Community identifies as Anabaptist is trying to keep peace within the community. By showing and representing reconciliation, they want to show that peace is attainable between the whites and blacks. Their efforts to reduce alcoholism within the community have also generated similar themes of peace.
  
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In the last few years, Meserete Kristos Church has made some fundamental decisions centered around social issues. On October 6-7, 2006, the Meserete Kristos Church General Assembly voted in favor of allowing polygamous converts to become members within the church and to allow women to hold leadership positions.<ref name="ldie">Holly Blosser Yoder, "Landmark Decisions in Ethiopia,"''Mennonite Weekly Review 84,'' no. 46 (November 2006)</ref>
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=== Important Individuals  ===
  
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The first vote, a decision to allow polygamous converts to join MKC, marks a definitive stance for the church, as it seeks to find a representative standpoint on a continent where polygamous marriage is common. The Assembly came to the decision after discussion about the effects polygamous marriage would have on the church. Defending their stance, Assembly members stated that denying polygamous converts outright would place the divorced wives and children at risk.<ref name="ldie" /> It has been shown that divorcing multiple wives and children causes them suffering and increased susceptibility. Once a polygamous convert enters the church they are no longer allowed to marry additional wives. Monogamy still constitutes the underlying principle within MKC and any member who practices polygamous practices will have their membership revoked. After this decision, MKC hopes they will be able to improve their witness among polygamous sections of the populace, especially in Muslim areas.<ref name="ldie" />
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*Pastor Leon Pula - He is the pastor of Grace Community Church in Philipstown, South Africa. Currently Pula is involved in politics and is the only person of color in a senior government position. Pastor Pula continues to be a well known leader within the community and has continued to try and bridge the gap between the opposition party and the ANC. <br>
  
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The second vote taken by the Meserete Kristos Church General Assembly marked the first time women were allowed to hold congressional office.<ref name="ldie" /> Before this point, women were discouraged from participating in leadership positions. There weren't any specific policies stating that leadership positions be filled by males, but tradition and order played a strong role in keeping females from attaining higher office within the church. The Assembly came to this decision after recognizing that women played a fundamental role and occupied leadership roles when the church operated underground during the 1970s and 80s. Women can now hold offices such as evangelist, teacher, pastor, deacon and elder.<ref name="ldie" />
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=== Current Challenges  ===
  
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== Important Individuals  ==
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Probably the biggest challenge facing Grace Community Church today is the repercussions of apartheid. The affects of apartheid create a constant struggle in the community, as well as in South Africa, because many of the black nationals do not have money and they are forced to ask white people for it. In a way this interferes with the nationals ability to live out their newly found freedom. Pastor Pula hopes that in the near future whites will come to worship at their church.
  
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== MWC Global Gift Sharing Report (2005)  ==
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[[Image:Building.jpg]]
  
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=== General Comments on the Workshop  ===
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In 2006, 16 North Americans helped Grace Community to remodel their church. By doing so, people within the community could see hope in the fact that blacks and whites could work together someday. <ref>Hollinger-Janzen, Lynda. "In South Africa, Workers Dismantle Walls, Build God's Household." The Mennonite 07 Dec. 2007.</ref>
  
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This workshop, held on 20 January 2000 in Addis Ababa, overlapped with the church’s national conference. A group of 19 participants discussed at length the role of the church in helping members identify, develop and share their gifts. There was also considerable discussion about how the church can respond to the expansion of Islam in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian church is particularly gifted with a strong core of well-trained church and professional people.<ref name="ggsr">Pakisa Tshimika and Tim Lind, "Mennonite World Conference Global Gift Sharing Report" (Mennonite World Conference, 2005), 29-30.</ref>
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<br>Many people within and around the Philipstown community are reliant on alcohol, which results in constant struggle and unnecessary fighting. Pastor Leon Pula and his wife, Leah, are doing what they can to change this problem, but more could be done.<ref>Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.</ref><br>The HIV/AIDs crisis is also a serious struggle the church is facing.<ref>McFarlane, Patricia. "Tell Me About Grace Community Church." E-mail interview. 11 Apr. 2011.</ref> While there are many youth in the church that cannot fully understand their actions, a continued effort at showing the path to a new life in Jesus Christ is necessary. <br>
  
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=== Highlights of the Inventory Process  ===
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<br>
  
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The workshop noted that the MKC has choirs, writers, editors, evangelists and mission workers whose gifts could be shared. The MK College would welcome exchanges of students and teachers with other institutions. The church’s “One Year for Christ” program is a model for evangelism that can be shared.<ref name="ggsr" />
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== Electronic Resources  ==
 
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*Bedru, Hussein. "Contextualization of the Gospel Among the Oromo Tribe of the Eastern Wollega Region - The Meserete Kristos Church Experience" Mission Focus 10 (2002): 61-80.
 
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::[[Hussein, Bedru. Contextualization of the Gospel Among the Oromo Tribe of the Eastern Wollega Region - The Meserete Kristos Church Experience]]
 
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*Bedru, Hussein. "Polygamy-An Ethical Case Study" Mission Focus 10 (2002): 81-92.
 
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::[[Hussein, Bedru. Polygamy-An Ethical Case Study]]
 
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*Muktar, Bedru. "Non-formal Theological Education - The Meserete Kristos Church Experience' Mission Focus 5 (1997): 23-46.
 
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::[[Muktar, Bedru. Non-formal Theological Education - The Meserete Kristos Church Experience]]
 
  
 
== Annotated Bibliography  ==
 
== Annotated Bibliography  ==
  
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*Checole, Alemu. "Mennonite Churches in Eastern Africa." In ''A Global Mennonite History: Volume One, Africa,'' edited by John A. Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder, 191-253. Kitchener, ON: Pandora Press, 2003.
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*"Africa." Africa Summary. Mennonite World Conference, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &lt;www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Africa%20Summary.doc&gt;. <br>
  
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::This chapter gives an overview of African religion in general and compares the Ethiopian Orthodox Church with a number of Ethiopian Mennonite churches. The Mennonite churches discussed in this book are from Ethiopia, Tanzania and Somalia. For each country, the author examines the history of the various churches within the country and how they have developed over the years.
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::This website directs the reader to a document that lists the different Anabaptist and Mennonite World Conference churches within Africa. The document lists the African countries in alphabetical order, with a list of each church in the pertaining country. Under the church’s name is the number of members and how many congregations exist within each church.
  
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*Hege, Nathan B. ''Beyond Our Prayers.'' Scottdale: Herald Press, 1998.
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*Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.
  
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::This book details the founding and history of Meserete Kristos church, from the arrival of Mennonite missionaries in Ethiopia in 1948 up until the year when the book was written in 1998. Each chapter details a significant period in MKC history and covers such subjects as education, medicine, mission work and persecution, to name a few.
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::This is one of the most thorough books on Anabaptist history within the African context that I used during research. While it focuses on the whole continent, this book pays ample attention to the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in Southern Africa. There was even a small section specifically on the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa. This was a primary source.
  
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*Launhardt, Johannes. ''Evangelicals in Addis Ababa (1919-1991).'' New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2004.
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*Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.
  
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::This book details the various evangelical institutions within Ethiopia. The section pertaining to Meserete Kristos Church spans pages 149-152. The Meserete Kristos church discusses the history of the church including the preceding period of Mennonite missionary activity.
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::Trying to capture the struggles still faced by Anabaptists after the apartheid, Goshen College students travelled to South Africa to interview several people within Anabaptist churches. The interviews were mostly the pastors of the three different congregations that were highlighted in the film. One of the churches focused on was Grace Community Church in Philipstown. The influential pastor there, Leon Pula, provided some good insight into the changing community and church. This was a primary source.
  
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*Muktar, Bedru H. "Non-formal Theological Education: The Meserete Kristos Church Experience." Mission Focus 5 (1997): 23-46.
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*"Grace Community Church." Mennonite Mission Network. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &lt;http://www.me nnonitemission.net/OurWork/Partners/Pages/GraceCommunityChurch.aspx&gt;.
  
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::This article seeks to illustrate the incredible growth rates Meserete Kristos Church has experienced throughout the last few decades and how they have implemented a non-formal theological education program in order to accommodate this growth and expansion. Not only are their education programs constantly reevaluated, but administrative structures are also reorganized to meet the growing needs of the church.
+
::Listed on Mennonite Mission Network’s website, this brief description of Grace Community Church sums up the little history and relevance that is well known about the church. While mentioning some of the beginnings of the church, this site mostly focuses on the success and influence that Grace Community has within the region. This was a secondary source.
  
−
*Shenk, Wilbert. "New Wineskins for New Wine: Toward a Post-Christendom Ecclesiology." ''International Bulletin of Missionary Research 29,'' no.2 (2005).
+
*Hollinger-Janzen, Lynda. "In South Africa, Workers Dismantle Walls, Build God's Household." The Mennonite 07 Dec. 2007.
  
−
::This article argues that Christians should follow the gospels but should not follow a pre-prescribed form of church. Churches should be created with the understanding that local culture should shape the structure and form of the church.
+
::This article in The Mennonite focuses on the efforts to help Grace Community Church to renovate their church. The church had a crumbling building, but after some people from overseas came and volunteered their time for a couple weeks, the church was able to be a better and safer meeting place. It was important to continuously mention that the church serves more like a community center within this small community. This is a news story and a magazine article.
  
−
*Yoder, Holly Blosser. "Landmark Decisions in Ethiopia." ''Mennonite Weekly Review 84,'' no. 46 (November 2006): 1.
+
*Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.
  
−
::This article reports on the decisions Meserete Kristos Church made at their General Assembly concerning polygamous converts and women in leadership. They eventually decided to allow polygamous converts into the church and to allow women to occupy positions of leadership.
+
::Focusing on the same pastors and material that was mentioned in the video listed above, “Dreaming A New South Africa,” this article provides a few more statistics and more detailed information about Grace Community Church. What is important to mention in this article is that the founder of the church, David Makaleni, is interviewed, while he is not mentioned in the film. David has since died, and it is encouraging to have his perspective. This was a secondary source and a magazine article.
  
−
== Archives and Libraries  ==
+
*McFarlane, Patricia. "Tell Me About Grace Community Church." E-mail interview. 11 Apr. 2011.
  
−
== External Links  ==
+
::Travelling to South Africa with the Goshen College team to film “Dreaming A New South Africa,” Pat McFarlane described a little about he experience and memories while visiting Grace Community Church. While she is not an expert, Pat gave a very down to earth and memorable response to the things she saw and experienced while in Philipstown.
  
 
== Citations  ==
 
== Citations  ==
Line 118: Line 107:
  
 
== Acknowledgments  ==
 
== Acknowledgments  ==
−
 
+
This information was compiled by Aspen Schmidt, working through the Anabaptist/Mennonite History course at Goshen College in Goshen, IN.</center>
−
This information was compiled by Jacob Swartzentruber, working through the Maple Scholars Program at Goshen College in Goshen, IN.
 

Latest revision as of 04:26, 19 April 2011

Grace Community Church
Sf-map.gif
South Africa: World Factbook, 2009[1]

Location

Philipstown, South Africa

Date Established

1990's

Presiding Officer

Leon Pula[2]

MWC Affiliated?

Yes

Number of Congregations

7

Membership

1,027

Grace Community Church is a Mennonite World Conference church located in Philipstown, South Africa. Philipstown, South Africa is located in the heart of a rural sheep ranching territory in the northwest part of the country.[3] Most recently, the Grace Community Church in South Africa has reported to have 1,027 members in seven different congregations.[4]

Stories

Create new articles that tell stories about the Anabaptists of Grace Community Church and insert links to those stories here. Click here to learn more about stories.

History

Origins

The church began when Pastor David Makaleni decided to build a church and evangelize within the Philipstown community in the 1990's.[5] Makaleni became a legend in the area for carrying the gospel to many workers struggling to live on sheep farms. He drove thousands of miles to spread the good news. During his life, David planted nearly 20 cell groups and rid most of the plantations of the alcoholism that was creating an epidemic.
After some time, Grace Community Church had mentioned that they would really like to have some of their members ordained. Tim Lind, a Mennonite Central Committee representative, helped connect Grace Community with the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe.[6] During 2001, Bishop Shenk and his wife Nancy, travelled to Philipstown to ordain pastors and advise the church on how to install deacons.[7]

David Makalani.png

Pastor David Makaleni [8]

Growth

Apartheid

The Philipstown community continues to be an area of economic depression influenced by sheep farms.[9] The sheep farms are the main source of wealth in the community, and as it was before the apartheid, the farms belong almost solely to white farmers. Because of this, these white farmers employ large numbers of African workers.[10] While the church and Philipstown community can feel disgruntled in a culture that had been closed by color for so long, Grace Community Church has rapidly grown since apartheid. Pastor Leon Pula is the head of the church at the moment. For quite some time, now, Pastor Pula has been fervently involved in politics. During 2006 he was the only person of color in a senior government position and had already been a deputy chairperson for a branch of the African National Congress (ANC).[11] He has only been allowed to hold congress since apartheid is finally over. The African National Congress finally came to power in 2006 and the victory released a lot of emotion for change.[12] Pastor Pula continues to be a well known leader within the community and has continued to try and bridge the gap between the opposition party and the ANC. Although the church has grown tremendously since apartheid, the economy has completely plummeted since the opposing party lost power.

Contemporary Trends

While the affects of apartheid continue to be present, the church members in Philipstown do believe that a change has been made. They would agree that they are living in a free country, because while it is still not good it’s much different that it was.[13]
Recently, efforts have been made to build relations with other Anabaptist churches, including the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa. However, even though these relationships have been made, neither BIC nor Mennonites have continued to nurture this church. Even still, the church continues to grow and study the scriptures to their best knowledge.
Pastor Leon Pula believes that the focus in the church right now is on the youth. The church would like to develop the youth to be able to keep the church alive and get them ready for leadership.[14]
Pula and his wife, Leah, have had some success with facing other struggles within the community as well, such as drinking and fighting. They have led counseling, generating many success stories along with peace and healthiness.[15]
Setting up a ministry in the Philipvale Primary School has been another project for Leon Pula. This ministry is an outreach to the youth in the community, and the youth group meets every night.[16]

Leon Pula.png

Pastor Leon Pula praying over a member in his congregation [17]

Identifying as Anabaptist

The major way that Grace Community identifies as Anabaptist is trying to keep peace within the community. By showing and representing reconciliation, they want to show that peace is attainable between the whites and blacks. Their efforts to reduce alcoholism within the community have also generated similar themes of peace.

Important Individuals

  • Pastor Leon Pula - He is the pastor of Grace Community Church in Philipstown, South Africa. Currently Pula is involved in politics and is the only person of color in a senior government position. Pastor Pula continues to be a well known leader within the community and has continued to try and bridge the gap between the opposition party and the ANC.

Current Challenges

Probably the biggest challenge facing Grace Community Church today is the repercussions of apartheid. The affects of apartheid create a constant struggle in the community, as well as in South Africa, because many of the black nationals do not have money and they are forced to ask white people for it. In a way this interferes with the nationals ability to live out their newly found freedom. Pastor Pula hopes that in the near future whites will come to worship at their church.

Building.jpg

In 2006, 16 North Americans helped Grace Community to remodel their church. By doing so, people within the community could see hope in the fact that blacks and whites could work together someday. [18]


Many people within and around the Philipstown community are reliant on alcohol, which results in constant struggle and unnecessary fighting. Pastor Leon Pula and his wife, Leah, are doing what they can to change this problem, but more could be done.[19]
The HIV/AIDs crisis is also a serious struggle the church is facing.[20] While there are many youth in the church that cannot fully understand their actions, a continued effort at showing the path to a new life in Jesus Christ is necessary.



Annotated Bibliography

  • "Africa." Africa Summary. Mennonite World Conference, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. <www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Africa%20Summary.doc>.
This website directs the reader to a document that lists the different Anabaptist and Mennonite World Conference churches within Africa. The document lists the African countries in alphabetical order, with a list of each church in the pertaining country. Under the church’s name is the number of members and how many congregations exist within each church.
  • Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.
This is one of the most thorough books on Anabaptist history within the African context that I used during research. While it focuses on the whole continent, this book pays ample attention to the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in Southern Africa. There was even a small section specifically on the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa. This was a primary source.
  • Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.
Trying to capture the struggles still faced by Anabaptists after the apartheid, Goshen College students travelled to South Africa to interview several people within Anabaptist churches. The interviews were mostly the pastors of the three different congregations that were highlighted in the film. One of the churches focused on was Grace Community Church in Philipstown. The influential pastor there, Leon Pula, provided some good insight into the changing community and church. This was a primary source.
  • "Grace Community Church." Mennonite Mission Network. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. <http://www.me nnonitemission.net/OurWork/Partners/Pages/GraceCommunityChurch.aspx>.
Listed on Mennonite Mission Network’s website, this brief description of Grace Community Church sums up the little history and relevance that is well known about the church. While mentioning some of the beginnings of the church, this site mostly focuses on the success and influence that Grace Community has within the region. This was a secondary source.
  • Hollinger-Janzen, Lynda. "In South Africa, Workers Dismantle Walls, Build God's Household." The Mennonite 07 Dec. 2007.
This article in The Mennonite focuses on the efforts to help Grace Community Church to renovate their church. The church had a crumbling building, but after some people from overseas came and volunteered their time for a couple weeks, the church was able to be a better and safer meeting place. It was important to continuously mention that the church serves more like a community center within this small community. This is a news story and a magazine article.
  • Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.
Focusing on the same pastors and material that was mentioned in the video listed above, “Dreaming A New South Africa,” this article provides a few more statistics and more detailed information about Grace Community Church. What is important to mention in this article is that the founder of the church, David Makaleni, is interviewed, while he is not mentioned in the film. David has since died, and it is encouraging to have his perspective. This was a secondary source and a magazine article.
  • McFarlane, Patricia. "Tell Me About Grace Community Church." E-mail interview. 11 Apr. 2011.
Travelling to South Africa with the Goshen College team to film “Dreaming A New South Africa,” Pat McFarlane described a little about he experience and memories while visiting Grace Community Church. While she is not an expert, Pat gave a very down to earth and memorable response to the things she saw and experienced while in Philipstown.

Citations

  1. ↑ "South Africa," CIA World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html
  2. ↑ "Africa." Africa Summary. Mennonite World Conference, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. <www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Africa%20Summary.doc>.
  3. ↑ Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.
  4. ↑ "Africa." Africa Summary. Mennonite World Conference, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Africa%20Summary.doc&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.
  5. ↑ Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.
  6. ↑ Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.
  7. ↑ Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.
  8. ↑ Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.
  9. ↑ "Grace Community Church." Mennonite Mission Network. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;lt;http://www.me nnonitemission.net/OurWork/Partners/Pages/GraceCommunityChurch.aspx&amp;amp;gt;.
  10. ↑ "Grace Community Church." Mennonite Mission Network. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;lt;http://www.me nnonitemission.net/OurWork/Partners/Pages/GraceCommunityChurch.aspx&amp;amp;gt;.
  11. ↑ Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.
  12. ↑ Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.
  13. ↑ Dreaming A New South Africa. Dir. Patricia McFarlane and Stanley Green. Perf. Pastor Leon Pula. Mennonite Mission Network, 2006. DVD.
  14. ↑ Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.
  15. ↑ Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.
  16. ↑ Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.
  17. ↑ Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.
  18. ↑ Hollinger-Janzen, Lynda. "In South Africa, Workers Dismantle Walls, Build God's Household." The Mennonite 07 Dec. 2007.
  19. ↑ Jones, Charles T. "Passion Burns in South Africa." The Mennonite 01 July 2003: 8-11.
  20. ↑ McFarlane, Patricia. "Tell Me About Grace Community Church." E-mail interview. 11 Apr. 2011.

Acknowledgments

This information was compiled by Aspen Schmidt, working through the Anabaptist/Mennonite History course at Goshen College in Goshen, IN.

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