Difference between revisions of "Brethren in Christ Church, South Africa"

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{{GoogleTranslateLinks}} {{Infobox
 
{{GoogleTranslateLinks}} {{Infobox
|Box title    = Meserete Kristos Church
+
|Box title    = Brethren in Christ Church, South Africa
|image        = Image:Et-map.gif
+
|image        = Image:Sf-map.gif
 
|imagewidth  = 300
 
|imagewidth  = 300
|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>
+
|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
|Row 1 info = <center>Ethiopia</center>
+
|Row 1 info = <center>South Africa</center>
|Row 2 title = Contact Information
+
|Row 2 title = Date Established
|Row 2 info = ''Group's Contact Information''
+
|Row 2 info = <center>1988</center>
|Row 3 title = Date Established
+
|Row 3 title = Presiding Officer
|Row 3 info = <center>1948</center>
+
|Row 3 info = <center>Frank Nkala<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>
|Row 4 title = Presiding Officer
+
|Row 4 title = [[Mennonite World Conference|MWC]] Affiliated?
|Row 4 info = <center>Group's presiding officer''</center>
+
|Row 4 info = <center>Working Towards MWC</center>
|Row 5 title = [[Mennonite World Conference|MWC]] Affiliated?
+
|Row 5 title = Number of Congregations
|Row 5 info = <center>Yes</center>
+
|Row 5 info = <center>13</center>
|Row 6 title = Number of Congregations
+
|Row 6 title = Membership
|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>
+
|Row 6 info = <center>764</center>
|Row 7 title = Membership
+
}}  
|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>
 
}}
 
  
The '''Brethren in Christ Church (BIC)''' is the primary Anabaptist-related group in South Africa. The Brethren in Christ congregation was established in South Africa in 1988 near the capital city of Pretoria. Currently the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa has over 764 members in thirteen different congregations.
+
The '''Brethren in Christ Church (BIC)''' is the primary Anabaptist-related group in South Africa. The Brethren in Christ congregation was established in South Africa in 1988 near the capital city of Pretoria. Currently the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa has over 764 members in thirteen different congregations.  
  
 
== Stories  ==
 
== Stories  ==
Line 26: Line 24:
 
{{storiesblock
 
{{storiesblock
 
|PageName=Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa
 
|PageName=Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa
}}
+
}}  
  
 
== History  ==
 
== History  ==
Line 32: Line 30:
 
=== Origins  ===
 
=== Origins  ===
  
In 1897 the first Brethren in Christ missionaries left New York for Zimbabwe in late November. Since they arrived just two years after the end of the second war of resistance to white colonial rule, the missionaries were viewed by the nationals as having the same ideals and culture as the colonists. The missionaries soon proved themselves and eventually the Zimbabwe Brethren in Christ Church spread to Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa.&nbsp; <br>The Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa was established in 1988 near the capital city of Pretoria. The original congregation consisted of four different tribal groups that evangelized by hosting tent revival meetings and ministering in prisons and hospitals. <br>The pastor and organizer of this first church was Rev. Hamilton Madlabane. Anna Engle, who was a missionary working to translate scriptures, first introduced Madlabane to the Brethren in Christ Church. Madlabane then left for the United States and attended Messiah College. At college Madlabane met some Brethren in Christ friends who persuaded him to establish the BIC Church in South Africa. Until recently, Madlabane had been the leader of the Soshanguve Brethren in Christ Church for its entire existence. He has since died. <br>The second church created was the Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church, which is currently located in the Johannesburg area. This group was originally formed by expatriate Zimbabweans living in South Africa as refugees that wanted a support group for one another. This small support group eventually created the church, as early leaders, David Masuku and Patrick Sibanda, made efforts to gather everyone together to worship. Their efforts eventually were successful when on January 22, 1991 their first BIC service was held in the home of Buhle Ndlovu. More people began attending, and the church became a uniting of both South Africans and Zimbabweans. This church did not have an official pastor for the first two years of its existence, but eventually the first pastors of this church were Simon Sibanda and Francis Moyo. <br>Three months after the Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church began, Rev. Ndlovu, who was on the Zimbabwe NIC Executive Board, travelled to South Africa to introduce the two newly founded groups. This effort was unsuccessful, as their relationship did not work out well.<br>
+
In 1897 the first Brethren in Christ missionaries left New York for Zimbabwe in late November. Since they arrived just two years after the end of the second war of resistance to white colonial rule, the missionaries were viewed by the nationals as having the same ideals and culture as the colonists. The missionaries soon proved themselves and eventually the Zimbabwe Brethren in Christ Church spread to Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa.<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>&nbsp; <br>The Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa was established in 1988 near the capital city of Pretoria. The original congregation consisted of four different tribal groups that evangelized by hosting tent revival meetings and ministering in prisons and hospitals.<ref>"BICWM | International Flag Processional Script." Brethren in Christ Church. Brethren in Christ World Missions, 2000. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;lt;http://www.bic-church.org/wm/global-impact/resources/script.asp&amp;amp;gt;.</ref> <br>The pastor and organizer of this first church was Rev. Hamilton Madlabane. Anna Engle, who was a missionary working to translate scriptures, first introduced Madlabane to the Brethren in Christ Church. Madlabane then left for the United States and attended Messiah College. At college Madlabane met some Brethren in Christ friends who persuaded him to establish the BIC Church in South Africa.<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> Until recently, Madlabane had been the leader of the Soshanguve Brethren in Christ Church for its entire existence. He has since died. <br>The second church created was the Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church, which is currently located in the Johannesburg area. This group was originally formed by expatriate Zimbabweans living in South Africa as refugees that wanted a support group for one another.<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> This small support group eventually created the church, as early leaders, David Masuku and Patrick Sibanda, made efforts to gather everyone together to worship. Their efforts eventually were successful when on January 22, 1991 their first BIC service was held in the home of Buhle Ndlovu. More people began attending, and the church became a uniting of both South Africans and Zimbabweans. This church did not have an official pastor for the first two years of its existence, but eventually the first pastors of this church were Simon Sibanda and Francis Moyo. <br>Three months after the Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church began, Rev. Ndlovu, who was on the Zimbabwe NIC Executive Board, travelled to South Africa to introduce the two newly founded groups. This effort was unsuccessful, as their relationship did not work out well.<br>
 +
 
 +
[[Image:Hillbrow.jpg|418x278px]]
 +
 
 +
Visitors speaking at Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church&nbsp;<ref>"Picture of the Week: Hillbrow BIC Church." Africa and the Meeting House. Brethren in Christ, 14 Nov. 2010. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;http://africa.themeetinghouse.ca/2010/11/picture-of-the-week-hillbrow-bic-church/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.</ref>  
  
 
=== Growth  ===
 
=== Growth  ===
  
After the church began in 1988, Bishop Jack Shenk and his wife Nancy played a vital role in providing the church structures that have helped the church to grow both numerically and administratively. Bishop Shenk is an individual that has been tasked by the Board of Missions in North American Brethren in Christ Church, and has a job to help the BIC Churches in the Southern African region as the Regional Administrator.<br>Like many other African churches, the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa expresses and values their culture by singing and dancing during worship services. Through song and dance this group is able to connect with others to build a larger community, which is a factor in why they are so diverse. <br>The youth make up a vast majority of the growth of the church. However, these youth have not made a logical connection to the Anabaptist faith, however, and so this creates questions of what the church’s identity will be in the future.
+
After the church began in 1988, Bishop Jack Shenk and his wife Nancy played a vital role in providing the church structures that have helped the church to grow both numerically and administratively. Bishop Shenk is an individual that has been tasked by the Board of Missions in North American Brethren in Christ Church, and has a job to help the BIC Churches in the Southern African region as the Regional Administrator.<br>Like many other African churches, the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa expresses and values their culture by singing and dancing during worship services. Through song and dance this group is able to connect with others to build a larger community, which is a factor in why they are so diverse.<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>The youth make up a vast majority of the growth of the church. However, these youth have not made a logical connection to the Anabaptist faith, however, and so this creates questions of what the church’s identity will be in the future.<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>
 +
 
 +
== Contemporary Trends  ==
 +
 
 +
Currently the BIC church has branches in the following places: Freedom Park, Eersterus, Johannesburg South, Yeoville, Krugersdorp, Tembisa, Cosmo City, Ivory Park, Tsakane, Cape Town, and Pretoria. These branches have recently been given a General Conference status by the international Brethren in Christ Association (IBICA).<ref>Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.</ref> <br>Lately, Zimbabweans have been making efforts to nurture the Hillbrow group. The Zimbabwe Brethren in Christ Church sent Pastor Benedict Macebo to help strengthen their newly formed sister church. <br>Recently, efforts have been made to build relations with other Anabaptist churches, including Grace Community Church in Philipstown, South Africa.  
  
=== Contemporary Trends ===
+
=== Identifying as Anabaptist ===
  
Currently the BIC church has branches in the following places: Freedom Park, Eersterus, Johannesburg South, Yeoville, Krugersdorp, Tembisa, Cosmo City, Ivory Park, Tsakane, Cape Town, and Pretoria. These branches have recently been given a General Conference status by the international Brethren in Christ Association (IBICA). <br>Lately, Zimbabweans have been making efforts to nurture the Hillbrow group. The Zimbabwe Brethren in Christ Church sent Pastor Benedict Macebo to help strengthen their newly formed sister church. <br>Recently, efforts have been made to build relations with other Anabaptist churches, including Grace Community Church in Philipstown, South Africa.
+
The church has committed itself to a message of compassion, peace, and reconciliation.<ref>"BICWM | International Flag Processional Script." Brethren in Christ Church. Brethren in Christ World Missions, 2000. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;lt;http://www.bic-church.org/wm/global-impact/resources/script.asp&amp;amp;gt;.</ref> Members in the Brethren in Christ church do not participate in wars. Learning to lead a separate lifestyle from that of the world is encouraged and necessary as an Anabaptist in this church. The church also puts a lot of emphasis on living simply, and forgiveness is a core part of their teaching.<ref>Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.</ref>
  
<br>
+
=== Important Individuals  ===
  
== Important Individuals  ==
+
*Pastor Benedict Macebo - He is currently the pastor at Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church in South Johannesburg. Pastor Macebo has done a lot of work with the Anabaptist Network in South Africa (ANiSA). <ref>"About ANiSA." The Anabaptist Network in South Africa. 2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;http://anisa.org.za/about&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.</ref> He is an influential leader within the Anabaptist community, and has had success in creating connections within the different branches. <ref>Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.</ref>
  
*Pastor Benedict Macebo - He is currently the pastor at Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church in South Johannesburg. Pastor Macebo has done a lot of work with the Anabaptist Network in South Africa (ANiSA). He is an influential leader within the Anabaptist community, and has had success in creating connections within the different branches.  
+
[[Image:Benedict 2.png]]
  
== MWC Global Gift Sharing Report (2005)  ==
+
Benedict Macebo ''Photo contributed by Aspen Schmidt''
  
=== General Comments on the Workshop ===
+
=== Current Challenges ===
  
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>
+
Probably the biggest problem of the Brethren in Christ Church is the capacity to finance all of the church programs. <ref>Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.</ref> While the church continues to grow at a very good pace, many of the members are unemployed and do not help the church financially. While the church desires to plant 60 churches by 2014, they do not have enough money to develop a strong leadership program. <ref>Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.</ref> Another issue within the church is the continued affects of apartheid. In this way, xenophobia within the church is sometimes a serious challenge. Some problems to mention would also be that tribalism is also felt in the church. Poverty is a constant frustration among members. The church is still at an infant stage, which is a challenge in itself. Crime is very prevalent in the South African society. Faith Healers also challenge the church as members are leaving the church in large numbers. <ref>Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.</ref> One of the challenges facing the BIC Church in South Africa today is the growing numbers of youth in the church. While many churches would feel blessed to have such a young church, it can pose as a problem if the youth have not completely latched on to the Anabaptist ideals. This has come as a concern since the youth are the future of the church. A further challenge within the BIC branches is that there is a lack of knowledge about Anabaptism. The Anabaptist Network in South Africa (ANiSA) is an organization that is working to fix this, but hopefully the problem is not too big at this point.<ref>"About ANiSA." The Anabaptist Network in South Africa. 2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;http://anisa.org.za/about&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.</ref>  
  
=== Highlights of the Inventory Process  ===
+
<br>
  
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" />
+
<br>  
  
 
== Annotated Bibliography  ==
 
== Annotated Bibliography  ==
Line 64: Line 72:
 
::This website helps connect the Anabaptist churches in South Africa. The creators’ goal is to help define what it means to be Anabaptist in a South African context, and allows churches all around the country to have a common place to connect. Along with general information on Anabaptists, ANiSA has contact information for a couple Brethren in Christ churches in the country.
 
::This website helps connect the Anabaptist churches in South Africa. The creators’ goal is to help define what it means to be Anabaptist in a South African context, and allows churches all around the country to have a common place to connect. Along with general information on Anabaptists, ANiSA has contact information for a couple Brethren in Christ churches in the country.
  
*"Africa." Africa Summary. Mennonite World Conference, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. <www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Africa%20Summary.doc>.
+
*"Africa." Africa Summary. Mennonite World Conference, 2011. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &lt;www.mwc-cmm.org/en15/files/Members%202009/Africa%20Summary.doc&gt;.
  
 
::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.
 
::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.
  
*Launhardt, Johannes. ''Evangelicals in Addis Ababa (1919-1991).'' New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 2004.
+
*"BICWM | International Flag Processional Script." Brethren in Christ Church. Brethren in Christ World Missions, 2000. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &lt;http://www.bic-church.org/wm/global-impact/resources/script.asp&gt;.
  
::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.
+
::While the need for a processional script is unclear, this website provides a little information on when the Brethren in Christ church began. It also lists a few things that the church has been focusing on.
  
*Muktar, Bedru H. "Non-formal Theological Education: The Meserete Kristos Church Experience." Mission Focus 5 (1997): 23-46.
+
*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 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.
+
::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.
  
*Shenk, Wilbert. "New Wineskins for New Wine: Toward a Post-Christendom Ecclesiology." ''International Bulletin of Missionary Research 29,'' no.2 (2005).
+
*Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
  
::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.
+
::Benedict Macebo is the pastor at Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church in South Johannesburg. Through this interview Benedict presented his obvious and clear passion for the church, as well as provided some very direct and necessary information about the Brethren in Christ Church. He answered every question in the interview in full detail, delighted that someone was interested about his church. Benedict is a major leader within the South African Anabaptist community, and really knows his history but also where he wants to lead the church in the future. This was a primary source.
  
*Yoder, Holly Blosser. "Landmark Decisions in Ethiopia." ''Mennonite Weekly Review 84,'' no. 46 (November 2006): 1.
+
*"Picture of the Week: Hillbrow BIC Church." Africa and the Meeting House. Brethren in Christ, 14 Nov. 2010. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &lt;http://africa.themeetinghouse.ca/2010/11/picture-of-the-week-hillbrow-bic-church/&gt;.
  
::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.
+
::This site doesn’t have a lot of information on the Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church, however there is a picture of the church and congregation.
  
== Archives and Libraries  ==
+
*Suderman, Andrew. "Tell Me About the BIC Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
  
== External Links  ==
+
::Andrew is one of the web developers for the Anabaptist Network in South Africa (ANiSA). He knows a lot about the Anabaptist churches working within the country.
  
 
== Citations  ==
 
== Citations  ==
  
<references />
+
<references />  
  
 
== Acknowledgments  ==
 
== Acknowledgments  ==
  
This information was compiled by Aspen Schmidt, working through the Anabaptist/Mennonite History course Goshen College in Goshen, IN.
+
This information was compiled by Aspen Schmidt, working through the Anabaptist/Mennonite History course at Goshen College in Goshen, IN.&lt;/center&gt;&lt;/center&gt;&lt;/center&gt;
  
 
[[Category:South Africa]]
 
[[Category:South Africa]]

Latest revision as of 03:56, 19 April 2011

Brethren in Christ Church, South Africa
Sf-map.gif
South Africa: World Factbook, 2009[1]

Location

South Africa

Date Established

1988

Presiding Officer

Frank Nkala[2]

MWC Affiliated?

Working Towards MWC

Number of Congregations

13

Membership

764

The Brethren in Christ Church (BIC) is the primary Anabaptist-related group in South Africa. The Brethren in Christ congregation was established in South Africa in 1988 near the capital city of Pretoria. Currently the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa has over 764 members in thirteen different congregations.

Stories

Create new articles that tell stories about the Anabaptists of Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa and insert links to those stories here. Click here to learn more about stories.

History

Origins

In 1897 the first Brethren in Christ missionaries left New York for Zimbabwe in late November. Since they arrived just two years after the end of the second war of resistance to white colonial rule, the missionaries were viewed by the nationals as having the same ideals and culture as the colonists. The missionaries soon proved themselves and eventually the Zimbabwe Brethren in Christ Church spread to Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa.[3] 
The Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa was established in 1988 near the capital city of Pretoria. The original congregation consisted of four different tribal groups that evangelized by hosting tent revival meetings and ministering in prisons and hospitals.[4]
The pastor and organizer of this first church was Rev. Hamilton Madlabane. Anna Engle, who was a missionary working to translate scriptures, first introduced Madlabane to the Brethren in Christ Church. Madlabane then left for the United States and attended Messiah College. At college Madlabane met some Brethren in Christ friends who persuaded him to establish the BIC Church in South Africa.[5] Until recently, Madlabane had been the leader of the Soshanguve Brethren in Christ Church for its entire existence. He has since died.
The second church created was the Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church, which is currently located in the Johannesburg area. This group was originally formed by expatriate Zimbabweans living in South Africa as refugees that wanted a support group for one another.[6] This small support group eventually created the church, as early leaders, David Masuku and Patrick Sibanda, made efforts to gather everyone together to worship. Their efforts eventually were successful when on January 22, 1991 their first BIC service was held in the home of Buhle Ndlovu. More people began attending, and the church became a uniting of both South Africans and Zimbabweans. This church did not have an official pastor for the first two years of its existence, but eventually the first pastors of this church were Simon Sibanda and Francis Moyo.
Three months after the Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church began, Rev. Ndlovu, who was on the Zimbabwe NIC Executive Board, travelled to South Africa to introduce the two newly founded groups. This effort was unsuccessful, as their relationship did not work out well.

Hillbrow.jpg

Visitors speaking at Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church [7]

Growth

After the church began in 1988, Bishop Jack Shenk and his wife Nancy played a vital role in providing the church structures that have helped the church to grow both numerically and administratively. Bishop Shenk is an individual that has been tasked by the Board of Missions in North American Brethren in Christ Church, and has a job to help the BIC Churches in the Southern African region as the Regional Administrator.
Like many other African churches, the Brethren in Christ Church in South Africa expresses and values their culture by singing and dancing during worship services. Through song and dance this group is able to connect with others to build a larger community, which is a factor in why they are so diverse.[8]
The youth make up a vast majority of the growth of the church. However, these youth have not made a logical connection to the Anabaptist faith, however, and so this creates questions of what the church’s identity will be in the future.[9]


Contemporary Trends

Currently the BIC church has branches in the following places: Freedom Park, Eersterus, Johannesburg South, Yeoville, Krugersdorp, Tembisa, Cosmo City, Ivory Park, Tsakane, Cape Town, and Pretoria. These branches have recently been given a General Conference status by the international Brethren in Christ Association (IBICA).[10]
Lately, Zimbabweans have been making efforts to nurture the Hillbrow group. The Zimbabwe Brethren in Christ Church sent Pastor Benedict Macebo to help strengthen their newly formed sister church.
Recently, efforts have been made to build relations with other Anabaptist churches, including Grace Community Church in Philipstown, South Africa.

Identifying as Anabaptist

The church has committed itself to a message of compassion, peace, and reconciliation.[11] Members in the Brethren in Christ church do not participate in wars. Learning to lead a separate lifestyle from that of the world is encouraged and necessary as an Anabaptist in this church. The church also puts a lot of emphasis on living simply, and forgiveness is a core part of their teaching.[12]

Important Individuals

  • Pastor Benedict Macebo - He is currently the pastor at Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church in South Johannesburg. Pastor Macebo has done a lot of work with the Anabaptist Network in South Africa (ANiSA). [13] He is an influential leader within the Anabaptist community, and has had success in creating connections within the different branches. [14]

Benedict 2.png

Benedict Macebo Photo contributed by Aspen Schmidt

Current Challenges

Probably the biggest problem of the Brethren in Christ Church is the capacity to finance all of the church programs. [15] While the church continues to grow at a very good pace, many of the members are unemployed and do not help the church financially. While the church desires to plant 60 churches by 2014, they do not have enough money to develop a strong leadership program. [16] Another issue within the church is the continued affects of apartheid. In this way, xenophobia within the church is sometimes a serious challenge. Some problems to mention would also be that tribalism is also felt in the church. Poverty is a constant frustration among members. The church is still at an infant stage, which is a challenge in itself. Crime is very prevalent in the South African society. Faith Healers also challenge the church as members are leaving the church in large numbers. [17] One of the challenges facing the BIC Church in South Africa today is the growing numbers of youth in the church. While many churches would feel blessed to have such a young church, it can pose as a problem if the youth have not completely latched on to the Anabaptist ideals. This has come as a concern since the youth are the future of the church. A further challenge within the BIC branches is that there is a lack of knowledge about Anabaptism. The Anabaptist Network in South Africa (ANiSA) is an organization that is working to fix this, but hopefully the problem is not too big at this point.[18]



Annotated Bibliography

This website helps connect the Anabaptist churches in South Africa. The creators’ goal is to help define what it means to be Anabaptist in a South African context, and allows churches all around the country to have a common place to connect. Along with general information on Anabaptists, ANiSA has contact information for a couple Brethren in Christ churches in the country.
  • "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.
While the need for a processional script is unclear, this website provides a little information on when the Brethren in Christ church began. It also lists a few things that the church has been focusing on.
  • 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.
  • Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
Benedict Macebo is the pastor at Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church in South Johannesburg. Through this interview Benedict presented his obvious and clear passion for the church, as well as provided some very direct and necessary information about the Brethren in Christ Church. He answered every question in the interview in full detail, delighted that someone was interested about his church. Benedict is a major leader within the South African Anabaptist community, and really knows his history but also where he wants to lead the church in the future. This was a primary source.
This site doesn’t have a lot of information on the Hillbrow Brethren in Christ Church, however there is a picture of the church and congregation.
  • Suderman, Andrew. "Tell Me About the BIC Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
Andrew is one of the web developers for the Anabaptist Network in South Africa (ANiSA). He knows a lot about the Anabaptist churches working within the country.

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. Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.
  4. "BICWM | International Flag Processional Script." Brethren in Christ Church. Brethren in Christ World Missions, 2000. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;lt;http://www.bic-church.org/wm/global-impact/resources/script.asp&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. "Picture of the Week: Hillbrow BIC Church." Africa and the Meeting House. Brethren in Christ, 14 Nov. 2010. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;http://africa.themeetinghouse.ca/2010/11/picture-of-the-week-hillbrow-bic-church/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.
  8. Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.
  9. Checole, Alemu, et al. Anabaptist Songs in African Hearts. Ed. John Allen Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder. 3rd ed. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2006.
  10. Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
  11. "BICWM | International Flag Processional Script." Brethren in Christ Church. Brethren in Christ World Missions, 2000. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;lt;http://www.bic-church.org/wm/global-impact/resources/script.asp&amp;gt;.
  12. Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
  13. "About ANiSA." The Anabaptist Network in South Africa. 2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;http://anisa.org.za/about&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.
  14. Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
  15. Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
  16. Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
  17. Macebo, Benedict. "I Want to Know More About Your Church." E-mail interview. 10 Apr. 2011.
  18. "About ANiSA." The Anabaptist Network in South Africa. 2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2011. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;http://anisa.org.za/about&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.

Acknowledgments

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