17 Apr 2017

Christians who live by the 10 commandments should find it easy to follow the country’s laws, says Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele.

Mr Makgalemele, who was officially opening the Saint Apostolic Church’s Good Friday event at their headquarters in Maunatlala, also said Christians should be an embodiment of Christ and help in assisting the less privileged members of the communities they live in.

He told members of St Apostolic Church that the bulk of their job was not in the church, but outside church where there were people still swimming in darkness.

Whilst praising the church for standing the test of time after arriving in Botswana in 1946, the assistant minister said it was expected that Botho and peace prevailed in churches and trickled down to communities.

While challenging churches to introspect and devise strategies to help the government fight various ailments, Mr Makgalemele, who is also the Member of Parliament for Shoshong, encouraged the church to utilise house to house campaigns to lure members to the church.

However, Mr Makgalemele warned that members should be a true embodiment of a Christian so that those being recruited could see the need to join. He also warned that a church should not segregate people based on appearance and social status amongst other things.

The Shoshong legislator expressed concern over the splitting of churches as a result of conflicts that arise.

He pleaded with members to accept disciplinary measures meted on them rather than resorting to forming their own churches.

The splitting of churches, he said, resulted in more applications for church plots.

While conceding that churches were vital in any society, Mr Makgalemele warned of false prophets whose intention was to swindle people of their hard earned cash and property.  

He encouraged St Apostolic Church members to engage the youth, arguing that a church that boasts a vibrant youth makes strides.

For his part, the leader of the church in Botswana, Archbishop Peter Ookame said they were a law abiding organisation that bears allegiance to the constitution of the country.

Registered in 1976, the church is a member of the Organisation of African Independent Churches and the archbishop has reassured that theirs was not a profit making entity.

The archbishop commended the government for ensuring that there was freedom of worship and that churches conducted their businesses without fear.

He also talked against false prophets, saying they were hell-bent on milking church members dry. He said such pastors charge exorbitant fees for people to access them and receive their ‘blessings.’ BOPA