25 Oct 2017

The spiritual healing churches were seriously warned for neglecting their mandate to preach the word of God.

The president of Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), Rev. Tebogo Motlhagodi said this at a one day workshop in Palapye, organised by the OAIC-Botswana Chapter to familiarise the organisation with day to day challenges faced by spiritual healing churches.

Rev. Motlhagodi said it came to his attention that churches had ignored their mandate.

He said church leaders were considered servants of God, humble, anointed, navigators and assigned with duties to care for the flock to ensure that they always displayed a good image in church. 

Rev. Motlhagodi said pastors and the middle management were to set an example for good leadership role.

He quoted renowned author and preacher Dr Ronnie Rodney who said, “We have spoken in many forums, workshop, conferences, seminars about the leadership, it’s now time for us to act positively and demand quality leadership not quantity.”

He called for the transformation of society, adding that healthy churches could only exist where there was quality and directional leadership.

Rev. Motlhagodi said there was a need to train church leaders so that they could transform and develop or be empowered.

He said gone were the days where spiritual churches were known for fighting for positions resulting in splits.

He applauded those who had stretched out their hand to give to their churches.

He said as an organisation they were willing to invest in building children’s future.

He noted that a survey was being carried out on Rural-Urban Schools Sanitation Education in Central district to help Botswana achieve the national environmental agenda and meet international obligations.

To develop a school sanitation and hygiene education programme, he said, it was necessary to conduct a situation analysis survey.

He said the organisation has spiritual, moral and ethical imperative to care for the earth and community of all life hence investing in building children’s future.

Rev. Motlhagodi also called upon church leaders and members to partner with all stakeholders, parents and the police in the fight against drugs to maintain good governance, peace and stability in the country.

He raised concern that drugs were being sold to students by parents and urged them to desist from doing so.

Proposing welcoming remarks, Palapye Church leader, Mr Joshua Kaphepa said his church raised funds to assist the unprivileged annually, adding that they had a programme in place to assist those affected during disaster periods.

He also appreciated the establishment of OAIC, as the mouth piece of spiritual churches.

he deputy general secretary of OAIC, Ms Fizzy Mpungwa urged churches to support the organisation to ensure its growth. ENDS