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Southern Africa Church of Christ History Brother Sabelo B Southern Africa Church of Christ History Brother Sabelo B. Mdlalose Buhle Park Church of Christ www.buhleparkcoc.co.za 28 April 2017 Presented at Vryheid Church of Christ The church in South Africa • The Church of Christ in South Africa started in 1871 by brethren from Europe particularly Britain, It was during these early years of the twentieth century that members of the church of Christ from England, and possibly New Zealand, landed in Cape Town where the church was first established. • One of the early Christians, T. W. Hartle, recalls that the church was meeting at 84 Short-market Street in Cape Town when he was about eight years old, around 1919 or 1920. There were about 300 members of that congregation. From this time on, the Cape Town church was blessed with the presence and visits of great missionaries as the George Scotts, Shorts, Merritts and Lawyers. Divisions in South Africa Because the disciples of Christ were more radical. Most of its members joined Denominations and lost membership. Denominations Christian Church Through the Independent Christian Church Missionary Society 1920 1902 Its base Kimberly, NW Black brethren able to visit American CoC Liberal CoC Church of Christ Through 1940’s 1960 1992 British 1995 1998 2016 brethren (1871) House Church Movement Anti’s American CoC missionaries sent to Africa Boston Movement Mainly in Western Cape, lead Mostly Venda, (International CoC) by Roger Dickson. In small GP, and KZN GP and Cape Town number now due to the effort By 2004, six congregations exist by SABC and Benedict Little Boston Movement in the 90’s Boston Movement in JHB Early missionary work in South Africa (1890-1940) • In the 1890's the Australian and New Zealand churches of Christ (which were planted by British Churches of Christ) where supporting missionary work in South Africa. This is before the American churches of Christ got to Africa. • John Sherrif who was native of New Zealand was instrumental in helping missionaries from churches of Christ in starting the work in South Africa, when he arrived in South Africa in 1891, there were 3 places that had congregations or members of the church i.e. Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. • The same John Sheriff was sponsored by Australian and New Zealand churches of Christ, he also planted churches in Zimbabwe especially Bulawayo and that is where he passed away in the 1935. This brother was a trailblazer in missionary work in Southern Africa Missionaries and native preachers • John Sherriff (1864-1935) Picture Source: C. Philip Slate (2010), Lest we forget: Mini-biographies of missionaries from a bygone generation, pg. 98-101, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA John Sherriff Picture Source: Earl Irvin West (1951), African Mission, The Search for the Ancient Order: A History of the Restoration Movement from 1900-1918, Vol 3, pp. 340, Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, USA. Native preachers: George Khoza • When Sherriff shortly moved to Pretoria he again gathered together a group of like-minded individuals to share in the Lord’s Supper. Later Sherriff again relocated, this time to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and with the advent of the Second Boer War it is believed that both of these small groups ceased meeting. • In 1901 a group of white people in Johannesburg gathered together to form a congregation that would be first lasting work of the Movement. The congregation became known as the Linden Avenue Church. Some of the early members were gold miners and were successful in bringing the gospel to some of the African workers at the mines. The congregation was soon able to secure the aid of George Khoza, an African evangelist, who settled in Roodeport and began to work with a small African congregation. The Linden Avenue congregation continued until 1989 when the remaining congregation disbanded and the building sold. Post World War Two Missionary Work in South Africa Johannesburg and Pretoria Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 158, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Bassie Hardin (1919-2011) • Mainly worked as missionaries in Gauteng and Venda together with her husband John Hardin who died in 1981 • She was more involved in training ladies to become Sunday school (children) teachers Picture Source: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesman/obituary.aspx?n=bessie-o-hardin- chenault&pid=148470759 Retrieved: 12 June 2014 @ 12h55 Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 158, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Gauteng and Limpopo • In Venda the outreach dates to 1954 with the efforts of John Hardin, Arthur Lovett, Joe McKissick, two native evangelists and an early convert, Samuel Ramagwede. Several native workers were engaged so that by 1990 there were about three dozen Churches of Christ in Venda. • Among those native workers was Jackson Songoni who also worked to establish congregations in Transkei so that by 1990 there were approximately twenty-five congregations in that area. There have been at least three dozen American families of the Churches of Christ who have served as missionaries in South Africa. Among the native population, John Manape, a Sotho language man, worked in Pretoria. Robert Moraba had significant work in Sekhukhuniland (Area in Limpopo close to Mpumalanga). • Simon Magagula in the Eastrand and many more could be mentioned but due to the limited space we confined our selves to this few Samuel Ramagwede Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 473, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Robert Maraba Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 628, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Soweto and East Rand • Jackson Sogoni • Picture 1963 • From right to left, Sister Thandi Mavuso, Brother Jackson Sogoni (from house 1313 Dube, Soweto) Source: Pictures given to Bro. Sabelo Mdlalose by Sister T. Mavusi in 2012 during an interview with her on the history of the church in Tokoza Thokoza CoC • Picture: Mavuso’s Wedding (1963) • Brother Nelson Mavuso and Thandi Mavuso • Both were instrumental in starting the congregation in Thokoza Simon Magagula Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 473, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Simon Magagula and Bessie Hardin Source: B. Chenault-Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 349, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Daveyton CoC in the 1970’s Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 628, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Simon Magagula and John Hardin in Daveyton CoC, 1978 Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 628, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. John Manape Early Native Church Leaders (1950-1970) Picture Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 348, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Early Native Church Leaders (1950-1970) Early Native Church Leaders (1950-1970) Early Native Church Leaders (1950-1970) Source: B. Chenault Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg. 628, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. SABC and Eldred Echols • Southern Africa Bible School was started by Eldred Echols (1920-2003) in the 1960’s in Benoni together with El Horne. • He converted Al Horner, who became the president of SABC in Port Elizabeth, 1952 Picture Source: E. Echols (1986), Beyond the rivers of Cush, pg. 186, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. KwaZulu Natal • John Maples- planted most of the white congregations in Durban Picture Source: E. Echols (2000), Beyond the rivers of Cush, pg. 28, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. Natal School of Preaching (1970) Othisha kanye nabafundi bokuqala eNatal School of Preaching. Ngemunva (L to R) othishela: Robert “Tex” Williams, Ian Fair, Jan Mauck, Delbert McCloud, Bill Tyson and Milton Watson. Maphakathi (L to R) abafundi: Umzalwane wendiya, GumedeRichard Maxhayi, Henry B. Mndaweni,, Simon S. Peters, D. Mkhathini, John M., R Kotsana. Phambili abahlezi (L to R) abafundi: [Picture Source Firm Foundation Sept 1970] SA International Lectureship • History of the Lectureship Way back in the late sixties of the twentieth century, the following brethren met to discuss the possibility of starting the lectureship: Tex Williams, Ian Fair, Samson Peters; Henry Mndaweni, David Mkhathini • In the early stages the lectureship was hosted by the churches in Pietermaritzburg, thereafter, other regions started to participate in hosting the event. A list of those who hosted the event is attached in Annexure A at the end of this document. • The purpose of the Lectureship Lectureship is an event that is designed to bring all Christians together for fellowship, edifications, and spiritual uplift-ment. It is an event designed to help us build and maintain our unity in Christ Jesus and not to divide the body of Christ. http://www.2013lectureshipjhb.co.za (18 June 2013, retrieved at 14:35) 2000-2016 In 2000 there were an estimated 500 Churches of Christ congregations in South Africa with an estimated population of 32,500 members presently served by about a dozen American missionaries. Source: Mac Lynn (2003), South Africa, Churches of Christ around the world, 21st Century Christian, USA Bibliography 1. R.E. Dickson (1994), ‘From the heart of South Africa’, The Voice of Truth International Vol 4, pg 104- 105, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA 2. C. Philip Slate (2010), Lest we forget: Mini-biographies of missionaries from a bygone generation, pg. 98-101, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA 3. E. Echols (2000), Beyond the rivers of Cush, J.C. Choate Publications, Winoma, MS, USA. 4. E. Echols (1952), The Work of the Church in Africa, pp 193-203, Abilene Christian College Bible Lectures, February 1952, Firm Foundation Publication House, USA 5. B. Chenault-Hardin (1986), Give me this Mountain, pg.
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