It was a little unusual to see police officers at the Rabie Road entrance to the Rhema Bible Church last Sunday. Driving past, I could not help noticing an inspector observing my slow manoeuvre into the compound. I signalled a greeting; he smiled and responded with a warm hand signal.
We settled down in the main sanctuary a few minutes later and accepted greetings from a couple two seats away. We were a little early, but the 10:15am service at Rhema Bible Church fills quickly and this Sunday was no exception. Janine Price and the church’s indomitable choir rehearsed a popular tune and appeared set to explode with praise and worship. I smiled and nodded at a cheerful makhulu who customarily sits a row behind us. As usual, the praise and worship were great, especially the final melody Akekho njengawe, Ujesu kuphela (None But Jesus) — Rhema’s own version of the Hillsongs United hit song.
It was only after the congregation settled down that we realised there was a special guest. In his trademark charismatic manner senior pastor Ray McCauley introduced ANC president Jacob Zuma and his delegation amid thunderous applause. The packed Rhema congregation rose to its feet as Zuma made his way on to the platform, joining a list of esteemed global political leaders who have spoken from that podium. The rousing welcome was the first of about half a dozen applauses that interrupted his speech.
Reading from a prepared statement, Zuma first briefly recorded the Christian roots of the ANC’s founding fathers and the ruling party’s continued commitment to the constitutional freedoms of expression and gathering. The rest of his speech traversed important issues he said would be the cornerstone of a ”post-2009 elections government”. Quite appropriately, the selected issues resonated with the broad social-responsibility efforts of faith-based organisations in South Africa.
But Zuma went beyond politics as usual. In a convivial gesture, he invited the Christian church in South Africa and other faith-based organisations to engage the government on morally contentious legal issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriages, and to be more assertive in their ”constructive criticism” of the government. As I indulged in his eloquence, I was happy he came. To me, the speech was something faith-based organisations in any country would cherish, especially when he invited them to work in government to ease the social burden of HIV/Aids, poverty and unemployment.
I saw a few people leave their seats and head for the back door, but I was too engrossed in Zuma’s speech to pay much attention. Several seats down on our left, a middle-aged couple stood up and headed towards the exit; a young girl on her mom’s lap took the opportunity and stretched herself across the vacant space. She looked up at her mom, as if to seek approval. The mother smiled and tapped her arm gently.
Zuma and the ANC cadre could not have chosen a more opportune time to visit Rhema. For some weeks McCauley’s sermons have been on the Lord’s Prayer and its essence as a way of life. McCauley’s interpretation of ”give us today our daily bread” was incisive. He then enunciated the importance of seeking forgiveness, as we ourselves forgive others. ”Forgiveness frees us; it restores us, and we become leaders in life,” he said, in a powerful sermon that brought at least 100 people to accept salvation during the alter call. The message touched me deeply and I thanked God that I was there to receive it.
A friend called me late on Sunday to ask what had happened. They (some radio stations) are saying people walked out, he told me. ”They missed the point,” I replied. ”The day was about forgiveness, not Zuma.”
It is all about forgiveness, is it not?
Nixon Kariithi is associate professor of journalism and media studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, and a member of the Rhema Bible Church. He writes in his personal capacity