In February 2023, Rev William Middelkoop visited the churches of Synod Soutpansberg in South Africa. There was singing, dancing and baptising, as well as probing into a variety of concerns.
Synod Soutpansberg is 60 years old
Friday afternoon, 3 February, Brother Muswubi T. Aaron picks me up at the guesthouse in Potchefstroom. He teaches missiology at North West University in Potchefstroom. He also lives in in that city, but every weekend he and his family go to Protea Glen, a suburb of Johannesburg, to serve the church there.
He takes me to Brother Lindaleni Sigogo, where I also stayed in 2018. There, a number of pastors from the Gauteng classis meet: Rev T.T.D. Matshete, Rev Nelson Mulangusi, Rev Isaac Mundalamo, Rev Elijah Netshitungulwana, Prof Dr T.C. Rabali and Rev Tshililo Liphadzi. We talk about the situation in the churches. Professor Rabali is in charge. He explains that this year the churches of Synod Soutpansberg are celebrating 60 years of existence. It began in 1963 with the missionary work of the CGK.
I read my greeting to Synod Soutpansberg.
During the meal, I am asked about the situation of Ukraine and the reception of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands. I ask about contacts between Soutpansberg and the GKSA. They indicate that there has been a meeting once but that to their understanding it still means little.
On responsibility
Saturday morning I am surprised by Brother Sigogo's sons with a delicious English breakfast. Their parents left at four o'clock this morning to visit relatives in Venda. One of the sons takes me to Brother Liphadzi, who takes me to Venda. There we visit the church where he started as pastor in 1994. On the way, he told me how church members at that time often thought: The Netherlands or Europe will pay. He then started working on raising awareness that as a congregation you are responsible for the proper functioning of the church and the salary of your pastor. A wise brother advised him to start with the children and young people. The elderly don't pick it up anymore, but you have to teach the new generation from an early age. That is why he also started all kinds of youth work. He is now back at this church building for the first time after leaving.
Attention to theological education
Next, we visit the Iyani Theological Training Center. He shows the deplorable state of the buildings. He tells how he has started working with someone to restore the entire Iyani site to its former glory. The buildings need renovation. We talk about how he can tackle that and I agree to investigate in the Netherlands to what extent deputations Diaconate Whether a diaconal working holiday could help with building improvements.
Liphadzi also tells me that more promotion is needed for Iyani. He asks if I know anyone who could think and advise on this. The importance of a website has been pointed out by Mission. It has now been designed, but many of the church's own members don't even seem to know about Iyani. While talking, we ourselves come up with a number of possibilities:
- Every month, Liphadzi visits two church councils to talk to them about their responsibilities (so this is already happening). There are 24 congregations so he visits everyone in a year
- He visits all congregations on Sundays and gives a presentation on Iyani after the service and reminds members of their responsibility to support Iyani.
- Pastors who have studied there meet and are instructed that in their congregations they must teach members to take responsibility for their own congregation, pastor and Iyani/Takalani.
- The students currently in Iyani are being taught that they will soon be tasked with raising awareness of the importance of Iyani in their communities.
Liphadzi says that since the Heidelberg pastors' college has been housed in Iyani, he must be careful not to compromise the already existing Bible training of ministers and church members. He would like to discuss with others what kind of programme to offer. In the Netherlands, it appears Rev. Anne van Olst, director of the EH, willing to digitally spar about the possibilities.
Black with sugar
We drink coffee at a roadside restaurant on the way. I bought two cappuccinos for us. When the coloured cashier set them down on the counter and Liphadzi wanted to put sugar in his, the cashier intervened. I did not understand that, but he explained that she assumed that, as a white person, I had not bought him coffee. And when he refuelled, during which, by the way, they immediately check your tyre pressure and your oil level, the black clerk assumed that as a white person I would pay, and was surprised when Liphadzi pulled out his credit card.
Friction
Liphadzi says he is concerned about the new generation of pastors in Synod Soutpansberg. They were educated at the University of Pretoria or Potchefstroom and often think more modern (he calls it more liberal) than their predecessors. He cites as an example the proposal that the annual synod in January should henceforth begin on Sunday, by continuing to meet immediately after a church service. The proposal was rejected.
Later I ask if this was because they chose Pretoria after the split and are now footing the bill for that. He acknowledges that this is a factor. They were supposed to be given space at the University of Pretoria for their own education, but that promise was not fulfilled.
Singing, dancing, baptising and celebrating Lord's Supper
On Sunday, 5 February, we get a delicious breakfast at the Tshikovhele family, where we are staying. We drive through the beautiful countryside of Venda to the church of Niani. Today, the various preaching sites meet for a service in a community hall. We are warmly welcomed by a sister of the congregation, who has worked as an administrative assistant for our missionaries. There is much singing and sometimes exuberant dancing. A group of church members perform a cultural African dance before the service, singing Bible texts such as John 3:16. The church choir and youth choir sing.
A student from Iyani Theological Training Centre/Heidelberg preaches. He is in his final year of study. From his second year of study, he has been attached to this congregation to gain practical experience. He is expected to be called after his studies and start serving here.
He preaches on Nehemiah 1:4-5. The sermon contains two cores: 1. Nehemiah's grief when he hears of the walls of Jerusalem. He suffers that God's city and temple have been destroyed. This shows how he is connected to the LORD and longs for the glory of God. He cries out before the LORD. He goes to God with his sorrow. 2. He prays to God. He does not just go to work himself, but knows that he is dependent on the LORD and that it is His people and city.
Three children of a woman in the congregation are baptised. This is done by the counsellor who was previously pastor of this congregation. A tub of water is fetched by an elder and the baptism takes place after reading the baptism form. Once the mother has answered the baptismal questions, the preacher addresses all the parents in the congregation and reminds them of their promise made to God.
There is also Holy Communion. The sacramental form is read and the congregation says the Apostles' Creed together. The elders go through the rows with plates of bread and then they come through the rows with glass holders with glasses of wine. It turns out that this caused quite a discussion in Synod Soutpansberg, especially the fact that they introduced it just like that as a result of covid. Liphadzi believes it needs to be thought through, as the one cup from which one drinks together symbolises unity and commitment to the sacrifice of Christ. He missed that reflection. During the distribution of the bread and wine, the congregation sings the highest song.
Four sisters from the church make the intercession. Beforehand, they are told what points of prayer they will name. Then I am given the opportunity to convey a greeting. In doing so, I speak on Ephesians 5:2. Liphadzi then immediately puts into practice what we discussed yesterday: he shares information about Iyani with the congregation and encourages them to support Iyani.
Thinking ahead
We drive back to our host address in Venda. On the way, we eat in a KFC. That remains a separate experience for me, eating in a restaurant on Sunday with such principled brothers. When we get home, we meet brother Nelson Tshikambe. He is a retired primary school director and is treasurer on the Iyani board. Liphadzi has invited him, as he is keen to share with him what we have discussed while sparring along the way about the concerns around Iyani's future. It is a nice conversation, in which farmer Tshikovhel also participates. He is our host and a kind of caretaker of Iyani. People want to work on a vision and future plan for Iyani. They are thinking of forming a group of experts who will help develop a strategy for the future. The mentality in Africa is to be satisfied when something is running. People are not used to thinking ahead and developing vision and a plan, Liphadzi said.
We discuss all this in the shade outside under the mango tree.
Mission Hospital
On Monday morning, we leave our host family's house at 7am. We drive to Siloam, where we visit the former missionary hospital. This missionary hospital was the work of CGK mission. Liphadzi says there was always prayer with the patients before surgery. Dr Helms, Dr Van 't Spijker and doctor Cor Roubos (my GP in Harderwijk) worked here. In 1991, they had to leave the country headlong because under the influence of the ANC, the staff rebelled against the white leadership. It is now a public hospital, the quality of which is worrisome. I recognise the church hall from pictures in the missionary magazine. A little while later, we meet Liphadzi's sister. She immediately tells us she was born in the hospital and immediately spoons out Dr Helms' name.
Christian education
We drive on to the Takalani Childrens Home. Seventy children are cared for here, abandoned by their parents. It is heartbreaking to hear the stories. Rina Mudau is the director. She is the wife of the pastor who presided as a consultant at Niani church yesterday. She has studied psychology and has vision for this centre, but runs into barriers. She wants to work on quality improvement. Liphadzi agrees to spar together from time to time as they both feel lonely in their leadership position and need a sparring partner.
We drive to the Ghondolikhetwa Christian Primary and Secondary School. The headmaster is an elder in the congregation where Liphadzi started as a candidate. It is a public school, which means one has to pay for this education. Takalani children, however, are admitted without paying. The school originated when Liphadzi was a pastor in the area, based on the view that Christian education is the basis for teaching children and young people to love and serve the Lord.
Valuable investment
We drive on to Pretoria, to Liphadzi's house. I take over the wheel from him for the last two hundred and fifty kilometres. I meet his wife and children at his house and they take me to the airport, where I leave for Amsterdam at 11.59pm.
Full of impressions, I come home. A trip never to be forgotten. Spending three days with Liphadzi created a special brotherhood. By having confrontational conversations back and forth and travelling together for several days, it has been a very valuable investment.
