ANC President Mr Jacob Zuma visited Rhema yesterday (15 March 2009) and received a very warm welcome from the congregation. Zuma got a thunderous applause from the congregation when he ascended to the stage. In an address that lasted about 20 minutes, Zuma applauded Rhema for its social responsibility projects, in particular the children's homes and feeding the poor programmes that the church runs.
He also appealed to the congregants to pray for the forthcoming 2010 World Cup, peaceful elections and an incident-free transition into the new administration that will take over after the 22 April elections. Zuma also encouraged faith-based bodies to engage the government on such legislation as termination of pregnancy and same sex marriage. Rhema believes the visit by Mr Zuma and his delegation gave the church an opportunity to minister in a significant way to the leader of the ruling party and his colleagues.
It has however come to the attention of the church that few of our congregants left the auditorium during Mr Zuma's address. Though the number of people who allegedly left the auditorium was exaggerated in the media, we do care about those members but are nevertheless disappointed by their conduct.
We do want to emphasize that Rhema Bible Church is non-partisan and remains, as an institution, politically neutral. As Pastor Ray McCauley said on Radio 702 this morning, Rhema does not endorse any political party. Having said so, the church does have a history of playing a role in our country's national life and interacting with different political players.
It has, in the past, been visited by such leaders as former President FW De Klerk, Barend du Plessis, Magnus Malan, Adian Vlok, Oupa Gqozo, former President Nelson Mandela, Mathew Phosa, Popo Molefe, Tokyo Sexwale and several others. Pastor McCauley has never been shy to interact with politicians and seek to influence their outlook with values for which the church stands. We see Mr Zuma's visit in that context.
We pray that those who were offended by Mr Zuma's visit should find it in their hearts that something positive would develop from this interaction.
Statement issued by the Rhema Bible Church, March 16 2009
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