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Benjamin Ganyiwa

Glad Tidings Fellowship Ministry marks its 34th anniversary with the official opening of a new auditorium at High Glen Assembly, tomorrow, May 1, at the site of the denomination’s first church building. The event will feature retrospective presentations, emphasis of the founding vision, evangelism and teaching, review of the different the different para-church ministries under the stewardship of the denomination and entertainment.Government officials are expected to grace the event.

Glad Tidings Fellowship Ministry will also have national 34th anniversary celebrations in August in Harare at a venue yet to be announced.

The ministry started in 1982 in Highfields, Harare, two years after Zimbabwe won its independence, when Pastor Richmond Chiundiza was called by God to ministry.

Pastor Chiundiza strongly believes, on the basis of biblical teaching, that the church was founded by Jesus Christ Himself more than 2 000 years ago and men are only called to lead God’s people, which is the body of Christ.

After responding to that calling, and having been equipped with an apostolic gift to shepherd the flock of saints, he was then given the vision and founded a five-member group called Disciples in Action.

The group’s mandate is based on the teaching about the importance of the five-fold ministry and their different functions(1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4).

The purpose of Disciples in Action was for teaching Glad Tidings the gospel to all nations according to the Great Commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,” (Matthew 28: 19).

In terms of the fivefold ministry, the evangelist preaches the good news of repentance both in churches and open-air crusades, teacher establishes new and old believers and helps them discover and minister in the area of their calling, the prophet straightens, gives direction and edifies the body of Christ, while pastors and apostles shepherd the saints.

Pastor Chiundiza has remained a humble and God-fearing minister despite the growth of the denomination to one of the biggest Pentecostal ministries and is always quick to quote: “He must increase, and I must decrease,” (John 3: 30). Disciple in Action, constituted by Pastor Chiundiza, Pastor Andrew T Gore, Pastor Durajat Simba, Pastor G Kaseke and Pastor Langton Gatsi, now with One Way Ministries, used its own resources to spread the gospel to towns, rural communities and beyond the borders to countries like South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Swaziland, Australia, UK and US.

At the last count, there were about 117 assemblies with satellite points across the country, comprising more than 100 000 thousand followers under the Glad Tidings Fellowship.

Such is the humility of Pastor Chiundidza that congregants, including his wife, children and grandchildren call him Brother Rich as he has no affinity for titles but believes more in function associated with the five-fold ministry.

The event at the congregation, led by Disciples in Action member, Pastor Gore will also remind the body of Christ that the harvest is ready but the labourers are few (Matthew 9: 36).

Brother Rich will also review the ongoing growth of orphans, widows, old and vulnerable ministries which fall under charity and social welfare.

Glad Tidings Fellowship also looks to build schools, colleges and universities to complement Government’s efforts and the biblical teaching that faith without action is dead, the commandment to love our neighbours as we love ourselves and the instruction to remember the orphans, the poor and the widows.

High Glen Choir will sample their new single “Ebenezer/ Patasvitswa naShe” from their forthcoming album set for release in June this year.

The choir will also sing their older songs such as “Tawanirwe Nyasha,” “MuriMutsvene” and “Tinotenda Ishe.”

The choir has previously worked with and produced renowned artists such as Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave, Primrose Cement and Shalom Singers.

Benjamin Ganyiwa is the acting spokesperson of the High Glen Assembly and event coordinator. He can be contacted at 0733 360 088.