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Stephen Mpofu Features Correspondent
CHURCH and State in Zimbabwe are not enemies but indispensable allies who must embrace one another and fight together to shame the enemy who wants to see this country being reduced to a pile of rubble. In a world where for reasons of inadequate funding or a lack of expertise, or both, national development in many countries in Africa has in the main remained decidedly skimpy, like a mini-skirt which covers and keeps warm one part of the body while the other remains exposed to the vagaries of carnal eyes.

The upshot of that sad scenario is shrunken bellies and hearts laden with forlorn hopes for a future which remains opaque – and hungry citizens are angry people who pose a threat to peace and stability and, therefore, national security.

Yet a new marriage, in the form of a Church-State partnership, holds the key to unlocking accelerated social and economic development, full bellies and smiles on peoples faces culminating in national security under which national economic reconstruction will take place without let or hindrance.
Sadly, however, the State and the church in this country, as elsewhere, appear quietly to regard each of her as “they” and “us”. This is in spite of the fact that Church and State are not travelling in a journey of non-believers into the future because both whether either of them believes it or not they are critical stakeholders in providing a secure future for the people, many of whom are Christians and participants in the politics of the land at the same time.

It is for the above reasons that a call in Bulawayo earlier this week by a founder member of Harvest House International Church for the Church in Zimbabwe to be involved in national economic development initiatives makes a great deal of sense and should be embraced with both hands by our Government so that contributions in cash or kind from the Church may impact positively on economic development.

Two hands are better than one and this is particularly significant as the Church’s hand will redeem those Government institutions, such as local authorities which have been blighted by corruption, causing social development to stagnate or to suffer mortally with the Government making some heads role as their just deserts.

Apostle Nyathi, who co-founded HHI with her husband, Apostle Colleen Nyathi, was right when she states: “The gospel we preach should be applicable to real-life situations and the values we teach as the church are necessary for the nation to progress.”

What this means is that when church members actively participate in national development initiatives their mere presence will instil the fear of God, and therefore that also of the law, among the people with whom they rub shoulders. And cash and other resources used in developing the country will be rendered safe, or as safe as possible, from thieving hands.

Moreover, churches make up the body of Christ and any mountain peaks standing in the path of social and economic development will flee from the presence of God and hail themselves into oblivion.

In any case, the Church has for a long time played a pivotal role in providing education and skills to black people when successive white minority regimes in colonial Rhodesia viewed uneducated blacks as welcome cheap labour.

It continues to this today to provide high academic education and skills training to many Zimbabweans who have become experts in various fields that are crucial to the economic and social development of the country, what with the Government policy of indigenisation and economic empowerment.

When in the past the Zimbabwean Government sought funding from the international community for its Economic Structural Adjustment Programme that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund sought to impose on Zimbabwe, the Government was told in no uncertain terms to draw water in perforated cans as its part of the bargain before any cent could be put into the country’s kitty for Esap to proceed.

This pen is certain that the Church will not give the Government a tongue-in-cheek rebuff, such as the one Zimbabwe got from international donors of money. On the contrary, it is possible that the church if approached to partner the State in developing this country, it will mobilise funding from sister church organisations abroad while throwing into the hat whatever funds it raises locally.

As a body of Christ, the Church preaches love, peace, kindness and hard work because the Bible says those who shun work should not eat.
In addition, the message the Church preaches will have a moderating effect where hot heads trade dog-eat-dog politics for a lack of political culture, a gap that Church culture will fill and peace and inter-dependence will become prerequisites in the lives of the Zimbabwean people.

God’s commandments that the Church holds door to its heart and which Church members will preach to those with whom they rub shoulders when working on national development projects could help end some of the social ills bedevilling our country.

When people realise that moral lapses such as for instance, murder, prostitution, adultery among others will always incur the wrath of God. They are likely to be scared into moral uprightness with the fear of God, marking the beginning of wisdom in them.

It is to be hoped that the desire by HHI to become active participants in the economic lives of Zimbabwe is shared by many other church denominations in the country. As such, the Government might wish vigorously to consider inviting different church organisations in the country to join hands with it in the upliftment of the lives and welfare of Zimbabweans.

Any procrastination can only steal time, and, as they say in Latin, though a dead language: Tempus fugit. Time does, indeed fly, like a bird and those who do not catch the bird before it takes off into the sky will remain clutching only feathers in their hands to no avail.

Thus the Government should engage various church denominations to partner it in economic development so that industries that were shut down by illegal economic sanctions are reopened and infrastructure brought back to scratch. With more jobs created Zimbabweans will earn income for their families eat richer diets to improve their health and increase longevity of their lives.

The prayer for peace and particularly by various church organisations in both the referendum and the harmonised elections as well as contribution by some church organisations to various development initiatives should be seen as demonstrating the determination by the church to contribute to the betterment of life for all in this country.