By Takemore Chikweza
Bishop Dr Nehemiah Mutendi leader of Zion Christian Church, one of the biggest African-initiated church in Zimbabwe, said there is no place better than Zion and implored his followers to cast their anxieties and problems to God because he cares for everyone, as read in 1 Peter 5 vs. 7.
In his powerful sermon broadcast live across the world from Mbungo Estates studios on 24 February he said God founded Zion and sent His servant, the founding patriarch and late Reverend Samuel Mutendi in 1913 so that we may believe in Jehovah.
The 81-year-old cleric said Zion is the safest place here on earth. He often teaches church members that Zion is the safest place on earth, after heaven.
He always illustrates that the Godly Zion is safer than any worldly fortress, including even The Pentagon in the United States of America, regarded as one of the safest places on earth.
“People who come to Zion are carrying heavy burdens, tell them words of comfort and how safe it is to be in Zion,” he added in this Wednesday sermon, which is a Women’s day of prayer (Chitatu CheRuwadzano) in the Zion Christian Church (ZCC).
The Bishop implored members of the ZCC to love each other, especially those who are in need. “Are you your brother’s keeper, do you look after each other?” he asked. Showing hospitality and receiving visitors well is a sign of love and caring for each other.
Congregants in Zion were taught to possess the three most important degrees, or characteristics, of humility, meekness and obedience. When God founded Zion, he gave us statutes and commandments through Moses.
The Bishop said Zion is a stress-free place where stress is relieved and those who are burdened come to be comforted, quoting Matthew where Christ is seen inviting people who are labored and heavy laden to come to him.
He added that prophets in the church must comfort and strengthen people by telling them God’s good plans and thoughts.
He taught against bad, stray prophets who prophesy things that frighten and scare people. Instead, prophets must teach and prophesy on things that bring people closer to God.
The Bishop encouraged believers to glorify God through praise and worship songs as this comforts those who are heavy laden.
He told the women’s wing that shepherdship is akin to carefulness, like a hen that gathers her chicks under her wings. God requires every woman to look out at fellow Christians like they do with their families at home, as John 21 vs 15 emphasizes.
They were also taught to love, comfort, and be friends with their children and to teach them to confess and avoid sin as this was a stumbling block to coming before God.
They must ensure their children focus on worshipping God, not on taking narcotics or nursing suicidal thoughts, as Zion was founded and designed by God to relieve stress.