MBABANE – The Eswatini Interdenominational Ministries Fellowship has raised alarm over what it describes as “an unprecedented decay of standards in the church,” following a series of violent incidents linked to internal church disputes recently reported by the local media.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the fellowship, a body of pastors drawn from different denominations, condemned acts of vandalism and physical confrontation within the church, urging Christian leaders to unite in restoring peace and integrity with the body of Christ.
“It is now time to stand up and unite against such acts of violence and vandalism in the body of Jesus Christ. We call upon the police to bring law and order when crimes have been visibly committed, even in the name of the Gospel,” the fellowship said.
The statement, signed by Rev. L.S. Mnisi (Chairman), Rev. V. Mazibuko (Secretary), and Bishop T. Zwane, followed reports of growing tensions and leadership wrangles within some church groups, including the Africa Evangelical Church (AEC).
The fellowship revealed that it had already reached out to affected pastors within the AEC and sought to engage other stakeholders, though its efforts had not received a response.
“We are convinced that the Church should have explored biblical channels to resolve all these misunderstandings but unfortunately did not do enough,” the pastors said. “Even when we tried to locate the people behind the conflict on the other side, no one was comital.”
The pastors further expressed concern that ongoing disputes were tarnishing the church’s image and distracting it from its spiritual mission. They described the current situation as “embarrassing and uncalled for,” warning that such behaviour does not serve the cause of the Kingdom of Heaven.
In the ongoing debate about government regulation of religious institutions, the fellowship took a firm stance, warning that the church must remain a prophetic voice rather than a subject of the state.
“Laws should be enforced across everyone who breaks the law, while matters of the spirit are left to the church to deal with,” the statement read.
The pastors’ fellowship concluded by urging spiritual leaders to rebuke this unprecedented decay and to prioritize dialogue, humility, and unity as the true expression of the Gospel message.
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