African Apostolic Church
| African Apostolic Church | |
|---|---|
| African Apostolic Church | |
| (Mwazha Apostolic Church) | |
 Paul Mwazha, Founder of the African Apostolic Church | |
| Location | Zimbabwe |
| Country | Zimbabwe |
| Denomination | Pentecostal |
| Clergy | |
| Archbishop | Paul Mwazha |
The African Apostolic Church is one of the largest locally initiated religious movements. It is also known as the Mwazha Apostolic Sect and is known for its signature chant, "Africa Yedu!". The church is led by Apostle Paul Mwazha affectionately referred to as Mutumwa by his followers.
Formation
The church was formed in 1951 by Paul Mwazha after he received his' Divine calling'.[1] The African Apostolic Church is named after the calling of the (voice) word of God – the Holy Spirit. In 1957 the voice was reported to have been heard from above saying “The African Apostolic Church, Va-Apostora VeAfrica”. At that time the church was not yet there as the people were only still worshiping in their respective churches, but ahead of them was the Holy Spirit who worked many wonders and signs and also led them into a new dimension of knowing Christ, who is the whole truth. The name is only denoting the origin of the church but principally the church has the mandate to reach out to the whole world and everyone is invited to share in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Church was formally started in 1959 after the Arch Bishop Ernest Paul received a clear and vivid message from the Holy Spirit commenced the ministry as a church and this is ccording to the church's webiste:
Paul Mwazha is the Arch Bishop of The African Apostolic Church, he is said to have received his calling in 1951 when he heard the voice of the Lord calling him, which he answered the call in his prayer communicating with God saying, ‘Lord I heard your voice calling me’. Moreover, in the same period he is said to have also heard the voice of the Lord calling again saying , “Who shall we sent, who for us shall go?”, yet he answered again in his prayer of gratitude to the Lord, saying O’ Lord I had your voice saying “Who shall we sent who for us shall go?”. I am here Lord, sent me to your people beginning in Africa, then the rest of the world if be it your will Lord.
Mutumwa indicates that in his first encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ in 1934,upon his sleep in a divine revelation, he was on top of a rocky mountain and he heard a voice to saying him , “Behold the apostles of Jesus.” When he looked yonder he saw African men clad in white gowns singing hymns to the Lord while standing under a lush green tree. Upon looking slightly to the south, he saw our Lord Jesus Christ sitting inside a rock with an open book in His hands while his countenance was facing towards north. Paul exclaimed “Ah Lord!” and he began to descend from that rocky height. This is believed to have happened on the holy mountain of Guvambwa near Sadza Growth Point in Chikomba District, Zimbabwe.[2]
The Church
The church has strong Christian principles. One of the key aspects which distinguishes it from charismatic churches is its strong Christian conservative stance. The church strongly discourages loose morals. This explains its unique dressing which involve long dresses for women. The church enjoys a considerably bigger following from among local Zimbabweans. Among other things, the church also emphasises pan African moral and cultural values.
References
- ↑ , The African Apostolic Church,The African Apostolic Church, retrieved:15 Jun 2015"
- ↑ "The African Apostolic Church =". Retrieved October 4, 2017.
