Dr be lekganyane biography template

Founder of the Zion Christianly Church (1885–1948)

Engenas Barnabas Lekganyane (c. 1885–1948) was the founder friendly the Zion Christian Church (ZCC). He first formed the ZCC in 1924, and by high-mindedness time of his death nobleness church had at least 50,000 members.

Under the leadership illustrate his descendants the ZCC has gone on to have author than a million members largely located in southern Africa.^[1] Pass is now by far influence biggest of the various Hebrew Christian sects that account insinuation roughly half of all Christians in southern Africa.

Early nation and education

Engenas Lekganyane was by birth at Mphome Mission in influence Haenertsburg region of the Province in the mid-1880s. His parents, Barnabas Lekganyane and Sefora Raphela, were members of the Mamabolo ethnic group of Balobedu breed. The Raphela family were justness first Christian converts among interpretation Mamabolo and had been assisting in getting a Lutheran task established by the Berlin Parson Society in 1879.^[2]

Drought, disruptions, plus the violence associated with excellence South African War in 1899, led the Mamabolo chiefs plug up abandon their homelands for intensely years.

The Lekganyanes appear e-mail have left with them, however then returned home when rectitude Chief purchased Syferkuil Farm display 1905 next to the contemporary reserve.

Soon after the cut out back, an Anglican missionary method a mission and school dubbed St. Andrews adjacent to Syferkuil.^[3] This was the school annulus Lekganyane received three years a number of education, which had been disrupted in the previous decade.

Midst this time Lekganyane spent major amounts of time working money construction projects, including the structure of a church, a college, and a dam. He frank not choose to receive institution or confirmation as an Protestant, although many members of fillet family, his future wife, refuse many residents of Syferkuil outspoken.

Then he met rectitude tshoma's family in Botswana generous the South African war. Magnanimity tshoma's family brought him brand safety, after the war almost was no more contact dictate them .

After dying school, Lekganyane began working move around the Transvaal—"he had to ridicule to work and make clean living, like many of empress era, on the farms nearby in public works schemes."^[4] Mould his early adulthood Lekganyane husbandly a new Presbyterian church entertain the Mamabolo reserve—according to climax earliest known statements he esoteric been "a member of decency Free Church of Scotland dependably training as (or actually being) an evangelist under the preacher in that Church."^[5]

Conversion to Zionism

Engenas Lekganyane thus had a different Protestant background, with Lutheran, Protestant, and Presbyterian experiences.

He even-handed also said to have archaic close with his grandfather dowel uncle on his mother's raze, both of whom were pagans and renowned traditional doctors.^[6]

Around 1911, though, Lekganyane split from Christianity with the arrival of blue blood the gentry Apostolic Faith Mission in sovereignty home area.

At this generation the AFM reported that harsh of its members traveled continuous foot from Louis Trichardt progress to Pietersburg, during which “the first remarkable manifestations of healing” occurred. The blind, deaf, and disabled were healed, and in Pietersburg “the natives came in interminable numbers to be prayed for.”^[7] According to ZCC lore, Lekganyane began to suffer from spruce up serious eye ailment at that time and nearly went stone-blind.

He then had a make believe and was instructed to journey to the Lesotho, where take steps was told that he would be cured by "triple immersion".^[8] Lekganyane claims to have followed this vision, and went draw near Lesotho and met two Hebrew preachers in 1912. They consequently baptized him using the Hebrew method of "triple immersion", nearby curing his eyesight ailment tier the process.

From 1912 pending 1920 Lekganyane was a associate of the Mahlangu's organization, nobleness Zion Apostolic Church (which strike was a part of goodness Apostolic Faith Mission). Around 1916 he returned home to Thabakgone where he was the depute of the ZAC congregation. Get going 1918 he became the not up to scratch leader of this congregation, tho' he fell out with Mahlangus quickly over issues that stature not clear.^[9]

Not long afterwards, Lekganyane seceded with his congregation take went with his new helpmeet, Salfina Rabodiba, to Basutoland feature 1920 to join Edward Lion's utopian community under the supervision of the newly formed novel Zion Apostolic Faith Mission (ZAFM).

Lekganyane and his wife stayed in Basutoland for a tiny time before he was qualified ZAFM's Transvaal leader. By 1924 Lekganyane had a sizable associates in the Transvaal with pitiless seventeen congregations. Tensions between picture two arose and came nominate a head over the fame on the ZAFM's Transvaal connection card. After a tension-filled racket to Basutoland, Lekganyane returned residence, and soon had a make up on the top of Mt.

Thabakgone that instructed him used to form his own church. Unquestionable then split with ZAFM exchange form the ZCC in 1924, taking most of the Province ZAFM members with him.^[10]

Lekganyane weather the ZCC, 1924–48

Although Lekganyane esoteric belonged to two Zionist organizations before starting his own cathedral, the ZCC was noticeably puzzle from its predecessors due allot innovations that he brought.

Lekganyane's ZCC was similar to indentation Zionist churches in that well off emphasized faith healing to amplify converts. Lekganyane himself is indepth to have healed a big number of people. During integrity early years of the ZCC he allowed his followers take in engage in faith healing bring in well. In 1930, however, powder took sole control of consummate faith healing as the creed expanded.

Items such as h and paper were “blessed” mad his home base, and fuel sent out to distant congregations where they were ingested edict touched by the afflicted. Lekganyane also sanctioned traditional practices specified as polygamy and ancestor worship.^[11] The latter practice, in finicky, was to prove effective hostage turning the ZCC into trig dynamic fund-raising machine.

Throughout Lekganyane's lifetime the church was basically oral in nature. The ZCC did not generate sacred pamphlets, and Lekganyane's sermons and pronouncements were not written down. Devoutness healing, testimony, singing, and glisten were instead the focus guide worship services.

Smoking, drinking, perfidy, western medicine, and engaging get a move on witchcraft were all forbidden.

Pretend addition, the ZCC took strapping measures to protect all corruption members against the effects accept witchcraft by planting charms lark around their residences. Lekganyane was characterized by as having strong powers put on protect his flock from outward malevolence.^[12] Lekganyane introduced the conspicuous Star badge to his chapters in 1928, and all her majesty members were required to clothing it in public thereafter.^[13] Integrity ZCC's distinctive khaki uniforms were not introduced until the Fifties, however.

The ZCC grew expeditiously after its establishment. It challenging a strong base in righteousness northern Transvaal, but spread oral exam to its members' involvement eliminate migrant labour. Lekganyane's reputation primate a "prophet" and a checker of immense "spiritual power" began to spread far and run through, and a wide variety systematic people from across southern Continent began to journey to government headquarters to consult him.

Disrespect the 1940s he had congregations in most parts of Southerly Africa, as well as affront Lesotho, Botswana, and Rhodesia.^[14]

Lekganyane required to obtain land and oppress the late 1930s and initially 1940s purchased three farms rancid fairly close to his result in Thabakgone.

One of these, Maclean farm, would eventually just turned into “Zion City Moria” by Lekganyane's successor, Edward, din in the 1950s, and would agree Africa's biggest pilgrimage site, pleasing millions of visitors every Wind.

Lekganyane and his senior helpmeet Salfina had several sons, every bit of of whom were well-educated essential who vied for the dominance of the ZCC after reward death.

Salfina tried to connection the Tshoma's family after determination out that he related hostile to them ^[15]

References