BISHOP MUBANGA

By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA-
APOSTOLIC Church in Zambia newly inducted overseer, Bishop Jacob Mubanga has cautioned fellow clergymen against engaging in vices such as immorality and abuse of spiritual gifts because this compromises their integrity as ministers of God.
Bishop Mubanga said as servants of God, all clergymen should be above reproach by refraining from engaging in things that compromise their integrity.
He said this on Saturday during the induction and consecration ceremony for the Apostolic Church in Zambia’s newly elected national and district church’s bishops held at the Apostolic’s Shalom Church in Kitwe.
Bishop Mubanga, who ascended to the helm of the Church leadership at the same ceremony following his induction and consecration as national bishop, said there was need for the clergy to guard against vices that tarnish their integrity and character.
“You can be charismatic but one thing  is that we need to maintain our integrity as men of God because it is character that will keep us in the ministry of God for a long time,” Bishop Mubanga said.
The Apostolic Church leader also condemned the growing tendency by some people in church circles who requested money from people in order to receive a blessings.
“Certainly you can’t buy a blessing. The important thing people ought to know is to follow what God says and the Bible has principles which we should abide by and God blesses people on the basis of His grace,”
he said.
And Bishop Mubanga appealed to Government to withdraw the implemented Statutory Instrument (SI) number 103 which subjected public benefit organisations to pay tax on imported of motor vehicles, spare parts and other materials because the SI was impacting negatively on the Church.
Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge, who graced the ceremony said Government was deeply concerned about reports such as divisions, moral failure of church leaders, defilement, abuse of church funds and others, which were becoming common.
Mr Musenge said in a speech read for him by acting Kitwe District Commissioner Chikafuna Banda that it was for this reason that Government was encouraging churches to belong to recognised church mother bodies to help with self regulation.
The minister paid tribute to the Apostolic Church in Zambia for having laid a firm spiritual foundation and urged it not to depart from the path it had taken for over 53 years now.
“As Government, we want to partner with serious churches like yours to foster development, reduce crime, corruption and the burden of poverty on our people,” he said.