The founding of the Apostolic Faith Work in Zimbabwe and its Growth in Southern Africa

Below are excerpts from a transcript of an interview between the late Rev Loyce C. Carver (General Overseer of the Apostolic Faith Churches from 1965-1993) and the late Rev.Morgan J.Sengwayo (Founder & Overseer of the Apostolic  Faith Southern & Central Africa 1955-1981)

Page 3 paragraph 1

“……eventually, no one could have heard his wish more amply granted, for Morgan Sengwayo, the son of a poor man, a herd boy, teacher, clerk, driver, preacher and finally an Overseer, finally became the epitome of the Apostolic Faith Mission in his own country as well as in neighbouring countries; we owe our existence today as an old time faith successfully working in a modern world, to no one but Morgan Sengwayo.”

Page 3 paragraphs 3-5

“His father, having once worked for the government as a policeman, quickly seized the opportunity and invited Morgan to accompany him to Gweru, where he intended to recruit him into the police force.

The European officer, looking at Morgan, did not perceive the right kind of character in this gentle young man. ‘I am afraid old man,’ he told Morgan’s father, ‘that your son does not have the qualities required of a policeman. He is soft spoken, not the type who could arrest a wrong doer – it seems to me that he would be more fit to become a preacher not a policeman.’

This was a blow for both Morgan and his father. But how strange that the European officer, who had not heard about his preaching, saw a preacher in him at first sight.”

Page 4 paragraphs 5 & 8

“One man who knew and worked with Rev.Sengwayo during his early ministry said of him: ‘The Rev.Sengwayo was a perfect figure for a religious leader – a vast, dynamic man, gross of speech on occasion, a man of the people, always wishing to help others, apt to be perplexed and ill at ease in the company of his social superiors. Yet he had the fire of spiritual fervour within him. For years after leaving South Africa, he had tortured himself with doubts and perplexities in the matter of lost souls. He had established a considerable reputation by his preaching, which showed distinct originality of thought and was consistent with the doctrines as taught by Christ and the Apostles during the time of the Early Church.

One day when he was deep in prayer, consecrating his life to God, the Lord appeared to him in a vision and said to him:
‘The time has come for Me to use you for My purposes.’

Page 5 paragraphs 1-4; 7-9

“He was to leave Salisbury(Harare) and start his work in Gwelo(Gweru). With their only child, Mr and Mrs Sengwayo obeyed God’s command and set out for Gwelo. His employers in Salisbury were very reluctant to lose his services.

The journey proved to be less than smooth. At one time, the truck in which they were travelling was swept down the river whilst crossing the flooded river.
‘The devil fought us on the way,’ as Rev Sengwayo put it.
‘We prayed for our safety and through faith we managed to cross the river.’

In Gwelo, Rev.Sengwayo found work as a despatch clerk. He would get up early in the morning and visit three to four homes, saying prayers with the members of the families before he went to work. At work, he had a quite place down in the basement, where he would go to say his prayers.

During lunch hour, he would look for a gathering, either at a hot dog stall or under a tree where workers were having their lunches. He would take that as an ideal place for his sermons and instituting religious discussion with fellow workers. Every single minute he could, he used to bring others nearer to God. After work, he would visit eight or ten homes before he went home to sleep.

‘At times I went without food for several days,’ he said. ‘If I had anything at all, it was fried groundnuts, and I filled my stomach with plenty of water. I felt a burning desire to help others. God was preparing for something ahead. It was a school of experience.’

God had taught him that he should not lean or depend on anyone, whether black or white. God had sent him a great task.
‘I prayed for the whole month to put this right,’ he said.

It was during this time that he received a letter from the Apostolic Faith in America, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon.

How had they come to know him and his address? Some time back, Mr.Sengwayo had come across one of their printed pamphlets and had filled in a form in the paper requesting them to send literature to him.
‘I had not received a reply and had forgotten all about it,’ he said

The letter read:

Dear Mr.Sengwayo,

Thank you very much for asking us to send you some of our literature. For twenty years we have been praying for someone in Southern Africa from who we could find out about the reaction of the people to whom we send our literature, whether they understand the doctrine therein.

We are sending a Nigerian African missionary to Rhodesia who is coming to tour your country spreading the Gospel. Could you please meet him and interpret for him during his tour. We know that you belong to another church denomination, but let us forget about church labels and meet as children of God.

We believe you will learn from this Nigerian man of God as you interpret for him and we also believe that he will learn more from you too.

Yours in Christ.

APOSTOLIC FAITH,Portland, Oregon

Page 6 paragraphs 3,5 & 7

The Nigerian referred in the letter was the Rev.Timothy G.Oshokoya, the General Overseer of the Apostolic Faith in Nigeria.

After a few weeks, Mr.Sengwayo received a telegram to say he should meet the Nigerian in Gatooma(Kadoma). When he first saw Mr.Sengwayo he said,
‘As I look at you, I can see you have been born again, but have you been sanctified? This means the act of God’s grace whereby one is made holy – God cleansing one’s heart and the uprooting of the inborn sin.’

He then prayed and was sanctified and baptised with the Holy Ghost and power as on the day of Pentecost. Their mission, however did not last long as Rev.Oshokoya was recalled to Ghana to attend a funeral.

The work in Gwelo continued to grow and many were born again. Mr.Sengwayo who was still employed as a despatch clerk became so engrossed in his work that he made his superiors angry at times when he wrote verses from the Bible on the despatch forms.

At his place of work one day, he fell into a trance and heard the Lord say to him;

‘Arise! Go and work for Me as you promised Me in South Africa in 1943.’

After the voice had spoken to him, he knelt down and said;
‘I agree to do Thy will. I will go.’

He thought he still heard the voice say to him;
‘I have put an open door in front of you. There is no one who can close it. Go and find Me My children amongst the lost souls. I am with you up to the end of your life.’

During that time, the Sengwayos were experiencing the most difficult time in their lives. They had lost two of their children who died one after the other. Morgan’s parents and in-laws blamed him and his ministry for the deaths of the children and tried to persuade him to give it up and go back home. But Morgan and his wife could not be moved from the stand they had taken they knew and believed.

‘The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. Praised be His name!’

Page 7 paragraphs 2-6

“Finally in 1954, Morgan Sengwayo left his employment to do full time ministry, assisted by his wife because there was a need for the Lord to have His people saved.

‘I felt I could not preach well, in fact no preacher can preach successfully unless he has love for the people,’ said the Overseer.

To demonstrate this, they visited the stranded people at the railway waiting rooms, took them home, fed them from their own small stores and took them back to the station. At night, they would roam the streets, collecting drunks and either giving them a place to sleep or accompanying them to their homes, if they knew where they lived. These were their works of mercy and in so doing, they spent all the money they had saved and even sold their furniture to pay off outstanding accounts.

Whilst still in Gwelo, Rev.Sengwayo had a vision where God spoke to him about dying souls who needed to be saved. He was also commanded to leave. After journeying to Bulawayo as the Lord had commanded him, he established his ministry there and today there is a modern T-shaped church in Pelandaba, the headquarters of the Church in Southern Africa.

When asked why he founded this church, the Overseer smilingly said;
‘That is simple. We are not promoting any new doctrine, but rather working to establish, maintain and teach all doctrines as taught by Christ and His Apostles in the time of the Early Church, and to spread the Gospel to all the people.’
He added;
‘Our Church is Trinitarian and fundamental – we believe in a born again spiritual experience. Our teaching embraces the original teaching of holiness through sanctification and stresses the need of endowment with Power from on high for service: the Baptism with the Holy Ghost as on the day of Pentecost.’

Page 8 paragraphs 2-3

Looking at the magnificent church these Christians have built at Pelandaba, it is surprising to learn that the total cost of putting up the building was $52 000. This money came from Christians – there were no funds from overseas or elsewhere on this continent.

In matters of money, the church follows the plan given by Christ himself, no solicitations are made for church funds, nor are any collections taken during services. Indeed the Apostolic Faith Church has been referred to as ‘a church without a collection plate.’

Page 11 paragraphs 3,5,6

After much thought and prayer, the elders of the church were directed by the Lord to seek spiritual affiliation with the Apostolic Faith Mission of Portland, Oregon in America. Their application was approved in and thus they became a spiritual affiliate of the sister church in America.

When he was asked whether the Church had any plans or projects apart from spreading the Gospel, the Overseer said;
‘A preacher should love the people. You can only show this by helping them. We have bought a piece of land near Gweru for six thousand dollars and intend to develop this place to become a “Home of Mercy” where suffering people can be looked after, clothed and fed.’
He had in mind the aged, the homeless, orphans and other destitute cases.

Rev Sengwayo also said the Church had in mind building a school, starting with primary education and going up the ladder. However, with the present ruling (at the time he was speaking) that no new schools should be opened, the Church had shelved the idea temporarily.

Page 12 paragraphs 5-8

There about six religious denominations today, bearing or claiming the name Apostolic Faith with whom this Church, with headquarters in Bulawayo has no affiliation whatsoever. Some of these encourage fanatics and promote teachings contrary to the teachings of Christ and the Bible.

It is for this reason that this article has been written, as it is felt that the name APOSTOLIC FAITH has been to some extent misrepresented.

Still eager and keen to learn more about what this Church’s teaching about certain matters was all about, I asked Rev.Sengwayo what he thought about Church Unity, a subject which was receiving much attention at the time.
‘We are not taking part in Church Unity discussions,’ he said

‘It is hypocrisy. I suppose that what these people mean is that they want to have one common financial pool. People should hear, see and decide on their own. I don’t think it is possible to unite, for we differ so much in so many ways one from the other. We can only be united by bringing back the old-time religion as was taught by the Apostles of the Lord.

On politics, he said that prayer was the only answer. God would direct the rulers to do the right thing.

Prepared by Rev.Loyce C. Carver in 1987

“Earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
The Apostolic Faith Church
(Gospel) Southern & Central
Africa – Formative Years