Glory Ministries ( www.glorymin.net ), hosted its Tiyambuke International Christian Convention (TICC) – 2015 Chapter; under the theme FOOTP...
Glory Ministries (www.glorymin.net),
hosted its Tiyambuke International Christian Convention (TICC) – 2015 Chapter;
under the theme FOOTPRINTS
OF THE LEGENDS. This coincided with his our celebration of Bishop (Apostle)
Pride Sibiya’s 20 years in ministry, as well as acknowledging FATHERS AND
MOTHERS in our nation who have
also helped him develop over the years to another level. The theme itself
sought to bring to attention the fact that for one to succeed well in life they
need to listen to the wise words of our predecessors, who have “seen it, felt it, and touched it” before
us (1 John 1:1). In other words, we
have to follow the “footprints of the
legends”.
Preceding to the hosting of the 2015 Tiyambuke
Convention; Bishop (Apostle) Pride Sibiya (www.pridesibiya.com),
the Founder, President and Presiding Bishop of Glory Ministries; was
interviewed by The Sunday Mail (Divine Appointments), by Tendai Hildegarde
Manzvanzvike, to shed more light on Spiritual Fatherhood. Below is the edited
text of the interview he gave to the The Sunday Mail.
Q: There
is the controversy about spiritual fathers. What roles do they play? Is it
necessary to have someone like this in one’s life?
A: A spiritual father is a spiritual covering on
your life. Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:15 says: “Even if you had ten thousand
guardians (teachers/mentors) in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in
Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.”
So, a person can only have one spiritual father.
However, in life many fathers can be discerned. For example: God our heavenly
and ultimate Father; the father who brought you to the knowledge of Christ;
your biological father; substitute father who replaces your biological father
(maybe a stepfather or foster father); father-in-law; father of a great
movement like Abraham and others; spiritual father; and, every man or woman who
is in your parents’ peer group.
Not everyone, not every minister, is a spiritual
father, though all must have a fatherly heart. Fatherhood is a rare gift and
blessing from God. A father is God’s extension of His ministry of love and the
fatherhood of God on the earth.
According to Psalms, fatherlessness is a curse and
Malachi tells us that if the hearts of fathers and sons do not come together
again, then God will smite the earth with a curse. It is a blessing to be
fathered. Life and ministry are not easy, therefore we all need people who
speak into our lives.
Q: What
message should people expect from these legends?
A: We are not looking for any new revelation, but
just to follow in their footsteps. But obviously, they will bring a parental
message to the body of Christ.
Proverbs 1:8 will be lived out: “My son hear the
instruction of your father and forsake not the law of your mother.”
We did not give them topics. We felt that these
are fathers to us, and we can’t give them limitations. But for the afternoon
sessions, we have extended invitations to pastors and church leaders so that
these legends will speak to them, and I believe that they know what to say to
the younger generation.
I also hope that they teach young people not only
to see ministry as a gifting, but as character – the character of Jesus Christ.
We believe that as fathers, they will be speaking to sons.
I am a testimony of that father/son relationship.
I started preaching at 17 and was very serious about it. Now I am 37. The past
20 years have not been easy for me, but what has kept me is the Word of God,
the voice of God.
I feel that God spoke to me and whatever I
encounter in life, I hold on to what God has spoken. And, the third thing that
has kept me going is the issue of submitting to those that have pioneered this
because I sit down with these greats and they tell me, “son, if you want to overcome
you must do this,” and I listen to their words of counsel.
Q: So,
they provide you with spiritual covering?
A: Yes, they do! But God is our ultimate Father. I
believe that God has also released grace among earthly figures that become an
example to us. When you see them overcoming, it’s a greater inspiration because
we want to see the Bible lived out in our days.
So, I believe that when we submit, we are covered.
I’ve been married for the past 11 years. There was a time when we hit a rock in
our marriage, and both of us felt that it was not going to work. But because of
these guys, we went and submitted and they taught us what marriage means. Since
then, we have been enjoying our marriage.
Many people say experience is nothing, but you
cannot substitute it. These fathers and mothers are people that have
experienced that. At some point, they fell. So, they have something to say in
our lives. They can teach us not to take a certain path lest we fall. This is
the importance of fatherhood and I believe in that.
Accredited
to: Tendai Hildegarde Manzvanzvike
The Sunday Mail (Divine Appointments)
Adopted and edited by: Tapiwa Zuze
