Ubani Oyoshumayela Ivangeli EBrithani?
NGUMLOBELI WE-PHAPHAMA! EBRITHANI
AMALUNGU amasonto aseBrithani ancipha ngesilinganiso esingaba ngu-1 500 ngesonto, kubika i-UK Christian Handbook. I-Times ithi intsha ishiya isonto “ngoba ithola ukuthi libangela isithukuthezi nesizungu.”
Nakuba ngokwesilinganiso kuvalwa isonto elilodwa ngesonto emasontweni aseSheshi, “kunezinkulungwane zabantu ezifuna injongo ekuphileni kwazo,” kuvuma i-Church Times yeSonto LaseSheshi.
Ebhekene nalesisimo esibucayi, amasonto aseBrithani abumbana ngo-1990 ukuze aqhubekisele phambili “iMinyaka Eyishumi Yokushumayela Ivangeli.” I-Scotsman yathi iminyaka yawo-1990 “ingase ibe inkathi eyiminyaka eyishumi lapho ukushumayela ivangeli kubuyiswa khona amaSonto agcina amasiko, azinzile ngomzamo wokwandisa amalungu awo asenciphe ngokudabukisayo nokuguqula umkhuba wokungabi nasithakazelo enkolweni.”
Ithemba elihle—kodwa ingabe lingafezeka? Kwenzekeni eminyakeni embalwa edlule?
Isisekelo Esingaqinile
Abefundisi beSonto LaseSheshi abazange bayishisekele “iMinyaka Eyishumi Yokushumayela Ivangeli” eSigungwini sabo sango-1989. Ngokwesibonelo, usihlalo we-Union Mission and Renewal Committee yaleliSonto wagcizelela: “Kubaluleke kakhulu ukulungiselela,” kodwa wanezela lesisixwayiso: “Kwezinye izimo kungase kuthathe yonke leminyaka eyishumi.”
Umbhishobh’ uGavin Reid wabikezela: “Ngemva kweminyaka emihlanu kuyoba umkhankaso odumazayo.”
Bengadumazekile, ngokushesha abaseSheshi bahlangana namaRoma Katolika, ayesungule eyawo “iMinyaka Eyishumi Yokushumayela Ivangeli” ngo-1988. Amanye amahlelo amaningi ayenokungabaza okuthile. “Kumelwe ngivume ukuthi ngizizwa ngingakhululekile ngaleMinyaka Eyishumi Yokushumayela Ivangeli. Isihloko esihle kakhulu, kodwa sisho ukuthini?” kubuza uPaul Hulme, umfundisi weSonto LaseWeseli elihle elikuCity Road, eLondon. “Yini esingayenzi okufanele ngabe sesiyayenza?”
Ukuchaza Imigomo
Ukushumayela ivangeli kusho ukushumayela izindaba ezinhle, ukuguqulela ebuKristwini labo abezwayo—okuphambene kakhulu nalokho abaholi besonto abaningi abafisa ukukubona. “Akuwona umsebenzi wethu ukuguqulela abantu ebuKristwini,” kusho uDkt. Newbigin wase-United Reformed Church. “Lowo umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu.” Yiliphi iphuzu elivezwa yilamazwi ayinqabakayitshelwana? Ukuxabana okuqhubekayo komphakathi waseBrithani oxube izinhlanga nezinkolo zawo zobuhlanga ezingezona ezobuKristu. Cabangela lokhu okulandelayo:
“IMinyaka Eyishumi Yokushumayela Ivangeli ingase inyamalale njengeminye iminyaka eyishumi,” kusho umphathi waseSheshi uNeil Richardson, “kodwa nakuba imfimfa iyisiphazamiso sempikiswano eqhubekayo esemasontweni amaningi nakuwonk’ uwonke: ukuqubuka kwezinkolo okungaba khona kuwo wonke amadolobha ethu.” Eqokomisa inkinga, waqhubeka: “Ubuhlobo phakathi kwezigaba zomphakathi okholwayo kudingeka busekelwe ethembeni eliqinile lokuthi akekho ofuna ukushintsha noma ukuguqulela abanye kwenye inkolo.”
Esiqaphela kahle lesisimo ‘esingaqubuka,’ uGeorge Carey, uMbhishobh’ Omkhulu WaseCanterbury, wathi amazwi athi “iMinyaka Eyishumi Yokushumayela Ivangeli” “ayisihloko esingesihle” ngoba abaholi bamaSulumane nabamaJuda babenomuzwa wokuthi bayizisulu “zabavangeli abangamaphikankani.” Kamuva wathi: “Kuyiphutha ukusho njengabanye ukuthi ukushumayela ivangeli kuwumsebenzi wesonto oyinhloko.”
Ngakolunye uhlangothi, umbhishobh’ uMichael Marshall uthi okudingeka ngokuyinhloko ukuba iSonto LaseSheshi “liguquke libe iSonto LikaNkulunkulu LaseNgilandi,” kuhlanganiswe namaSulumane nabanye ebuKristwini. Wathi: “Kuyingxenye yesimiso ukuthi amaSulumane enziwe amaKristu,” exwayisa ngokuthi lokhu “kuzodinga iminyaka eyishumi yokukusingatha.”
Kuthiwani ngamaJuda? I-Church Times yayinesihloko esikhulu esithi “Ukushumayela Ivangeli Kwangempela Kumelwe Kuhlanganise NamaJuda.” Kodwa uDavid Sheppard, umbhishobhi waseLiverpool, wala waphetha. Wathi: “KuleMinyaka Eyishumi Yokushumayela Ivangeli kumelwe kugxilwe kubantu asebelahle ukholo lwabo noma kulabo abangazi nakancane ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukukholelwa kuNkulunkulu.” Ingabe lokhu kungenzeka? Ebhala ngaphansi kwesihloko esikhulu se-Guardian esithi “Ukubhuntsha Kokushumayela Ivangeli,” uNeil Richardson uthi: “Wonke umuntu [eBrithani] uye waba nethuba elanele lokuhlaziya okushiwo ubuKristu. Kusobala ukuthi abaningi baye banquma ukuthi abubafanele.”
Ingabe amasonto aseBrithani akuhlomele ukushumayeza umphakathi ongayithandi kangaka inkolo kanye nezinkolo zawo eziyinqwaba namasiko ezinhlanga?
Inselele
Owayengumbhishobhi omkhulu uDkt. Runcie wathi: “Ababhishobhi nabefundisi bangamanxusa ethu okushumayela ivangeli, kanti izithunywa zethu zevangeli zingamalungu esonto avamile.” Umvangeli ongumakad’ ebona uGilbert W. Kirby wathi: “Umkristu ngamunye kufanele akwazi ukuchazela omunye umuntu izisekelo zokholo. Umkristu ngamunye kufanele afundiswe indlela yokuholela omunye umuntu kuKristu. . . . Inhloso yethu kufanele kube ukufundisa amalungu esonto. . . . Akusizi ukutshela abantu ukuthi bashumayele ivangeli ngaphandle kokubabonisa indlela yokukwenza.” Ngamanye amazwi, ababhishobhi nabefundisi kumelwe bahole ekuboniseni imihlambi yabo indlela yokushumayela ivangeli.
Elibeka ngesihloko mhla kuvulwa “iNkulumo Yokukhumbula UPriestland,” ku-BBC umsakazi uBrian Redhead wathi: “Ababhishobhi abanethezekile kufanele baqaphele iqiniso lokuthi sebelahlekelwe amandla okushukumisa abantu abangenandaba nenkolo . . . Kumelwe bagcizelele kakhulu ikhono lokushumayela.” Futhi lokhu kufanele kwenziwe kuphi?
Ekuqaleni kwalelikhulu leminyaka, uWilliam Wand, kamuva owayezoba uMbhishobhi waseLondon, waqeqeshwa esakhula eLancaster, eNgilandi, lapho kwakuvame khona ukuvakasha kwabefundisi. Kamuva wabhala: “Ngicabanga ukuthi izindlu ezingamashumi amane engangingena kuzo njalo ntambama zaziyinani eliyingqophamlando. Futhi iBamba laliziqaphela ngempela izidingo zedlanzana labantu elalibonakala lingasalubhadi esontweni. Lalizimisele ukwenza lokho manje okubizwa ngokuthi ‘intuthuko’ ekulweni nalokhu kunganaki nokungabi nasithakazelo.”
Namuhla kungaba into engavamile ngempela uma noma yimuphi umfundisi waseBrithani engaxhumana kanjalo nabantu! Amasonto aseBrithani aqaphele sekwephuzile ukuthi ayikho indlela engathatha isikhundla sokushumayeza abantu emakhaya abo, ngendlela uJesu nabafundi bakhe abenza ngayo.
“Umuntu ozinikezele ngempela kuphela ongaletha abanye kuNkulunkulu,” kuphawula i-Evangelism and the Laity. “‘Yenza umsebenzi womvangeli’ [2 Thimothewu 4:5] . . . kuwumyalo okumelwe uhlonishwe ngandlela-thile yiwo wonke amaKristu ukuze leliSonto lifeze injongo yalo kulesisizukulwane sethu.”
“Izindaba Ezinhle”—Umthombo Wazo
UJohn Taylor, unobhala-jikelele we-Division of Ministries yeSonto LaseWeseli, wabhalela i-Times yaseLondon “ngomsebenzi wethu wokuhlanganyela nabanye izindaba ezinhle.” Wathi: “Ngakho-ke isonto kumelwe lithole izindlela ezintsha neziphumelela kakhudlwana zokondla nokufundisa amalungu alo. Ngisho nasesontweni ayaziwa ngokumangalisayo imibhalo yobuKristu.” Lokhu kungabi nalwazi kuwaholelephi amalungu esonto?
“AbaVangeli abaningi abaphambili abasebasha . . . bagcizelela ukuthi ukwenza abafundi kobuKristu kudinga izenzo ezithile zezenhlalakahle nezombangazwe,” kuchaza uRachel Tingle kwethi Another Gospel?—An Account of the Growing Involvement of the Anglican Church in Secular Politics. ‘LeMfundiso YoMbuso Engokwenkolo’ igomela ngokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ufika emhlabeni lapho ukuthula, ubulungisa, “nokulunga komphakathi” kumiswa ezombangazwe. Ngempela, lokhu “Imfundiso Yenkululeko Engokwenkolo,” noma ‘iSimiso esidala sobuKristu Sokusebenzela Uhulumeni’ esifihlekile namuhla.
Ukucabanga okunjalo kuvumelana kanjani namazwi kaJesu: “Umbuso wami awusiwo owalelizwe. . . . Umbuso wami awusiwo owalapha”? (Johane 18:36) Noma kuvumelana kanjani namazwi omprofethi wasendulo: “Ezinsukwini zalawomakhosi uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso ongasoze wachithwa nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu, kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke lemibuso, wona uqobo ume phakade”?—Daniyeli 2:44.
Phawula ukuthi loMbuso umiswa uNkulunkulu—hhayi umuntu. Ukukhululeka empini, ukungabi nabulungisa, ngisho nasekufeni ngokwako kuyolethwa uJehova ngeNkosi yakhe emisiwe, uJesu Kristu—hhayi ngomuntu. Ngempela lokho izindaba ezinhle okudingeka zimenyezelwe!—IsAmbulo 21:3, 4.
Namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova, abalinganiselwa ku-130 000 eBrithani kuphela, bakholelwa yilokho. Njengoba bevela kuwo wonke amaqembu ezizwe nezinkolo, bamunye njengamaKristu. Bangabavangeli abaqeqeshwe kahle abazimisele ukuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle nabo bonke abayolalela. Ukuze bafeze lokhu basebenzisa zonke izindlela ezikhona, futhi abaningi bayazuza enkonzweni yabo ephumelelayo.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 23]
Abavangeli BaseBrithani
Lengcaphuno elandelayo ithathwe ephephandabeni eliphuma masonto onke lamaRoma Katolika aseBrithani, i-Catholic Herald ka-October 22, 1993, ekhasini 8.
“Kwenzekani eminyakeni eyishumi yokushumayela ivangeli? Yeka okwenzeka! Eminyakeni emibili edlule kwakusematheni futhi kwakukhulunywa ngakho masonto onke emaphephandabeni. Kuthiwani namuhla? Kuthule cwáka. . . .
“Kuphi ukuphuthuma okwaboniswa uJesu lapho ethuma abafundi bakhe ukuyoshumayela ivangeli emizaneni engomakhelwane? Noma okwaboniswa uSt Paul lapho ethi: ‘Maye kimi uma ngingalishumayeli ivangeli! (1 Kor 9:16).’
“Kukhona nenye inkinga amaKatolika amaningi angayiqapheli yokuthi ukushumayela ivangeli akuyona indaba yokuzikhethela kodwa kuwumyalo owamiswa uKristu ngokwakhe: ‘Hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi’ [Mathewu 28:19]. . . .
“Mangaki amaKatolika anesibindi sokukhuluma ngokholo lwawo nabangakholwa? . . . Yeka ukuthi kuyinqaba kangakanani ukuthi nakuba iNdodana kaNkulunkulu yeza emhlabeni, bambalwa kakhulu kithi abafunayo ukufunda lokho eyakusho. . . .
“Angibakhulumeli oFakazi [BakaJehova]. . . . Kodwa ake sibheke olunye uhlangothi. Ukuziphatha kwabo, okusekelwe ekukholelweni ezimisweni zikaNkulunkulu eziphelele, akungabazeki. Ngokuqondene nalokhu esikhuluma ngakho, uFakazi ngamunye wanikela isikhathi esingaba ubusuku obuthathu ngesonto efunda izimfundiso, ukufundwa kweBhayibheli okuhleliwe, nokuphila kwansuku zonke okuwusizo kumKristu, ngokuvamile emakhaya abanye.
“Akukhona lokho kuphela, kodwa uFakazi ngamunye ufundiswa nokuthi, ngakho kanye ukubizwa kwakhe, empeleni uyisithunywa sevangeli. Ufundiswa izindlela ezidingekayo ukuze anikeze isigijimi sakhe. Ukuya endlini ngendlu, ukuhamba ngababili, kuyisici esiyinhloko ekuphileni kwakhe. Futhi oFakazi bayabanakekela ngempela abampofu nabasweleyo.
“Ngamafuphi, . . . bakwenza ukhumbule iSonto lokuqala njengoba lichazwe ezenzweni zabaPhostoli. Futhi umsebenzi wabo ubonakala ngendlela abaphumelela ngayo. Iyamangalisa indlela abanda ngayo. Ukumemezela ngokungagunci kungaveza imiphumela!”