Tracks

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Vice Chancellor challenges leaders in Education
Professor Brian O' Connell, Vice Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape, and track leader of Christians in Education, outlined the historical context of education in South Africa to delegates. He challenged delegates to look more broadly at the present educational context in terms of re-creating families and communities in the new South Africa. O' Connell also highlighted the importance of discoursing with one another in terms of our future, to keep talking to the policy-makers, to focus on our similiarities, and try to overcome our differences. "Christians need to be concerned and deeply involved. The time for silence has passed," he said.
The final challenge involved knowledge and values. "Our South African education system has historically had a strong focus on instilling knowledge at the expense of developing sound values in learners' hearts. When apartheid collapsed in 1990, the temptation for students was to throw out all authority, including the authority of knowledge. Over a period of time, this unhealthy consequence has been dealt with by stakeholders. We now have some really excellent curriculum outlines in place."

In addition to this, O' Connell stressed the need for Christians to once again become good role models in their communities. Discussions concluded with the need for us as Christians to repent in the areas of past educational practices, the practice of unbiblical cultural traditions and the Church's silence on the important issues facing all stakeholders in education. "We need to encourage learners to find truth & to value truth."

Robyn Newton

BUSINESS, LABOUR & AGRICULTURE

Business people are no less capable of creating meaningful change than are social reformers and committed activitists. This is according to Advocate Molly Malete, a speaker at today's session. She noted that a definite moral purpose must be indistinguishable from normal business practice if South Africa is ever to attain the state of a non-racial, non-sexist society.

Adv. Malete spoke frankly as a working woman and as a business practitioner whose predominant concern is justice in the workplace. She claims that Christian business people must look beyond their immediate concerns to embrace a larger moral purpose, that of incorporating previously disadvantaged individuals within authoritative and decision-making institutions.
Significantly, Malete addressed the issues of sexism and racism, problems identified by SACLA as two giants posing a major threat to the integrity of South African society. "Equity has to precede equality," said Malete. "Those who refuse to acknowledge the need for equity in the workplace are actually reinforcing discrimination." Her passionate concern for the disadvantaged translates into positive social action, action that she believes business people are in a unique position to undertake. "There are so many initiatives that Christian business people can involve themselves in. As Christians, as people who follow the Word of God, there is much that we can do to promote a culture of racial and gender equality."

Andrew Alexander

POLITICS & GOVERNMENT

Together we Stand
“Together we stand and divided we fall,” this was the statement of Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Njongonkulu Ndungane, at the first plenary on politics and government. He appealed to church leaders to unite and work together with the government for the good of the nation. "The rich are as vulnerable as the poor. So those who have, must see to it that they help those who have nothing. This will save many lives", he said. Ndungane used HIV/AIDS as an example to show how the church can work together with the government in eradicating this pandemic. He said 20% of adults in South Africa live with HIV/AIDS and thousands of children are orphaned and left to carry the adulthood responsibility. "Is this the government's responsibility alone?" asked Ndungane. "If you ignore the problem it will not go away.My proposal is that we must stand up and fight together as we did to the apartheid monster. We must focus on young people and teach them the wisdom of waiting for the right time. We also need to teach our people that AIDS is not a punishment from the Lord but a disease like others." Ndungane also challenged his audience to start programmes that will alleviate poverty. "The government must work hard at development programmes, the business people must also offer their expertise and resourses. We as a church and NGO must do our best to restore the moral fibre of our nation."
During group discussion, groups seemed to agree that the Church must take a lead in transforming the nation. "We must do something, it does not matter how small, because small actions result in great change," commented one of the small group.

Nhlanhla Mchunu

FAMILY & CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES

The family that prays together, stays together
Numbers overflowed at the Family issues and Children's ministries track, when the expected number of 50 delegates more than tripled to approximately 175. The Revd Ndaba Mazabane, President of the Association of Evangelicals in Africa, encouraged all to adopt the prophet Nehemiah's approach to ministry: Pray, plan, proceed, partner (with others), encounter opposition - but never give up. Key issues raised amongst delegates were the importance to use God's blueprint of the family as the starting point, to encourage church leaders to stress the importance of the family and for the Church to take on the role of the extended family, even spiritually 'adopting' the orphaned or those from single-parent homes.
A challenge to send protest letters to schools where sport or activities are arranged on Sundays, was issued by Dr Arthur Preston, Pastor at Bryanston Methodist church. He said: "We must go back to our churches with new energy and enthusiasm, determined to do things more effectively." Group discussions on practical solutions to the problems in families included: making prayer a lifestyle within families, setting up parent workshops on how to deal with various children's issues, arranging family days and promoting family issues through various media forms.

Nevelia Heilbron

COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION

South African Transformation Underway
The Community Transformation track, which is the second largest track at SACLA 2, was initiated today with a heartwarming salutation by Graham Power. Power, a prominent businessman, is also the CEO of the Power Group of Companies and the Convenor of the Transformation Day.
The track meeting proceeded with a movie clip of the inception of Transformation Day, which included footage of successive Transformation Day celebrations. The heaving conference room echoed with reverent songs of worship and prayers of thanksgiving. Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, the founder of Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, made his appearance after a short lunch break, where he spoke of repentance as the first step to constructive change within the country. He feels repentance to be an imperative step to bring about change, and that only if we bring about change within ourselves will we be able to combat the social evils facing our country. The respected former American also spoke of our spiritual leaders and the crucial role they play in upholding the peoples’ perceptions with regard to immorality, including sexual immorality, which is a gargantuan cause of the Aids pandemic facing the country. Many delegates were humbly brought to their knees in repentance at the gathering.

Melanie Fourie

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT

In setting the scene for the Track, Prof. David Block encouraged participants not to bury their talents, but to use them to the glory of the Lord. The aim is to point people to the Lord by proclaiming the wonder of God in Creation and the Cosmos.
The issue of “missed opportunities and mass destruction” was addressed, where the group was challenged to repent of how the church has allowed technology to negatively transform society. Heinz Wirz then highlighted that it is difficult to have simple solutions to HIV/Aids, through emphasising the complexity of processes around the beginnings of life.

The concept of a “Shattered Earth” was then highlighted, with the need for repentance of what has not been done to challenge levels of resource use. The church needs to develop attitudes and values that will bring about a change in how it is going to approach ecological concerns in last days. Track attendance was in the region of only 40 people, highlighting again the low level of priority that the church gives to science, technology and environmental issues. However, the participants are highly committed and energised to make a difference through their faith.

Brent Corcoran

YOUTH LEADERS IN SCHOOLS

The Youth Leaders in Schools track team presented a powerful introduction to the seven giants highlighted by SACLA II. This gave the delegates a taste of what would be covered for the rest of the week. A well planned programme with audio and visual components created a relaxed, student-friendly environment, and allowed interaction between the team leaders and the delegates. The youth in the track could openly share their views and ideas on topical issues facing young people. Dance and drama sequences performed by the Fox Fire Youth Team and the Youth For Christ Team were well accepted by their audience.

Team leaders proposed different questions, such as "If you were a part of these giants, how would you like people to treat you?" This placed delegates in the heart of various situations to which they reacted and later had time to reflect. A Johannesburg-based youth pastor commented, "when one part of the body is unable to function properly, the whole body suffers. This makes it our responsibility to take action." The theme of repentance was presented with a strong emphasis on prayer. Delegates were encouraged to pray with those around them and to listen to what God had to say to them regarding the issues discussed. After all, the Lord has said, "whenever one are more are gathered in my name, I am there with them."

Sheenagh Bruce

CIVIL SOCIETY, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & MEDICINE

Transformation and development comes after repentance
Repentance, tolerance, compassion and love for each other were the major issues discussed in this track. Delegates felt that in order for transformation and development to speed up, there is a need for repentance in the Christian communities in South Africa.
Adressing this track yesterday morning was Dr Zolile Mlisana, who shared his life experiences as a young black South African in the apartheid regime. Mlisana is the head of the Communications and Publications Department at 'Focus on The Family', and a founding Chairman of the South Africa Medical Association (SAMA). He talked mostly about the challenges that young people face in churches and communities of South Africa. Mlisana said that the church lost the youth during the apartheid era, primarily because there was minimal entertainment in churches: "Entertainment can either lose or draw young people to the chuch."

The Revd Smangaliso Khumalo, a Methodist clergyman, posed the question of what it means to be a church in a transfoming society, and said that the answer to this relates to issues of both the church and the state. "Some churches decided to stand with the government and help theologically justify the system of apartheid, while others clearly denounced the system and those standing in the middle." However, Khumalo belives churches are hiding behind "denominational cocoons" in the post-apartheid regime. He says it is for these reasons that, "churches need to repent and walk away from seeing what is social as secular, and what is in the church as sacred."

The discussions mainly focussed on reaching out to the poor and underprivileged, uplifting and empowering everyone, rather than the rich getting richer and poor getting poorer.

Sandile waka-Zamisa

JUSTICE, SAFETY AND SECURITY

Track leader Gert Joubert opened his session this morning by laying down the aims he wishes to achieve. Mr. Jourbert made it very clear to the delegates that they are not here to Chritianize the nation but rather to further the Kingdom of God. Although there are 7 giants which Sacla face, the Justice track have pointed out four which they will be focussing on namely, Deteriorating Family Values, Deteriorating Christian Morality, Corruption and Crime.

The speaker for the afternoon was Landa Cope from Switzerland who is renound for her teachings for her teachings on Discipling a Nation. Ms. Cope spoke furvently on applying biblical principles to rule a nation. SACLA 1 changed the era of apartheid because people's mind sets and attitudes were changed. "The mindset that creates a problem cant change it", said Ms. Cope. So in order for us to tackle the giants we need to change our thinking. Within the theme for the day, Repentance, she made it very clear that repentance is not " I am sorry Lord" but realizing that you understand the sin you commited.

The scrptural principles for the basic framework of Goverment are clearly laid out in Deutoronomy 1vs12-13. God has delegated his people over the goverment therefor according to Landa the goverment should not be answerable to the church but to the people.

Neville Grimmet

YOUNG ADULTS AND YOUTH

Yesterday's Young Adults track theme was 'Repentence'. The aim was to establish concrete out-comes and action plans, regarding HIV/AIDS, Racism and Sexism. The track had two main speakers for the day, Mrs Esme Bowers, chairperson of African Enterprise and Kim Ward.
Esme Bowers drew a connection between violence against women and HIV. An interesting case which she mentioned was one in which a male became mysogenistic toward a woman, claiming that she was responsible for infecting him with the HIV virus. This is an interesting point that illustrates some of the negative attitudes toward HIV. It is always the other parties' fault. What young people in relationships tend to forget though is that sex can only occur between two parties, so the blame should be shared. Kim Ward elaborated on the stance that the South African government adopted regarding HIV/AIDS. An interesting point was that South Africa, who have the fastest growing HIV/AIDS rate in the world, choose not to promote abstinence. This is in sharp contrast to Uganda who's HIV rate has dropped becuase they have lost all faith in the condom and are telling Young Adults to abstain from sex.
A novelty of today's track was that it allowed a space for people to testify about what God was doing in their lives. A panel of three allowed the delegates to completely absorb themselves in the issues of racism and sexism.

Lesley Malgas

CHURCH LEADERS

The track sessions on Tuesday gave the church leaders an opportunity to listen to each other's stories in small groups representative of South Africa in terms of language, race, gender and province. A sense of community was created by relational sharing within the theme of repentance and, due to the intimacy and intensity of the process, the groups were encouraged to intersperse sharing with prayer.

Under sensitive facilitation, each group member was allowed to share their stories of the 1970s during the first session, while the latter sessions covered the period from the 1980s to the present. Summarising phrases of these stories were then written on separate pieces of paper which became 'bricks' of the greater story-wall. Some of the more compelling 'bricks' for the 70s read: "trusted no one" and "Soweto school pupils protest".

Common themes of repentance drawn out of the sharing process included the "complicity of silence" in the Church in the 1970s, as well as the fact that the armed struggle engendered a fatherless generation during this time. This had an impact on that generation's image of God. These two themes represent the rewarding connection of different people with each other, through story-telling.

Stephen Keggie

ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MEDIA

A clear direction for Christians in Arts
"A clear direction for Christians representing different diciplines, brought together with one common goal," was how Naomi Boshoff began the first session of Christian leaders in the Arts, Entertainment and Media track. She urged leaders to find out what God wants them to know and explained that now was the time for all to be heard and to hear from the Lord. Christians can therefore be future-oriented in the mediums in which they are specialising.
"Our destiny is to bring corporate affirmation of God's vision, and also to establish God's kingdom in the arts and through the arts," she said. These are just a few of the topical issues under disscusion in this track. The common feeling amongst the leaders is to claim back God's vision for people within the media.
As repentance was the theme of the day, the leaders emphasised that the media must be careful in not worshipping the gifts given by God, instead of God Himself, and Romans 1:25 was quoted. Nurden Cross mentioned some interesting visuals of God being creative, derived from the first words in the Bible - explaining how He created the heavens and the earth, and how it was something beautiful. He also said that Jesus was the greatest artist of all time.
Cross further mentioned an interesting quote by Dr Micheal Cassidy: "It was not the blind leading the blind, but the bland leading the bland". This is the fault of the Christians in the Arts, who have stopped being active creators in the Church. Cross ended by saying: "Church is a theatre, a place to act out symbolism. It is just like God who died as a symbol, when only His Word could save us from sin."

Bulelwa Jonas

A Leaf from Uganda's Book
BY LINDA MARTINDALE

“With God … and carrots”, came the reply to the question as to how 21-year-old Thandiswa* was coping whilst living with AIDS. This statement summed up so much of the heart behind dealing with the HIV giant that is threatening to cripple our land. The millions who are living with the virus on a daily basis cannot be adequately served - with practical needs being met and not emotional and spiritual, and vice versa. That the epidemic is massive is not news to most. Of 42 million people living with the virus, an estimated 29.4 million are from Sub-Saharan Africa. Between 1500 and 2000 new infections occur every day; one third of adult deaths can be attributed to AIDS. Statistics abound, but these need not cripple us. Whilst it may seem gigantic and a monster that cannot be controlled, there is hope.

A shining light on our continent is Uganda. This is the only country, which has had a decrease in its infection rate - where the rest of the continent is watching a steady increase. Since President Yoweri Museveni took over the reigns of the country in 1986, there has been an all-out war on the spread of the virus … and it seems to have paid off. The president was awarded the Commonwealth Awards for Action on HIV/AIDS and the rate has decreased by 25%. His administration launched the Ugandan National Task Force on AIDS in 1990 and has spent vast amounts of money on training health workers, counselling networks, treating Sexually Transmitted Diseases and expansive HIV testing. There has been a vast promotion of abstinence, safe sex, few sex partners and the use of condoms. This has not been without its’ own controversy. Some have attributed the success to the increase of condom usage, while others credit the abstinence message of the True Love Waits campaign of Focus on the Family in 1994. Whatever the theories, the overriding factor to which much of the success has been accredited to, is what has been labelled, a ‘social vaccine’ - social behaviour change has been encouraged.
A much-needed vaccine, it seems. At SACLA we are privileged to hear from the proverbial horse’s mouth - a woman who has been integral to the entire process, Mrs Janet Museveni, wife of the Ugandan president, has graced us with her presence and expertise. But as Mrs Museveni said in a press conference at the Johannesburg International Airport, she is not here to come and show us how it’s done - she is here to share some of their journey, and impart some of what they have learnt in their struggle against the disease, as well as learn from us in various ways.
When asked what she believed the remarkable decrease could be attributed to, she said firmly: “We advocate abstinence - only for youth and unmarried adults, because that is the African way. We suggest condoms for people who are married and have AIDS, and we advocate abstinence from extra-marital affairs.” This is the Ugandan approach - one that seems to be paying off.
Mrs Museveni also said, (when asked to sum up her one message to South Africa), that one of the keys to the success in the past has been that Uganda began to address the issue of HIV/AIDS long before her neighbours were even admitting there was a problem. Being honest and open about the disease, what causes it, what the affects are, how to combat it … these are all issues that, when addressed openly and honestly, can go a long way in facing the giant. She also believes that encouraging positive living and allowing people to get on with life in spite of the virus, has shrunk the stigma that is often synonymous. Whilst the stigma is certainly still there, and she admits, needs to decrease, there have been huge leaps away from isolation.
The issues that face society and the church need to be continually evaluated. We must see how we can deal with them effectively as a community. The church in Uganda has thrown itself into the struggle. “The church has been instrumental in addressing these issues, from education to running effective community programmes, as well as playing its role in the orphan crisis that is threatening our land” said Mrs Museveni.

Uganda, much like South Africa, had fairly scary statistics with regard to AIDS. The numbers are still high, but the fact that they are on the decline is something of a miracle. Acknowledging the issues surrounding the disease, taking a strong stand of leadership and the partnering of government and communities are crucial to the process of tackling this giant. South Africa is aware of the crisis and is dealing with it in varying ways. Many feel we can learn from the Ugandan way - from their government policies to their ‘social vaccine’ that would challenge our society where teenagers are sexually active at a very young age and condoms are the order of the school day.

The virus can be managed - people who are HIV positive can live positively given the right support - those living free from the virus can remain that way. There is much hope for our country and its people - but for hope to be worked out into reality, we need to take hold of the issues, learn what we can from our Ugandan neighbours who have defied a continental trend, dialogue meaningfully with our government, and move out of the comfort zone of mediocrity - responding to the call of Jesus to be His hands and feet here in South Africa today.
* Not her real name

Whew! We are underway; praise God! In spite of this hitch and that glitch, in spite of the cold and a thousand unpredictables, SACLA is in process, the Lord is presencing Himself among us, and hearts are beginning to be touched! Thank you, Lord!
However, it can all also be overwhelming, a bit confusing, even disorientating. You can feel you have too much coming at you, too many people to relate to, too many voices to heed. And you can start to feel tired and bewildered. That’s why I want to recommend something simple - pray to encounter your Ethiopian, your Ananias or your Peter. Remember Acts 8: Phillip had to go and minister to one key person who opened up a continent for Christ. In Acts 9, Ananias went to Saul to minister the work of the Spirit into his life and launched the world’s greatest evangelist on his way.

In Acts 10, Cornelius’s household needed that one encounter with Peter. And Peter’s one encounter with Cornelius and his household launched the Christian mission to the Gentile world.
You can’t relate to three- or four thousand people. But God has for you at SACLA just two or three key encounters which will change your life. He may also change someone else’s life through their encounter with you.
So there’s an Ethiopian for you to bless. Or there’s an Ananias wanting to help you yourself to a new place in the Lord. Or there’s a Peter whose message will transform your family.
Forget about relating to thousands. Just pray for two or three key life-changing encounters. Or two or three key transforming words to your heart from a plenary or track speaker. If you get just that from SACLA II, it will all have been abundantly worthwhile.

DANDALA DELIBERATES:

MVUME H DANDALA

I want to celebrate SACLA as a symbol and sign of hope. A symbol because if people who have as divergent views about faith in Christ can meet as we have, enjoy one another and share as we have been doing, the hope is great for this country.

It is unfortunate that secular leaders have found religious issues so divisive they would regard religious obstinacy as the greatest problem to deal with. SACLA is a message of hope that religious obstinacy does not have to be entrenched in the Church. In fact SACLA is a modern expression of the life of the disciples of Jesus. They were very different, highly conflicting personalities with no reason to get on together. If you asked them why they got on they most probably would have said it was because Christ is with us.

This is also true of SACLA. That is why our message of hope needs to be announced with conviction and urgency.

I celebrate the great speakers that we have had with us yesterday and those who will speak to us today. They are people who are unquestionably anointed. I pray that again today we will be blessed and strengthened for the challenges that lie ahead of us in this great nation.