The South Africa Assemblies of God General Superintendent, Rev. Gordon Lebelo has called on church leaders to promote unity, address injustice and embrace the next generation to build healthy churches capable of sustaining growth and advancing their mission.
He made the call while speaking on church doctrine on Friday, October 16, the final day of the 2026 World Assemblies of God Congress in Accra, where he drew lessons from biblical accounts of conflict and reconciliation in the early Church.
Rev. Lebelo said unity was fundamental to the health of the Church, citing Jesus’ prayer in John 17 that His followers would be one, as well as St Paul’s description of the Church as one body with different parts.
He explained that the early Church, despite its spiritual vitality, also faced disagreements, misunderstandings and internal conflicts that required deliberate efforts to resolve.
Referring to Acts 6, he highlighted the dispute over the distribution of resources to widows, which raised concerns about unequal treatment and perceived injustice among different groups within the Church.
He said the account demonstrated that the presence of conflict did not necessarily indicate an unhealthy Church, but rather presented an opportunity to address legitimate grievances and strengthen systems of fairness.
“Healthy churches do not silence complaints. They investigate legitimate concerns, correct unfairness, and build systems that promote fairness,” Rev. Lebelo said.
He also cited Acts 15, where disagreements over circumcision and the requirements for Gentile believers raised questions about doctrine and threatened unity within the early Christian community.
According to him, such disputes require biblical discernment, collective wisdom, open discussion and clarity on the essential teachings of the faith.
“Healthy unity is grounded in shared truth, not merely shared opinions,” he stressed.
Rev. Lebelo further referred to the sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over whether John Mark should accompany them on another missionary journey, noting that differences in judgment and ministry approaches could arise even among committed Christian leaders.
He urged church leaders to distinguish between disagreements that could be resolved and differences that might require separate responsibilities or approaches, warning that disagreements should not degenerate into hatred or undermine the Church’s mission.
“Different approaches should not destroy the mission that God has helped us,” he said.
By Theresa Kpordzo//Newswatchgh.com
