ZIMBABWE’S finest gospel music couple Charles and Olivia
Charamba were humbled by the high turnout of people who attended their first
church service last Sunday following their recent announcement that they had
founded their own denomination called Rooted in Christ Ministries (RCM).
Charles Charamba (CM) revealed during an interview with The
Standard Style’s correspondent Albert Masaka (AM) that due to the unexpectedly
high turnout witnessed on Sunday, they were now relocating to the New
Ambassador Hotel — a more spacious venue. Below are excerpts from the
interview.
AM: You held your first church service as the founding
pastor of RCM last week. What was the response from the public?
CM: It was a humbling experience. Though we are not
prioritising numbers, we thank God and His saints for rubber-stamping the
reality of our birth as Rooted in Christ Ministries. Many people attended such
that we had to abandon the original hall and moved outdoors. Due to space
challenges, we are shifting Sunday services to the New Ambassador Hotel
starting now.
God implanted in us a burden. He, through the Holy Spirit,
communicated to us to start a work, but we tried to do it another way. We tried
to interpret His instruction by doing charitable activities and preaching all
over, across the denomination divide, but we found no peace. Relative peace
only returned in the month in which we said yes, it wasn’t easy.
AM: How did you come up with the name Rooted In Christ
Ministries?
CM: We prayerfully searched our real mandate and it is to
evangelise to lost souls and consolidate believers’ relationship with Jesus
Christ. It was impressed on our hearts that many are yet to know their position
in Christ. Psalm 1:1-3, Jeremiah 17:8 and John 15:1-7 strongly came into our
minds. They all speak of a tree with firm establishment. Galatians 5:22 then
concludes as it lists the fruit which is expected out of a well-meaning
Christian. The name Rooted In Christ Ministries sums it all as Jesus is the
centre of everything we shall be imparting.
AM: How are you going to balance your roles as a musician
and the new one as a church leader?
CM: It’s not by might, not by power…, we will sing and
preach Pashoko Pangoma style, meaning that we will strike a balance between
singing and pulpit word preaching.
Many may not know that we have endured some of the busiest
schedules along the years. We are so used to tight schedules. We have no day to
put to waste, hence our resolve to take up the extra duties. Moses was
instructed to work with a team, Paul worked with Barnabas, Timothy, Titus, Luke
and Onesimos among others, likewise, we shall be a team. We are actually
releasing videos and songs for Christmas.
AM: What is the church’s mission, vision and purpose?
CM: Jesus Christ has to be the primary object and subject
of our worship.
We shall be teaching and leading saints into the
application of the word of God in their life situations.
We are also going to be ministering for the purpose of
nourishing both the flesh and spirit. Saints should be reminded that they have
value here on earth and in heaven. We aim at raising a righteous generation
that respects God, sanctity of life whose blessings go down to the thousandth
generation.
AM: What has been the response from your fans after you
announced that you were now leading a new church?
CM: A good number are expressing gratitude and are excited.
Yes, we also understand them because we used to receive requests to provide
recorded sermons.
Now they will get to hear both music and teachings from the
same preachers. Others, however, want us to assure them that we won’t be
scaling down on music releases. We are assuring them that music will stay put.
In fact more songs are about to be released, new and remixes.
AM: As a pastor, what is your message to Zimbabwe and the
rest of the world?
CM: Heaven and hell are real. Jesus loves us and is ready
to forgive regardless of the nature of our sin.
We thank them for the encouragement they are sending
through social media and phones. So many are contacting us, expressing their
affirmation. We really pray to God that we carry out our mandate in a manner
that doesn’t disappoint God, our nation and ourselves.
AM: Anything else that you may feel is important for the
people to know?
CM: We will continue with our social responsibilities that
include being brand ambassadors for the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Traffic
Safety Council of Zimbabwe, as well as our partnership with Harare Cental
Hospital, among others. My parting note is that life is very short, let us come
to Christ so that we receive the blessed hope. The challenges we face in this
life are not all won in the physical. Most are in the spiritual. We need to be
delivered and start walking in the spirit. It’s for anyone who believes in
partnering us to support the vision as we start to spread the net wider.
Standard
0 comments:
Post a Comment