2010 spiritual conference
‘The stone has been rolled away’

‘The stone has been rolled away’ was the theme for the 2010 annual Conference of the Church of the Holy Ghost (CHG), held at uMlazi Cinema Hall in Kwazulu Natal from 28 February to 7 March. 

According to the Archbishop’s introduction message, the theme was honouring the culmination of God’s plan for our lives through Christ. It sought to invoke images of the risen Christ and the phenomenal experience of the stone covering His tomb being rolled away by God’s angels. The theme casts light onto the certainty of the shift that is capable of occurring in our personal lives as well in the life of the Church. 

As a church, it is evident that we have entered a new phase of our growth since the beginning of

2010, which is also the 11th year of our current generation of leadership. It is a phase marked by significant shifts in the entire make up of the church, from our leadership structure to our growth and development plans. These are underpinned by efforts aimed at improving our culture. 

For the duration of the week, the focus was on creating an environment that was supportive of the delegates’ spiritual expression and capable of allowing them the space to connect meaningfully with God and enter into fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

The conference would not have been the success that it was without the people who made it so. Renowned gospel singer, Lebohang Sekgobela led the praise and worship team, her beautiful voice bringing glory to God as she led popular hymns and choruses of the Church, a first time these are rendered by a professional musician. His Grace,

the Archbishop PG Nzuza, delivered powerful sermons which helped move the symbolic stone that had stymied the church for so long and reminded the congregation about the significance of the conference. He stressed the fact that we had not come to ask for jobs, money and other material benefits. Instead, we had come to glorify God. We had come, he said, to check our ‘filters’ (referring to the Holy Spirit) and to ensure that we are able to lead pure and holy lives, pleasing to God as His word requires. Drawing parallels with nature, he decried the common practice of most Christians who “church hop” and find themselves moving from one church to another without growing spiritually. He reiterated the importance of being “firmly planted in faith,” like a well nurtured tree, for it is only then that we can truly allow the power of God to work through us. 

He also discussed the fact that while “churches are growing, Christians aren’t.” This, he said, is a vital issue, and he said that he hoped that the conference would help equip members to grow spiritually and live according to God’s will. In pursuit of this goal, some of the spiritual activities covered included seminars on spiritual lifestyle, such as the following:

• Young people and relationships
• The discipline of fasting
• Family life talk

Dr  Eva Seobi, a renowned medical doctor and speaker, facilitated the talk on family life. She was our guest at the 2009 conference, where she gave a widely acclaimed and highly rated address, and we were delighted to invite her again.

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