GOKWE, Aug. 8 (NewsDay Live) — Thousands of Zion Christian Church (ZCC) congregants gathered at Defe in Gokwe for the church’s Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years since the death of founder Reverend Samuel Mutendi and celebrating the movement’s expansion into a major religious and social institution with an international footprint.
Mutendi died on July 20, 1976, when the church was largely confined to Zimbabwe. His son, Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi, succeeded him and has spent nearly five decades expanding the church across southern and central Africa and into the Zimbabwean diaspora.
The Golden Jubilee at Defe, the church’s spiritual centre, marks a milestone defined not only by its longevity but also by the growth of its congregational and institutional footprint.
Bishop Mutendi urged congregants to use the anniversary for spiritual reflection rather than treating it solely as a celebration.
“We had a season to prepare for the jubilee, and we had a season to pray and fast, and we had a season to make the journey. Now we are standing inside the jubilee we have been preparing for,” he said.
He urged followers to recognise the significance of gathering at Defe and to remain spiritually engaged throughout the celebrations.
“Do not be present physically and absent spiritually. You might be at the right place and time but fail to see what God is doing for others,” Mutendi said.
From its Zimbabwean base, the ZCC has expanded into South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, Malawi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, while establishing congregations in countries including the United Kingdom, United States, China and Australia.
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The church has also developed an institutional network extending beyond worship into education, vocational training and social support.
According to publicly available church information, the ZCC has 29 schools across Zimbabwe, with programmes spanning primary and secondary education, adult literacy, vocational training and support for orphans and vulnerable children.
Its annual gatherings have grown into some of Zimbabwe’s largest religious events, attracting large numbers of congregants and senior government officials.
The scale of the church’s activities has given it a broader role in Zimbabwe’s social landscape, where religious organisations are increasingly involved in education, welfare and community development.
Its international expansion has also been supported by Zimbabwe’s large diaspora, with congregations established in countries where Zimbabweans have settled while Defe remains the church’s spiritual centre.
Mutendi said the 50th anniversary should prompt followers to appreciate the significance of reaching the milestone.
“The 50th year is not just for a celebration, but it is an opportunity to realise what God has done for us,” he said.
Mutendi was 37 when he assumed leadership following his father’s death. He has since overseen the church through Zimbabwe’s independence, periods of severe economic disruption and sustained migration to other countries.
The leadership transition has become a defining feature of the ZCC’s history, with the church continuing to expand rather than contract following the death of its founder.
Its footprint now extends beyond congregations to schools, training programmes, scholarships and an international network.
As the ZCC enters its sixth decade under the Mutendi legacy, the challenge will be sustaining that institutional and international growth while maintaining the spiritual foundation established by its founder.
“Jubilee must happen inside you. Be present before God, not just to be present among others,” Mutendi said.
