Our Churches must gather!

There is something expressly wrong when a law is passed that closes a nation's church doors while allowing casinos, movies, hotels, shopping malls, restaurants and libraries to remain open.

Is it fair to deny Christians their freedom while moviegoers, gamblers, shoppers and food lovers retain theirs?  Throughout the Covid season churches have been adhering to the prescribed health and safety protocols, often maintaining higher standards than shops and restaurants. 

As the Christian church of South Africa we desire the freedom to worship God, support one another, and pray together without threats of government reprisal.  Recently police forced a township church to close, arresting the pastor and dispersing unarmed men and women using rubber bullets and stun grenades.  Was this confrontation and show of force really necessary?  Christians who desire to meet are not lawbreakers but God-fearing men, women and children who desire to worship and obey the Lord.  The Bible commands those who follow Christ not to stop assembling together for church (Hebrews 10:25). Christians have a duty to serve and obey God and should not be criminalised by the government for this. 

Sign this petition and help South African church leaders appeal to President Cyril Ramaphosa to decriminalise church gatherings and permit Christians the freedom to meet.