The Sunday News
Sandisiwe Gumbo, Sunday News Reporter
Victory Fellowship Church this year marks four decades of commitment and contribution to the local community.
Founded in 1983 by Dr Kenneth Haskins and his wife Beaulah Haskins, the church has grown from a humble beginning of 16 individuals to becoming a powerful church.
The church has been described as, “A going church for a coming Lord.”
In an interview, City Assembly Lead Pastor Morgan Mathema, who became a pastor in the church with his wife Pastor Gloria Mathema in 2000, reflected on the church’s significant milestone.
“Celebrating 40 years means a lot. It’s a milestone achievement in many ways because some of us came here as school boys and the church has groomed me over the years, to the Glory of the Lord, to become a man,” said Pastor Mathema.
The Deputy Pastor for City Assembly David Simba, who joined the church when it was founded, noted the church’s unity and progress.
“Forty years is not a small achievement. For us to be 40 years and still not split is nothing to be underrated. We’re still going strong and achieving a lot,” said Pastor Simba.
The church has expanded its influence in Bulawayo with seven branches across the city including City Centre, Tshabalala, Emganwini, Pumula, Cowdray Park, Mpopoma and Queens Park.
Victory Fellowship Church has also established 49 rural churches, focusing on Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Bulawayo provinces.
The vision and purpose of the church is to see members, who are different and gifted in the Body of Christ, rooted, grounded and established in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The church has a heart for the rural people of the nation and exists to proclaim the Lord Jesus Christ as Supreme Head of the Church, teach the Word of God uncompromisingly and encourage all believers to be active, committed and faithful to the local church.
The Victory Fellowship Church mission is to develop the fruit and gifts of the Spirit in the life of the believer and to encourage one another to a positive, victorious, successful way of life through obedience and faithfulness.
Pastor Morgan Mathema highlighted the church’s commitment to serving both urban and rural communities.
“Part of our vision as a church is that we’re a city church with a heart for the rural people of our nation,” he said.
This vision has brought about initiatives such as the establishment of numerous churches in rural areas, including Masvingo Province.
A decentralised approach was implemented in response to the church’s continuous growth resulting in the creation of nine zones where churches report to the zone overseer.
The church has community projects, including the SMILE (Single Mothers Included, Loved and Empowered) village for single mothers.
“The SMILE village for single mothers came about after one of the fellowship elders named Alfred Nyarira gave part of his land in Queens Park. They built a village with two-roomed houses for single mothers and also established poultry and gardening projects,” said Pastor Simba.
The church has also been involved in running a soup kitchen and providing support to widows and orphans.
At its inception, the church had very few elderly people, but grew in numbers in terms of the youth, most of whom are now today’s leaders.
Victory Fellowship Church City Fellowship Administration Pastors are Tomson and Sithobile Dube. For the Tshabalala Assembly, there are Pastors Everson and Bongiwe Ndlovu and for the Mpopoma Assembly are Pastors Emmanuel and Simelukulunga Mtemeri.
At the Pumula Assembly are Pastors Khulani and Sibonginkosi Ncube, Queens Park Assembly Pastors Dan and Yvonne Harding, Pastor Thema Khumalo for the Cowdray Park Assembly and Pastors Paul and Glory Tafireyi for the Emganwini Assembly.
The pastors for the Mission Churches are Tinos and Loveness Mabeza. Victory Fellowship Rural Missions Zones Overseers include Pastors Ronald and Ruth Dube of Matobo Zone and Pastors Leonard and Judith Ncube of Kezi-Plumtree Zone.
The Mission Overseers for the Hwange-Dete Zone are Pastors Philip and Maria Kasanga while Nkayi Zone is under Pastors Eliphas and Filisia Nyoni.
The Mberengwa-Chikombedzi Zone overseer is Pastor Gladys Shiri, with Pastors Zibonele and Doreen Mahlangu being the Filabusi Overseers. The Umguza Zone is under Pastors Bongani and Priscar Ndlovu while the Insuza-Lupane Zone is led by Pastor Thembeka Ncube.
