By Maxwell Haitengeswinyika Teedzai

MVUMA, THE GREAT REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE —The theological argument advanced by the leader of the three million followers J5 African International Church Archbishop Commander Dr Andby Makururu this week has opened an intellectual and political conversation that—in contra-distinction to his usual commentaries—carries heavy doctrinal, civic and Nation-building implications within the Great Republic of Zimbabwe.

The Archbishop, reflecting on the vitality of prayer, civic duty and the spiritual posture of believers toward their Governments, said the Church must never detach itself from the political processes that shape the socio-economic trajectory of any Nation. His assertion that “nothing for the Church from Government without the Church in Government” holds much water when examined through both Biblical precedent and contemporary governance perspectives.

He noted that praying for political leaders is not merely devotional conduct but a Biblical ordinance that reflects a true walk of Faith. 

However, and according to the Archbishop, supporting National division through opposition politics is spiritually counterproductive because “God loves unity and hates division and those who sow it.” He insisted that believers who oppose their Governments, or imagine that submission to authority requires personal reservations, are misreading the broader construct of God’s Sovereignty.

The Archbishop explained that God’s Authority is Multipurpose and Omnipresent: within the Church, He functions as the God of Salvation—delivering mankind from spiritual death and social misery. Outside the Sanctuary, He remains the supreme Governor of creation, presiding over all visible and invisible realms. From this standpoint, rebellion against one’s Government becomes a deviation from Faith itself, a posture driven by fear rather than spiritual conviction.

Positioning himself within this theological framework, Archbishop Makururu stated that his support for HE President Dr ED Mnangagwa for example, is not political opportunism but an extension of Divine assignment. “I don’t feel any way less because I stand with HE President Dr ED Mnangagwa. I am as fresh and as anointed as I was when God sent me on a heavenly diplomatic mission to Africa,” he said, adding that communion with the Holy Spirit and Holy Angels continues to guide his mandate just as Biblical patriarchs such as Abraham were guided.

From a scholarly perspective, his argument parallels classical doctrines of political theology, where submission to Government is viewed as cooperation with Divine order. He further explained that Scriptural episodes of instant turnaround miracles often involved individuals who were fully compliant with their Governments, thereby drawing attention to the inter-connectedness between civic posture and Divine intervention.

The Archbishop concluded that any acts undertaken in opposition to one’s Government are self-sabotaging, reducing lifetime opportunities and derailing personal purpose. 

In his view, alignment with lawful authority remains a spiritual discipline essential for both individual progress and collective advancement in the Great Republic of Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the world.