Pastor Jackson Mdluli: The radio days and beyond

Ask me to write about young Pastor Edson Mokgwane, for he grew up like a tender plant before my eyes. But if you ask me to write about Jackson Nyathi Mdluli, I was only a child, I may only recount the unpleasant times of parental rebuke and discipline.

Fortunately, as providence would have it, there were only six yards between my childhood home in Extension 2, and Pastor Mdluli’s

Gaborone Central church residence. And fortunately, he stayed there long enough for me to grow up a bit and get to know him.

He stayed in that house longer than Pastor Modigah and even Pastor Strike Ben. Only my best friend Pastor Keamoitse Kgasa nearly outstayed him, had not the Conference sent the good Dr Seligman to plead with him to vacate. “Ke ne ka mo raa kare, o itse gore ke eng wena Selikimene? Mathata a gago ke gore o na le lehuha la setswana mme o le lekgowa.” Well, that’s a story for another day. Pastor Jackson Mdluli stayed in my neighbourhood longer than any other pastor.

In those days, I would come with my mother on Tuesdays to collect church keys from his house to clean the church. “Se bala mang sengwananyana se sa gago, Mma Ketlhoilwe?” He would ask, before setting up a feast of pastoral humour before us.

But I am happy that I grew up to touch him with my own hand and to receive the blessing of being locked up in his tight Ndebele hug. I grew up to speak man to man with him and to hear him speak directly to me, not through the mediation of my mother. What a man! What fond memories!

When Pastor Mdluli arrived in Gaborone in the late 80s there was nothing really central about Gaborone Central Church, for it was the only church in Gaborone at that time. It was simply, Kereke Ya Sabata.

The little church building had just been extended to about three times it’s original size. It was during the time of Pastor Mdluli that this seemingly huge building started to overflow and to give a series of births, first to Broadhurst and later to Mogoditshane, Tlokweng and G/ West. This type of rapid church planting was never again to be witnessed in Gaborone until Pentecost 2003 when the likes of Philadelphia, Motswedi, Phase 2 and Lenganeng were born. Only heaven will one day reveal the far- reaching contribution of Pastor Mdluli’s ministry, especially through radio, to this exponential growth. Here is a man, who quickly discovered the value of radio broadcast and invested his voice therein for the benefit of God’s church. In America and overseas where there are resources; our church has been known to set up its own radio stations. This is the vision for which we celebrate great men such as Pastor Joe Crews, Founder of Amazing Facts. This is the genius for which we celebrate HMS Richards, founder of Voice of Prophecy Radio Ministry.

But here in Botswana, where resources are limited, we ought to celebrate our own, who against all odds, hassle their way into the airwaves. We ought to celebrate our heroes who found ways of doing with what was there even when nothing was there. When Joe Crews was at loggerheads with the Conference for accepting tithes from church members to fund his radio ministry, Elder Jackson Mdluli was at peace with God and with man enjoying state funded airwaves.

We aught to celebrate the visionary faith of Pastor Mdluli, who took the nation’s only radio station and put it to holy use, clinging to the promise of his Father who said, “The cattle upon a thousand hills” are “mine!” ( Ps 50: 10). The ancient Setswana poet would describe the situation in this way, “O tsere go hoha ga nonyane a go ipeela!”

Back in the radio days, my DCEC colleague, Investigator Duncan Motswagae met me by that enclave that housed our then Director Tymon Katlholo’s office and asked me, “O kae moruti wa gago Pastor Mdluli monna?”

Before I could answer he burst into a loud preaching voice that I even feared would reach the Director, saying,

“Mme gone hong ka utlwa lintswi, litswa ko legodimong; liri, kwala! Go tlogeng hano, go sego baswi, ba ba swelang mo Moreneng...” He gave me no chance to respond and tell him the whereabouts of my pastor. It is a documented fact throughout Adventism, that this Pastor Jackson Nyathi Mdluli had a bosom friend ( Pastor Adrian Mpofu aKhumalo) with whom they enjoyed a kind of friendship, last witnessed during the days of David and Jonathan.

Pastor Jackson Nyathi Mdluli belonged to that generation of Adventist pastors, who were by no means just victims of poor career guidance only holding on to ministry for lack of a better job.

Pastor Mdluli belonged to that endangered species of pastors, who without the convenience of cars rode bicycles from village to village, establishing churches and faithfully ministering to the souls of men.

If the truth be told, many of our ministers today would peacefully quit ministry, if a good pharaoh could out of nowhere just emerge, simply demanding that they start the work of ministry in the true sense of the word - attend Wednesday Prayer meeting, attend Sabbath opening, attend afternoon bible studies, visit and pray with members in their homes.

Pastor Mdluli belonged to that generation of great men who undoubtedly heard the ministerial call, counted the cost, and said, Yes Lord! Here is a man, whose ministry overspilled beyond denominational boundaries making him literally the pastor of Catholics, Methodists, Pentecostals, Zionists and everybody. Here is a man whose sacrificial life touched both Christians and nonChristians alike. Here is a man who was at home with kings and queens and yet approachable to all.

He himself was simple, direct, and would never beat about the bush. His solutions to life’s problems were never mined from afar. They were simple, logical solutions that even a child could easily find. With his humour he could simplify melt away huge controversies.

Next Sunday evening on Radio Botswana at 6 o’clock, when you hear that Tirelo Ya Tshipi bell, let the sound sink deep into every heart - the voice that used to follow this bell, is no more. Tirelo Ya Tshipi is widowed. The voice of Pastor Jackson Nyathi Mdluli that for years set the tone for this program shall be heard no more.