Ndhlebende fought a good fight for freedom
Pastor drew people to God
Born: 9 March 1962
Died: June 4
Funeral: Tomorrow, at Faith Gospel Ministries in Carltonville, starting 9pm Burial: Local cemetery Vuyisile Petrus Ndhlebende, the leader of the Faith Gospel Church in Carltonville, west of Johannesburg, has passed on.
He is the son of the late Valelo July and Mantombi Mary Ndhlebende. He was born in 1962 in the small farm of Well Hope (Deburg), Free State. Ndhlebende started working as a seasonal farmworker, and then worked with his father as a farm driver. Because of the impoverished conditions at home, he then decided to look for a better job in the mines. He was employed in the mines of Secunda, Mpumalanga, at the age of 17.
This is where he started preaching the gospel focusing on bringing people to God, reconciling black Africans, and confronting the apartheid system. As a result, he lost his job and had to return to the farm. He continued to preach the gospel until he decided to enrol with a gospel bible college in Soweto, where he completed his studies. He continued with his studies until he obtained his PhD in philosophy and theology through the International Theological Centre in 2001.
Ndhlebende was later expelled from his church because of his theology, which confronted black people’s oppression by the system then. He started a church in his father’s house with his family that had no name since there was no Pentecostal or charismatic church that would accept him. This is where he met with the late pastor Dumbisa from then Transkei who helped him register his ministry. His most difficult time was when he preached reconciliation among the blacks who were killing one another.
To show true repentance, blacks would throw away guns and knives as a sign of repentance from killing one another. Black political leaders would attack him, saying he was disarming black people for white people.
Ndhlebende lived a remote life, but he never gave up preaching the gospel against the oppression of black people by the apartheid system. In 1990, he started evangelising in tents. Unfortunately not all Pentecostal and charismatic churches would receive him because they wanted to protect their reputation. Then the Lord gave him a vision to focus on other churches that accepted him for the advancement of the gospel he preached. He became a blessing to small churches, which have since become mega churches all over SA.
His life has brought millions of souls back to the kingdom of God throughout the continent and abroad. His main concern in his last mile was the condition of our people who live in poverty and are unemployed.
He started paying student fees of those from the impoverished families and raising young pastors in preparation of great and relevant leadership in these perilous times. He started the “break a silence” team of pastors.
His plan was also to bring pastors together in order for them to help one another with ideas on how to help the government in solving the Covid19 issue without ignoring the social need, especially where people’s behaviour is concerned. Because of this heavy load and hard work, he could not rest until he was diagnosed with fatigue, chest pains which resulted to short breath. His last words a few minutes before he passed on, were: “Pastors pray and break the silence.” He continued reiterating the words he pronounced at church in his last speech: “The church must know the times. Repent and pray.”
He will be buried tomorrow and the service will be held at Faith Gospel Ministries in Carltonville, starting 9pm.
Indeed he was a man of faith, wisdom and power. He is survived by his wife Nokuzola Mavis Ndhlebende, and three children.