National Initiative for the Reformation of South Africa (NIRSA)
DECLARATION OF INTENT
FINAL DRAFT
We, the 450 participants in the National Initiative for the Reformation of South Africa, meeting on April 22-23, 2008 at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, representing different areas of leadership in all domains of South African national life, hereby declare afresh our commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord, Saviour and Coming King.? We reaffirm our confidence in the Bible as the inspired Word of God and as our supreme authority in all matters of life and faith. (cf. 2 Timothy 3: 16 -17).
We have come together with great urgency at a mere few weeks? notice, and sometimes a few days?, out of deep concern for the grave state of South African society to seek God?s way forward for us as both church and nation.? We acknowledged and felt constrained as we met in the spirit of Jehoshaphat to pray:? ?We are powerless?we don?t know what to do?but our eyes are upon Thee.? (2 Chronicles 20:12). We sought to submit ourselves to Almighty God and to the rule of God?s ways and Kingdom.
We have celebrated the power and sovereignty of our God in both creation and history.? We have sought to see His face afresh and to turn our eyes upon Jesus.? We have come afresh to the foot of the Cross and this has humbled us and brought us to a new place of repentance for our sins, whether personal, church or national.? It has also led us to see in new ways that our sins, failures and disunities as Christians have diminished our authority to speak prophetically with one voice to either the nation or the government. We have sought to repent of this. We seek in the light of God?s mercy and forgiveness to move forward positively both as a NIRSA fellowship, a network of committed believers, and as an informal Christian coalition committed to reformation of South Africa.? We thank God for a rebirth of hope, faith and confidence and renewed vision of what our nation can be under God.
Acknowledging the foundations laid by past and present Christian initiatives,? building on those foundations and committed to strengthening existing initiatives without compromise for God?s standards and Word, we issue a prophetic and urgent call to Church, Government and society at large,
???? to apply themselves with all diligence to the reformation and renewal of South African society
???? to commit themselves to finding effective solutions to community and national problems
???? to apply themselves with intentionality to more effective nation building.
Accordingly, from within our various churches, organizations, associations, groupings and work places:
1.??? We resolve to remain prayerfully committed to one another for the journey forward.
2.??? We resolve to renew our commitment to prayer for our country and its leaders and to support both current and new prayer initiatives in our land which call on God for a revival which manifests both personal conversion and societal transformation.
3.??? We resolve to move forward with the current and where necessary expanded NIRSA leadership, which includes the Advisory Council and the Executive, to develop and maintain the current and already established NIRSA network.
4.??? We resolve to develop a NIRSA media desk that conveys reactions and interactions to unfolding issues and developments in our country and region that purpose to be Christian in view and biblically based.
5.??? We resolve to celebrate freedom of the press as an essential pillar of any just society, and to encourage, support and strengthen all Christian media professionals, in whatever medium, to influence with ever greater effectiveness all programming and messages, and to publicise and communicate the good done by Christians and all South Africans.
6.??? We resolve to support and to agree with the basic fundamentals of credible journalism that purpose to communicate truth with integrity, while exposing corruption, championing justice and communicating hope.
7.??? We resolve to call for a rolling out all across our land of new initiatives of
???? Evangelism which stresses the new birth in Christ,
???? Bible reading,
???? Bible teaching,
???? Discipleship focused on our role and responsibility as Christians in the life of our community and nation.
8.??? We resolve to communicate by assorted NIRSA delegations our national concerns to:
a.??? The President and Deputy President of South Africa
b.??? The heads of South Africa?s political parties
c.??? The leadership of the church in South Africa as well as their related associations, such as SA Council of Churches, The Evangelical Alliance of SA (TEASA),? SA Christian Leadership Assembly (SACLA ? (possibly NIRSA could be a sub-project of SACLA)), and others.
In all this we would be seeking to understand the issues and burdens all these leaders are carrying, and how we, the wider Body of Christ, may help them build this nation.
9.??? We resolve, via assorted NIRSA delegations, to visit Cabinet Ministers and relevant portfolio committees to lobby for the application of biblical principles to current and future issues in all sectors of life. For example, the Ministers of:
???? Education? (e.g. Biblical sexuality, religious education and moral instruction, as well as encouraging parents and educators to operate in partnership to give children an excellent education within a biblical framework along with adequate life skills to prepare them for responsible adulthood.)
???? Health (e.g. Properly trained and remunerated medical staff with a respect for the dignity and welfare of those in need of health care; Infant mortality; the sanctity of life ? especially the unborn and the elderly; responsible stewardship of existing medical facilities and equipment in both hospitals and clinics.)
???? Housing (e.g. the Biblical ideal of every family having their own home; to ensure sufficient land is available for new housing, and to hold government accountable in this regard.)
???? Land Affairs (e.g. responsible and just management of the land reform process.)
???? Safety and Security (e.g. upholding the rule of law; adequate protection of citizens.)
???? Justice and the Judiciary (e.g. In particular to have legal authorities register our resolve to be heard in the Constitutional Court and to endeavour to assist the court in the amicus curiae capacity whenever we believe it to be appropriate; severe sentences to be passed on public officials involved in corruption or any criminal offences; ensuring the law does not favour the criminal over the victim while acknowledging and protecting the rights of both and that the judiciary dispenses justice without prejudice or favour, ensuring adequate protection for witnesses.)
???? Environment Affairs (e.g. conveying the Biblical understanding of ecology, stewardship of the environment and responsible dominion over creation)
???? And others as may arise
10.??? We resolve to protect and advance our democracy by encouraging every citizen to engage in the affairs of this nation and to hold government and public officials accountable to the people. We therefore support any initiative that increases voter registration and voter participation in local and national elections, and urge all citizens to make their voting responsible, informed and based on an understanding of the issues and encouraging Christians in all political parties to bear faithful witness.
11.??? We resolve to call for the highest standards of integrity and biblical ethics in business practice, first within the Christian community and then in the broader society, thereby ensuring that the economy is built on a morally trustworthy foundation. And we will embrace any initiative which promotes and furthers this aim.
12.??? We resolve to motivate and encourage entrepreneurs and business people to impact the market place by founding enterprises, creating wealth and employment, and by living with integrity and generosity. Accordingly, we urge business leaders, starting with the Christian ones, to convene a major summit and consultation on job creation and the eradication of poverty.
13.??? We resolve to support any good governance initiatives that are true to biblical principles.
14.??? We resolve to develop, empower and release servant-hearted leaders for all areas of society and accordingly will support and encourage all leadership development and training programmes that produce high quality leaders who will impact both this and the next generation.
15.??? We resolve to develop NIRSA think tanks and working groups while working with similar existing groups, with the purpose of grappling with biblical positions, values and principles relating to issues arising in all sectors of society.
16.??? We resolve to call every citizen, Christian or not, to play their part in? reducing crime and stopping violence by:
???? Responding to cries for help,
???? Stepping forward as witnesses,
???? Reporting crime,
???? Participating in community self-watch programmes,
???? Supporting and encouraging neighbourhood, local and national initiatives such as Community Policing Forums, Police Reserves, Business against Crime etc.,
???? Supporting and serving the local police in prayer and other appropriate ways.
17.??? We resolve to call on all South Africans to seek out and expose systemic corruption and organized crime.
18.??? We resolve to support all housing initiatives that will effectively move us towards everyone living in a home in South Africa.
19.??? We resolve to support current and new initiatives out of the church in tackling and eliminating the HIV/Aids pandemic.
20.??? We resolve to hold faithfulness in marriage and sexual abstinence before marriage as the only effective way to stop the HIV and AIDS genocide of the human race and sexual violence and note that the Bible holds men primarily responsible for upholding these virtues. We also honour all mothers in their sacrificial roll and celebrate the increasingly significant roles generally of woman in society.
21.??? We resolve to affirm to one and all that both the Bible and history conclude that nations without solid family units providing a safe, loving, nurturing environment are no longer sustainable and in imminent danger of demise. Therefore we affirm the sacredness of marriage and the biblical ideal of fathers and mothers in binding covenants of intimacy and faithfulness, raising children with love, security, respect, trust and understanding.
22.??? We resolve to encourage all pastors and church leaders to challenge and teach their membership what it means in biblical terms to be good citizens in this African context.
23.??? We resolve to continue to work within and between different sectors of the Body of Christ towards unity, thereby focusing on what unites us, while continuing to dialogue respectfully and in humble submission to God and His Word about the things on which we disagree. We believe, as Christians, that if we are not concerned for the growth and well being of all the churches in our area and beyond, we know nothing of the Spirit of God.
24.??? We resolve to seek new and practical Christian obedience and discipleship at all levels in living out our citizenship and responsibilities positively in this land and region, with everybody ?doing their bit?.
25.??? We resolve to encourage all young Christians and our extraordinary younger Christian leaders to go for it and put their best shot at making a real difference in this. We celebrate the great thing God is doing amongst so many young people. We also urge on younger leaders a major NIRSA Youth consultation to look at the nation?s needs, challenges and opportunities from the young person?s perspective.
26.??? We resolve to pray for Zimbabwe and as a matter of urgent concern to send a delegation to the Zimbabwean Church leaders, to pray with them, and to urge on them a NIRSA-type gathering and if need be, help them to mount one. We also call on Christians in the other nations of Africa to do the same.
*** *** ***
We determine to be a united prophetic church that is neither servant nor master of society or government but their compassionate conscience; a church that works with transparency, integrity and accountability to its own tenets and the God we proclaim; a church that is committed to discipling and releasing the body of believers to their full service of both God and society.
Having said all this, we want to declare that we will be persistent about our Christian role in this society, we will persevere in the face of opposition and we refuse to back down about our vision for a prosperous, safe, healthy and godly nation. To this, under our Lord Jesus Christ and with the help of His Spirit, we commit ourselves.
We likewise call on our Lord to bring forth His Word for us:
?Fear not? for the battle is not yours but God?s?.take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf.? (2 Chronicles 20: 15, 17)
Finally, we remember with thanksgiving our Lord?s word:? ?? without me you can do nothing? (John 15:5) ??All power in Heaven and on earth is committed to me? and lo, I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.? (Matthew 28: 18, 20)
Birchwood Conference Centre
April 23rd 2008
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