Lack of Institutional Structure and Professionalism Is Killing African Churches in South Africa: A Thirty-Year Collapse of the African Gospel Church.

By Comfort Matoti

The African Gospel Church (AGC) is living proof that spiritual vitality alone cannot sustain an institution without structural integrity, accountable leadership, and visionary governance. Over the last three decades, what should have been a flourishing African church is instead facing a prolonged and painful decline, marked by factionalism, maladministration, political infiltration, and the haemorrhaging of talent. This institutional crisis is not a matter of isolated incidents but a systemic collapse that spans every level of the church’s operation. In turn, causes constitutional fragility and perpetuates the proliferation of factions within the church.

Central to the AGC’s collapse is its deeply inadequate constitution – a document either too weak or too ambiguous to enforce order, ensure accountability, or resolve disputes. It lacks the mechanisms necessary for leadership succession, conflict resolution, and resource governance. This absence of legal and procedural clarity has allowed multiple individuals to claim leadership without due process or oversight. As a result, five self-proclaimed “moderators” currently preside over separate factions, each with its own executive and congregational support, all claiming legitimacy. Rather than unify, these factions entrench division and perpetuate instability. Further, this act decays the once symbolic headquarters of the church: Fascadale. A place not only viewed as an operational central office, but rather a sense of belonging and identity for congregates of the church.

This dysfunction reaches its annual climax at the Fascadale Convention in July – a once-sacred gathering now reduced to a ceremonial rotation of rival factions, each taking turns to assert authority over the AGC’s deteriorating headquarters. The site itself, long neglected and structurally compromised, has become a visual metaphor for the church’s decline. Despite years of use, no single faction – or even all combined – has taken responsibility for restoring or developing the property. Instead, they continue to squabble over a decaying asset, symbolic of a church paralyzed by internal decay and shortsighted leadership. Rather this cascades down to branches.

One of the defining issues that has led to the AGC’s stagnation is its chronic leadership conflict. Since the early 1990s, the church has been embroiled in power struggles, with aging leaders refusing to relinquish authority. For instance, in the case of the AGC, there have been instances where leaders have assumed positions without proper election processes, leading to legal disputes and internal strife. In 2013, Rev. MP Zimu was found in contempt of court for assuming the position of Moderator without a duly constituted election, resulting in a six-month prison sentence and a ruling that he relinquish his office. The court emphasized that a single church cannot exist as two split groups, highlighting the absurdity of such divisions within the AGC. These leaders, often driven by personal gain rather than collective vision, have manipulated structures, suppressed rising talent, and fostered a culture of loyalty over competence. This resistance to renewal has paralyzed the church’s governance and alienated a younger generation of potential leaders. Attempts to conduct orderly leadership transitions have repeatedly failed, leading to splits, legal challenges, and the creation of rival factions within what was once a unified institution.

Perhaps nowhere is the AGC’s fragmentation more visibly devastating than in the township of Orange Farm. Here, the consequences of weak governance are not theoretical – they’re lived daily by congregants forced to choose between rival church branches, each operating under a different faction, yet all claiming the same name and legacy. There are three branches that exist in one township, Orange Farm.

• The first branch is led by Rev. Mancoba (which I fall, fellowship and serve under), aligned with the Eastern Transvaal District under his leadership in the district, and ultimately under Rev. Dr. A Mthembu at the national level.
• The second is under Rev. Mjwaha, aligned with Rev. Mkhize in the Eastern Gauteng District, and reporting nationally to Rev. Dr. IM Shezi.
• The third operates under Evangelist Mkhize, tied to the White City Circuit in Soweto, also under the Western Gauteng District, reporting to Rev Mtshali and ultimately under Rev. Dr. IM Shezi.

Although, these branches were not formed by these current leading pastors, rather they have inherited this systematic imbalance and intolerance of the feuds.

This tripartite schism in one township encapsulates the broader dysfunction of the church. Longstanding relationships among church members have been destroyed. Families and friends who once worshipped together are now divided by allegiance to different factions. Instead of uniting communities through the Gospel, the church has become a source of division and bitterness. Resources that could have been pooled for community upliftment, youth programs, or church development are now scattered and underutilized. This is contrary to other developmental friendly churches and churches of similar doctrine to the AGC.

Contrast with Churches That Embrace Structure and Vision

The chaos within the AGC stands in stark contrast to other South African churches – both contemporaries and older institutions – that have prioritized professional governance and community engagement.

Churches like the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM), and Assemblies of God – Back to God, have grown steadily through robust governance models. These churches invest in leadership development, implement clear accountability structures, and evolve their constitutions to suit the needs of a changing society. Their ability to retain professionals and attract youth is due in large part to their forward-thinking administration and commitment to unity.

Meanwhile, historic denominations like the Dutch Reformed Church, with its structured synodal governance, have managed to remain resilient even through political transitions and cultural shifts. These churches demonstrate that institutional discipline and spiritual calling are not mutually exclusive – they are complementary.

If AGC is to survive – let alone thrive – it must confront its demons with honesty and courage. That means urgently overhauling its constitution, establishing clear governance mechanisms, introducing independent oversight bodies, and uniting under a single, credible leadership structure. The church must also learn to value and retain professionals and critical thinkers who can restore credibility and bring vision-driven leadership.

The Fascadale convention must cease being a pageant of division and be reimagined as a space for strategic planning, reconciliation, and revival. More importantly, the church’s leaders must abandon their personal ambitions in favour of collective renewal, investing in both physical infrastructure and spiritual infrastructure. The African Gospel Church is not dying because people have lost faith; it is dying because its leadership has lost the moral and institutional compass to guide it. As other churches move forward with clarity, structure, and professionalism, the AGC is stuck in a cycle of decay drivenby ego, factionalism, and a broken system. Without immediate and meaningful reform, the church risks not only irrelevance but also the complete erosion of the legacy it once sought to build. The time to rebuild is now or never.

Comfort Matoti (Gauteng Provincial Chairperson of the Black Management Forum Young Professionals and African Gospel Church Member).