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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

A YEAR after leaving Highlanders to concentrate on his pastoral duties, former Bosso secretary-general Emmett Ndlovu held a ground breaking ceremony for his new church in the Northend suburb of Bulawayo last Saturday

Ndlovu, who served the club for 21 years in various capacities, starting as team physiotherapist before being appointed manager, is the founding pastor of the Centre of Miracles Church of Christ (CMCC).

He told Chronicle Sport that he doesn’t harbour prospects of returning to ‘sports administration’ as he was enjoying his new clergy role.Ndlovu said he had to leave Highlanders to give “undivided” attention to his “new calling”, which he first pursued in 2013, two years before being voted Highlanders’ secretary-general, taking over from Andrew Tapela.“In pursuit of my calling in 2013, I went on a prayer fasting programme for three days and three nights. On the third day, from about 3PM to 6PM, I had an encounter with the Holy Spirit and I was given a commission; I was launched into the ministry fulltime. That is the reason I had to take a break from the sporting world to pursue this new calling. 

However, more importantly is the mere fact that I didn’t sit down to think or plan it and say now I want to do this, it was a calling and I could not resist. Like Jonah who was sent to Nineveh and he went to Tarshish, so many times I tried to resist, but there came a point where I just couldn’t resist and had to do it,” Ndlovu said.

He is excited about his new found love.“When I was given this vision, I was also given the name of the ministry, Centre of Miracles Church of Christ (CMCC). Somebody may ask, is it about miracles or gospel of prosperity since we are seeing an upsurge of these new ministries that are preaching and teaching the gospel of prosperity. We’re not teaching the gospel of prosperity, so to speak, but we are talking about the gospel of purity. 

“Prosperity may come it is well, because our God is a God who supplies according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. First and foremost, we must receive salvation and all else will follow, that’s the concept and the vision that I had. On the 5th of December 2015, this ministry was launched. We’ve celebrated our third year and have already acquired a piece of land and launched a ground breaking ceremony attended by Bulawayo mayor Solomon Mguni in North End,” said Ndlovu.

He said they had a membership of over 600 people and they have also opened their church branch in South Africa. 

“The ministry is growing. It means the work in my hands is just too much. It won’t be fair to give half-heartedly to the sporting world, half-heartedly to the ministry. I believe that I can’t serve two masters. But at God’s appointed time I cannot rule anything out. But for now, I want to say for the unforeseeable future, I will concentrate on this calling because I have a passion for it. I’m doing it because God has spoken to me and things are happening according to his power, his will and authority and I’m happily involved in ministerial work.” —  @ZililoR