Most Pentecostal congregations in Zimbabwe conduct prayer services in English, witht local languages, vernacular songs and hymns being rarely used.

This is one of the ways Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe come to neglecting the country’s older generation. The globally appealing English culture of Pentecostal worship adopted in the churches of Zimbabwe makes the old people uncomfortable as they are used to more traditional ways of conducting prayer.

In this context, Harvest House International‘s service in Shona and Ndebele took place in Bulawayo last Friday. Concurrently, HHI hosted the Vernacular Conference which ran under the theme “Umusa Ophindwe Kabili” (Ndebele for ‘double-sided favour’).

This conference gave congregants the chance to worship God in their mother tongue without anyone labelling them as illiterate.

The service chose to accommodate those who could not speak English and the elderly that are reportedly rarely accommodated in the Pentecostal movement.

Preaching at the conference in Shona was Pastor Tsitsi Tuturu of Gweru and Pastor.Mazonde. Pastor Frank Kunda preached in Ndebele to the excitement of the congregation who can hardly pray in their own languages.

Speaking to the congregation, Pastor Stanley Chiriseri said, “We are all here because of the favour of the Lord, everything that we have for the success of this conference came from the Lord.”