Churches in Newlands and surrounding neighbourhoods in Johannesburg are on high alert over safety concerns as police search for men who shot and killed a young preacher continues.
Prophet Dwayne Gordon was shot dead on October 6 just after he had started preaching to the congregation at the Eagle Christian Centre church in Newlands.
The 22-year-old Gordon of Randfontein on the West Rand was a visiting pastor where he was shot. The case is with the Sophiatown police and no arrests have been made on Wednesday.
According to police reports last week, a group of about six men not known to the congregants entered the church and shot Gordon in what some believe was a hit.
On Wednesday, Sunday World visited a few churches to find out more about security concerns facing church leaders and their congregants.
Pastor Norman Davis of Ambassadors for Christ Church said the church is safe and not worried about carrying on with the work to serve God and the community.
“I will not close the church’s doors… the people must feel free to come in and pray to God as they wish. It is God’s will for the church’s doors to remain open,” Davis said.
“We have been serving the people of God for over 20 years,” Davis added.
Elaborating on the nature of the late Gordon’s death, Davis said: “It is shocking, but in my viewpoint I will keep on preaching the good news as it’s now the only hope for the people.”
Ian Ponsonby, the senior pastor at Immanuel Ministries Family Worship Centre, shared Davis sentiments, saying the killing of the young prophet will not close the church.
He admitted that the murder has shocked them as the community “but the work of God through the church must continue”.
“We will always be here as the church, we cannot be driven underground because of fear and thus neglecting the Bible’s instruction to gather the saints.
“The church doors can never be shut because it is the only place of hope, healing and deliverance,” Ponsonby added.
The pastor however admitted that his only fear is people beginning to be scared to attend church services.
“We are already struggling to get our communities into the church routine and this [killing] will make it more challenging but we will continue to bring the people to church and be more vigilant and alert.”
Pastor Ricardo Anthony of Emmanuel Pentecostal Centre expanded on a different viewpoint, saying that the church is not safe.
“For as long as Satan exists there will always be criminals, as long as criminals exist there will always be brutal killings. So no, we’re not safe! God is our refuge,” Anthony said.
Anthony stated that church will continue as usual.
Sharing the sentiments of Ponsonby’s fears for the church Anthony said that my fears are that members of my church will leave as a ripple impact of the prophet’s killing.
Gauteng police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said there are no new developments on the culprits.
“Police are appealing to anyone who might have information that can help in the investigation to assist in the apprehension of the suspects by calling the nearest police station or call Crime Stop [08600 10111].”
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