Grace to the Nation Info-Page

Dear readers of my articles from Africa to Africa, greetings in Jesus name. Yesterday, the 19 of June 2026, I posted my final articles on marriage, penned from African perspectives, dated 12 June 2026.

I have posted the article with an overdue date because I failed to post it on Friday, the 12th, due to my full schedule. I had a wedding ceremony for my lastborn—NeleloleumbolaKalunga Labanera Mwashekele—at my house.

Today, the 20 June 2026, I am therefore posting the summary of my new short articles, from article 0041, which I was supposed to post yesterday, the 19 June 2026, under the new subject, THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN NAMIBIA, (in short articles), under the five headings, and several subheadings, namely:
1. THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY (LMS) AT BETHANIE IN SOUTHERN NAMIBIA, FROM 1814, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JOHANN HEINRICH SCHMELEN

2. RHENISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY (RMS) AT OTJIMBINGWE IN CENTRAL NAMIBIA, FROM 1849 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JOHANNES RATH AND DEVELOPED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CARL HUGO HAHN

3. THE FINNISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY (FMS) AT OMANDONGO AND OLUKONDA IN NORTHERN NAMIBIA, FROM 1870 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MARTTI RAUTANEN, ALSO KNOWN AS NAKAMBALE KANENE

4. THE LATE COMERS AFTER THE SCRAMBLE OVER AFRICA, INCLUDING
• THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH ARRIVED IN NAMIBIA IN 1896 UNDER GERMAN COLONIAL RULE TO SERVE AS CHAPLAINS FOR GERMAN SOLDIERS BEFORE EXPANDING THEIR MISSIONARY WORK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES

• THE ANGLICAN CHURCH ARRIVED IN NAMIBIA IN 1916 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF NELSON FOGARTY, WHO WAS A CHAPLAIN TO THE ENGLISH SOLDIERS WHO CAME TO FIGHT AGAINST KING MANDUME YA NDENUFAYO

• THE BAPTIST CHURCH ARRIVED IN NAMIBIA IN THE 1950s UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE BAPTIST UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA (BUSA) AND ESTABLISHED ITSELF FROM 1967, PART OF THE TWO IMMIGRANTS—
⁃ THE ENGLISH IMMIGRANTS FROM LONDON IN 1820 TO GRAHAM’S TOWN, AND
⁃ THE GERMAN IMMIGRANTS FROM FRANKFURT IN 1857 TO KING WILLIAM'S TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

5. THE RECENT ARRIVAL FROM AMERICA, INCLUDING THE CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH (CCAC), ESTABLISHED BY JOHN ALEXANDER DOWIE FROM 1896 IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA, OUT OF WHICH MOST PROMINENT PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES CAME FORTH, INCLUDING
• THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION (AFM), FROM 1908 IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

• FULL GOSPEL CHURCH OF GOD (FGCoG), FROM 1910, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE CHURCH OF GOD (CoG), STARTED IN 1886 IN TENNESSEE, THE USA

• THE PENTECOSTAL PROTESTANT CHURCH (PPC) IN 1958, A SPLIT FROM AFM IN SOUTH AFRICA, THE LIST IS LONG

I will deal with each of these headings and subheadings from next week. Please wait for my attempt to educate articles, as I attempt to inform my people, the Namibian nation, which I love and vowed to live for and die for, while I await your correction, simply because part of the church history I will be dealing with is your denomination.

Let me go ahead of myself and apologise, since what I am going to write is only what I know from written sources. The purpose of writing these articles is, as I have stated elsewhere, that

“Although GTTN LMMPC is not a church, as I said earlier, it has multiple ministries called “saving boats”, listening every moment to the call, designed to save souls from sinking ships—neglected local congregations or left-behind Christian denominations in and around Namibia in particular and Africa South in general—delighted in
• strengthening the weak
• attending the sick
• bandaging the injured
• bringing back the strayed and
• searching for the lost.” Ezekiel‬ ‭34‬:‭4

AN ARTICLE FROM AFRICA TO AFRICA, posted on Facebook and other Platforms of Laban Mwashekele—nom de guerre Sh*tundeni Ya Shixungileni (Ngobe Ya Shilongo yOmana Kaahangika)—every Friday, signed, signalled, and sent from the desk of GRACE TO THE NATION.

Article Number 0040—designed to inform the minds, reform the hearts, and transform the wills of God’s people in and around Africa.

Grace to the Nation—Laban Mwashekele—Multipurpose Centre (GTTN LMMPC) is not a church, but a Focal Field Force (FFF)—Etanga lElitaalelo Oshipala nOshipala nOshinengalonga—AND SERVANT OF THE LOCAL CHURCHES, established to uphold the two theological positions:
1. The theology of worship and worship ethics, ordained from divine sovereignty and
2. The theology of work and work ethics, designed for human responsibility.

These two theological positions are promoting two biblical mandates:
• Cultural Mandate (Genesis 1:26-28) and
• Christian Mandate (Matthew 28:18-20) as it is engraved on the logos of GTTN LMMPC and its multiple ministries.

GTTN LMMPC has Multiphase GROUND FORCES, including:
1. Classical Christian Private School CC
2. Theological Training in Northern Namibia (TTNN)
3. Preaching and Preachers Forum Part-01 and Part-02 (two WhatsApp pages)
4. Classical Effective Farming CC
5. An Article from Africa to Africa, signed, signalled, and sent from the desk of GTTN, and other GROUND FORCES, designed to serve local evangelical churches, national reforming missions and effective biblical evangelism.

Although GTTN LMMPC is not a church, as I said earlier, it has multiple ministries called “saving boats”, listening every moment to the call, designed to save souls from sinking ships—neglected local congregations or left-behind Christian denominations in and around Namibia in particular and Africa South in general—delighted in
• strengthening the weak
• attending the sick
• bandaging the injured
• bringing back the strayed and
• searching for the lost. Ezekiel‬ ‭34‬:‭4

MARRIAGE HERITAGE PAGES PENNED FROM AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES

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In the previous article, Article 0039 of MARRIAGE HERITAGE PENNED FROM AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE, I have done what I have promised, continued with the seventh five principles, under the heading, “THE THIRTY-NINE PRINCIPLE OF MARRIAGE”, subtitled it: The Principles of Marriage Mishandled Part-07, id est:
31. THE CONFESSION PRINCIPLE
32. THE COUNSELING PRINCIPLE
33. THE CHASTITY CELEBRATION PRINCIPLES
34. THE CONTEXTUAL PRINCIPLE
35. THE COMMON AND CUSTOMARY PRINCIPLES

In this article, article 0040, I will continue with the eighth four principles under the same heading, “THE THIRTY-NINE PRINCIPLE OF MARRIAGE”, subtitled: The Principles of Marriage Mishandled Part-008, id est:
36. THE CIVIL PRINCIPLE
37. THE CANON PRINCIPLE
38. THE CUSTOMARY COMPREHENSIVE PRINCIPLE
39. THE COMPLEMENTARIAN PRINCIPLE vs HIERARCHICAL and EGALITARIAN PRINCIPLES

We have arrived at the eighth and last section of our 39 principles—The Principles of Marriage Mishandled Part-008. We have learned a great deal of truth about marriage and marital affairs in the previous 35 principles. Let us proceed to the last principles, the 36th to 39th principles.

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36. THE CIVIL PRINCIPLE

In concluding our discussion about the principles of marriage, let us address the civil principle in general. What is civil? It is a term referring to the concerns of ordinary citizens, distinct from military or ecclesiastical matters. It is rotted in two terms, "courteous and or politeness".

It is the root of several terms, including civilian, civilised, civilisation, etc. Although one can define the word 'civil' from a wide range of perspectives, we are using it in a simple, and straightforward sense. In this regard, we use the term to refer to issues related to marriage ethics or marital law.

We start with the citizen and his marital life, including marriage rights and duties. Since we are no longer living in ancient times, let alone the ancient Hebrew culture, as people developed, their culture also evolved, including the culture of getting married and given in marriage.

The main concern some individuals raise is whether the changes that comes with development has affect God’s original plan for marriage. The answer is yes! A sinful man cannot maintain God’s plan without adding his sinful thoughts.

Even Adam and Eve, who had just been in the Garden of Eden for a short time—we are not sure how long they stayed in the garden: a week, a month, or a year, but we know for sure that they haven't stayed long there—they have added something to God’s original plans, including the original plan of marriage.

We know that Satan had twisted God’s law, and complicated things for Adam and Eve to believe in lies. So who are we, to survive Satan’s tricks? In our case, we the redeemed, who live the life of redeemed people, we ought to think as redeemed people and even question things attached to marriage.

I hope you have learned throughout the above pages that marriage is designed and ordained to be simple, lovable, and most enjoyable state of life. In plain language, marriage must involve three simple things,
1. A couple must get their parents' permission to get married at no cost; although the male should give a little gift to indicate responsibilities to female’s parents, a huge payment of lobola must be avoided, it is a crime against humanity. Three things in life are not for sale
• Land is not for sale
• human beings are not for sale
• Salvation is not for sale.

2. A couple must get a marriage certificate, a legal and bidding document, from the state, again with zero cost

3. The couple must get refreshments from both parents as celebrations with very little cost, traditional homemade food and drinks

Unfortunately, marriages in modern times are so complex and so sophisticatedly influenced by the desires of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. If we are to use civil principles, bringing in all our courtesy and politeness as really civilised civilians, the first thing we have to question is the sinful spots of our cultures that have covered marriage and prevent the beauty of it from being seen.

The civil principle encompasses several concepts, including the reform of marital power. For a marriage in the hands of a person who walks according to the partner of this world, is in the hands of a dangerous person. A family led by a man under the sinful influences—including
• the futility of the unlightened mind
• the darkness of his understanding
• the alienation from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in him due to his hardness of heart (Ephesians 4:17a-18)—is no longer useful but useless.

For this lessons, the Namibian Law on Civil Marriage states that,

“At independence, Namibia inherited a concept called "marital power" which was part of the South African law on civil marriage. Marital power meant that a wife was treated like a child in the eyes of the law.

It meant that she could not do many things without her husband’s permission.
• She could not bring a case to court
• She could not buy or sell property
• She could not sign a contract
• She could not take a loan
• She could not be the director of a company or the trustee of a trust, but a husband could do all of these things without permission from his wife.”

—Namibian Law on Civil Marriage: Legal Assistant Centre (2016) p. 13.

Can You Hear? I, the author of this article also condemns such a martial power from the bottom of my heart. It doesn't matter who is practicing it. The same Namibian Law on Civil Marriage went further to state

“The Marriage Persons’ Equality Act repealed marital power and brought Namibian marriage law in line with the Constitution. This Act makes it clear that husbands and wives have equal rights and powers in civil marriage. The Married Persons’ Equality Act applies to all civil marriages, even marriages that took place before Independence or before the statute was passed.”

I salute the concept, not the repealers, but the concept itself. The very Law continue to state

“If the husband and wife are equal, who is the head of the household? The Married Persons Equality Act says that the law will no longer recognise the husband as the head of the household.”

There I disagree at all costs!

It went further to state that,
“Before the Married Persons Equality Act, the legal position was that the husband had the final say on all important family decisions, such as where and how the couple would live. If the husband and wife had a dispute, the law said that the husband would be the winner because he was the legal “head of household”.

“The Act repealed this legal rule. This means that families are now free to decide amongst themselves how they will handle family decision-making. If the family wants to treat the husband or the wife as the head of the household, or to make decisions by consensus, this is their own private business.

A couple can still turn to religion, tradition or other values for guidance on the roles of husband and wife. But the law no longer favours the husband.”

——Legal Assistant Centre: Namibian Law on Civil Marriage (2016), p. 14.

Although I do understand the pain caused by this old injustice, and the attitudes of some male people who still continue to abuse women, in independent Namibia, on the one hand, on the other hand, I sense the remorse most parliamentarians have gone through and are still going through. I believe that the repeal of the law has gone too far. Where it stated that,

“The Married Persons Equality Act says that the law will no longer recognise the husband as the head of the household.”

For this reason, I have called Democracy “Demon in the Class”. I believe there is a better way to solve this problem without creating another. I agree with Ben Carson, who once said
“We have been conditioned to think that only politicians can solve our problems. But at some point, [one day] maybe we will wake up and recognise that it was the politicians who created our problem.

—Ben Carson

It was the politicians of the old school of thought who created the oppressive law that had undermined women, under a hierarchical worldview. Now, it is the politicians of the new school of thought who have repealed the concept of marital power (which is a good thing for all of us), but have gone too far to state that the law no longer recognises the husband as the head of the household; they did it under an egalitarian worldview. They haven’t draw a balance as they would have done under a complementarian worldview.

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37. THE CANON PRINCIPLE

We have dealt with civil principles in length as we have touched on canon principles elsewhere. We do not need to spend much time on it at this time.
But start it with a question, ‘What is a canon principle?’

In Presbyterian and Reformed churches, canon law or principle is known as "practice and procedure" or "church order"; it includes the church's laws respecting its government, discipline,
legal practice and worship.

In this case, what does canon principle have to do with marriage or marital home? Like all other principles, it adds value to a couple, shapes their mind, and nurtures their marital relationship. The gospel of Matthew 13:31-33 (ESV) reads,

31 He [Christ] put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven
It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in it
its branches."

33 He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that
a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened" (Matthew 13:31-33).

The two above quoted parables are the best description of what canon principles can do to married couples. We have seen in the above definition that canon law or principles are "practice and procedure" or "church order", which includes the church's laws respecting its government, discipline, legal practice and worship.

If married couples adopt practices, procedures, and orders, they will surely benefit to a greater extent. The problem with modern marriage is that the shareholders, who are married couples, are no longer God-centred, Christ-focused, Spirit-saturated or Bible-based people.

They are so secular that they only seek help from their fellow secular men and women. As a result, they are not taught to
1. Shape characters (2 Peter 1:5-11),
2. Implement biblical virtues including temperance, prudence, courage, justice, faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13), and
3. Pruned to bear fruit (John 15:1-2, and Galatians 5:22-24.

According to Wikipedia
The "Canon Principle" typically refers to the Canon of Proportions in visual arts and architecture. Originating in Ancient Greece, it is a codified set of rules regarding bodily proportions used to create harmoniously formed, ideal representations of figures.

Because canon is a broad term, meaning rule or measuring stick, the exact principle depends on your field. In accordance with one of these fields—Canon Field or Law, what is it?

According to the ecclesiastical law, it is the body of official laws and regulations governing the internal organisation and administration of Christian churches, particularly the Catholic Church. The purpose is to maintain order, safeguard sacraments, and outline the rights and obligations of the faithful.

I have written an article advising married couples to add this principle to their lives and family ministries. No marriage can survive without principles. The reason most couples run to court for divorce is that they have no principles in life, especially canon or Christian principles, if you prefer the term Christian rather than canon

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38. THE CUSTOMARY COMPREHENSIVE PRINCIPLE

What is Customary mean in general? As I have stated elsewhere, customary in general means commonly practised, usual, or established by long-standing tradition rather than by written law. It describes behaviours, traditions, or actions that are generally accepted and expected in a specific culture or situation

According to World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), “The Customary Comprehensive Principle refers to the understanding that customary law encompasses a holistic, all-inclusive set of societal rules rather than rigidly compartmentalized doctrines. Often found in indigenous systems like the Quechua and African Customary Law, these uncodified principles focus on restitution, equilibrium, and restoring community harmony rather than strictly punitive measures

According to Wikipedia, the Customary Principle, also known as Customary International Law, refers to established, widespread, and consistent state practices that nations follow out of a sense of legal obligation. Unlike formal written treaties—which I have elaborateed on in my previous article—it is an unwritten source of law derived from global customs… ….

It requires two fundamental elements to be legally recognised:
State Practice: A consistent and widespread pattern of behaviour among nations.

Opinion Juris: The belief by states that this practice is required as a legally binding obligation (rather than just out of politeness or tradition).

A classic example of this is the principle of diplomatic immunity or the prohibition of certain acts during armed conflict. Because customary law is unwritten, it naturally evolves over time and generally binds all nations, except those that explicitly and persistently object to it from its inception.”

In this case, let us define a customary principle in the context of marriage in particular. We all know that, customarily speaking, marriage is a divine order. Customary, it is best defined by three biblical evidences, namely
• God’s relationship with the old Hebrew people—the nation of Israel,
• Christ’s relationship with His church—His elect from the world and
• Husband’s relationship with his wife

Let us look at these three pieces of evidence briefly,
• God’s Relationship with the Old Hebrew People—the Nation of Israel.

The Old Testament introduces us to what relationships in marriage should look like, especially Genesis 1 and 2, the two chapters before the fall. It has introduced a unique relationship, bound by s*xual intimacy between two people.

History proves that polygamy, which was introduced after the fall, it didn't work, it doesn't work now, nor will it work in the near future. Why? Because s*xual intimacy is designed to be used between two people only.

Customarily speaking, polygamy has always been a problem if you study it from the narrative of
⁃ Abraham, Sarah and Hagar
⁃ Jacob, Leah and Rachel
⁃ Solomon and his multiple wives and concubines
⁃ Let alone our forefathers, it doesn't matter how much we pretend.

• Christ’s Relationship with His Church—His Elect from the World.

• Husband’s Relationship with his Wife.

Just as the Old Testament God is a jealous God, jealous for His people—Exodus 20:5—so is a man also jealous for his woman, a male for his female, and a husband for his wife, let alone a fiancé for his fiancée.

Although jealousy is prohibited in general terms, there is a difference between sacred and sinful jealousy or holy and unholy envy. Therefore God is sacred/holy, Christ is sacred/holy, and the man is ought to be sacred/holy: all three are aught to be jealous.
• God must be jealous for his people—Exodus 20:5
• Christ must be jealous of his church—2 Corinthians 11:2
• Husbands should also be jealous of their wives.

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39. THE COMPLEMENTARIAN PRINCIPLE vs HIERARCHICAL and EGALITARIAN PRINCIPLES

Theologically speaking, there are three positions
1. The Egalitarian Position, which stresses equality over differences and affirms female leadership (Galatians 3:28).

2. The Hierarchical Position, which stresses differences over equality and affirming male leadership -(1Corinthians 14:34)

3. The Complementarian Position, which states that men and women are equal in essence/dignity and different in functions/roles. Their roles in their family and in the church are different.

In the church
• Women may preach or prophesy under male leadership - 1Corinthians 11:2-16
• Older women are to teach or disciple younger women - Titus 2:3-5
• Women must not teach or have authority over men - 1 Timothy 2:11-15.

Let me explain these positions in detail before I emphasise THE COMPLEMENTARIAN PRINCIPLE vs HIERARCHICAL and EGALITARIAN PRINCIPLES

There are several positions in the world. Some of them are political, religious, moral, social, and economic positions.
At this point, we are looking at marital positions. Looking at three positions in detail, namely,
⁃ egalitarian position
⁃ hierarchical position; and
⁃ complementarian position.

• Egalitarian Position Defined

An egalitarian position stresses equality over differences and imposes equal leadership between men and women at home, in church, and in society. According to the egalitarians, there is no more male or female (Galatians 3:28); we are all equal in essence and functions.

In the egalitarian position, women must do everything which men do; the same must apply to men. Egalitarianism complicates the male’s role in marriage and family life with the female’s role.

To most of us—biblical and evangelical Christians—this is a pure lawless gospel, according to Galatians 5:13. It is a failure to understand the apostle Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:34.

• The Hierarchical Position Explained

Hierarchical position stresses differences over equality. It imposes male superiority over females. In hierarchical positions, women must remain silent in churches
(1 Corinthians 14:34). To them, male leadership is a God-given office designed to dominate females until they are all marginalised and feel humiliated.

To us, this is a pure legalistic gospel, and a failure to understand the apostle Paul’s teaching found in 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-12. Men who hold this view must understand that, just as God had not humiliated Christ, and Christ has not humiliated men, so men must neither humiliate women nor marginalise them.

• Complementarian Position Elaborated

According to Wikipedia, the complementarian principle is a theological view holding that men and women are equal in value and dignity but designed by God to have distinct, they have complementary roles in marriage, family, and religious life. In this framework, men are typically called to provide spiritual leadership, while women focus on other vital ministries and nurturing roles.

In the Home: Husbands are called to loving, sacrificial servant-leadership, while wives are encouraged to embrace respectful and voluntary submission.

In the Church, roles such as elder, overseer, or pastor are typically reserved for men. Women are encouraged to exercise their spiritual gifts in other teaching, service, and leadership capacities.

The Core Debate: Complementarianism is deeply rooted in specific interpretations of biblical passages, particularly the creation account and Paul's writings (such as Ephesians 5 and 1 Timothy 2).

It frequently contrasts with Egalitarianism, which argues that men and women have completely interchangeable roles and that the Bible promotes mutual submission without gender distinctions in leadership.

While some critics argue this framework limits the potential of women, complementarians maintain that these divinely ordained differences are designed to create harmony and reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church.

Let me end here with article 0040.
I will meet you again on next Friday, God willing, in article 0041, with the new subject: THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN NAMIBIA, in short articles, under the five subheadings, namely,
1. THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY (LMS) AT BETHANIE IN SOUTHERN NAMIBIA, FROM 1814, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JOHANN HEINRICH SCHMELEN

2. RHENISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY (RMS) AT OTJIMBINGWE IN CENTRAL NAMIBIA, FROM 1849 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JOHANNES RATH AND DEVELOPED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CARL HUGO HAHN

3. THE FINNISH MISSIONARY SOCIETY (FMS) AT OMANDONGO AND OLUKONDA IN NORTHERN NAMIBIA, FROM 1870 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MARTTI RAUTANEN, ALSO KNOWN AS NAKAMBALE KANENE

4. THE LATE COMERS AFTER THE SCRAMBLE OVER AFRICA, INCLUDING
• THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH ARRIVED IN NAMIBIA IN 1896 UNDER GERMAN COLONIAL RULE TO SERVE AS CHAPLAINS FOR GERMAN SOLDIERS BEFORE EXPANDING THEIR MISSIONARY WORK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES

• THE ANGLICAN CHURCH ARRIVED IN NAMIBIA IN 1916 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF NELSON FOGARTY, WHO WAS A CHAPLAIN TO THE ENGLISH SOLDIERS WHO CAME TO FIGHT AGAINST KING MANDUME YA NDENUFAYO

• THE BAPTIST CHURCH ARRIVED IN NAMIBIA IN 1950s UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE BAPTIST UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA (BUSA) AND ESTABLISHED ITSELF IN 1967, PART OF THE TWO IMMIGRANTS—
⁃ THE ENGLISH IMMIGRANTS FROM LONDON IN 1820 TO GRAHAM’S TOWN, AND
⁃ THE GERMAN IMMIGRANTS FROM FRANKFURT IN 1857 TO KING WILLIAM'S TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

5. THE RECENT ARRIVAL FROM AMERICA, INCLUDING THE CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC APOSTOLIC CHURCH, ESTABLISHED BY JOHN ALEXANDER DOWIE FROM 1896 IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA, OUT OF WHICH MOST PROMINENT PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES CAME FORTH, INCLUDING
• THE APOSTOLIC FAITH MISSION (AFM), FROM 1908 IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

• FULL GOSPEL CHURCH OF GOD (FGCoG), FROM 1910, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE CHURCH OF GOD (CoG), STARTED IN 1886 IN TENNESSEE, THE USA

• THE PENTECOSTAL PROTESTANT CHURCH (PPC) IN 1958, A SPLIT FROM AFM IN SOUTH AFRICA, THE LIST IS LONG

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In all these cases, my GROUND FORCE and I at GTTN LMMPC do not mind who gets the credit, as long as God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, receives all the glory, honour and praise. In other words, our objectives remain nonuple: C
1. The Glory of God—that God’s glory may be
• seen
• savoured (delighted in) and
• served

2. The Good of Men—that our good God, and gracious Father, may
• command spiritual, moral, and social blessings upon men all people
• command blessings upon the works of our hands
• command good governance and political will upon our country and African continent

3. Grace to the Nation—we long to see and desire to observe
• God’s grace seeking men (all men)
• God’s grace saving their souls and
• God’s grace sanctifying their spirits

4. Reformation of the Foundations of the Namibian Nation
• reformation of the home (families)
• reformation of the church, and
• reformation of the state and society

5. Revival of Biblical Devotions
• in every Christian life
• around every Christian home, and
• at every Christian workplace

6. Renewal of Minds in the Mindless World—a renewal of minds that turns earnest and compliant individuals into
• active thinkers
• effective planners and
• efficient executors

7. Repositioning Cross-hairs: the word cross-hairs means “a pair of fine wires crossing at right angles at the focus of an optical instrument or gunsight, for use in either positioning, aiming or measuring.” In this case, we labour to have individuals whose minds are repositioned
• to see what they do not see
• to know what they do not know and
• to understand what they do not understand

8. Reshaping our People and Reverberating Genuine Generation for God, using:
• pulpits
• press (pen and paper)
• public platforms, and
• pastoral principles

9. Radical Transformation—call it
• spiritual or radical change
• moral renaissance or rebirth marked by a revival of classical learning
• social revolution or radical order:
⁃ transforming individuals' mindset
⁃ transforming the family set-up and
⁃ transforming the perspectives of African society

This article is from Africa to Africa, signed, signalled, and sent from the desk of Grace to the Nation.

12 June 2026

AN ARTICLE FROM AFRICA TO AFRICA, posted on Facebook and other Platforms of Laban Mwashekele—nom de guerre Sh*tundeni Ya Shixungileni (Ngobe Ya Shilongo yOmana Kaahangika)—every Friday, signed, signalled, and sent from the desk of GRACE TO THE NATION.

Article Number 0039—designed to inform the minds, reform the hearts, and transform the wills of God’s people in and around Africa.

Grace to the Nation—Laban Mwashekele—Multipurpose Centre (GTTN LMMPC) is not a church, but a Focal Field Force (FFF)—Etanga lElitaalelo Oshipala nOshipala nOshinengalonga, AND SERVANT OF THE LOCAL CHURCHES, established to uphold the two theological positions:
1. The theology of worship and worship ethics, ordained from divine sovereignty and
2. The theology of work and work ethics, designed for human responsibility.

These two theological positions are promoting two biblical mandates:
• Cultural Mandate (Genesis 1:26-28) and
• Christian Mandate (Matthew 28:18-20) as it is engraved on the logos of Grace to the Nation—GTTN LMMPC and GTTN Laban Mwashekele Effective Farming Society for Efficient Food Security Logos.

GTTN LMMPC has Multiphase GROUND FORCES, including:
1. Classical Christian Private School CC
2. Theological Training in Northern Namibia (TTNN)
3. Preaching and Preachers Forum Part-01 and Part-02 (two WhatsApp pages)
4. Classical Effective Farming CC
5. An Article from Africa to Africa, signed, signalled, and sent from the desk of GTTN, and other GROUND FORCES, designed to serve local evangelical churches, national reforming missions and effective biblical evangelism.

Although GTTN LMMPC is not a church, as I said earlier, it has multiphase ministries called “saving boats”, listening every moment to the call, designed to save souls from sinking ships—neglected local congregations or left-behind Christian denominations in and around Namibia in particular and Africa South in general—delighted in
• strengthening the weak
• attending the sick
• bandaging the injured
• bringing back the strayed and
• searching for the lost. Ezekiel‬ ‭34‬:‭4

MARRIAGE HERITAGE PAGES PENNED FROM AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES

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In the previous article, Article 0038 of MARRIAGE HERITAGE PENNED FROM AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE, I have done what I have promised, continued with the sixth five principles, under the heading, “THE THIRTY-NINE PRINCIPLE OF MARRIAGE”, subtitled it: The Principles of Marriage Mishandled Part-006, id est:
26. THE COMPANIONSHIP AND CHILDREN PRINCIPLES
27. THE COMPATIBLE AND COMPETENCE PRINCIPLES
28. THE CORE VALUE PRINCIPLES
29. THE CONFRONTATION AND CORRECTION PRINCIPLES
30. THE CONVICTION AND CONVERSION PRINCIPLES

In this article, article 0039, I will continue with the seventh five principles under the same heading, “THE THIRTY-NINE PRINCIPLE OF MARRIAGE”, subtitled: The Principles of Marriage Mishandled Part-007, id est:
31. THE CONFESSION PRINCIPLE
32. THE COUNSELING PRINCIPLE
33. THE CHASTITY CELEBRATION PRINCIPLES
34. THE CONTEXTUAL PRINCIPLE
35. THE COMMON AND CUSTOMARY PRINCIPLES

We have arrived at the seventh section of our principles—The Principles of Marriage Mishandled Part-007. We have learned a lot of information about marriage and marital affairs in the previous 30 principles. Let us proceed to the next principles: principles number 30 to number 35.

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31. THE CONFESSION PRINCIPLE

We have come to another important subtitle, called confession principle. What is confession? It is an acknowledgement
of one's sinfulness or wrong doing and express that to God or one another.
There is a difference between mere confession and genuine confession.

The best illustration of genuine confession in the Bible is that in Luke 15:11ff, the story of the lost son. The Bible tells about four important points related to his confession, found in verses 17-20, in the above referred chapter we are told,
1. He realised that he had been wrong (Luke 15:17a), indicating that sin is a wrong doing, a missing of the mark, a lacking of the balance etcetera

2. He decided to get up and go back to his father (Luke 15:18a)

3. He resolved to go and confess to the father that he had sinned against heaven, and against his earthly father (Luke 15:18b-19)

4. He, in a practical sense, arose and went to his father and did precisely what he had resolved to do (Luke 15:20ff).

In marriage, people will find themselves offending or being offended. Without this principle, the confession principle, several men and women, in most cases, especially in Africa, found it so difficult to go and apologise, let alone confess.

But where this principle is believed and lived, maturity is the order of the day in this cases. Although in most cases such a confession is followed by confrontation and conversation, it ultimately culminates in conversion, and the concepts of forgiveness till peace find a place in such a marriage and marital home.

Someone has said:
Confession gives birth to trust, and trust
It is a glue that binds two individuals of different characters in marriage.

That is an irrefutable truth: confession plays a major role in internal affairs, whether in church, state, society, or marriage. It does not just heal the confessor, but it heals the person or persons to whom the confession is made.

I am, therefore, encourages all married couples to do their best to develop an inner circle and build a strong resolve within each spouse to uphold the principle of confession. Each couple must know that none of us lives for themself and none dies for themself (Romans‬ ‭14:7‬).

Our life and our marriage are interrelated, intertwined, and interwoven. Our marriages are demos, and should be good models for those who come behind us.

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32. THE COUNSELING PRINCIPLE

We have now come to the most crucial principle—the counselling principle. Counselling principle is either biblical or professional guidance of individuals, depending on who is handling it, utilising biblical or professional methods, especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes.

What is needed in most marriages is this valuable principle, and it must be done in a God-centred, Christ-focused, Spirit-led way. In the modern world, people have trusted in psychology and other man-developed methods rather than trusting
on a God-ordained method.

The problem with married people or with couples who are heading to that end,
is that they only seek counselling when and where troubles have occurred. It should not be that way; marriage counselling must be sought and sought again, even at the time of peace. Knowledge has power. Ignorant is the enemy of progress, although it is far better than arrogance.

Marriage is like a car; it doesn't need service when it is broken down, but before it breaks down. Just as servicing a car is not fixing it, servicing and fixing are two different things; the same goes for marital counselling. Marital counselling is one thing; solving marriage problems is another. Marriage counselling will assist the couple to understand and empower them to avoid gender-based violence, marital abuse, divorce, etc.

It is stated that, “In the ancient Hebrew culture through which God has revealed his original plan for marriage, the cost of gender-based-violence, marital abuses and divorce were higher than the marriage contract called ketubah in Hebrew.”

—Arno Lamm and Emile-André van Beckevoort: Wake Up (2017), p. 451.

According to the information in the above-quoted book, the legal document handed over to the bride by the bridegroom on the day announce the Great Yes I Do, includes the bridegroom's obligations to the bride and records the bride's expectations.

It includes both the benefits and the consequences of marriage.
1. First, it describes the obligation the bridegroom has to protect the bride in marriage, including honouring the wife, providing the necessities of life, and fulfilling all marital obligations.

2. Second, the bride is offered security in the event of the bridegroom's divorce or death. Widowers are not included in this legal document; only widows are. In this way, women (our mothers, sisters, and daughters) are protected.

3. Third, according to the ketubah, what we call in our days: gender-based-violence, marital abuses were less known, divorce was known, but the cost was extremely high. So patience or perseverance in every marriage was the order of the day.

Friendliness and a striving for peace are central to ancient Hebrew marriages; women and children were the most protected creatures on the planet. A Ketubah was not just a legally binding document, but a ceremonial premarital document.

So the couple will be best informed about God’s original plan of marriage from reliable ancient history, rather than being taught marriage from pure Western culture
or from an African perspective, which has more lip-service guarantee. Although it is attached to some misquoted Bible verses.

As it is said elsewhere, if we are to understand God’s original plan for marriage, we have to put off several unbiblical taboos from Western culture. For example, white gowns, black shoes, wedding rings on the left hand's fingers, flowers, etc.

We also have to put aside several African beliefs that cost a man an amount of cows for so-called lobola, not ignorant that
• Eve has cost Adam the rip, the church has cost Christ the life and the blood, and
• wives must cost their husbands something, but African lobola is more than a transgression. We have no time to mention anything regarding the Eastern conclave or modern Middle Eastern culture.

Modern marriages have adopted the idea of modern churches. The early Church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. The modern church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity, as Leonard Ravenhill has quoted Mr John Wesley.

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33. THE CHASTITY CELEBRATION PRINCIPLES

Having progressed through our thirty-nine principles of marriage, we have now reached the chastity celebration principle. What is chastity?
It is the state or practice of refraining from extramarital, or especially from all, s*xual in*******se. As biblical Christians, for biblical reasons, we have to adopt this principle and celebrate it at all costs.

We know, and have noted under marriage principle number 30, that self, sin and Satan are like a credit card, which you enjoy now, but pay the consequence of using it later. But if we continue to maintain the practice of refraining from extramarital affairs at all costs, there will be no remorse.

Wikipedia defines chastity as a virtue related to temperance, one of the seven Christian virtues, and as refraining from any s*xual conduct or romantic relationships. Chastity is usually defined within the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilisation, or religion.

The term is closely associated (and can be used interchangeably) with s*xual abstinence, especially in the context of premarital and extramarital s*x. Such virtue must be celebrated; a married or premarital couple must celebrate to honour God and each other.

A couple who had tested each other s*xually before marriage (fornicated),
or those who have s*x outside marriage (adultery), have betrayed trust. It takes them longer to earn that trust again.
In marriage, love, services, protection, inter alia, are given free, but trust, respect, rewards, etcetera, are earned.

Show me a married couple who have been faithful to each other in the matter
of s*x, and I will show you a couple who have no reason to suspect each other. Such a couple have no other reason but
to celebrate their chastity principle. And
to that end, we should all labour to have and maintain the chastity principle.

Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬ ‭(ESV‬‬) reads
“Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the s*xually immoral and adulterous.”

Namibian Constitution Article (14) Sub-article (3) reads

The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled
to protection by Society [Church] and the State.

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34. THE CONTEXTUAL PRINCIPLE

The immediate question before the elaboration of the contextual concept
is, "What is a contextual principle?" It is
a principle related to the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea. It is a rule that depends on the preceding or follows from a part of a text that clarifies the meaning. It is generally believed, which Wikipedia confirms when it says,

In semiotics, linguistics, sociology, and anthropology, context refers to the objects or entities that surround a focal event; in these disciplines, it most often conveys an event of some kind. Context is "a frame that surrounds the event and provides resources for its appropriate interpretation".

It is thus a relative concept, definable only with respect to a focal event within a frame, not independently of that frame. One of the most difficult issues to handle in this life and in marital affairs is that related to other contexts and cultures.

The above-mentioned difficulty has been proven by several missionaries who went
to labour in preaching the gospel and teaching its messages among the nations. Those who have accomplished their God-given assignments are those who went into the context of that culture, sat down and learned that language. Language, culture and contextual concepts are insurmountable.

After years of learning the language, people’s culture, and their philosophical context, several missionaries have caught the secret of those people’s concept of life; for that reason, they were able to evangelise them effectively and harvest as much as they had planted. The quick come and quick go missionaries had failed to the point of shame.

To understand the value of learning the context and culture, read the biography
of
• William Carey, the Father of Modern Missions, and the most effective Baptist missionary to India, among the Indians
• Marti Rautanen, Nakambale, a Lutheran missionary to Northern Namibia, among the Ndongas, or
• Father George Tobias, Lukenge, an Anglican missionary in Northern Namibia, among the Kwanyamas.

It is not a waste of time to study the lives of these missionaries. You will catch a vision that will enable you to understand the contextual principle, especially the one regarding marriage.

I hear several good but ignorant Christians who keep on telling each other
that they do not need to worry about context and culture because Christ has abolished that and freed them from contextual and cultural concerns. And, of course, they are half-right, but why must we translate when someone is preaching in multicultural churches?

It is to understand and get the message
in our languages. Being a Christian does not exempt us from limitations in several areas, including the application of contextual principles and cultural issues. A good understanding of the context or cultural principles applies to marriage on equal terms.

Those who got married or gave in to marriage recently and expect to agree or understand each other immediately after marriage are expecting the impossible. This is why the contextual principle is very important in this regard.

Marriage is not something that appears and disappears. It is not quick come, quick work. Marriage is like human teeth,
Human teeth are the last and slowest to develop bones in the human body, but they are also the strongest, most used bones, and the most essential tools in human life. Teeth must be studied, understood, best used, and maintained at all costs to last.

Marriage is like teeth; it must and should be studied and understood in its context and maintained in accordance with its principles. Marriage has a unique role in human life. Unfortunately, it can be misinterpreted if read or studied in an unfamiliar context or in an unfit manner.

This is why we have named our subheading the "contextual principle". It is a vital and most important principle. So, a married couple must study each other in the context of a principle. A musician husband must not expect his wife to be a musician, unless common grace offers it. Neither should a wife expect her husband to drive a Mercedes-Benz simply because her friend’s husband does. It is a grace to have God, good to have church leaders, and genius to have and maintain the principles of life and marriage.

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35. THE COMMON AND CUSTOMARY PRINCIPLES

Article 66 of the Namibian Constitution, Sub-Article 1 and 2, reads

(1) Both the customary law and the common law of Namibia are in force on
The date of Independence shall remain valid to the extent to which such customary or common law does not conflict with this Constitution or any
other statutory law.
(2) Subject to the terms of this Constitution, any part of such common law or customary law may be repealed
or modified by an Act of Parliament, and
The application thereof may be confined
to particular parts of Namibia or to particular periods.

The relevant question at this point and time is, "What is common, and what is customary?"

Common means something that happens often to most people. It is something that has been happening in the same way in familiar places or to most people. It can be referred to the basic level of politeness. Common is something of or relating to a community at large, working for the common good, or something known to the community that has common nuisances.

It can also be referred to, belong to, or be shared by two or more individuals, or by all members of a group. For example, it is common to bury relatives in the same graveyard for a common reason or interest. Common is something equal, or belonging equally to two or more people, with either a common vision or for a common mission.

• Common Principle

In the case of the above principle, it is widely accepted and benefits a large number of people.

A married couple who really understand, believe, and live according to a common principle first becomes a blessing to each other, to the community in which they live, and to society as a whole because the common principle is working hand in hand with common law and common sense.

A common principle taught by common sense is that
1. You are a true husband to your wife, but you do not own her. You are not the sole custodian; if you shed her blood, the other custodian (the police and her parents) will arrive at the scene, and it will not be well with you. The same applies to the wife.

2. You have a house, whether in an urban or rural area. Still, you cannot damage the water or sewerage system, or any other water or electricity system, without harming the whole community.

3. You cannot own a constituency, a region, a country, or a continent, politically speaking. Or, own a village, a chair, a district or traditional authority, customarily speaking, why? Well, the common principle does its own thing alone. Of course, it shares what is shareable and leaves out what must be left out.

• Customary Principle

A customary principle is a rule used in accordance with the customs or usual practices associated with a particular society, place, or set of circumstances. A customary principle describes what people usually do in a particular society or under particular circumstances.

It is a customary principle to offer something to eat or drink to guests. And that is done in accordance with accepted standards or rules. One may say, " But I am a Christian, and I am no longer under the law. For such conclusions, Paul is writing to Timothy, 1 Timothy 5:1ff

1 “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity. 3 Honour widows who are really widows (1 Timothy‬ ‭5:1-3‬).

Here are instructions to Christians. We ought to treat people in accordance with the customary principle. A customary principle is not a law against other laws, but a law respecting other laws. It is not equally applicable to all sections of society; each section has its own customary law and regulations.

It is a long-established custom (standard of community) of a particular place or locale that the general law regards as a lawful practice. Other laws need a special agency for enforcement and often involve formal punishment; custom does not. Other laws are often specific, whereas customs often are not.

Customs can also fade and disappear without formal removal or recognition by a society; laws, however, only disappear when abolished by a recognised authority. Regarding the customary principle, it must be understood that marriage is a
1. Creational,
2. Natural, and
3. Universal phenomenon.

Before we discuss or even debate what civil (government) law, canon or ecclesiastical (church) law, customary (family) law, common (general) law, et al., is, let us first discuss the three points listed above. If marriage is creational, natural, and universal
• How can we differentiate it from modern marriages that are so influenced by our cultures (African, Western, Eastern, or Middle Eastern)? Or answer it from the other ankle.

• Who marries a couple or gives them the right to be a husband and a wife? Is it parents, as it was with Isaac and Rebecca (Genesis 24:1-67), Jacob and Leah (Genesis 29:15-30), or is it self, as David took Abigail (1 Samuel 25:39:44)?

• Where do the issues of the state and of the church come in? We must not add burden upon burden. Let us agree that these organisations had been taking over institutions, including the institution of marriage, until marriage became so cultural, ecclesiastical, and even political.

The genuine, pure and unmixed, or authentic marriage, if you prefer the term, must be as simple as follows:
1. If a groom loves a bride, he must examine himself to see if he is ready for marriage, and if that is the case, he must
• Pray to God for direction
• seek pre-courtship counselling, if he has enough evidence that confirms the matter
• inform his parents, and finally
• Go ahead and propose to her for marriage, on the one hand.

On the other hand, the bride must
⁃ Pray to seek God in matters
⁃ seek pre-courtship counselling, and if she has enough evidence to confirm the matter
⁃ inform her parents, and finally
⁃ Go ahead and accept or reject the proposal.

2. If both parents have accepted the deal, the second step is pre-engagement counselling, during which several issues are addressed.

3. After the engagement, when parents from both sides have met their in-laws, the decision on what to do must be reached, and plans for the wedding date are tabled. In between, further counselling (premarital counselling) must be sought. I prefer six sessions equal to six hours with my counselees

• one hour on civil law, and another hour on its application
• one hour on customary law, and another hour on its application
• One hour on common law and another on its application, totalling six hours.

4. Then comes the appointment of the date of marriage
• At the state level, a marriage certificate must be obtained
• from the church level, a marriage blessing must be given and
• from the home level, a marriage celebration must be celebrated

The marriage must be simple as follows:
⁃ From the state level, it must be as possible to get a marriage certificate as prescribed by the law, no additional complications should be added, except, in the case of a Church Marriage Officer, a small contribution for his transport to and from, if need be, otherwise find the easiest way of getting your marriage certificate free of charges

⁃ from the church level, it must be the simplest thing — simple dresses, simple rings, simple church blessings, simple benediction

⁃ From the home level, it must be simple refreshments.

5. If marriage is costly, it is because of pride or a willingness to show up. Take note that all the expenses we use, from black suits, white gowns, flowers, etc., are Western cultural things, but Westerners do not even waste their money on marriage and weddings; they prefer to build a house to live in and save money for emergencies.

The food, the tent, the photos, parents' dresses, the huge number of bride-mates and groom-mates, the list brings endless, although they appear in the Western forms, they are in reality adopted by African men and women for their pride and self-showing

Let me end here with article 0039.
I will meet you again next Friday, God willing, in article 0040, at MARRIAGE HERITAGE PAGES PENNED FROM AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE

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In all these cases, my GROUND FORCE and I at GTTN LMMPC do not mind who gets the credit, as long as God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, receives all the glory, honour and praise. In other words, our objectives remain nonuple: C
1. The Glory of God—that God’s glory may be
• seen
• savoured (delighted in) and
• served

2. The Good of Men—that our good God, and gracious Father, may
• command spiritual, moral, and social blessings upon men all people
• command blessings upon the works of our hands
• command good governance and political will upon our country and African continent

3. Grace to the Nation—we long to see and desire to observe
• God’s grace seeking men (all men)
• God’s grace saving their souls and
• God’s grace sanctifying their spirits

4. Reformation of the Foundations of the Namibian Nation
• reformation of the home (families)
• reformation of the church, and
• reformation of the state and society

5. Revival of Biblical Devotions
• in every Christian life
• around every Christian home, and
• at every Christian workplace

6. Renewal of Minds in the Mindless World—a renewal of minds that turns earnest and compliant individuals into
• active thinkers
• effective planners and
• efficient executors

7. Repositioning Cross-hairs: the word cross-hairs means “a pair of fine wires crossing at right angles at the focus of an optical instrument or gunsight, for use in either positioning, aiming or measuring.” In this case, we labour to have individuals whose minds are repositioned
• to see what they do not see
• to know what they do not know and
• to understand what they do not understand

8. Reshaping our People and Reverberating Genuine Generation for God, using:
• pulpits
• press (pen and paper)
• public platforms, and
• pastoral principles

9. Radical Transformation—call it
• spiritual or radical change
• moral renaissance or rebirth marked by a revival of classical learning
• social revolution or radical order:
⁃ transforming individuals' mindset
⁃ transforming the family set-up and
⁃ transforming the perspectives of African society

This article is from Africa to Africa, signed, signalled, and sent from the desk of Grace to the Nation.

12 June 2026