In his address on the occasion of the Graduation Ceremony at Ekuphileni Bible Institute, Mesach spoke to both the six graduates as well as the general church body. His text was Matthew 16:13-17, 2125. In introducing his talk Mesach helped all present to think about who Jesus is. Notably some people consider him as a mere messenger or one of the prophets, yet to others he is one of the founders of World Religions. In the text read, Peter said to Christ, "You are the Christ, the son of the living God."
     In continuing his talk Mesach said Christ is always contextual. When people needed food, he was the bread of life. When they needed drink, he was the living water. When the world needed to see the truth Jesus Christ was the light. When they had gone astray he became the Way of the Truth and the Life. This way Jesus proves himself as Christ who meets the needs of all people. He is Christ the Son of God yet he sustains, he meets, he satisfies the needs of the people at a certain place, at a particular moment and context.
     What is crucial to us is the method to convey Jesus as Saviour of the World to different cultures and contexts. The purpose of evangelism continues to be debated. Some people say that the role of the church is to convert, baptize and make members of the churrh. The purpose of such evangelism is to bring people into a personal relationship with God through Jesus. Others believe that the role of the church is to transform the world back to the intention of God, where he reigns and people live in peace and justice. They believe that evangelism is best done by deeds or actions to bring change in society.
     The two views could be two sides of a coin. They are inseparable. To prove his authenticity Jesus cited both deeds and word. Luke 4:18-19. There is no clear dividing line between those who actually left home to follow Jesus and the much wider circle of disciples which included many who stayed at home. From its early inception membership into Jesus' family was dependant on doing the will of God, not on merely following Jesus. The best evidence for the validity of the Gospel for any culture will be the peace and hannony of the people living m the new conununity of the redeemed. The aim of evangelism is not only individual conversion, but also the formation of a new transformed-community of people clothed in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
     These are the marks of the Christian community, the church. However the church is not just a community, but it is also an organization or institution. It is through this institution that Satan fights God. Sometimes the pursuit of funds and resources, the desire to build larger followings, to establish infrastructures that support such activities may lead the church into competition with other churches. Leaders need to be aware of the danger of putting organizational activities over teachings.
     Another aspect they need to be aware of is the suffering that comes with the call to discipleship. To save humanity, Jesus had to suffer, even to the point of death on the cross. If the church is true to its calling, it must be a suffering church. This however does not mean that Christian believers should expect and search for suffering. Nor should they deliberately make themselves suffer, but if it comes to proving their belief that Jesus is Christ, then they must be willing to accept it with praise as part of legitimate discipleship. Discipleship also means obedience to the person of Christ. To conclude we ask again, who do you say I am? You are the Christ, the transformer.