The True Jesus Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the branch in the Democratic Republic of the Congo of the True Jesus Church, a nontrinitarian Christian denomination begun in China, growing out of the Pentecostal movement. Its membership amounts to about 0.0018% of the population of the country.
It began in 2002 when Banyanga, who was a local pastor of the Eglise de Jésus-Christ (EJC) in Goma, contacted the True Jesus Church by email and started inquiring about their doctrines and beliefs. In 2004, following a volcanic eruption 40 kilometres from Goma and also rumours of war in the region, members of the Église de Jésus-Christ wrote to the TJC concerning their current turmoils and urgently requested for help and assistance. Hence the TJC sent some co-workers to visit the EJC in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
During that first missionary visit, two hundred EJC members from nine local churches welcomed the visitors and many issues concerning the doctrines and beliefs of the TJC were openly discussed. A few days later (on August 9th) when the first prayer session was held, some of the congregation claimed to have this vision: "A great light shone and the fire of the Holy Spirit fell on each one’s head. Wearing white, the Lord stood next to the minister who was laying hands on the EJC workers to help and strengthen them .
During the next few days, 260 of the EJC congregation requested for baptism and were baptized. Shortly after a Worker's Seminar was held, the newly baptized members adopted the TJC Articles of Faith by translating "The Essential Doctrines," into the Swahili language. They also changed the name of their church from "Église de Jésus-Christ" to "Véritable-Jésus-Eglise".
Since then, churches had been established in Goma, Rubaya, Sake, Mugunga and other rural areas with a total membership of approxmiately between 900-1000 believers.
Famous quotes containing the words true, jesus, church, democratic and/or republic:
“The disinterest [of my two great-aunts] in anything that had to do with high society was such that their sense of hearing ... put to rest its receptor organs and allowed them to suffer the true beginnings of atrophy.”
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922)
“I have no further use for America. I wouldn’t go back there if Jesus Christ was President.”
—Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977)
“Waste and void. Waste and void. And darkness on the face of the deep.
Has the Church failed mankind, or has mankind failed the
Church?”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“That’s free enterprise, friends: freedom to gamble, freedom to lose. And the great thing—the truly democratic thing about it—is that you don’t even have to be a player to lose.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)
“Universal empire is the prerogative of a writer. His concerns are with all mankind, and though he cannot command their obedience, he can assign them their duty. The Republic of Letters is more ancient than monarchy, and of far higher character in the world than the vassal court of Britain.”
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809)