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:
“Rhyme, the rack of finest wits,
That expresseth but by fits
True conceit,
Spoiling senses of their treasure,
Cozening judgment with a measure,
But false weight;
Wresting words from their true calling;
Propping verse for fear of falling
To the ground;
Jointing syllables, drowning letters,
Fastening vowels, as with fetters
They were bound!”
—Ben Jonson (15721637)
“King Herod shrieking vengeance at the curled
Up knees of Jesus choking in the air,
A king of speechless clods and infants. Still
The world out-Herods Herod;”
—Robert Lowell (19171977)
“A church is disaffected when it is persecuted, quiet when it is tolerated, and actively loyal when it is favoured and cherished.”
—Thomas Babington Macaulay (18001859)
“In democratic ages men rarely sacrifice themselves for another, but they show a general compassion for all the human race. One never sees them inflict pointless suffering, and they are glad to relieve the sorrows of others when they can do so without much trouble to themselves. They are not disinterested, but they are gentle.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (18051859)
“It was the most ungrateful and unjust act ever perpetrated by a republic upon a class of citizens who had worked and sacrificed and suffered as did the women of this nation in the struggle of the Civil War only to be rewarded at its close by such unspeakable degradation as to be reduced to the plane of subjects to enfranchised slaves.”
—Anna Howard Shaw (18471919)