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At present Christians all over South Africa are being invited to the Assembly of the SA Christian Leaders (SACLA) planned for 7-12 July, 2003. Organised by the SA Council of Churches (SACC), African Enterprise (AE), and the Evangelical Association of South Africa (TEASA), its aim is: "To discern and act together on what it means according to the scriptures to be witnesses to Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord in South Africa today. We will also be seeking to look under the guidance of the Holy Spirit at seven of the great giants facing our nation at this time in terms of HIV/Aids, Crime and Corruption, Violence, Poverty and Unemployment, Sexism, Racism, and the Crisis in the South African Family."

Looking at the giant HIV/Aids, more than 4,2 million of the c 44,5 million South Africans are said to be infected. In Africa, more than 2 million people are said to die every year. Worldwide, 34.4 million are suffering from it. - Looking at the giant Violence, there is a murder, suicide, or hijack-killing every 26 minutes - 20 215 per year. Every 26 seconds a woman or child is raped - 1 212 922 per year. Every 47 minutes someone dies on the roads - 11 182 per year. On the platteland 7755 farms have been attacked and 1287 farmers killed. - Looking at the giant Corruption and Debt, every month the administrations send out 10 000 final demands, 90 000 court orders, and 142 000 summonses. R32 000 million are owed to muni-cipalities for services such as water and electricity. 41% of the potential labour force is out of work. Jobs have decreased from 10.8 million in 1990 to 4.6 millions in June last year, and only 5% of last year's 305 774 matriculants can expect to find work in the formal sector. - As for the giant Crime, 30 000 cars have been hijacked in the past two years, more than 9000 in Gauteng alone. 2)

It is good, therefore, that the Church in South Africa should consider this state of affairs. SACLA declares: "If God's Spirit has anything to do with it, in the hearts of thousands, the Church will with determination descend into the valley to meet the Goliaths, perhaps pausing briefly to gather smooth stones of godly strate-gy, then running to meet them head on." 2) But the question is: Are there indeed SEVEN giants, or is there only ONE? The Biblical Goliath was an "uncircumcised Philistine who defied the armies of the living God." (1 Samuel 17:26) He personified godlessness, and the Lord slew him, showing through David that His power is made perfect in weakness. Seen, then, in proper perspective, there are not seven giants in South Africa today. There is only ONE, the giant of godlessness. Aids, violence, poverty, and crime, are only symptoms, not the cause. The cause of South Africa's ills is a disdain of Christ and Christianity.

SACLA, representing the "Church", wants to meet the Giant(s) "head on." But how? In whose power? In the power of God or in their own power? And how can they call on the power of God when they dethroned God? Was not the South African Council of Churches (SACC) in the forefront of demanding that South Africa become a secular state? "The only viable option," said Frank Chikane when general secretary of the SACC in 1990, "is a constitutionally secular state." He proposed that South Africa adopt the humanistic principles of certain UN declarations of rights. 3) Archbishop Tutu, another former SACC secretary, noted that "the Anglican Synod of Bishops had in 1991 approved… as a matter of principle for South Africa to be a secular state." Addressing the Cape Town Press Club, he "declared support for the removal of the words 'in humble submission to Almighty God' in the constitution; opposed protests against the abolition of… Ascension Day; and supported the right to abortion…" 4) Hence it was the Church which removed the triune God from public life. Yet not a single member denomination resigned from the SACC. All are guilty of having placed South Africa under the religion of Humanism, the giant of godlessness.

Tim LaHaye, the best-selling American Reformed Theologian, says: "Unfortunately, the mainline churches - especially the denominations and seminaries affiliated with the National and World Council of Churches - have eaten, swallowed, and digested tons of humanist dogma: evolution, socialism, Marxism, higher criticism of the Bible, moral relativism, amoral sex education, nontraditional families, liberation theology, process theology, gay theology, feminist theology, black theology, world government, and global citizenship, to name but a few." 5) Writing about America (but applicable to South Africa), he explains what Humanism is, saying: "It is no overstatement to declare that most of today's evils can be traced to Secular Humanism, which already has taken over our government, the United Nations, education, television, and most of the other power centers of life. Secular Humanism - whether it calls itself Marxist Humanism, Cosmic Humanism, Scientific Humanism, Planetary Humanism, Postmodern Humanism, or sports some other label - is driven by a flaming hatred for Jesus Christ that seeks to eradicate the Christian worldview from the media, the government, and especially public education." 6)

Before dealing with the 'Giant(s)', the Church needs to look at itself and repent of its promotion of Secular Humanism, whether it did so under the label of 'fighting apartheid', 'establishing justice', or 'promoting peace'. It also needs to desist from inter-faith activities. "The time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God," says Peter (1 Pet.4:17). Only when the household of God humbles itself before Him will God make true His promises which say: "If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; and that I also have walked contrary unto them… and if their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: then will I remember my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land." (Leviticus 26:40-42)

In South Africa, anti-Christianity has gone so far that the Unions (COSATU) now demand the abolition of Christian Holy Days such as Christmas and Good Friday. 7) The Churches therefore need to not only renew their own covenant with God, but also lead the Nation to renew its covenant. Until 1996, South Africa was a covenant nation that had placed herself under the Will of God. She became, and still is, the foremost nation in Africa. Though not all population groups shared in the original redemptive historical event, yet all observed the 16th of December as the Day of the Covenant. They acknowledged "humble submission to Almighty God, Who controls the destinies of peoples and nations, Who gathered [their] forebears together from many lands and gave them this their own, Who has guided them from generation to generation, Who has wondrously delive-red them from the dangers that beset them." (Preamble to the old Constitution). All sang (and many still do): "In Thy power, Almighty, trusting, did our fathers build of old. Strengthen then, O Lord, their children to defend, to love, to hold. That the heritage they gave us for their children yet may be, bondsmen only to the Highest and before the whole world free. As our fathers trusted humbly, teach us, Lord to trust Thee still. Guard our land and guide our people in Thy way to do Thy will." - Now the Trade Unions want to abolish this prayer completely and allow only Nkosi sikelel' iAfrika, an anthem which says, "God bless Africa, save it." But how can God save, if we refuse to submit to Him?

If SACLA leads the Church to repentance, it will not be powerless. It will be able to face ANY Giant and prevail. Tim LaHaye declares: "It may surprise you to know that we are experiencing a mighty moving of the Holy Spirit all around the globe. The press says little about it, but Christianity is on the rise. Mission-aries report that individuals in Third-World countries - despite repressive regimes, oppressive inflation, and starvation conditions - are turning to Christ in unprecedented number. For two decades great numbers of people in South America have been finding Christ. Missionaries in Europe indicate a renewed interest in the gospel. One missionary in France told me that more were converted to Christ in one year than had been saved in his first eleven years there. I could tell you of the work of God in India, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. Reports coming out of both Russia and China indicate a surprising thirst for Christ on the part of the young. - Christianity is growing worldwide, not dying. While we cannot precisely assess its growth, we estimate that the church has more than doubled in the last twenty-five years. - The bankruptcy of humanism is rapidly becoming apparent, causing many to return to basics. That often means a return to church and biblical principles for living. Never have we seen a better time for sharing our faith than today! Spirit-filled, salty Christians will reap a mighty harvest." 8) - We pray that SACLA may become part of this movement and lead South Africa on the way to a better future.
May God bless you richly
D. Scarborough.

Footnotes:
1. Die Afrikaner, Krisis dreig die Mensdom Wêreldwyd, 9-15 May.
2. SACLA letter of 28 May 2003.
3. Believers in the Future, World Conference on Religion and Peace, 1990, p. 14.
4. Good Hope, Vol. XLVI, No. 6, July 1995
5. Tim LaHaye & David Noebel, Mind Siege, the Battle for Truth in the New Millennium, 2000 - obtainable from Christian Liberty Books, PO Box 358, Howard Place, 7450 Cape Town, RSA. E-mail admin@chirstianlibertbooks.co.za.
6. Ibid., page 35.
7. Die Afrikaner, ANC voer aanslag op Christelike Feesdae, 16-22.5.03.
8. Op. cit., page 233.