Brethren In Christ Church (BICC) South Africa was established in 1988 by the late Reverend Hamilton Madlabane in Soshanguve, located north of Pretoria. Even though a South African started the BICC in South Africa, it was largely unknown to most South Africans at the time. (In neighbouring Zimbabwe, however, the BICC had existed for close to a century at that time.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the 1980s, Hamilton Madlabane encountered Anna Engle from the Brethren in Christ in the USA, who was in need of interpretation services from English to Zulu. After her program concluded in South Africa, she extended an invitation to him to visit North America. Hamilton Madlabane was impressed by the manner in which BICC organized and conducted its services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Upon his return to South Africa, he sought to persuade the elders of his church, the Body of Christ Church in Soshanguve, to consider adopting the BICC name. However, when his efforts to achieve this were unsuccessful, he made the decision to establish a BICC branch independently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The church initially convened its services under a tent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over time, Hamilton Madlabane received support from the Brethren in Christ board in North America for mission-related activities. Unfortunately, this funding was insufficient to realize the project fully. In order to generate additional resources, he sold his truck. Ultimately, assistance came from a lawyer who facilitated the involvement of a construction company, enabling the completion of the church structure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1990, members of the Zimbabwean diaspora many of whom had been Brethren in Christ Church members in Zimbabwe, with the encouragement of a BICC congregant in Zimbabwe, decided to start a church in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. The Zimbabwean BICC then went on to promote and support the uniting of the Soshanguve Church and the Hillbrow Church, through the efforts of Reverend Albert Gegana and Bishop Jack Shenk in particular. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The church held its first Annual General Conference as a unified church during the Easter break of 2007 at Blue Hills following successful efforts to unify BICC Soshanguve and BICC Hillbrow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over time, the church grew and held its first national conference years later in 2011 and it was conferred Conference status by the International Brethren in Christ Association (IBICA). It became a full member of MWC in 2014. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2024, BICC SA reported 1\u202f988 baptized members in 24 congregations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sakhile Mashiri, administrator, Brethren in Christ Church South Africa (BICCSA)
Brian Maphosa, national overseer, Brethren in Christ Church South Africa (BICCSA) <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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