Worship at Ibandla LamaNazaretha (Nazarite Baptist Church) of Isaiah Shembe

This article is a literary and historical study of worship practices at Ibandla lamaNazaretha as constituting a sacrifice, a means of establishing and maintaining a relationship with God, and eventually a means of amassing points, credits, and distinctions to pave one’s way to heaven. The major elements of worship were drawn from African religion and Christianity and were appropriated to reflect the uniqueness of Ibandla lamaNazaretha. Through various aspects of worship, members are encouraged to not only embrace their cultural heritage but to take pride in it. Isaiah Shembe insisted that people should be able to experience the reality of God in and through their particular ethnic and cultural resources. The appropriate worship of Jehovah was seen as the first step toward African self-realisation, self-reliance, and eventually independence.