Visiting Seventh-day Adventist Church’s General Conference president pastor Tedd Wilson has hailed the Government of Zimbabwe for granting its nationals freedom of worship. Addressing thousands of SDA church members at the national sports stadium in Harare on Saturday, Pastor Wilson said it was a privilege to have freedom of worship when other countries were dreaming of it.

“We would like to thank the Government of Zimbabwe for granting the nation freedom of worship. The Constitution allows for that and anyone is free to worship in his or her own way,” he said.

Pastor Wilson urged the gathering to respect and submit to the leadership of the country as required by the word of God.

“Let us pray for the leadership of this country. The Bible requires us to do so. We should respect and submit to the leadership of this country because all leaders are appointed by God,” said Pastor Wilson.

Pastor Wilson, who was accompanied by his wife, left the stadium around midday to catch a flight to Gweru where other church members were waiting for his sermon.

The Zimbabwe Prison Service band were part of the worshipping team as they brought the crowd closer to God through Seventh-Day Adventist hymns. Among the invited groups was the Advent Ambassadors, National Choir and Nyazura High School choir.

Pastor Wilson’s main mission was to officiate at a graduation ceremony at the church’s institution of higher learning in Bulawayo, Solusi University.

President Mugabe is on record praising the Seventh-day Adventist Church for its principles and non-instrumental choral music.

Last year President Mugabe described the choral music as the “best and well-organised type of music” after listening to the music of the Advent Ambassadors at a city wedding.