Reverend Siyabulela Lungana, the calm and collected new leader of the Church Street Methodist Mission church in Somerset West, believes humility is fundamental to success in life.
His mission is clear: “What I hope to achieve at the end is my own growth and growth in the people that I’m leading, in the form of us learning from each other.”
This he shared with an air of excitement and enthusiasm. It is in this spirit of mutual learning that Lungana looks forward to sharing his knowledge and experience. He will serve at the church for three years, with a possible extension to five.
The amiable, personable church minister, with sparkling wit and a sense of humour, emphasises that every member has a vital role to play in the church community. What leads to the death of many churches, he said, is a lack of understanding that it is the community, the congregation that makes up the church, in which everyone has a special role to play.
“If you haven’t yet figured out what that role is, that’s the adventure – pursuing it in faith and then excelling in it.”
Lungana encourages people not to overthink their calling. “Some people try to overthink it, thinking that the only calling is ministry, but something as simple as being the door steward or helping with the soup kitchen, anything that helps extend the kingdom of God in this place is a contribution one can make.”
Finding his purpose
Lungana is passionate about missiology, a subject he pursued in his postgraduate studies. He defines it as “winning people’s souls to God and then making those people active agents in God’s will”.
However, he believes the essence of missiology has been lost in many churches. “What I wish to contribute during my time in ministry is to remind the church of what mission is supposed to be.”
Lungana’s incumbency at Church Street is his first official assignment, which forms part of his formation as a minister. He received his training in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. In the province he served a rural congregation in Richmond and also preached in his hometown of Boksburg, Gauteng. He has been in Somerset West for one year.
He is excited about being in the Western Cape, a province known for its wet winters, albeit quite an adjustment for someone shaped and formed by the drier climes of Gauteng. “The ministry has always been a calling for me, one I have very happily pursued. And part of the calling is the willingness to be sent. Wherever I am sent is undertaken with joy, because it is where God wants me to go.”
Lungana is grounded and driven, not to mention highly educated, making him well-equipped to lead his new community.
He studied theology at the University of Pretoria from 2014 to 2019, working there until 2020. He holds two honours degrees, has completed all regional master’s programmes and has plans to finish his PhD within the next two years.
The man behind the pulpit
Lungana was raised by his grandmother, a devout Christian. “It was she who instilled all the Christian values within us from a young age,” he recalled with pride and awe.
His mother, a preacher herself, also significantly influenced his life, teaching him much about pastoral care and ministry.
Six months ago Lungana achieved a personal milestone by tying the knot. While the signing ceremony was held at home, the wedding planning is ongoing.
Despite the excitement, the couple faces the challenge of a long-distance relationship while his wife Nothando seeks a teaching position. “We made commitments to each other to say no, it’s just an extra 1 000 kilometres.”
This is in keeping with his willingness to face challenges, and surmount them, with humour.
Lungana’s day-to-day work presents various challenges, which he takes in his stride. These include administration, meetings and pastoral duties. On Wednesdays and Fridays he visits people at home and in hospital, and has also started counselling.
Thursdays are dedicated to visiting his two societies, including one in Nomzamo, which runs a soup kitchen and an outreach programme, feeding almost 200 people weekly. This is a significant achievement for him.
“If there’s an impact in what I try to impart then I’m happy,” Lungana said.
Lungana is undoubtedly fulfilling his destiny. Despite navigating diverse personalities and potential clashes he remains an optimistic man. “At the end of the day, when you see a response to the effort you put in, that is the reward for me.”
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