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Nazareth Baptist Church (Shembe)
Shembe Church, iBandla lamaNazaretha, amaNazaretha, The Nazarites / Nazarite Church, Ibandla lamaNazaretha
Founder: Isaiah Mloyiswa Mdliwamafa Shembe (c. 1865–1935) · Founded: 1910 (Shembe began his ministry in Durban in 1910 and acquired the holy city of eKuphakameni in 1911; the church is commonly dated to this period, with 1913 cited for its formal establishment as iBandla lamaNazaretha) · Headquarters: Historically eKuphakameni, near Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal; the largest faction is today centred at Ebuhleni (also near Inanda), with other branches at Thembezinhle, Ginyezinye and Johannesburg
The Nazareth Baptist Church, known in isiZulu as iBandla lamaNazaretha ("the congregation of the Nazarites") and widely called the Shembe Church, is one of the largest African-initiated churches in South Africa. It was founded in the early twentieth century by the Zulu prophet and faith healer Isaiah Shembe, who is revered by members as a prophet sent by God to restore the teachings of Moses, the prophets and Jesus. The church is known for its distinctive synthesis of Christian (largely Old Testament) teaching with Zulu cultural tradition, expressed through Saturday Sabbath observance, white worship robes, barefoot worship, sacred dance (ukusina) and an annual barefoot pilgrimage to the holy mountain of Nhlangakazi. It is based mainly in KwaZulu-Natal and, following several succession disputes, now exists in more than one faction.
History
Isaiah Shembe began working as an itinerant evangelist and faith healer in Natal, arriving in Durban in 1910. He had earlier been baptised by immersion (in 1906) and held a preacher's certificate (1908) before founding his own movement. In 1911 he purchased a freehold farm at Inanda, north of Durban, and established a 'holy city' called eKuphakameni, which became the church's spiritual centre. The movement, iBandla lamaNazaretha, is generally dated to this period, with 1913 often cited as the year of its formal establishment. Within a decade Shembe had built a large following among poorer Zulu people and migrant workers living on the margins of Natal's towns, with dozens of congregations across the province. After Isaiah Shembe's death in 1935 the church grew into one of the largest African-initiated churches in the country, and over the following decades experienced a series of leadership and succession disputes that produced separate factions.
Founder & leadership
Isaiah Mloyiswa Mdliwamafa Shembe was born around 1865 at Ntabamhlophe in the Estcourt area of the Drakensberg region of Natal, of Zulu and Hlubi descent, and died on 2 May 1935. He was succeeded by his son Johannes Galilee Shembe, who led the church until his death in 1976. The succession after 1976 was contested and the church divided: Amos Shembe led the larger faction, establishing a new centre at Ebuhleni around 1979, while Londa Shembe led a group remaining at eKuphakameni until his death in 1989. Amos Shembe was succeeded by Vimbeni Shembe, whose death in 2011 triggered a further dispute in the Ebuhleni faction between Vela Shembe and Mduduzi 'Unyazi' Shembe. South African courts, including the Constitutional Court in 2021, have been drawn into these succession questions; leadership has been recognised by some courts as belonging to Vela Shembe, while Mduduzi Shembe has retained the support of a large body of members. Reporting these disputes factually, the church today comprises more than one branch under different leaders.
Beliefs
Members revere Isaiah Shembe as a prophet sent by God to restore the teachings of Moses, the prophets and Jesus. The church's beliefs and practices are widely described as a distinctive synthesis of Christian doctrine, drawing strongly on the Old Testament, with elements of Zulu traditional culture and religion. Teaching is closely tied to the Law of Moses, and the church follows a liturgical calendar that differs from many other Christian denominations. Scholars note that members incorporate aspects of African cultural life such as praise poetry (izibongo), respect (hlonipha) and customary marriage practices into their devotional life.
Worship & practices
The most distinctive feature of Shembe worship is the observance of the Sabbath on Saturday, which is kept strictly: many members refrain from work, cooking and lighting fires from Friday evening through Saturday. Worship includes hymns composed by Isaiah Shembe in isiZulu and sacred dance (ukusina) performed in ceremonial dress. Members worship barefoot, a practice linked to the biblical account of Moses removing his sandals before the burning bush and to regarding the worship ground as holy. The church's ritual life also includes baptism by immersion, foot-washing and Holy Communion. Diet follows Old Testament-style restrictions, notably the avoidance of pork and other foods regarded as unclean, and members are taught to avoid smoking and premarital sex.
Regalia & uniform
Shembe members are widely recognised by their white worship robes. Isaiah Shembe taught that white garments befit redeemed people, drawing on imagery from the Book of Revelation, and the white cotton gown is often referred to as umnazaretha. Distinct robes mark different roles within the church, and women's worship dress includes head coverings. For sacred dance, members also wear traditional Zulu regalia such as the ibheshu (men's animal-skin garment) and isidwaba (women's pleated leather skirt), expressing the church's integration of Zulu heritage into devotion. Worship and pilgrimage are performed barefoot.
Pilgrimage to Nhlangakazi
A central observance is the annual pilgrimage to the holy mountain of Nhlangakazi in KwaZulu-Natal, which members ascend and descend barefoot. The pilgrimage is traditionally held in January and lasts about two weeks, drawing very large numbers of pilgrims. Its origins are traced to a revelation experienced by Isaiah Shembe, in which the mountain was understood as the place where God would speak to him, drawing a parallel with Moses on Mount Sinai. A separate month-long gathering associated with the church is held in the 'Judea' area near Eshowe. Access to some sacred sites has at times been affected by the church's internal disputes and related court interdicts.
Membership & the church today
The Nazareth Baptist Church is one of the largest African-initiated churches in South Africa, with a following numbering in the millions; membership estimates vary and differ between factions. Its main centres are in KwaZulu-Natal, with congregations at Ebuhleni, eKuphakameni, Thembezinhle and Ginyezinye, and a branch in Johannesburg/Gauteng, operating under different leaders following the succession disputes. The church remains a significant cultural and religious presence, drawing large gatherings for its festivals and pilgrimages.
A note on sources & accuracy
This profile draws on Wikipedia, South African History Online, academic studies of the church, and reputable South African media. Dates for the church's founding vary slightly between sources (Shembe's ministry began in 1910, eKuphakameni was acquired in 1911, and 1913 is often given for the formal founding). Details of leadership and succession remain contested and have been the subject of South African court proceedings; they are reported here descriptively rather than as a judgement on which claim is correct.
Related: African-initiated churches (AICs), Zion Christian Church (ZCC), Zionist churches in Southern Africa, Isaiah Shembe, eKuphakameni, Nhlangakazi (Holy Mountain), Zulu traditional religion, Sabbatarianism
Described factually and respectfully from documented sources; practices vary within and between congregations. Corrections welcome.