Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa Forward in Faith Ministries International (ZAOGAFIFMI) family has marked its 66th Anniversary in spectacular fashion on Sunday, 20 September 2026, as 53,300 congregants packed Glamis Arena at the Showgrounds in Harare for the Legacy National Big Sunday.
The jubilation-filled service was the first major national gathering to welcome the church’s new leader, Archbishop Dr Joseph Joe Guti and his wife, Apostle Miriam Nyasha Guti, since taking over the mantle from the legendary founder Archbishop Ezekiel H. Guti.
A total of 78 buses ferried worshippers from provinces across the country to the capital. In attendance were the church’s mother, Senior Archbishop Prof. Eunor Guti, SG Bishop M. Nyambo and Rev. L. Nyambo, DSG Bishop Dr. S. Simukai and Dr. L. Simukai, Archbishop E.Z. Soko and Bishop P. Soko, bishops, apostles, EFZ members, government officials, international representatives and guests from other ministries.
The celebration was charged with electrifying praise from artists from different provinces, the Kingdom Music Dance (KMD), and musicians including Pastor D. Mabvuramiti, Pastor Haisa, Sir Benjamin Rupapa, Vocal Base, Faith Makoni Mafunda and Probity Mutsambiwa.
Setting the tone, Senior Archbishop Prof. Eunor Guti told the gathering that Archbishop Joseph Joe Guti was not chosen by any board through elections but was chosen by God Himself, and assured the new leadership of the church’s total allegiance.
“It is something that started 42 years ago. Now that it has come already, I want to say to Archbishop Joe Guti that it is not everything that you respond to but all you need to do is to close some of the things and find somewhere without disturbance, be you and God alone in the secret place and God will direct you the right way in the same way he was doing to our father.
” To all of us as the church, let us support him with prayers not with talking or criticism. When we support our leaders wholeheartedly by caring the legacy which is the good character of Jesus Christ, we lessen the burden on them as they will rejoice and know that they are in the right direction. This legacy is not only for our church but for generations and generations,” she said.
Delivering his legacy address, Archbishop Dr Joseph J. Guti declared that the true mark of the Guti legacy is peace and purity.
“We are saying today that the legacy is peaceful; you cannot talk about the growth of the church when there is no peace. Peace continues with His church,” he said.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God. The sons of the legacy carry peace-the peace of God,” he said
Quoting Philippians 4:7, the Archbishop distinguished between the God of peace and the peace of God, urging believers to let Christ, the Prince of Peace, reign in their hearts.
“When a man’s ways please God, even his enemies will be at peace with him. If the Prince of Peace is Jesus Christ reigning in our hearts, where does this violence and these disturbances come from? Let the Prince of Peace rule; let the Prince of Peace reign,” he charged.
Archbishop Guti said the church must guard against a few mischievous members tarnishing its image, reminding congregants: “It is not Jesus who has done it; people are people.”
He further implored members to be peacemakers in committees, families and communities, saying “your feet must carry the good news of peace.”
“Take the message back home that Baba Guti left a peaceful church. He could interact and work well with both good and bad people. They may seem bad in your eyes, but Baba Guti saw the good in them; he saw the potential. He could not classify people as simply good or bad; he saw children,” he said.
“Today, we are adding to say that besides the legacy being practical, it is pure and peaceful,” he said
Initially serving as the International Executive Chairman and Presiding Bishop, he was declared a key pillar and “father of the church” by Ezekiel Guti prior to the founder’s passing. He was officially consecrated as Archbishop on January 25, 2026, at the Africa Multination for Christ College (AMFCC) in Glen View, Harare, in a ceremony led by Senior Archbishop Professor Eunor Guti.
