South African Pastor Serves Black Label Beer During Church Service, Defends Alcohol-Infused Worship
South African Pastor Serves Black Label Beer During Church Service, Defends Alcohol-Infused Worship – A South African pastor has sparked national and international controversy after a video surfaced showing him serving Black Label beer to his congregation during a Sunday service.
The pastor, identified as Mpondozephekela , boldly declared in the video: “In this church, beer is allowed.”
Pastor Mpondozephekela leads a church in South Africa, which has gained rapid popularity for its unconventional practice of incorporating alcohol into religious ceremonies.
Founded just a few months ago, the church—whose name translates to “drinking” in a local language—already boasts over 500 members, with more than 2,000 people reportedly having registered for baptism.
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Mpondozephekela, who calls his ministry “a sanctuary for the rejected,” claims the church does not promote drunkenness, but instead welcomes those shunned by traditional congregations for their drinking habits.
“Those who are called drunkards come to our church,” he told reporters. “This is a place where people can gather, discuss the Lord, and no one will blame them for drinking alcohol.”
During services, Mpondozephekela prays over the drinks—ranging from beer and cider to whiskey and wine—before they are consumed, insisting that he seeks God’s blessing on each libation.
Baptisms are also conducted using the preferred alcoholic beverage of the individual being baptized.
Despite the controversy, Mpondozephekela’s church has garnered support from some local tavern owners, one of whom said: “Since the church started holding services here, crime in the area has gone down, and people have become more respectful.”
However, the church has faced sharp criticism over its policies.
Women and children are currently barred from attending services.
Mpondozephekela justifies this decision by saying, “We cannot yet allow women to appear in our services because we cannot be completely sure of the behavior of our worshipers after they have drunk.” He adds that children are also turned away for safety reasons.
As churches across Africa increasingly emerge with unique and sometimes controversial doctrines, the church stands out as one of the most radical.
While some view it as a mockery of Christian principles, others see it as a space for inclusion and redemption.
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