NELSPRUIT – On Friday the suicide of a well-known pastor sent shock waves through the community.
An investigation into the alleged financial mismanagement and nepotism within the Communio Church and the consequent resentment of churchgoers apparently became too much for Past André Myburgh (58).
However, on the day of his death, the head office of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) of South Africa sent an official letter in which it had stated that he had done nothing wrong. He would never see this letter.
Myburgh hanged himself in a bathroom in the church’s offices sometime between 10:00 and 11:00. His daughter, Past Leanie Erasmus, chatted with him just an hour before and tried to encourage him as he had obviously been down. “He was in this dark hole. There was just too much for him to handle and his strength had run out,” she told Lowvelder.
The investigation into alleged wrongdoings
The drama which would ultimately claim Myburgh’s life, started at the end of last year. Leanie’s husband, Mr Ian Erasmus, who also works at the church, explained that its musical leader had then resigned. “He merely said that God told him that his season had ended. When he handed in his resignation letter, however, it was filled with allegations and the tone was very attacking.”
This former employee then sent a letter to the entire congregation at the beginning of this year in which he repeated the claims. “Nepotism was the main allegation and he also alleged that the church’s finances had been mismanaged,” Erasmus added.
“That hurt the congregation tremendously. We didn’t think churchgoers would believe these claims, but they started staying away from sermons.” Another three emails to congregation members followed, including one from a former youth pastor.
“My father-in-law deteriorated tremendously. He noted: ‘I cannot believe people are crucifying me without knowing the truth’,” Erasmus said. He added that, when the ordeal started, Myburgh weighed 95 kilograms. “When we carried his body out of here on Friday, he weighed only 75.”
AFM’s head office becomes involved
Myburgh requested the head office himself to investigate the allegations. According to Dr Isak Burger, president of AFM, he appointed two “experienced investigators” to lead the process. Erasmus said things deteriorated even more within the church. “Finances took a dip of 45 per cent and not everyone could be paid a salary. My father-in-law, although he was innocent, felt that it was responsibility to take care of everyone.”
Burger confirmed this. “The damage to the church was huge.” The letter in which Myburgh was acquitted, read as follows: “We investigated all allegations against Past Myburgh and found that he didn’t commit any offence or violate the Constitution of the AFM of SA’s code of conduct of pastors in any way.
“The AFM of SA has clear processes according to which grievances should be handled and we resent the way in which these personal feelings were placed in the public domain. The investigating team wishes to express its gratitude for the cooperation it received from all parties involved. A complete report containing all allegations, findings and recommendations, will be discussed with the church’s board in detail.”
The letter was sent to the church’s bookkeeper, Mr Dirk Matthee, on Friday. The pastor died before Matthee could show it to him.
A community leader buckles under the pressure
Leanie said her father was very proud of his integrity. “However, all of our integrity was being questioned and he wanted to protect us.” Burger said they would have met with Myburgh on Saturday to discuss the outcome of the investigation. Leanie added that the AFM of SA’s head office did communicate with her father in the time leading up to Friday, indicating that “things were looking in his favour.”
However, it was clear that Myburgh’s spirit had been broken. “I told him on Friday morning: ‘Dad, we need you. You have another grandchild on the way and there are still a lot of churchgoers who love Jesus with whom we can walk a path.’ I told him he was more important than anything else and that we could always do something different than preach if need be,” Leanie said. “He said he was tired.”
Myburgh had had to convince friends and churchgoers who had wanted to take their own lives, not to do it and Leanie added that he had developed a lot of empathy for people battling with depression during these past couple of months.
“You give your whole life to preaching. Every churchgoer comes to you with their problems. He could never just ‘be’ between other people, except with my mother,” Leanie explained.
His wife of the past 36 years, Sarie, was at home preparing lunch and became worried when he wasn’t there by 12:00. “He always waited for her at home. She phoned his cellphone, but there was no answer. She phoned the church office and was told that, although his vehicle was still on the premises, he wasn’t in his office. She asked colleagues to go look for him,” Erasmus said.
Two women working in the church office, came across his body in the bathroom. Matthee notified Erasmus. Paramedics of Hi-Tech Medical Services rushed to the scene, but had to declare Myburgh dead on the scene.
News of his death spread fast and shocked churchgoers arrived at the church. Sarie also arrived. She cried outside that it was her fault while being comforted by bystanders. “She felt she shouldn’t have left him alone,” Erasmus explained.
A congregation in mourning
A so-called quiet service was held in memory of the pastor on Sunday morning. The church was dark, except for a few lit candles in the front. People arrived at the church from 08:30 and sat in silence. Many of them cried and comforted one another. Matthee later stood up and said, “There will be no sermon. We know there are a lot of questions and we will do our best to keep you informed. Don’t lend out your ears. Stand together in Jesus and unite as congregation.”
The church was open until 12:00 and churchgoers laid down flowers and wrote tributes on a canvas in the foyer. Myburgh’s funeral will take place at Communio Church tomorrow at 11:00. Burger will lead the service, as well as the one on Sunday.
