CBM Africa: Partnership

P A R T N E R S H I P

Serving in partnership is a powerful way of enabling the Church in its many manifestations to pursue a common vision. Certainly working together allows us as Canadian Baptists to achieve more than we could on our own. But the real bedrock of partnership is the fact that it brings us into deeper fellowship with other members of the family of God. 

As Canadian Baptists, we have called this experience global discipleship. It is the mutual learning, encouragement and edification that is born out of walking side by side, shoulder to shoulder, with our international partner churches. Learning with and from one another, everyone is made stronger in our pursuit of deepening our Christian faith and witness.

This past week, Erica and I had the joy of meeting with four of the African denominational leaders who are an integral part of the ministry of Canadian Baptists in Africa.

Meeting at Heart Lodge, Nairobi

Canadian Baptist Ministries is currently working with partner churches in the areas of capacity building, cross-cultural ministry, evangelism, theological education, literacy and education, HIV and AIDS, food security, relief and community development.

During our meetings, we discussed opportunities for multilateral collaboration as partner churches come along side each other. Eight key areas of priority were identified, namely: Human Resource Management; Theological Education; Peace and Reconciliation; Children’s Ministry; Inter-Religious Dialogue; Gender and Women’s Ministry; Marriage and Family Ministries; and Financial Management.

Please join us in praying for our partner churches.

Archbishop Timothy Ndambuki

Africa Brotherhood Church (ABC)

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo

“In the past, women within our church had been trained as “sisters”. They could become secretaries, teachers and even preachers. But now in the past three-years, we have ordained 300 women pastors. Of our total 648 pastors, now nearly half are women. There are now two women canons of the church and in these last three-years women are now on the governing council. Of the 45 members, 15 are women. These are important changes in our church.”

Please pray for the ABC as the church seeks to strengthen its congregations and communities through the empowerment of women. In the words of Charles Malik, “The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world.”

Executive Minister Rev. Dr. Kakule Molo

Community of Baptists of Central Africa (CBCA)

Democratic Republic of Congo

“We are thankful to God. Our country has gone through reoccurring wars, but one year ago one of the most difficult rebel movements, M23, was defeated... Recently we had a conference for 700 of our pastors. Trauma healing is a major need in our church. There are so many victims of rape. In my home church alone we are helping 3200 women and children born of rape. Most of our congregation has been traumatized. Even our pastor was recently kidnapped by bandits, but he escaped.”

Please pray for the CBCA as its churches provide medical and emotional healing through their 155 medical facilities, as well as their education programs and churches.

Moderator Rt. Rev. Joseph Maina

African Christian Church and Schools

Kenya

“Planting new non-Kikuyu churches is a major initiative of the ACC&S. Our goal is to establish ten new churches in the next three years. Already in 2014 we have had success. There are four new churches already planted this year and we have two new start ups that are not fully established yet... God is building the church so quickly that now we see the need for more trained pastors!"

Please pray for the work of church planting and pastoral training for the ACC&S. Theological education and cross-cultural ministry are two important growing edges for the church.

Legal Representative Rev. Gato Munyamasoko

Association of Rwandan Baptist Churches (AEBR)

Rwanda

“One of the new initiatives in the AEBR is cell group ministries. A cell group is usually twenty people at the household level. In Kinyarwanda we say “The House Where People Share”. It is a movement that brings people together for praying, sharing, and learning. Church members organize their groups in the community and invite their neighbours. In Rwanda the groups also save money together and make sure that everyone is able to be apart of the national health insurance program.”

Please pray for the outreach ministries of the AEBR as they train leaders and group facilitators in their new cell group ministries throughout the country.