Equipping Church Leaders

In Mozambique, leaders face extreme challenges. Living in poverty, most leaders in the Brethren in Christ Church (BIC Church) in Mozambique have limited access to education. And their work is formidable: Together, the five BIC bishops lead over 100 congregations spanning five languages. Spread over hundreds of miles of rough terrain, the churches are difficult to reach, and the bishops do not have funding to travel the long distances. The churches and leaders also lack computers, often electricity, and administrative tools and training, making communication complicated. Additionally, bishops receive little money from their churches to cover ministry expenses.

One bishop lamented practical needs surrounding church leadership, “Of the fifty churches I oversee, forty-five are infants, but I have no money to visit them.”

The church is young and struggling to develop in a volatile postwar context. Passionate and willing pastors are available and hungry to be trained; however, many challenges exist in reaching these leaders with theological and ministry training. Without trained leaders, the church is lacking the foundation to grow and thrive.

Join us in providing leadership and theological train ing to the five

bishops leading the church in Mozambique. Your gift will also help provide a small stipend to sustain their ministry until they can establish financial support from among their churches.
Training seminars are held for the bishops four times per year for three days each. During these seminars, bishops learn leadership skills and theology to equip them in facilitating the work of the BIC Church. Equipped by these seminars, bishops can then encourage pastors in sound biblical teaching and missions outreach; the spiritual and leadership growth of the bishops directly impacts the health of the entire church.

Pastors and church members are eager to receive biblical teaching from their bishops, and visits the bishops make to local congregations greatly encourage local believers in their Christian walk. We anticipate the day when bishops will be regularly visiting their churches to encourage spiritual maturity.

Trained and empowered bishops will provide balanced and sustainable leadership to encourage the BIC Church in Mozambique to more fully know and follow Jesus.

By giving to the Equipping Church Leaders project, you help leaders shepherd the developing church in Mozambique.