With the Anglican Church of Rwanda making ready for a brand new chapter below Archbishop-elect Manasseh Gahima, outgoing Archbishop Laurent Mbanda has mirrored on the eight years he spent main the church, the challenges, and the expansion recorded throughout his tenure.
Mbanda, who took workplace in 2018, will retire on October 25, handing over to Gahima, who was elected on September 11.
In an unique interview with The New Instances, Mbanda spoke about rebuilding the church, efforts to make it financially self-reliant, the growth of its establishments and worldwide affect, his place on main points throughout the Anglican Communion, his plans after retirement, and his message to his successor and younger individuals.
Excerpts;
How did the election of the brand new archbishop unfold, and what made Bishop Gahima the selection of the bishops?
The election went effectively. There was an nameless vote, and this confirmed our unity. We thank God. The 13 bishops voted, we requested God, and He gave him to us. There have been a number of standards the candidates needed to meet. They needed to be between 55 and 60 years previous, have served as diocesan bishops for no less than 5 years, have the required instructional {qualifications}, and show self-discipline and good conduct. Bishop Gahima is a humble one who is aware of learn how to relate with individuals. He has expertise within the Church and in faculties, and he’s somebody who can resolve points and work by way of challenges.
What would you wish to see the incoming Archbishop deal with as he begins his tenure?
I pray that he finds his priorities, builds on the muse that has already been laid and continues the journey. He’s a godly man and a visionary, and I’d extremely advocate that he offers consideration to conserving pastors, specializing in kids and youth, and staying near the individuals within the Church and the communities they serve.
However let him come together with his personal cost. When an Archbishop comes, he comes with a imaginative and prescient that the Lord could have given him for the establishment he’s inheriting. My prayer is that he’ll unite the Church and minister to the hearts of the individuals. You inherit joys, however you additionally inherit burdens. You inherit individuals with joys, but additionally individuals carrying heavy hundreds and tough points. I do know that God will use him for His glory. If I had been to advocate something, I’d say to him: “My brother, hold the Bible on the centre. Preserve Christ on the centre. Stroll humbly with the Lord, and the Lord will bless your stroll.”
Take us again to the start of your time period in 2018. What did you discover while you took workplace?
I began in June 2018, understanding that I had just one 12 months and 4 months earlier than reaching the retirement age of 65. On the time, we had been additionally making ready for The International Anglican Future Convention (GAFCON) 2018, which was held in Jerusalem. Considered one of my rapid duties was to guide a workforce of bishops there. I needed to elevate the cash, pay for the tickets and ensure everybody might journey and spend time collectively in Jerusalem. Fortunately, God supplied the sources we would have liked. I took the workforce to Jerusalem, and we even had some additional time to sightsee. What initially regarded like a problem was a blessing. By the point we returned, I used to be able to tackle my duties totally.
We had been working from an previous workplace in Remera, which wanted appreciable renovation. The headquarters of the Anglican Church additionally had nearly no finances. Our solely earnings got here from a few of our companions and fluctuated between $3,000 and $5,000 a month. Given the employees and different wants, that was not sufficient. There have been a number of challenges comparable to human capability, monetary sources and the truth that I used to be new within the place. However I’ve by no means been shy of challenges. I welcome them as a result of they supply alternatives and hold me going.
How did you start addressing these challenges?
Inside a short while, the Lord supplied what we would have liked. I need to thank my household. My son had simply taken on a task in a film, and my daughter, along with the remainder of the household, regarded on the workplace and informed me, ‘Dad, you can be depressed when you sit right here, so we have to set you up.’
What you see right here, particularly on the right-hand facet, is a present from my son for my workplace. They remodelled the entire workplace, put tiles all through the constructing and put in new curtains. My spouse additionally helped make the workplace really feel extra like residence and created an surroundings conducive to the brand new problem I used to be taking over. That was a blessing for my household first.
How did you go about remodeling the church headquarters?
I reached out to my community, together with previous companions and mates I had developed relationships with over time. By totally different avenues, we had been capable of renovate the previous constructing and finally assemble a brand new one, which we now name Anglican Home in Remera.
We additionally eliminated among the previous constructions that had been not serving a lot objective. As we speak, it’s a utterly totally different place. I began from Remera, close to the stadium, the place there was a small clinic and a police station close by.
What had been the principle priorities you set for the Church while you took workplace?
I got here with 5 pillars, or what I known as strategic instructions. They weren’t a strategic plan, however strategic instructions. The primary was equipping leaders and constructing capability. The second was evangelism and discipleship. Many individuals requested me why I didn’t start with evangelism and discipleship. My reply was that evangelism and discipleship additionally require geared up individuals to hold them out. I wished to start out by equipping leaders, whereas additionally specializing in evangelism and discipleship. The third pillar was early childhood improvement. I had spent a few years working with kids, and I wished to ascertain one thing that particularly targeted on early childhood.
The fourth pillar was monetary accountability and administration. We wished to make sure that we had been accountable, clear and accountable in the best way we managed sources. Having travelled to many locations, I had seen that church buildings and church establishments typically face challenges in monetary administration and accountability. I’m not judging anybody, however I had seen the identical challenges repeatedly. Typically church properties are handled as private properties, and there may be not all the time a transparent distinction between what belongs to whom or the place. Monetary administration can be a problem.
I wished to carry a few of my experience, expertise and classes from different locations into my duties right here. That’s the reason monetary accountability was one of many strategic instructions. The fifth and last pillar was sustainability. We would have liked self-reliance. I believe we had change into too comfy extending our arms to others, seeking to America, the UK and different locations for assist. We’d polish our sneakers, take our briefcases and go fundraising, and typically return with out something. I had skilled that myself. The primary time I went to Germany as a bishop to boost cash, I used to be turned away. That have made me suppose in another way. I requested myself, why begin one thing that you just can not maintain? That’s the reason I typically inform individuals, when you can not maintain it, don’t even begin it.
Trying again, what progress did you make on these priorities, notably in making the Church extra financially sustainable?
While you take a look at the 5 pillars, I can say that we have now seen progress in every of them, each throughout the Diocese of Gasabo, at East African Christian Faculty and throughout the Anglican Church, primarily on the headquarters. One of many achievements I thank God for is the Anglican Home in Remera. Now we have additionally developed different properties for the college as a part of our efforts to change into extra self-reliant and generate earnings to assist its work.
I additionally depend Trinity Plaza among the many achievements. The constructing generates earnings for the Church headquarters. In contrast with the $3,000 to $5,000 we had been receiving every month after I began, we at the moment are in a way more comfy place. Now we have additionally developed properties that generate earnings for the college and the Diocese of Gasabo. These embody Trinity Nook and The Fork, which homes a restaurant. Now we have additionally remodeled the cathedral. These are among the infrastructure achievements below the sustainability pillar.
As you put together to go away workplace, how would you describe the state of the Church?
In the case of sustainability, I believe you’ll be able to see for your self the place the Anglican Church was after I began and the place it’s immediately. Loads has been achieved within the final eight years, greater than was achieved within the greater than 20 years since this workplace was established in 1992. I consider I’m leaving a wholesome workplace. Challenges exist as a result of we’re human and have a sinful nature. We wrestle, and over the previous eight years, we have now had our ups and downs and confronted totally different challenges. However by way of all of it, we have now had a tremendous journey with the Lord, working collectively as a workforce. These challenges have additionally helped us to develop. I thank God for the place we’re immediately. The Anglican Church of Rwanda is now able to maintain itself.
Eight years later, what has been the most important change within the Diocese of Gasabo?
Once I took over, there weren’t many church buildings within the diocese. I thank God that we have now since constructed 14 new church buildings in Gasabo, and every of them has an early childhood centre connected to it. When the diocese was handed over to me, we had 2,903 members. As we speak, we have now nearly 10,000. This diocese has greater than tripled in dimension. Now we have additionally reached a degree the place the diocese can meet its wants with out having to go outdoors to boost cash to assist its work. That’s one other achievement.
What has contributed to the expansion of evangelism and discipleship?
When it comes to evangelism, we have now grown by way of initiatives comparable to group Bible examine. Throughout the Anglican Church, about 200,000 individuals now meet each week for Bible examine of their communities.
These teams additionally contain financial savings and different actions aimed toward bettering the lives of church members. Now we have a partnership with HOPE Worldwide, by way of which we assist the financial savings element. On the identical time, the teams present a chance for individuals to review the Phrase of God. Now we have began extra church buildings, however the progress has additionally included the institution of latest dioceses. Karongi was began as a missionary diocese, whereas Nyaruguru grew to become a diocese throughout my management.
Aside from what you’ve got achieved within the diocese, what different triumphs are you happy with?
We began East African Christian Faculty in March 2021. As we speak, the college has greater than 6,000 college students. Considered one of our priorities has been assembly the wants of the Church by coaching pastors. Now we have skilled greater than 2,000 pastors by way of diploma and bachelor’s diploma programmes. Lately, about 700 college students graduated from the faculty, which exhibits the growth we’re seeing.
Now we have additionally expanded past theology. We now provide nursing programmes, together with coaching for midwives and basic nurses, in addition to diploma programmes in these areas. We provide programmes in enterprise administration, monitoring and analysis, finance, training and theology. The varsity has 5 departments and continues to develop. Its infrastructure has additionally developed considerably since we began in 2021. We now have a sports activities centre with an indoor basketball court docket, two tennis courts and a soccer area. The soccer area will not be but the place we wish it to be, however we have now made important progress.
Now we have additionally invested within the surroundings by planting bushes and bettering the landscaping across the campus. Landscaping is definitely certainly one of my hobbies, so it’s one thing I get pleasure from doing each time I can, each for myself and for mates.
You may have positioned a powerful deal with early childhood improvement. What progress has been made in that space?
Earlier than I got here right here, I had already helped begin about 197 early childhood centres within the north, and they’re nonetheless working. Once I got here to Gasabo, we began 22 extra early childhood centres. They’re energetic, and the youngsters obtain three eggs every week and fortified porridge twice every week. Their mother and father are additionally concerned in small teams targeted on financial savings and bettering their livelihoods.
We had been capable of prolong the identical method to different dioceses, together with Kibungo, Gahini, Butare and Kigeme. Among the centres we helped set up inspired others to start out extra, and that’s how the quantity has grown. The final time I counted, we had 640 early childhood centres throughout the Anglican Church of Rwanda.
What steps did you are taking to enhance monetary administration and accountability throughout the Church?
Once I grew to become archbishop, one of many first issues I did was purchase QuickBooks Skilled, software program to assist our dioceses handle their monetary sources. We distributed it to the dioceses and supplied coaching on learn how to use it. I assigned somebody to coach all of the dioceses for a full 12 months, and we have now continued to supply common assist. I can not say how persistently each diocese is utilizing the system, however Gasabo is utilizing it, and the opposite dioceses are additionally utilizing it.
This was a part of our effort to enhance monetary administration, accountability and coaching throughout the Church. I consider the Anglican Church has made progress in how we handle our funds. Are we good? No. No person is ideal, and we nonetheless have room to develop. We additionally launched each inner and exterior audits, which have been carried out. That’s one other space of enchancment and achievement that we are able to rejoice.
What has the Anglican Church of Rwanda been doing on the worldwide stage in recent times?
Now we have been enjoying a major position on the worldwide scene. The Anglican Church of Rwanda has taken a number one position throughout the International Anglican Communion. We hosted the International Anglican Future Convention in 2023, when nearly 2,000 individuals from totally different provinces all over the world got here to Kigali. I used to be additionally chosen to function chairman of GAFCON, and extra lately, I used to be elected chairman of the International Anglican Communion in Abuja.
I’ll proceed serving in that position till 2028. Though I’m retiring right here, I’ll proceed in that worldwide duty for the subsequent two years.
What’s the Church’s place on homosexuality and ladies turning into bishops?
Now we have sought to carry the Bible again to the centre of church life and to uphold orthodox theology and the authority of Scripture. Our place is that the Phrase of God doesn’t change. Now we have labored with different provinces, together with Uganda, Nigeria, Sydney in Australia and Recife in Brazil, to uphold that place.
That has been certainly one of our achievements, but additionally a problem as a result of it has uncovered us to criticism. Some individuals say we’re in opposition to homosexuals. Removed from it. Allow them to come. Allow them to meet Christ. When it comes to biblical theology, we maintain on to our place on points comparable to human sexuality and church management. Now we have girls pastors, however we shouldn’t have a lady bishop. We won’t permit girls into the episcopacy as a result of we consider that may be in opposition to Scripture.
Why does the Church permit girls to function monks and pastors however not as bishops, and will that change sooner or later?
Worldwide, there are Anglican provinces that settle for girls within the episcopacy and others that don’t. The ordination of ladies as bishops is a comparatively latest improvement. Even within the Church of England and elsewhere, it’s a pretty new phenomenon. In Rwanda, we settle for girls as monks, pastors and archdeacons. The door is open, and the long run is brilliant. Precisely after we could have a lady bishop, I don’t know. However there may be nonetheless a journey to go as a result of some provinces stay conservative on the difficulty, whereas others are already ordaining girls as bishops.
In Rwanda, we settle for girls within the priesthood. Uganda and Kenya additionally settle for girls within the priesthood. Kenya has already had a lady bishop, as have Sudan and South Africa.
As you put together to retire from the Church, what do you see your self doing within the subsequent years?
That is nearly a semi-retirement, not a full retirement, as a result of I’ve two extra years. I’m taking a look at October 25 this 12 months for my retirement, and I need to make investments the subsequent two years within the International Anglican Communion by offering management and serving to the provinces change into extra sustainable. One of many causes we wrestle is that the West tries to purchase and manipulate us with the little sources it supplies. I need to take a look at how we are able to generate our personal sources to assist ministry throughout the International Anglican Communion.
I additionally need to see progress on the bodily headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. Now we have already determined that Abuja would be the location, and certainly one of my hopes is that by the point I go away, we could have constructed the centre. That may require fundraising and mobilising sources. One other precedence is the Bishops Coaching Institute, which is dear in its present kind. We have to take a look at digitising it in order that the coaching could be provided on-line. I’m additionally making ready for GAFCON which is anticipated to carry between 3,000 and 5,000 individuals to Athens, Greece in 2028. I might be liable for organising it, so I’ll spend time mobilising sources, planning and securing the assist wanted for the convention.
Subsequent 12 months, there may be additionally G27, a convention designed for younger individuals, which might be held in Recife, Brazil. There may be nonetheless lots on my agenda. As for my private life, I need to journey, play golf and spend time with my household. I need to cherish my grandchildren.
You may have been a teenager your self. What would you say to younger individuals concerning the selections they make and the long run they need?
I’ve a warning for younger individuals. They’re being taken by the whole lot that comes their method. My message is to come back to the saving data of Jesus Christ, rethink their priorities, maintain on to their tradition and household values, and let the Phrase of God rework their lives.
I additionally problem the Church to come back alongside younger individuals and assist them. I’ve been a youth, so I do know the temptations they face and the way simply we are able to make selections that destroy our lives. Younger individuals, particularly right here in Rwanda, have a chance that nobody ought to miss. Now we have a peaceable nation, many alternatives and assist from the nation’s management and others who’re enthusiastic about the way forward for younger individuals. They need to recognise and respect what’s round them.
Younger individuals have large targets and need to attain the sky, and it’s attainable. However additionally they must take small steps, keep targeted and perceive that issues don’t come in a single day. It’s important to work for them. Construct your lives for the long run, work exhausting and don’t run yourselves into issues that may destroy your lives.
