Francois Nitunga, ECLEA-Burundi-Teacher
REPORT OF THE CHURCH LEADERS TRAINING ACTIVITY HELD RESPECTIVELY IN MISHIHA AND CANKUZO FROM 5TH T0 9TH AUGUST 2024
1. Introduction
A church leaders’ training took place correspondingly in Mishiha and Cankuzo from 5 to 9 August / 2024. We are much grateful to the Lord who helped us to be able to start a second promotion of 37 trainees from different church denominations in Mishiha center , and 20 candidate in CAMKUZO center, mainly from the United Methodist Church. NITUNGA Francois led the training in Mishiha and NDUWIMANA Patrice conducted the training at CANKUZO center. We praise God for the successful activities we had. We also thank Him for his protection over our lives.
The training
In both centers, we started the activities of training, asking students to form their governing committee which consists of: school delegate and his assistant, secretary, treasurer and advisor. Then, they proceeded to formulate the regulations which will govern them during their training period.
The training came as a response to a request made by pastors in the region, asking Rema to help them by giving the basic requirements and duties they must take to fulfil their mission of preaching, teaching and evangelization. They are totally aware of their limitations in terms of academic and theological training, Bible reading and Leadership in their areas of influence.
Biblical Stewardship course
We started with this course because Biblical Stewardship topic is very important for church leaders, it is having a strong basis on leadership and discipleship, which our pastors need in their daily activities and lives as leaders.
Discussion groups
In order to enrich the understanding of this subject, we had group discussion sessions whereby participants were able to share deeply and learn more from one another. Be the trainees and facilitators, we found that this was very important as this is an adult learning.
One of the leader representing the Union of Christian Churches in Mishiha, says:
“We praise the Lord because this important day whereby 37 students from 9 different church denominations have come to follow the teachings. We are waiting more to join the course. We praise our Lord because we have invited you to train us again our leaders, and you have responded positively to our request. God bless you Rema Burundi!"
Commitment of trainees
It was very encouraging for us to hear what the trainees who were present, unanimously testified: “We are committed to the training, we want to acquire knowledge, we do not want to remain the same, we want to be transformed in order for us to be able to transform others in our local villages. From our homes, our community and then our churches who have sent us here to do the training. Keep in your mind who we are. We are not university students; we are leaders who want to learn many things, we have set aside this time for this course. Please, take us slowly. We ask you humbly not to rush us because many of us are not highly educated. We have come as we are because we want to be taught. We have come as blind people so that our eyes may be reopened” Testimonies from the trainees
“I feel so much uplifted. This training is a fulfilment of my dreams as leader of the church in this area.
My heart is appeased. I am very delighted to see this beginning.
This is a pastor who represented the other trainees. “We thank the Lord for this training. Thank you brethren from Rema for accepting to come to train us! After the few things we have learned during this week, we have become conscious that we have been preaching and trying to teach only mistake due to our ignorance. But as from now, we want to be well equipped. We are all the stewards."
Our comments
We can say that this was a very good start. The training came as a response to a request made by the leaders of “Union of Christian Churches in Mishiha”, and by the Superintendent of Cankuzo District in the United Methodist Church, asking Rema to continue to help them to train new pastors and other people who have different responsibilities in church leadership, by giving the basic requirements and duties they must take in fulfilling their mission of preaching, teaching and evangelization. We were so much encouraged to see how serious they were, especially the respect of the timing. They sincerely took the training as theirs which really motivated us to move on with the training.
Challenges
This is a new intake they are not yet familiarize with the materials; we are in the beginning. We have started to climb a mountain. Some are still timid to express themselves and asking questions.
Transport is still a nightmare. It is a big challenge. Because fuel is hard to get in the petrol stations we get it in the black market which become very expensive. Everything in the market is expensive
Motivation
Though there were those challenges, we were so much encouraged by seeing many of the former students passing by to encourage the new trainees to keep going and not to give up. To persevere the hardship, they will come across during the training exercises, until they finish the course in 3 and half years. They said that they will be coming to see how they moving and faring on, and that they will continue to be close to them to motivating and to encourage them so that they can move forward. They said: “They are our little brothers, and we are their elders. So on this we are going to play our role, that of the elders.”
Plan for the future
As we continue the training in all our training centers, we are planning to emphasizing in and on the practical side in order. to encourage our trainees to be more practical so that they can impact their local communities. We wish to see changes in their homes, villages and churches as transformation is concerned
During the training, we used a participatory method as this is an adult learning. We gave them text/ manual books, and home works were given to them on a daily basis. A written test/exam was given to them on the last day, and went home with their results.
In all we can confidently to say that God is good all the time and all the time God is good! We are expecting more students to join the training.
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Report of activities carried out in these two previous months: June and July 2024
This report on activities over the two months, June and July 2024, begins with the graduation
of 158 students who have just completed three and a half years of theology studies.
Graduation at Rema theological institute. From the 21st to the 31st of June, Rema BURURNDI held graduation ceremonies for 158 different leaders who had undergone theological training over a period of three and a half years. Rema
Bururndi offered this training in four centers, including Rutana and Muzye in Rutana province, and Cankuzo and Mishiha in Cankuzo province.
During the ceremonies, Jonathan Menn, the author of the materials used in the training, honored the
students with his presence and shared with them a message of encouragement and congratulations
for having completed the three and a half years of this important theological training. At Rutana
Center before graduation, Jonathan Meen took time to teach the students one the books they have
missed. He taught The Church: Its Nature, Mission, and Purpose. He taught also the book of Jonah at Mishiha center and Cankuzo center. The participants were particularly impressed at the depth of the book of Jonah and how it deals with some of the most fundamental issues of life, including: the nature and character of God; our relationship with the world and things; our relationship with people who are different from us; and our relationship with God.
The government of Burundi now requires that anyone who wants to preach or be a pastor has to
have evidence of a theological education. I am happy to say that our ECLEA courses meet the
government's requirements. The 31 graduates in Rutana, 42 in Muzye, 38 in Mishiha, and 47 in
Cankuzo received diplomas after having studied 15 ECLEA books over a period of three and half
years. Many were accompanied by their spouses when they came up to receive their diplomas. In
fact, the President of the Senate of Bururndi attended and spoke at the graduation ceremony in
Cankuzo. So, what we are doing is important and will make a difference that will last.
Referring to the Bible verse found in 2 Timothy 2 :2, he reminded the graduates that God has
entrusted them with the things of the Bible, so they need to give them to entrusted people instead of
keeping them. God has chosen hem to be the changer agents, so they need to go out to spread the
gospel everywhere. He promised that he will be with them in all circumstances.
At Cankuzo, the graduation ceremonies were honored by Dr Emmanuel SINZOHZGERA, the speaker
of the Senate of Burundi and his wife, who is also the legal representatives of the United Methodist
Church of Burundi. In his speech, he thanked the Rema Burundi organization for its efforts and support, both financial and material, which it had offered to the pastors of the church he represented. He encouraged them by saying that they should seriously review the courses they had seen, with a view to applying them in their own lives and in the lives of others. He also promised that he would go out into the field to see for himself the achievements of the courses they had learned, and to make his own contribution to those who could have applied what they had learned. He also added that at the time of ordination two criteria will be considered:
1. To have a diploma or certificate proving that you have undergone theological training,
2. Good behavior in the community.
Now that you've fulfilled the first condition he said, it remains to be seen whether what you've
learned conforms to what you do in the community, and « I'm hopeful that you'll represent us as
good shepherds in your local churches and in the community ». he added.
Testimonies:
At each of the graduation ceremonies, a number of the graduates gave testimonies of the impact of
the ECLEA courses. One graduate said that she had always been afraid to speak to Muslims;
however, as a result of what she learned in our Christianity & Islam course, not only does she no
longer feel intimidated, but actually has led one Muslim to Christ! Another said that, as a result of our Biblical Stewardship course, he is now planting various vegetables and is supplementing his income from sales of the produce. Another graduate said she used the techniques outlined in our book on Forgiveness & Reconciliation to reconcile two people who had hated each other for six years; they are now "like sisters."
Another said that, until he took our Biblical Theology course, he had never seen how Christ is present
in typological form throughout the Old Testament. Several of the graduates testified how Rosemary
Nelsen's Biblical Literacy course has made a big difference in their understanding of the Bible, and
they recited the different biblical books in their proper categories (e.g., historical books, books of
poetry, major prophets, minor prophets, etc.)
Conclusion
The people we have trained are key people because they are leaders of churches, and the church
can be the instrument for transformation of our nation.
Report of activities carried out from 6th to 10th of May 2024
INTRODUCTION
From 06 to 10 we went to the province of Karusi, in the commune of Buhiga, to train Church leaders
on Paul's first epistle to Timothy. 7 different churches have participated in the training.
ACTIVITY SEQUENCE
Before starting ,as it is usual in our program, trainees have to share what they have practice in the
last two months in the book of Biblical stewardship. Three different people among many others have
shared their experiences:
1. NDUWIMANA Belie from AMEC Church: the book on Biblical stewardship touched my spirit so
much.it reflects both physical and spiritual life.it talks about stewardship of time, money, body,
environment, different ideologies, in general it teaches all about holistic life. In a period of only two
months, I find that I have changed my way of thinking and this has had a direct impact on the fact
that I have saved more than 200,000 Burundi francs in two months. He also added that the Rema
Burundi association was making an effective contribution to the development of our churches in
particular, and our province in general. My sincere thanks to the people in charge of Rema Burundi
and to the initiators of this program.
2. NIBARUTA Emmanueline from Anglican Church: As for her, the book of biblical stewardship has
marked my life.it was my first time to receive such an important training that no one can ignore in his
life. Before this training, I was a person who does not know how to plan daily activities. I could spend
the whole day without even carrying out any activity.my time was wasted by anything.
3.TURIHOKUBWAYO Alfred from New Life Church: I'm really very interested in this course, which has
totally changed my life. Before coming to this course, I knew nothing about how to give offerings and
tithes in a dignified way, as recommended by the Holy Scriptures. At first, I gave away almost all my
money, thinking that I was serving God and contributing effectively to my church. I didn't even think
about my home. But after learning what stewardship of money is, I asked God and my family for
forgiveness, promising to change my way of thinking and acting according to what the manual says.
After hearing what the learners had been able to apply and share testimonies, we had a good
opportunity to add on those they had shared but also to begin Paul's first epistle to Timothy.
Rev Francois one of the facilitators, as for him, he gives the overall picture of this book while
explaining in summary what this book says, its content and the different chapters that make up this
book:
First Timothy is one of the most important books in the New Testament, both doctrinally and
practically. It deals with the most important aspects of our faith: salvation by grace through faith in
Jesus Christ; the importance of prayer; the qualifications to be a leader in the church; and the
centrality of Jesus. The book also deals with important practical issues: true versus false teaching;
spiritually disciplining one’s life; rebuking and counseling people; the church’s responsibility to the
poor and needy; issues involving church elders; and the gospel and money. This volume contains a
detailed outline of, and commentary on, the book of 1 Timothy. The “Inductive Training Manual” is a
series of questions on each section of 1 Timothy, designed for small group discussion, to help
Christians in general and church leaders in particular evaluate their own spiritual lives and the
condition of their church.
Rev Patrice, As for him, he explained in detail each chapter that makes up this book while insisting on
the following points: False doctrine and Gospel faithfulness, Epistolary Prescript, false and true
instruction, false teachings in the church, the goal of true instruction in Love, Paul and the Gospel,
command to remain faithfulness, the qualifications to be a leader in a church,
Some of our trainees have missed some hours because they work in the government. Here
they have come for catch up hours.
Some of our trainees have missed some hours because they work in the government. Here
they have come for catch up hours.
Conclusion
We really thank God who enables us to offer this special training to God’s servants. We pray
that God will use our donors to support this important work for future plans. Amen
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