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Congo Conference Held in Mwene Ditu

The headline of this story probably looks somewhat out of place on the front page of ONWARD.  Where in the world is Mwene Ditu, and what does a Congo Conference have to do with Moravian mission?

From the 19^th to the 23^rd of October, 2005, about 42 pastors, evangelists and leaders of the Congolese Moravian Church (Eglise Morave Au Congo) gathered in the provincial offices in Mwene Ditu, Democratic Republic of Congo, for an International Partner’s Conference.  Two staff members from the North American Moravian Board of World Mission (Rev. Will Sibert and Rev. Sam Gray), one representative from the Danish Moravian Mission Board (Rev. Jorgen Boytler) and one fraternal delegate from the Southern Province (Brother Al Gambill) attended the conference.

After a period of welcome and reception (including a parade through the city of 200,000 people, with official welcoming statements from the Mayor and the Chief of Security) and reports from the Chair of the Province, Rev. Constantine Moise Tshimanga, the delegates took part in classes and discussions presented by the BWM.  They looked at Biblical principles of Unity (centered in the cross of Christ), Moravian history, the marks of a living church, Biblical models for mission, and the logistics of being involved in God’s mission in the context of the Congo.

There was time for prayer, reflection and worship together, followed by periods of frank and open discussion around the meaning of partnership.  The visiting partners were taken to surrounding villages to witness first-hand the work that God is doing in and through our Congolese brothers and sisters.

The Moravian Church in the Congo consists of 52 congregations in 14 parishes.  There are 11 pastors, 12 parish evangelists and 52 congregational evangelists or lay pastors.  The Church Center in Mwene Ditu houses the office of the Chair and Vice-Chair, as well as the Directors of Christian Education,

Youth Ministries, Women’s Ministries, Development and Finance.  The Internet Café is also located in the Church Center.  It provides a source of income for the work of the church

– it is the only public Internet access facility in a city of 200,000 people.

So, how did all of this come about?  More than twenty years ago, Brother Constantine Tshimanga, a Congolese Catholic by upbringing, met some Moravians near the Tanzanian border.  He eventually became a Moravian, was ordained, and began planting churches throughout several districts of his homeland.  In 1993, the Congolese government issued a permit for the work in the Congo (the Church has enjoyed a favorable relationship with the government ever since), and  in 1995 the Unity Synod designated it as a “Mission Area” under the supervision of the Moravian Church in Western Tanzania.  The Danish Mission Board has also played a key role in the development of the work.

Those are the facts and statistics, but let me ask (and answer) the question again, in another way. Question: How did all of this come about?

Answer: Vision! And a passion to win souls for the Lamb!

When the BWM delegation saw the amazing growth of the church (12,000 to 15,000 members at present!) they asked Brother Tshimanga, “how did all of these people hear about Jesus?” His simple answer: “I told them, and then they told the others.”

He also shared his 5 principles of evangelism:

1.      Pray at the beginning of each day for guidance.

2.      Study the Word for direction.

3.      Go out to the people.

4.      Be humble.

5.      Pray at the end of each day for the people with whom God has allowed you to come in contact. 

Simple… and effective.  Praise God for the work that is already taking place and ask God to guide the Church as it seeks to bring these Congolese Moravian brothers and sisters into the Worldwide Unity!