African leaders evaluated UEM trainings

An evaluation workshop of the UEM leadership trainings was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from August 19^th till 20^th, 2014. This workshop was attended by ten African church leaders from Tanzania, Cameroun, Rwanda, Congo, Namibia and Botswana. There are several inputs and suggestions from the African Bishops and the General Secretary in order to improve the quality of the training. Some important issues being raised were the importance of Leadership Spirituality and Strategic Management; the need of basic and modular trainings; African Cultural Wisdom for Leadership management and Interdimensional Analysis for the need of Leadership. Dr. Fidon Mwombeki, the General Secretary of UEM highlighted clearly in his presentations that the church leaders have found several problems and difficulties with organisation, management and financial issues as they have not been trained in theological seminaries on these particular issues. Leadership Modular Training is needed by the church leaders in Africa, according to Dr. Mwombeki, as the church leaders plays also management roles in their own churches. Bishop Nathan Gasatura, Bishop of the Butare Diocese of the Anglican Church in Rwanda, concretised the significant aspect of the biblical leadership through the spiritual role of Nehemiah. Frauke Bürgers, head of UEM's Centre for Mission and Leadrship Studies, assisted the church leaders through various methods to express their ideas, concerns and critics, so that this evaluation goal could be reached clearly. Dr Faith Lugazia, a Tanzanian woman theologian, who nowadays teaches at the PIASS, Rwanda, was invited as an adviser. At the end of the program, Dr Lugazia emphasized the importance of sharing and change management as key issues in leadership roles. As exposure, the church leaders were accompanied by Rev. Chediel Sendoro, Deputy Executive Secretary of the UEM Africa department, to visit the Lutheran parish Magomeni. Dr Hoyce Mbowe, a former UEM Scholarship holder, leads this congregation. This parish is preceding a mega church building with multi purpose function. The Bishops were spontaneously collecting their own money to support the church building. After then they were visiting the other Lutheran congregation in Msasani, Dar es Salaam. This parish is moving actively on development. The congregation owes even a modern building next to the church, which have been rented by the bank and other business corporations. The Leadership Training is designed to help the church leaders of the UEM Member churches to manage and to organize their churches and Christian institution wisely and effectively.