Key points:
- Bishop Antoine Kalema Tambwe ordained 33 new pastors last year, bringing the total number of United Methodist ministers in the country to 35.
- The ordinations ended years of constraints related to the lack of clergy, now allowing for the regular administration of the sacraments.
- Beyond the ceremony, the bishop emphasized the discipline and mission that await the new ministers.
When Bishop Antoine Kalema Tambwe’s hands rested on the head of the Rev. Christ Noël Yakizi, tears began to flow. For this pastor who serves in Cantonnier, an isolated village 400 miles from Bangui on the Cameroonian border, the moment was a response to years of contempt and loneliness.
“I served the Lord in ignorance and in difficult times,” Yakizi confided, his voice filled with emotion. “In our villages, we were despised because the Methodist Church was unknown. Today, by his grace, God has chosen me to serve him full time. My joy is immense.”
Yakizi is one of 33 new pastors ordained by The United Methodist Church in December in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic. This brings the number of ordained pastors in the country to 35. Previously, the mission initiative in the country had only two pastors. The Rev. Aquilas Soronaka and the Rev. Cynthia Priscillia Soronaka were ordained in 2023 by retired Bishop Gabriel Yemba Unda.
The ordination service at Bethel Cascade United Methodist Church in Bangui was led by Kalema of the East Congo Episcopal Area. He oversees the mission initiative in the Central African Republic. Political and administrative authorities from Bangui, other local dignitaries and representatives of the Alliance of Evangelicals in CAR attended. The alliance is the primary platform uniting some 50 evangelical denominations in the Central African Republic.
Funding from the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries enabled a delegation of 11 clergy and laity from the East Congo Episcopal Area to travel from the city of Kindu in Congo to Bangui.
For 12 days, the delegation — pastors and members of Youth for Christ, United Methodist Women and United Methodist Men — trained United Methodists in the country.
For years, the expansion of the Central Africa Republic church was hampered by structural constraints. Without enough ordained pastors, the administration of the sacraments remained an exception subject to written authorization.
Beyond the ordained ministry, the church’s vitality was demonstrated by the participation of numerous members of lay agencies, who undertook five days of intensive training coordinated by Hervé Tshoso, general coordinator of Youth for Christ. The group reached a milestone with the recognition of 19 young leaders at Bethel Cascade United Methodist Church. At the same time, United Methodist Men, under the leadership of Jean Mwinyi Taluhumbu of Eastern Congo, saw 17 of its members receive awards. These men were trained in “spiritual, social and family responsibilities.”
During the ordination service, the bishop emphasized the mission and immense work that awaited the new pastors.
“The work ahead of you is vast,” he cautioned. “You must have catechumens in your parishes. You must baptize children (and) adults. You must preach, visit people without distinction, love everyone. You remain pastors of The United Methodist Church. You will receive many visitors, so remain committed to discipline and the Bible.”
For bishop’s representative Rev. Aquilas Soronaka, this increase in clergy is much more than a statistic. It is institutional liberation.
“The church in the Central African Republic has suffered greatly from a lack of clergy due to the restrictions imposed by our Book of Discipline on the administration of pastoral acts,” Soronaka said. “Many people left the church, and communities collapsed because we could not provide full pastoral care. This ordination is a source of national pride.”
With 36 churches spread across several prefectures in the country, the ambition is now to expand this network by the end of the year. “The disregard we suffered before has dissipated,” he said. He proudly noted the addition of six women to the ordained ministry.
While celebrating this growth, Kalema reiterated his view that the United Methodist Book of Discipline is a necessary bulwark against the internal divisions seen in some localities such as Kaga-Bandoro.
“The Discipline of The United Methodist Church emphasizes obedience,” he said. “You must obey ecclesiastical authority. We, your elders, will not stop mentoring you ... until you achieve autonomy; that is, until you are able to lead yourselves.”
Romaric Ulrich, Youth for Christ president in the Central African Republic, sees the recent training of 19 young leaders as a “new life” for the organization.
“The goal … is not to remain confined to the capital,” he noted. “Our plan for 2026 is to establish our agencies throughout the hinterland to transform Methodist families through evangelism and mobilization.”
The United Methodist Church’s spiritual rebirth is occurring in a national context marked by decades of instability and armed conflict that profoundly eroded trust in institutions, including religious ones. The Central African Republic experienced turmoil where daily survival took precedence over church organization.
This is a great challenge, Soronaka admitted.
“With the war and everything we have been through,” he said, “many no longer trust the church.” However, he views United Methodism as a path to reconstruction.
“I have always seen the Methodist Church as a solution, an opportunity to develop the ministry of the Gospel in the country,” he said.
The bishop praised the resilience of the faithful in a difficult climate. He reminded the new pastors that their mission does not depend on their strength alone.
“It is the Lord who has called you,” he said. “The Lord himself will complete what you are not able to do.”
Kalema called for commitment and perseverance in prayer, an essential condition for the growth of the church.
“The (United) Methodist Church in the Central African Republic must grow,” he said. “In order to grow, people must be committed … to prayer.”
Londe is a UM News correspondent in Congo.
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