100 years of evangelism in DR Congo

Posted: August 22, 2024

Communauté des Églises des Frères Mennonites au Congo celebrated the 100th anniversary. Photos: Henk Stenvers

“100 years of evangelism in Congo.” From 4-11 August 2024, Communauté des Églises des Frères Mennonites au Congo celebrated the 100th anniversary of their national church. The celebration in Kikwit – delayed by two years due to the pandemic – included preaching, singing, choir performances, a pastor’s conference and evangelism rally and ecumenical and international guests.

The MWC national member church began in 1922 when American Aaron Janzen started a mission for the Mennonite Brethren in the Kikwit area in 1922. In 2024, the church reports 638 congregations with 98 519 baptized members.

The main languages of church members are French, Kikongo, Lingala and Swahili.

Rev Londa Charly (first ordained woman CEFMC) speaks at the pastors conference.	General secretary and Legal Representative Antoine Kimbala speaks at the pastors conference.
Guests from other MWC national member churches participate in the event: Rev. Siaka Traoré, (MWC regional representative Central West Africa); Rev George Kaputu Nzila, CEFMC evangelist CEFMC; Rev. Jean Felix Cimbalanga, president of CEM (Communauté Evangelique Mennonite, DR Congo); Robert Irundu Mutundu, general secretary of finance and administration, CMCo (Communauté Mennonite au Congo); Henk Stenvers, MWC president; Rev. Daniel Nelson Canganguela, leader of the IAIMA (Mennonite Brethren in Angola); Shadreck Kwendanyama, leader of the Mennonite Brethren church in Malawi.	MWC president Henk Stenvers addresses a session at the two-day pastor’s conference with Nzuzi Mukawa as interpreter.
The celebration in Kikwit included preaching, singing, choir performances, a pastor’s conference and evangelism rally and ecumenical and international guests.	Choirs