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By Taurai Emmanuel Maforo
Zimbabwe West Annual Conference Communicator

MUTARE, ZIMBABWE – More than 300 pastors gathered at the 2011 Zimbabwe Episcopal Area Pastors School at Africa University, which started June 13. Led by members of the Baltimore-Washington Conference and the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area, the theme of the school is "To Make Disciples for the Transformation of the World."

The 2011 pastors school builds on themes presented at the April 6 Leadership Summit, which was part of the global Call to Action program initiated by the Council of Bishops to revitalize the denomination.

The relationship between the Baltimore-Washington Conference and Zimbabwe Episcopal Area came as a result of a covenant signed several years ago between the two episcopal leaders, Bishops John Schol and Eben Nhiwatiwa. Since then, the relationship has grown and every two years a joint pastors school has been held.

"Ours is a strong partnership within the connection and witnessed by many. The church in Zimbabwe gives us hope about the future of the denomination," Schol said in his opening address, telling the United Methodists in Zimbabwe, "We believe in what God is doing through you."

In relation to the Call to Action, Bishop Schol noted the church has to face challenges, create vital congregations that are growth-oriented and be able to activate people in ministry. "We must change the church first before we transform the people as Jesus' disciples."

A rigorous study by Towers and Watson, commissioned for the Call to Action, highlighted a lack of trust in the church at local, district, conference, and general church levels. But Schol said, "A lack of trust is lack of faith in Jesus Christ."

Trust is one of key elements of good leadership. Developing effective leaders is one of the four areas of focus of The United Methodist Church. Equipping vital leaders, who are not in the church to be served but rather to be of service, is one of the key efforts of the pastors school.

A number of presentations are lined up for this five-day event, covering such topics as Understanding Jesus and Preaching the Gospel of John, Theology of Common Pool, Prophetic Evangelism in the 21st Century versus Pre-Canonical Prophets and United Methodist Worship.

The school will build on Zimbabwe's Common Pool approach to ministry, which attempts to narrow the gap between the financially sound circuits and pastors in circuits that are struggling financially.

In a paper prepared for the pastors school, Bishop Nhiwatiwa noted that the common pool lifts up "one ministry" and addresses the question of equality: "Why would a certain segment of the laborers in the vineyard go without sharing in the fruits of their labor of grace?"

According to Nhiwatiwa, Common Pool involves: "unity of purpose, embracing connectionalism, covenantal relationship, enhancing servant leadership, living the Scriptures, enhancing the church's itinerant system and ultimately a perpetual experience of Jubilee."

The two bishops presented their papers on the second day of the school. Joining them as presenters were the Revs. Timothy West, Antoine Love, Simon Matara, Cynthia Moore, Pathias Hlahla, Tsitsi Madziire, Kelvin Mwandira, James Farmer, Jennifer Smith, and Bishop Thomas Bickerton.  Mrs. Greater Nhiwatiwa will deliver a presentation on the Role of the Pastors' Spouse in the Ministry.

Bishop Nhiwatiwa, in the opening devotion, highlighted that "we need to see Jesus and when we see Jesus the unexpected happens."

After the devotion, the co-dean of the pastors school, the Rev. Philip Mupindu, directed the congregation to observe a minute of silence to remember the late first African Bishop Abel Tendekai Muzorewa, whose memorial and tombstone unveiling ceremony was held at Old Mutare June 12.

Bishop Schol encouraged all those present to do something significant with their lives and ministries, and what is significant, he said, "is making disciples for Christ for the transformation of the world."

The Rev. Taurai Emmanuel Maforo is a communicator for the Zimbabwe West Annual Conference.