A Plea to Congo Central Conference Delegates

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Editor’s note: The 2025 session of the Congo Central Conference was originally scheduled for April in Kindu but was moved to July 10-13 in Zambia because of violence in the region. A ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States was signed June 27, 2025, but local residents are skeptical it will stop the violence, according to Global Press Journal.

Special to United Methodist Insight

LUANSHYA, ZAMBIA | June 27, 2025

To my beloved, faithful people called United Methodist in the Congo Central Conference.

Jesus said in Mathew 12:30: “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”

Beloved family of God, I write to remind you that the United Methodist Church needs leaders who are passionately, committed, dedicated and serving out of Love. You saw and witnessed that among you some were failing to raise up their hands or lift the heads high when UMC was at the crossroad and Intensive Care Unit ICU especially here in Africa. They opposed and ridiculed those who stood for the Unity of the church and who supported Regionalization were called names such as “devils” and “sinners,” not knowing the regionalization administrative model was the key to help bind the church together to the Glory of God.

Such leaders who hold double standards are hypocrites and poses a great danger for the future of the church. We in Zambia are privileged to host the Congo Central Conference because we have learnt the errors and studied the scheme that some people wanted to use in order to ransack the church and sell it to the highest bidder.

You saw and witnessed some who stood for episcopal leadership in the Southern Africa Central Conference, who when the results didn’t favor them, two weeks later left the UMC and formed a new denomination. They watered UMC with unpalatable names such as “gay church,” “homosexual supporters” etc. They were all over actively participating at the Southern Africa Central Conference including singing and dancing with us but later on turned and said the opposite of what we’d sung.

Caution:

Don’t be swayed by today’s humbleness and commitment; it’s a hired smile to gain access to power and authority of the Church.

Don’t be moved by fake generosity; check their past standing if generosity is part of their character or it’s a cooked one like batter exchanged for votes.

Don’t be swayed by the loudest voices about Regionalization today. Check their stance yesterday; if they didn’t supported it then, know that it’s a pretense to have your votes now.

The United Methodist Church in its current form is in dire need of selfless leadership that are capable of making bridges and not destroying it. We need shepherds who will lead God’s people with love, passion and kindness. Courageous leaders full of love and love God’s work not mammon and power. Leaders who will use the consecration authority to uplift others, discern the need of God’s people and able to feed the church with spiritual foods.

Beloved family of God, let’s not accept the spirit of tribalism, nepotism and familiarity. No manner of manipulation and bribery nor corruption should come near our place of gathering. It’s shameful, it’s a sin and embarrassment to the body of Christ.

Together we can preserve God’s Church to the next generation. We should aim to leave the church better than we found it, as it was passed on unto us from our forefathers, a United Methodist Church with a cross and a flame and not triangles nor circumferences, no.

It’s my sincere hope and prayer that delegates will scrutinize the candidates with church at heart and elect staying UMC servant leaders, not dictators, pompous and self-centered.

May God’s Grace abound!

The Rev. Gabriel Banga Mususwa is general secretary of the United Methodist Africa Forum and a Regionalization Strategic Communicator.