Dear Friends,
Let us join in prayer this week for Philipo Mafuja Magwano in Tanzania.
A highly diverse East African nation, Tanzania is home to approximately 56 million people (61% Christian and 35% Muslim), who represent 125 ethnic groups and speak over 100 different languages. It is also home to Serengeti National Park and Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain. Despite rapid economic expansion in the past decade, the majority of Tanzania’s population still faces chronic hunger and malnutrition, with 68% of Tanzanians living on less than $1.25 per day.
A Bishop of the Africa Inland Church Tanzania, Philipo is working on his PhD in Leadership Studies at the International Leadership University (ILU) in Kenya. His exploration of Christian leadership and public governance will inform and invigorate his ministries in Tanzania. Although the Tanzanian Church experienced significant growth during the East African Revival (1940s-70s) and has witnessed a thriving Pentecostal movement in recent decades, Tanzania remains in need of strong theological leadership and biblical discipleship amid the prevalence of religious syncretism and witchcraft.
To learn more about Philipo’s vision for ministry in Tanzania, read this 2016 Bible Study Magazine feature: Rooted in the Word. Philipo and his wife Elizabeth have an eight-year-old son, Shealtiel, and a three-year-old daughter, Juliana.
Philipo shares the following message:
Dear Prayer Partners,
Greetings from Mwanza, Tanzania!
I have served with the Africa Inland Church Tanzania (AICT) since 2001. I worked as the High School Patron of our church and trained pastors. I was also the Principal of Nassa Theological College for some years. In August 2018, I was elected as Bishop of the Africa Inland Church Tanzania in the Mwanza Diocese, whereby I oversee 550 churches.
Prayer Requests
Personal: For me, pray for God’s wisdom in my new role as Bishop of the Mwanza Diocese, good health, and networking with different people worldwide to enhance the ministry in the Mwanza Diocese. I need partners for working together on church leadership empowerment, evangelism and outreach ministries, youth ministry, women’s and children’s ministries, retired pastors’ ministry, etc.
Even though my diocese has 550 churches, only 200 pastors have been fully trained in Bible schools. Over 300 pastors have not received training due to the inability to pay school fees. Pray that God would open a way for us to equip them through different options, such as short-term training, seminars, etc.
Family: Thank God that my wife Elizabeth graduated in July with a Diploma of Theology from Nassa Theological College. She is working as Coordinator of Community Bible Study in the Department of Children and Youth in our diocese. She travels a lot to different local churches for seminars. She is in need of transportation in order to reach those churches more easily.
Pray for better health and education for our two children, Shealtiel and Juliana.
Studies: Pray for the administration of the International Leadership University, where I am a PhD candidate, as they resolve accreditation issues with the government of Kenya. I am stuck in the dissertation process because the University is still working to meet government requirements in order to receive a charter that would allow us to finalize our PhD program. The PhD program at the University began in 2012. I joined the second cohort in 2013, but no one has graduated with a PhD since 2012.
Thank you so much for taking time to pray for me, my family, and my ministry.
Yours in Christ,
Bishop Philipo Mafuja Magwano