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Burundi
The first Anglican missionaries firstestablished a mission station Burundi in 1935. The Anglican Province of Burundi now has eight dioceses, and the Provincial Coordinator is Revd Elisha Nkeza. Rooted in Jesus has also been introduced to the FECABu network of Pentecostal churches. Rooted in Jesus is used in the Kirundi language.
Rooted in Jesus was introduced to the Diocese of Matana in April 2012. The training conference was attended by about 90 people, of whom 88 were appointed to begin groups. The conference leader reported, "After an initial reserve, the delegates became engaged and responsive, and there was a real outpouring of the Holy Spirit, including a powerful prophecy on the final evening which went something like: 'Don't be afraid. Trust in me. I have given you the tools and the power of the Holy Spirit. You need to take courage and go out. I am sending you.'
Dioceses of Muyinga, Buye & Gitega (from 2011)
In May 2011 the Diocese of Muyinga hosted two introductory conferences. These took place in the cathedral of Muyinga, and participants were invited from the neighbouring dioceses of Buye and Gitega as well as from Muyinga itself.
A followup conference was held in April 2012 for 43 leaders, of whom 30 had attended in 2011 and 13 were being trained for the first time; all were catechists and all except two were from the Diocese of Muyinga.
The team were particularly encouraged by a woman who testified to the difference Rooted in Jesus had made to her life over the last year: "A lady who had come last year, and was very diffident at the time, came again this year and was a changed person. She was the first to offer to lead a practice group and was full of life. When, in the first workshop, I asked people for their experiences, she said that when she started to lead a group she was challenged to look at her own conduct. She had been brewing and selling maize beer, and decided at the first meeting that this was incompatible with her new role, so she immediately stopped doing it. This prompted a lot of surprise and consternation in her community and many people were challenged and began to express an interest in the new RinJ group."
In July 2014 the Diocese hosted a further training conference attended by 78 people - a mix of pastors, evangelists, Mothers Union leaders and Youth leaders from the 13 parishes in the diocese.
In May 2016 the diocesan coordinator reported "Parishes managed to have good Rooted in Jesus groups. Now many of those groups are doing book three and four. The groups’ members struggle much with life and are happy to attend weekly group teachings. I thank Lord to them and especially TEN key groups who have completed book four now."
Diocese of Rumonge (from 2013)
The Diocese of Rumonge was created out of the Diocese of Bujumbura in 2013. An introductory Rooted in Jesus conference was held for 100 pastors and catechists from the 6 southern archdeaconries of Bujumbura, the area designated to form the new diocese.
In July 2014 the diocese reported that there are 43 RinJ groups with 643 members. 19 of these groups have completed book 1; church leaders have commented on their own growth through the programme, many group members have made commitments of faith, and some of their relations have also given their lives to Christ.
"The leaders of the churches testified they benefitted the knowledge of the Bible through Rooted in Jesus Christ and the Christians who participated enjoyed it also throughout the programme. They shared the word of God: each has to speak and read the Bible and met regularly in fellowship included also the company of fellowship inter their friends. Many Christians committed their lives through Rooted in Jesus Christ from leaders reports. The new converted returned back the good news to their family, some of their relatives also get saved. Report shows that the church in South of Burundi has increased and growth quickly through the programme" - Canon Simon Sibomana
Pentecostal FECABu Network (from 2018)
In November 2018 a team from the UK and Burundi led a residential RinJ conference for pastors from the Pentecostal FECABu network of churches, which has something like 700 churches in Burundi, the majority of which are growing. The conference was attended by 50 pastors, representing all the different FECABu districts. The conference went well, with hearty responses at the graduation close, and a local coordinator was appointed.
Rutana is one of the most remote and poorly served provinces of the country, and has recently become the centre for a new diocese. The first Rooted in Jesus conference was held in August 2022 at the invitation of Bishop Pontien Ribakare, led by a team from DR Congo and England. It took place in the newly constructed catheral, and was attended by a hundred pastors and lay leaders from all over the new diocese.
- For a blog report on the 2022 conference click here
The Diocese of Buhiga is centred on the original mission compound of the Anglican missionaries, and the church which now serves as its cathedral was built in 1942. But it is only in the last five years that Buhiga has become a diocese in its own right. We were delighted to be invited by Bishop Evariste Njiimbere to facilitate the diocese's first Rooted in Jesus conference in August 2022. The conference was attended by 142 pastors and lay leaders from every parish in the diocese.
- For a blog report on the 2022 conference click here
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