Employee Uses Gift for Ministry to Serve

Jean Hakiza is making significant sacrifices to effectively minister to two congregations in the Lake Region Conference, serving primarily Congolese and Rwandan refugees.

Since the establishment of the North American Division’s Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries in 2009, the number of refugee language groups has doubled, and congregations have tripled. Membership in these congregations has grown from 2,087 to over 9,960, alongside a remarkable eight-fold increase in both annual baptisms and tithe collections.

…

Despite this explosive growth, conferences face challenges in hiring qualified pastors fluent in English, leading to the increased reliance on part-time pastors like Hakiza, who is employed full-time elsewhere.

Since graduating from the Seventh-day Theological Seminary at Andrews University in 2008, Hakiza works as a supervisor in the Custodial Services department at Andrews University. With a heart for pastoral ministry, he began volunteering at the Bethel Community Church in Lansing, Michigan. 

<<< Read the full story at the Lake Union Herald site >>>