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More to the Story with Dr. Andy Miller III is a podcast exploring theology in the orthodox Wesleyan tradition. Hear engaging interviews and musings from Dr. Miller each week.
Transcript
Well, I am so glad to be here again with another interview with one of the
Andy Miller III: candidates who has accepted a nomination for the 2 year interim bishop position within the global Methodist church. And so there's 9 candidates, and we're speaking with all of them on the mortis story podcast and so right now, I'm well, I'm pleased to welcome the Gmc. President pro tem. From a democratic republic of the Congo Kemba Evereste. Now I think I said your name in incorrectly. How do you say your last name.
French / Kimba / DRC: Timber, Everest.
Andy Miller III: Ever. Okay. Gotcha? Well, thank you so much for joining me on today's podcast.
French / Kimba / DRC: Thank you. I'm I'm pleased to be with you, Andy.
Andy Miller III: Yeah. And I know we're all looking forward to getting together later this month in in well, we're recording this in August, but in September in Costa Rica. So
Andy Miller III: Looking forward to just getting a chance just to visit with you here, and the 1st 2 questions you'll have to. Just bear with me. I do have a timer going for them. But I I just wanted to give you a chance to get some focus on this question, and the 1st question is, if you could give us a 2 min version of how you came to know Jesus.
French / Kimba / DRC: Thank you.
French / Kimba / DRC: I knew Jesus Christ and
French / Kimba / DRC: the received email
French / Kimba / DRC: as my Lord and Savior. When I was a boy
French / Kimba / DRC: I grew up in a Christian family.
French / Kimba / DRC: My mother used to tell me
French / Kimba / DRC: that I was born after 9 years in marriage.
French / Kimba / DRC: and they did all they can to have children.
French / Kimba / DRC: Nothing happened
French / Kimba / DRC: until they became Christians.
French / Kimba / DRC: and were prayed over by a Pentecostal pastor.
French / Kimba / DRC: Then, a few months later.
French / Kimba / DRC: I was born.
French / Kimba / DRC: and they offered me
French / Kimba / DRC: to church and ask God to make me
French / Kimba / DRC: is a servant.
French / Kimba / DRC: and this is how I came to
French / Kimba / DRC: to know, and grew up in in in that family, and start singing in the choir, and all this I was involved in the church activities when I was very young, when I was about.
Andy Miller III: Beautiful in in since we have another 50 seconds left in that question. Be curious of your own call to serve in the vocation of ministry.
French / Kimba / DRC: You say I was called to do what.
Andy Miller III: Oh, as as your call to be a preacher to serve the Church as a pastor.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah, yes, yes. Called to be a preacher
French / Kimba / DRC: and want to.
French / Kimba / DRC: The school. Went to university.
French / Kimba / DRC: did my bachelor of divinity. So I just followed that step.
French / Kimba / DRC: how to be trained to, to safeguard.
Andy Miller III: That's beautiful.
Andy Miller III: I'm curious, so it seems like did almost as long as you could remember, because of your parents. Influence at that stage in your life. Was this? Was there ever a time when you didn't think you were going to be a preacher?
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah. So to some extent, when I grew up
French / Kimba / DRC: I started being hesitating. And
French / Kimba / DRC: when we met different people, they will just encourage you.
French / Kimba / DRC: To say
French / Kimba / DRC: it's better you do what you have decided. Follow the the choice you have.
French / Kimba / DRC: But more often I was encouraged by my mother.
French / Kimba / DRC: who said, You better save God than do, and any other business.
Andy Miller III: Yeah.
French / Kimba / DRC: So
French / Kimba / DRC: one day I met somebody, and he was just like a prophet who came to pray over when the family when my mother was sick.
French / Kimba / DRC: Then, instead of playing for for her.
French / Kimba / DRC: he just starting prophesizing to me to say, this is a man of God. You better follow God, and then it will take you far away, and then you never succeed in your life.
French / Kimba / DRC: If you decide to do any other business, so your work is to save God. You need to be a pastor. You need to preach the Word of God.
French / Kimba / DRC: So I stick with that and start just obeying all these messages that were coming to me.
Andy Miller III: Wow! How old were you when that person prophesied over you
Andy Miller III: at that point?
French / Kimba / DRC: Let's say 14.
Andy Miller III: Wow!
French / Kimba / DRC: 15 years old. Yeah.
Andy Miller III: It's so interesting. I love it. I love love to hear your story of the faithfulness of God, and leading you on this path.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes.
Andy Miller III: Well, Kimba, one of the interesting things in this moment in global Methodism, is distinguishing why we exist as a denomination. What is it that makes a Wesley and Christian a Wesleyan Christian. So if you could give me like a 3 min answer that. Why, being a Wesleyan matters, or or what distinguishes a Wesleyan Christian that would be helpful.
French / Kimba / DRC: What makes a Westlayan Christian a Westlayan Christian is the teaching and the beliefs.
Andy Miller III: Hmm.
French / Kimba / DRC: Dot com with Wesleyan is
French / Kimba / DRC: this makes
French / Kimba / DRC: one dependent
French / Kimba / DRC: their Christian faith through daily
French / Kimba / DRC: practical spiritual discipline.
French / Kimba / DRC: the Westland Christian is the one who's
French / Kimba / DRC: practicing is faith.
French / Kimba / DRC: and holding one another accountable to it.
French / Kimba / DRC: So
French / Kimba / DRC: it takes one to pursue
French / Kimba / DRC: of love
French / Kimba / DRC: and service.
French / Kimba / DRC: serving others as Jesus disciple in the world.
French / Kimba / DRC: So Methodism placed particular emphasis
French / Kimba / DRC: on the universal
French / Kimba / DRC: work of grace.
French / Kimba / DRC: the new birth
French / Kimba / DRC: and the fulfillments of salvation.
French / Kimba / DRC: entire satisfaction, sanctification of perfection.
French / Kimba / DRC: And then this Westlayer and Christian and the metal. These created scrap structures
French / Kimba / DRC: and the communities alongside.
French / Kimba / DRC: They established Church to facilitate the mission.
French / Kimba / DRC: to reform the nation.
French / Kimba / DRC: especially the Church and the spread Scripture holiness over the land.
French / Kimba / DRC: So that is what makes us
French / Kimba / DRC: who we are.
French / Kimba / DRC: holding one hand accountable and serving and spreading Scripture holiness.
Andy Miller III: I love that.
Andy Miller III: Yeah. Now, I'm going to veer off here from the planned questions. So I hope that's okay.
Andy Miller III: You might know that at the upcoming general conferences convening Conference there are a couple of proposals about the mission statement.
Andy Miller III: and just in your answer there. 2 times you mentioned that the purpose is to spread scriptural holiness over the land. Do you have any thoughts about the kind of competing ideas for what the mission statement should be of the global Methodist Church.
French / Kimba / DRC: No, so far.
French / Kimba / DRC: you know, if we start
French / Kimba / DRC: doing things, I know the world is full of thinkers, philosophers, politicians, and so on.
French / Kimba / DRC: If we start politicizing, the church
French / Kimba / DRC: will not stay stable
French / Kimba / DRC: and then we may end up having the same problem
French / Kimba / DRC: than we had in the previous church.
French / Kimba / DRC: So my thought is to stick to what we are who agree when we finalize, the the book of Discipline is no longer transitional. When we adopt that.
French / Kimba / DRC: let's stick to that for a while.
French / Kimba / DRC: so I will not appreciate other
French / Kimba / DRC: competing ideas and thoughts coming. That will be
French / Kimba / DRC: not something that I can encourage personally.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah.
Andy Miller III: That's help. That's helpful to know. Yeah. So there is a sense of just being reminded that we are in a transitional moment, even for these next 2 years. It seems like we might. So you're suggesting, maybe not making too many changes like.
Andy Miller III: even though there's probably some good ideas about
Andy Miller III: different mission statements, maybe just stick with what's there for a while, and then, maybe, are you suggesting in 2,026 more substantive changes could come.
French / Kimba / DRC: No, no, no, no, no.
French / Kimba / DRC: I I think the way it will be if we want to lay a handy if we want to lay a strong foundation
French / Kimba / DRC: on which the Church will sit.
French / Kimba / DRC: I think we we should behave like it is in the Us. With the Us. Constitution.
French / Kimba / DRC: your country.
Andy Miller III: Yes, yes.
French / Kimba / DRC: So it's that's something that you don't play with it often. Right? So make sure that we don't play with amendments or the time
French / Kimba / DRC: I wish to see a sealed book of discipline and doctrine that will stay for long
French / Kimba / DRC: and keep us in the way to fulfill our vision and our mission as the global Method exchange.
French / Kimba / DRC: Because if we decided to interact all these amendment philosophers, so we end up, we don't have to open windows to every thought.
French / Kimba / DRC: If we do that, then we expose the d. Gmc. To distortion to conflict.
French / Kimba / DRC: as we had in the previous denomination. So personally, we should avoid that.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah. So I let's let's take what the General Conference will decide for the 1st time.
French / Kimba / DRC: so that the Gmc. Cannot lose its original focus.
French / Kimba / DRC: We had the original forecast. It has been worked on by the Transitional Literature Council. We are coming to to bring to the plenary the General Conference as the authority of that when we finalize, please let's do that.
French / Kimba / DRC: Even if you have an election in 2026, let us conduct that with integrity and the prayer, let's seek God. Guidance in the leadership of our church don't just focus on people because ideas are generated every day. People think every day.
French / Kimba / DRC: So the Us. Constitution is there. You don't change it every day. Amen. So I want to just make that connection.
French / Kimba / DRC: If the Gmc. Want not to lose its focus. Let's have a book that we we respect.
French / Kimba / DRC: We are ready to follow for a long time, then that will keep us on our track.
Andy Miller III: Yes, that's great. Oh, I love it. Yeah. And I, I think, establishing this strong foundation and a a written of course, that was one of the challenges, a written foundation that's going to be the basis for how we go forward definitely. This is, and and also something that holds us all accountable to who we've agreed to be as a people called Methodist.
Andy Miller III: There. There is a little bit of debate about what the mission statement should be.
Andy Miller III: So. So you know, currently, there's a good mission statement about worship and discipleship and service. But then there's another proposal that's coming before the General Conference that says that we that the mission of the global Methodist Church is to make disciples and spread scriptural holiness across the land.
Andy Miller III: and so there's 2 ideas 2 mission statements. One's like, I think it's worship passionately. Serve effectively. I I get, I get it confused. Well, which lines are.
French / Kimba / DRC: West, Bodley.
Andy Miller III: Witness boldly. I like I like both of them. Do you.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes.
Andy Miller III: I know I know it wouldn't be your decision as an interim, bishop to on what the mission statement should be, but I was just curious of your thoughts. Do you like one more than the other?
French / Kimba / DRC: No, I I like. I like both.
French / Kimba / DRC: and I like the decision of the the General Conference.
Andy Miller III: Amen. Yeah.
French / Kimba / DRC: So what the General Conference will decide is what to go about. That.
Andy Miller III: Well, that sounds like a really wise thing to say to not take an opinion. I appreciate it, and and you know what I'm gonna do to Kimba. I'm going to say the same thing as you when the time comes. So one interesting thing is that we're in this place where you were nominated for this role. Now you're serving as President pro tem. For the Drc. Right now. But why did you answer the call to apply for this leadership role
Andy Miller III: or to accept the nomination.
French / Kimba / DRC: I think I did that in response to
French / Kimba / DRC: God, who has called me to save him.
French / Kimba / DRC: Wherever I am.
French / Kimba / DRC: that is in an act of obedience and trust, 1st in God.
French / Kimba / DRC: and then
French / Kimba / DRC: I have to tell you, handy, that not all people answer the call from God. Some do refuse.
Andy Miller III: Yes.
French / Kimba / DRC: So it is an also an act of respect and appreciation to those who nominated me to this role.
French / Kimba / DRC: So my desire.
French / Kimba / DRC: when accepting that
French / Kimba / DRC: was to give my personal contribution
French / Kimba / DRC: to the newly formed
French / Kimba / DRC: global Methodist church
French / Kimba / DRC: in which we are called to restore the Wesleyan values and beliefs.
French / Kimba / DRC: I feel
French / Kimba / DRC: my
French / Kimba / DRC: through.
French / Kimba / DRC: He's
French / Kimba / DRC: I'm sorry on unity, association.
French / Kimba / DRC: forgiveness.
French / Kimba / DRC: and peace
French / Kimba / DRC: for all good students.
French / Kimba / DRC: So I asked us this call to do the work that God has assigned me
French / Kimba / DRC: that of holding fast to the creation of autocracy.
French / Kimba / DRC: and preach the gospel to the world.
French / Kimba / DRC: and bring many
French / Kimba / DRC: to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
French / Kimba / DRC: that is that is why I answered that call.
Andy Miller III: Yes, I love that. The answering the call, because of those reasons, are certainly
Andy Miller III: critical for why anybody should step, and I love that you emphasize the word contribution like this is this is what how God has equipped you, and how you can contribute.
French / Kimba / DRC: Considering.
Andy Miller III: The proposed legislation calls for. Just 2 year interim. Bishops!
Andy Miller III: What do you feel? The assembly of bishops? Which is what that legislation
Andy Miller III: also puts into place that there would be an assembly of bishops should focus on in this interim period to set the stage for 2,026, when full time bishops would be elected. What should happen in these 2 years?
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah, in this 2 years, as I said in the 1st interview.
French / Kimba / DRC: is it to restore the trust in the piscopal leadership.
French / Kimba / DRC: So we should 1st focus on that.
French / Kimba / DRC: We. We need have people.
French / Kimba / DRC: bishops who love God, who respect the pastors, who cares for them.
French / Kimba / DRC: because I've seen some bishops who don't care.
French / Kimba / DRC: And then we have very disappointing stories, especially in Africa and in the Congo.
French / Kimba / DRC: and that was my 1st time. I see a bishop taking this pastor to court.
French / Kimba / DRC: and then the Bishop would going to jail, pay money, do whatever I can, so that his pastor can be punished to show him power, and then his pastor get arrested and put in jail.
Andy Miller III: Wow!
French / Kimba / DRC: So what kind of shepherd are we?
French / Kimba / DRC: So those have happened, and then the Gmc. Cannot do that.
French / Kimba / DRC: So we need to restore
French / Kimba / DRC: trust.
French / Kimba / DRC: We need to lay a strong foundation.
French / Kimba / DRC: We need to conduct the business with integrity and prayer.
French / Kimba / DRC: I said that earlier on
French / Kimba / DRC: we need to work in the guidance of God.
French / Kimba / DRC: we are to be led by the Holy Spirit.
French / Kimba / DRC: Should the bishops be elected.
French / Kimba / DRC: I will encourage them to listen
French / Kimba / DRC: to the Holy Spirit.
French / Kimba / DRC: and then the Holy Spirit will guide us in the path.
French / Kimba / DRC: Good direction.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah.
Andy Miller III: Yeah, if you.
French / Kimba / DRC: Don't listen to the Holy Spirit, then you don't listen to God.
French / Kimba / DRC: Then you listen to yourself, and then you act.
French / Kimba / DRC: You want to show power. You want to show popularity. You want to see wealth, you want to see everything that comes with that position.
French / Kimba / DRC: But the Assembly should focus to have humble people.
French / Kimba / DRC: teach them humility, teach them integrity.
French / Kimba / DRC: call them to forgiveness, reconciliation, and welcoming all God's children in this new church.
French / Kimba / DRC: So that will give us a very good direction.
Andy Miller III: I think it will give us a great direction. And it's interesting to think of this the way the terms you are using to describe what a bishop would do are in line with the proposal that you're under, which is the more of a teaching role. And do you see this? The separation from being a teacher, the teaching, guiding, shepherding bishop and administrative bishop. Like
French / Kimba / DRC: No, no, no, no! Gmc, you should have a teaching bishop. Yes, you have to be on the ground.
French / Kimba / DRC: You have to go and pray with your pastors. You have to hold the fasting prayers, you have to be retreat. You have not just to sit in the office. No, no, no, that that one I don't. I don't envision like something like that.
Andy Miller III: Gotcha. Yeah, yeah, absolutely it. And that's some of the administrative control.
Andy Miller III: Maybe that had been part of the problem like this scenario you described in the umc of a bishop taking
Andy Miller III: a pastor to court and then trying to get him to go to jail. Was it.
French / Kimba / DRC: Sorry he was. He was put in jail.
Andy Miller III: He was put in jail. Wow!
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes.
Andy Miller III: Terrible.
Andy Miller III: Do do you think that the structure was a part of that? Is that because the Bishop had so much power?
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes, the structure. It's place. When you have power, you you sometime you miss, you abuse of power.
French / Kimba / DRC: So sometimes.
French / Kimba / DRC: if you don't speak to the Holy Holy Spirit.
French / Kimba / DRC: you take advantage of the position, and then you abuser the power that comes with your position.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes.
Andy Miller III: Right.
Andy Miller III: and the this proposal
Andy Miller III: would not give. Let's say you're elected to be a bishop. You wouldn't have that kind of power to do that.
Andy Miller III: Correct.
French / Kimba / DRC: But I'll not, are not abuse it.
Andy Miller III: And not abuse it. That's correct. That's right.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes.
Andy Miller III: One of the important things that we're dealing with is the the way that Methodists have looked at the authority and inspiration of the Scripture. Could you describe to us how you understand the inspiration and authority of the Scripture, and why that's important.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah, I I take, I take that as a source of faith and salvation.
French / Kimba / DRC: If one does not understand the Scripture.
French / Kimba / DRC: and then does not know that these are expired, and that is authoritative word of God, then that person has no faith.
Andy Miller III: Hmm.
French / Kimba / DRC: And they will never be served.
Andy Miller III: Right.
French / Kimba / DRC: So
French / Kimba / DRC: disappointment where we are headed so because the Bible is very clear. It tells us that all Scripture, as far
French / Kimba / DRC: each correct and leak.
French / Kimba / DRC: we are required to live by faith, and acknowledge the heart of our salvation that are in the Old Testament
French / Kimba / DRC: predicted have been accomplished in the New Testament.
French / Kimba / DRC: So the Bible is the authoritative word of God.
French / Kimba / DRC: and then it should stay so
French / Kimba / DRC: until the end of the oil.
Andy Miller III: Amen! Amen!
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes, that is what I I said.
Andy Miller III: I agree with you at our seminary. We also say at Wesley Biblical Seminary. We say the Bible is without error, and all that it affirms, are you comfortable? That language of inerrancy.
French / Kimba / DRC: Great! Yes.
Andy Miller III: Beautiful.
Andy Miller III: I keep on saying the word beautiful. So sorry. I I just I'm I really respond well to the things that you're saying, and I think part of why I think it's beautiful is I love this picture of who God's calling us to be as a movement. So whatever reason. That's the word that keeps coming to my mind. I I think it's a beautiful picture of what God wants to do in the world, and he he is. Everything that's good and perfect comes from God, and there, so I and I so forgive me for keep on using the same word.
Andy Miller III: One of the things. I think that's important for us as a denomination is that and you've already indicated. Some of this
Andy Miller III: is that there probably are things that we need to unlearn as a denomination, but also things we can learn. We need to take advantage of this moment to be be new. To make sure we're taking, not carrying some of our old problems for with us. So what do you think we need to unlearn as a denomination.
French / Kimba / DRC: The simple and short way will be to unlearn everything that is against the Bible.
Andy Miller III: Yes.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes, we need to unlead those.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah.
French / Kimba / DRC: And.
Andy Miller III: Of those, say.
French / Kimba / DRC: The rest is, depend on each one desire. Because you let you can learn something as you pursue your specific study or a training in order to be useful to the society.
French / Kimba / DRC: But as a Christian.
French / Kimba / DRC: we need to learn Christian values.
French / Kimba / DRC: Westland clock train.
French / Kimba / DRC: and
French / Kimba / DRC: we need to learn the discipline of the global Methodist Church.
Andy Miller III: When you say things against the Bible, what are some of the things that come to mind for you that have been problematic.
French / Kimba / DRC: Many.
Andy Miller III: Okay.
French / Kimba / DRC: You know you know what what the the Bible tells us to do, and what the Bible does not tell us to do
French / Kimba / DRC: so we, we should unlearn everything that is against the Bible.
French / Kimba / DRC: But for me, we need to learn Christian values. As I say, I'm going back to that Christian values Westland doctrine and the discipline of the global Methodist Church.
Andy Miller III: I agree. I agree. You, you're aware. One of the things I'm ho hopeful about is this opportunity we have evangelistically, there are approximately 3 billion people in the world who have no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Andy Miller III: How would you give voice to this crisis and mobilize local churches which make up the Gmc. To be responsive to this need.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes, Andy, the number is big, and the Gmc. Should continue to use both old and the new methods of vandalism
French / Kimba / DRC: depending on the area and the country
French / Kimba / DRC: all methods combined.
French / Kimba / DRC: I'm thinking of door to door mass, evangelist, mass, media, Internet evangelist, public preaching services to people in need.
French / Kimba / DRC: And with that cross point is giving me a a 1,000 fund head fund just to respond to people's need. We use medical Aid School fees for some time, but but most of it is used for for medical needs. So just to respond to the the people in service
French / Kimba / DRC: we are doing church planting with one mission society.
French / Kimba / DRC: and as so so far we started the project. This is the second year, and then we have been able to plant to plant 148 new churches.
French / Kimba / DRC: And as we move to the next phase, I think we'll be planting more.
French / Kimba / DRC: So we can use also small groups, personal evangelization and had a method
French / Kimba / DRC: just to manage this
French / Kimba / DRC: and reach all the 3 billion.
French / Kimba / DRC: First, st we need people of personal experience
French / Kimba / DRC: that are ready to share
French / Kimba / DRC: the experience with others.
French / Kimba / DRC: We need those people who have the passion for the lost.
French / Kimba / DRC: and then we are. We need people who have the power of the Holy spirit so to be effective in evangelizing
French / Kimba / DRC: the Gmc. Is encouraged to empower.
French / Kimba / DRC: and it will be encouraged and empowered to share God's love to the lost
French / Kimba / DRC: and hating people.
French / Kimba / DRC: so they also can be transformed by God's love
French / Kimba / DRC: through Jesus Christ.
French / Kimba / DRC: because he came to seek and save.
French / Kimba / DRC: As in Luke, 1910.
French / Kimba / DRC: So this is what I'm thinking, how we can reach
French / Kimba / DRC: the world. We need to change this society
French / Kimba / DRC: and just doing the training and seminars and teaching them the like. The International Leadership Institute, 8 core values.
Andy Miller III: Hmm.
French / Kimba / DRC: So if you, you are trained in those you are able to follow God, love him, and obey, and be really a Christian. So those are the tools
French / Kimba / DRC: that the evangelism can can use both sides the way how we do it, and the other side, who are the people?
French / Kimba / DRC: What kind of people we need.
French / Kimba / DRC: So I've tried to just give you that picture. Yeah.
Andy Miller III: Oh, Kimba, I love how you answered that! Because you you indicated the evangelistic need, the need for us to have a a passion for lost souls, and to work in the power of the Holy Spirit. But one. Another aspect of what you did is you mentioned 2 other organizations one Mission Society, and Ili led by my friends Joy and Wes Griffin and
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes.
Andy Miller III: I
Andy Miller III: I I think that that's also an important piece for us to realize is that we need to work with other groups who have.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes.
Andy Miller III: Who are effective in helping. I love. I love that you brought up to the 8 core values. I mean, like they've done so well at each other. Talk to me about working with other groups. I mean. It might be it might. It could be. We could say, you know what we need to do. No, let's not work with Oms Ili or Wbs. Let's start our own seminary. Let's start our own mission agency. Let's start our own Leadership Institute.
Andy Miller III: should we, instead just keep working with 3rd parties.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes, you see all that contribute. It's it's like this. Say that they say all roads are taking us to Rome.
French / Kimba / DRC: So in French we say 2, she men are wrong.
French / Kimba / DRC: So whether you do use Ili you use Oms.
French / Kimba / DRC: The final objective is to have effective Christian.
Andy Miller III: Hmm.
French / Kimba / DRC: So
French / Kimba / DRC: I worked with West for a long time. I've been the National Director of the Institute in the Congo, and trained more than 4,000 leaders.
Andy Miller III: Wow!
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah, in my previous previous denomination in the Anglican Church and the other and places. So we we did that, and Wes has visited me sometimes in the Congo.
French / Kimba / DRC: So
French / Kimba / DRC: all those are the best way we can evangelize some just listening to the values
French / Kimba / DRC: they found themselves.
French / Kimba / DRC: that they were not Christians.
Andy Miller III: But I think.
French / Kimba / DRC: They listened to that attended that training
French / Kimba / DRC: they decided to follow God.
French / Kimba / DRC: Fathers amended, repented of. Their relationship
French / Kimba / DRC: is that is renewed. They are called to save God and follow him. So that is also important. 2 of evangelism, the 8 core values. Yes. So
French / Kimba / DRC: that's wonderful.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah.
Andy Miller III: Yeah, I I think groups working with groups like that like you said, we just need it. We have a goal. And how can we get there?
French / Kimba / DRC: Sometimes.
Andy Miller III: When we I. My belief is my assumption is once we create kind of an official denominational system, that that those denominational systems aren't as effective as 3rd parties like Ili Oms, Wgm, I mean, keep keep going down the list. Because in in our country we had a a President United States in my country, actually in our kind, my country!
Andy Miller III: President, Ronald Reagan said, the closest thing to eternal life in this world is.
French / Kimba / DRC: Is, a.
Andy Miller III: Government agency.
Andy Miller III: a government agent, or a denominational agency right that exists and then gets money from the but if you have a 3rd party that comes in. They.
French / Kimba / DRC: From.
Andy Miller III: Probably are more focused
Andy Miller III: on the mission of the of the Church, because their their support, their very identity, depends on it. So I I love, I love that. It's already been at work. And these these type of groups are there. Oh, while I'm thinking of that
Andy Miller III: I'd be interested in your thoughts on what
Andy Miller III: pastoral education needs to look like, what what needs, what should be required of pastors and theological education? Going forward. I know that that's not necessarily something that you would deal with as an interim bishop, but as a seminary president, I'm really interested in your thoughts on training pastors.
French / Kimba / DRC: I was also the president of Cabongo, Methodista University.
Andy Miller III: Oh, wonderful!
French / Kimba / DRC: For yes, in the previous denomination. So for 5, for 6 years, so theological education should look
French / Kimba / DRC: not not different, because it will need to receive everybody. So everybody who feel to come and save God
French / Kimba / DRC: should be received, first, st because that will help the Church to have qualified ministers
French / Kimba / DRC: who meet the standard and the requirement
French / Kimba / DRC: so, and then that can be hope has offered as every level. So we have a a course of study. We can have a a school theological school. We can have a university, we can. So we just put them everybody according to education level.
French / Kimba / DRC: not how everybody is able to go to the university. Not everybody is able to go to finish secondary education.
French / Kimba / DRC: So others just did primary education.
French / Kimba / DRC: And then so we need to train them according to their level for education.
French / Kimba / DRC: but expose them
French / Kimba / DRC: to know
French / Kimba / DRC: the discipline, the doctrine, and
French / Kimba / DRC: what we are teaching as a church, a church. That is, one number one, number 2. We need
French / Kimba / DRC: to be
French / Kimba / DRC: inclusive, so we receive all who are ready to save God, and then we give them scholarship.
French / Kimba / DRC: We make Ministerial Education Fund shared equally.
French / Kimba / DRC: and we need to build the new schools, pastoral training centers, universities, and to educate and to train them as many as fast as we can, and I remember when Bishop Webb became to preside over our convening annual conference.
French / Kimba / DRC: there was a request by the delegate at the annual conference
French / Kimba / DRC: to build the Keith Boyette University.
Andy Miller III: Oh, wow!
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes, in honor of what he has done for for the Church.
French / Kimba / DRC: And remember global Methodist Church in Africa.
French / Kimba / DRC: Congo is the 1st country where the Gmc. Was registered.
Andy Miller III: Hmm.
French / Kimba / DRC: So we are the 1st in Africa.
Andy Miller III: Beautiful. Yeah.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yes.
French / Kimba / DRC: local churches should contribute to the Ministerial education funds. We need to seek donors and approach them. We need 3 main universities in Africa by linguistic zone. So get a French university, English university, and Portuguese university.
French / Kimba / DRC: So just to speed up the training.
French / Kimba / DRC: because.
French / Kimba / DRC: like now, we used to go to one university in Zimbabwe. So the requirement you go there first.st You have one year. You spend one year to learn English
French / Kimba / DRC: and then
French / Kimba / DRC: others. Even if they move into program.
French / Kimba / DRC: they struggle
French / Kimba / DRC: just because
French / Kimba / DRC: the learning language is not their primary language.
French / Kimba / DRC: So if I had some friends, I know some people as such, abandoned.
French / Kimba / DRC: they say, No, no, they were not able to learn English as mature as they are old enough.
French / Kimba / DRC: So if we
French / Kimba / DRC: in the Gmc. We get the French people speaking countries. They are one university there is in a country where they can go, and then the English speaking people, they have one Gmc. University where they can go, and the Portuguese pastors
French / Kimba / DRC: speaking countries, Angola, Mozambique, and others where they can go that will speed up their training, and then they will, master.
French / Kimba / DRC: I think theological education
French / Kimba / DRC: has to be offered by teachers, professors, volunteers operating in that sector.
French / Kimba / DRC: and that are qualified people like you. You can come and teach. We can have a local teachers, international, we can have exchange programs
French / Kimba / DRC: just to make it grow. Yeah, so
French / Kimba / DRC: in our effort is to get the move.
French / Kimba / DRC: and we we are doing the best we can. And then that that is why we started by the Rural Hospital Training Center in Kamina
French / Kimba / DRC: set to open on Monday.
French / Kimba / DRC: So this is where we are bringing Pastas.
French / Kimba / DRC: who have never been a a who have never been a umc
French / Kimba / DRC: they are new, they have never. So they are coming from different places. So they don't know anything about
French / Kimba / DRC: Wesleyan. Theology. Yeah. So we are teaching them the course
French / Kimba / DRC: as described in the transitional book of discipline. So they are going through a course of study. Once they accomplish those.
French / Kimba / DRC: then we put to them
French / Kimba / DRC: at the disposal of the church.
French / Kimba / DRC: and then they get be ordained and give an appointment to save the church. So we don't want just to take anybody to say I'm coming. I have the Holy Spirit. I have to say no, no. We put to you in the Second Level to educate you, to reach a certain requirement, a certain standard of the church. So this is how we are.
French / Kimba / DRC: I'm looking to the theological education in the global method of discharge.
Andy Miller III: Oh, I love it! And now you and I could talk about this for a long time, and I hope I could get a cup of coffee or a meal with you at General Conference, because I have a lot of ideas how Wesley Biblical Seminary could come alongside of you, but I'm afraid I'll derail this conversation by talking about that. But all these points that you're saying are things that we are trying to line ourselves with
Andy Miller III: at Wesley Biblical Seminary. So I'm excited about that. Now I have to ask the question, did the Keith Boyette University is that? Has that happened? Is there? Is there real? Is that going to be a? Is there going to be a Keith Boyette
Andy Miller III: school, or.
French / Kimba / DRC: No, no, no, I'm saying we we have a pastoral school training center that will be open on Monday. But the Keith Bo. Yeti University is a project.
French / Kimba / DRC: So it's just a a request the the annual conference made that that we want to honor Kish.
French / Kimba / DRC: and then we need the Congo to have a big university, and then we want it to be named the Keith Bowie University.
Andy Miller III: Wow! I love.
French / Kimba / DRC: We are praying for God. Provision, if you know, Wesleyan can give us some endowment funds.
Andy Miller III: Oh, yeah.
French / Kimba / DRC: Contribute to the the project.
Andy Miller III: i i i was gonna ask you for the funds I was. I was looking for it to come to Wbs. If that's what that's good. I I hope it happens that'd be a great honor to.
French / Kimba / DRC: Yeah, it's it's just a project is a thought. We are praying for it to happen. I don't know how many years
French / Kimba / DRC: God will provide.
French / Kimba / DRC: but it's already all of us our pastors and we we sat. We said we needed to honor him, and then, keep the name
French / Kimba / DRC: flew in, so he's got the project, should God provide who started.
Andy Miller III: Yeah, I will. And you've you've been responsive to the Holy Spirit there by sensing the vision that he has for this university. And now, as you're kind of starting to talk about it, trust that God will come by and come.
French / Kimba / DRC: In in case, in case even if I'm not elected.
French / Kimba / DRC: this will be presented to another bishop to say, Wow! This is the request. Our on our 1st convening and a conference. This is what the people, the annual conferences decided and want to happen. So pass. It is is a. This desire is a request for our people, and then it should be done.
Andy Miller III: Yes, indeed, indeed, I'm sure I'm I'm sure Keith is not insisting on that himself, but it's your desire to honor him with that with that name, but also the vision. I mean, I think it's more important, Kim, but, of course, is the the vision for what this university can do, and the need for it
Andy Miller III: in the Congo. So I love. I love hearing that type of vision. And I'm glad I'm glad I had time to ask you this question about theological education. Is there anything else that I didn't ask you that you'd like to talk about? We have a couple of minutes.
French / Kimba / DRC: No, I'm just happy that the you you managed to
French / Kimba / DRC: to listen to me. And what I'm asking is just to make sure.
French / Kimba / DRC: The global Methodist Church to continue to speak
French / Kimba / DRC: to
French / Kimba / DRC: those doctrinal tenants for the survival of the Wesleyan expression of Christianity
French / Kimba / DRC: that is in danger
French / Kimba / DRC: of disappearance
French / Kimba / DRC: due to ongoing heresy and violation of the Wesleyan heritage.
Andy Miller III: Yes.
French / Kimba / DRC: So the other tenant will be the engagement by the bishop to maintain our doctrinal heritage, promote fidelity to the doctrinal principles
French / Kimba / DRC: that launched our movement.
French / Kimba / DRC: We need to stick to that.
French / Kimba / DRC: so I'm glad we had the chance to talk handy. Thank you for what you are doing, and hope to see you in Costa Rica in a few few weeks.
Andy Miller III: Indeed, we will see you there. Thank you so much, Kimba. I appreciate your time, and I know I'm a fast talker in English, but you did a great job with all my questions. I'm sorry I couldn't bring them to you in French, but you did a great job. I'm looking forward to some time together with you in Costa Rica.