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| Reverend Doctor Kebede Getachew Yigezu |
Pastor Kebede Yigezu is a Pastor in Ethiopia. He is the first president of their seminary and founder of their church, The Lutheran Church of Ethiopia. Pastor Yigezu now teaches theology at the college that he founded. Pastor Yigezu recently got his doctorate in theology so that he can serve his students better. Pastor Yigezu cares so much for his church that he refuses to take a salary in hopes to relieve some financial stress from the church. in order to provide for his family he borrows money from the church and from others willing to help. I would love it if we can help raise funds for him so that he doesn't need to keep borrowing money from the Church. Kebede is a loving husband and father. Kebede and his wife have three children a 16 year old son, 11 year old daughter, and 24 year old adopted daughter. please help me in supporting one of our fellow brothers in Christ carry out Jesus' Mission.
I had the privilege to interview Reverend Doctor Yigezu myself via e-mail. Here are some of his answers I found most interesting.
How many people have you brought to your church?
It is almost all of them as families and individuals including those pretenders and departed ones had first time communication with me when they join our Lutheran Church of Ethiopia and Maor Theological Seminary. They in turn are trying to bring others in to our church.
How does your church compensate you on a yearly basis?
Even if it is difficult to believe in the context of the church who serve as a leading founder, pastor, coordinator of educational programs and professor of theological and church leadership related courses, I have no salary. It is not because the leadership of the Executive Board and of the General Assembly said so, but because I know the in and out of our church and seminary situation which call for immediate attention including financial terms. As a new strong confessional Lutheran church body with low membership, I do not expect salary to be paid and ask for employment. Instead, I am taking care the basic needs of my family (wife, 16 years old son, 11 years old daughter, and 24 years old adopted daughter) by taking zero-percent-interest-loan which I promised to pay to individuals when I get salary or any other income in the future.
What does your normal day consist of?
Normally, my Monday through Friday mornings deal with the pastoral, administrative issues, international communications, and preparations for teaching and preaching.
Monday through Friday afternoon and evenings (01:00PM-03:45 and 04:00PM-06:30PM) I teach two courses.
On Saturdays the whole day (08:30AM-12:30PM and 02:00PM-05:30PM) I travel to Adama (earlier called Nazaret) 45KM east of Bishoftu to teach our students (diploma, bachelor and masters) the same courses I taught in Bishoftu Monday-Friday evenings.
Sunday mornings are occupied with Sunday Bible Lessons and Divine Service and afternoons with visitations of the members with various needs and sharing their joys and sorrows, and having meetings with the Executive Board.
How can we help?
Since our LCE and its MTS are very young confessional evangelical Lutheran church, we appreciate your prayers, words of encouragement, professional, material and financial support, especially in sponsoring one or more student-ministers whom we are equipping and will be equipping to be future pastors, deaconesses, teachers, leaders, missionaries.
Have you served anywhere else? If so where?
Since Christ found me to be His Own in 1987 when I was 15 years old until the establishment of the LCE and its MTS I have been serving in the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (hereafter, EECMY) in various capacities. Before receiving theological training, I have been serving as choir member and leader solo singer, lay preacher, youth ministry leader and Bible study leader. After receiving theological training, I have been serving as Bible School teacher, Coordinator of Theological Education by Extension at synod level (in USA this means district), Professor of Systematic and practical theologies at the national mother seminary (Mekane Yesus Seminary – hereafter MYS) and Coordinator of Christian Education and Theology Ministries at national level from the Head Quarter of EECMY.
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| The Maor Theological College and The Lutheran Church of Ethiopia |
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| Member's of Kebede's congregation |
