The Africa Region Hosts the 101st Nazarene General Board
From 20-24 February 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa, was the host of the 101st General Board of the Church of the Nazarene and its 60 members who came from around the world, representing our 165 world areas where the Church of the Nazarene has a presence. This is only the second time in its history the General Board (GB) has met outside of the USA, with the first being in The Netherlands in 2016.
The General Board is composed of district superintendents, assigned ordained ministers and lay leaders representing the global church and elected at General Assembly. This board has governing responsibility for the global church between General Assemblies. The GB carries out the corporate business of the denominational offices. This business includes commissioning missionaries into full-time service for the Church of the Nazarene with this year’s commissioning having one couple from the Africa Region being commissioned.
“Africa hosting the GB meetings was an honour and an opportunity to express our value of hospitality to our guests from all over the Nazarene world,” stated Africa Regional Director, Dr Daniel Gomis. “The smooth collaboration between the General Secretary’s office and the Africa Region team exemplified interdependence and connection.”
One African member of the General Board, Rev Daniel Sithole, stated, “As we start the second century of the existence of the Church, we continue to echo and do what Rev Phineas Breese said: ‘It has been my long cherished desire to have a place in the heart of the city, which could be made a centre of Holy Fire and where the gospel could be preached to the poor’.” Rev Sithole went on to say, “I felt so proud and humbled to be a member of the Church of the Nazarene. We are indeed a global family!”
The Africa Region JGS, Dr Filimao Chambo, stated, “At the outset of our first plenary, during a concert of prayer, I felt immense gratitude for the Church of the Nazarene’s unwavering commitment to global missions. One of the General Board’s key responsibilities is commissioning missionaries to serve worldwide, and for over a century, the church has actively supported missionary work…Notably, Africa, once a mission field, now proudly hosts the General Board gathering which would include the commissioning of 13 new missionaries, and retirement of 5.”
“There was a strong sense of unity and spirit-filled atmosphere all throughout captured in “Tuko Pamoja spirit -We are Together,” shared Dr Gomis. “Thank you to the Lord and to the Church leadership for this unique time which I hope was for many like ‘coming home’.”
