Bishop urges churches to embrace technology

Sunday News Reporter

The Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 20th District, Bishop Gregory Eason, has urged churches to embrace the use of digital platforms to spread the gospel of God.

Bishop Eason was speaking to congregates gathered at the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Young’s Chapel church in Makokoba, Bulawayo, for the 45th South West Zimbabwe Conference.

The conference, bringing together hundreds of church members from Bulawayo and Matabeleland regions (Matabeleland East District, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South) started on Wednesday and ends today.

The Bishop said the use of modern technology will help the church to reach to wider audiences and capture the attention of the youth.

“We have to use modern technology to reach out to people across the globe. You have to livestream church services so that we can follow them even if we are in America.

Young people must take up the task and work with pastors on that aspect because they have the expertise to communicate via social media,” he said, adding that he was impressed that the church already has a presence on social media platforms, with Matabeleland East District having a Facebook page.

The Bishop also urged youths to take education seriously, adding that the church should also invest in health awareness and income generating projects.

“Education is the way to a better future. You have to take your studies seriously. The area that will be key going forward is the area of health. There are now many infectious diseases across the world and as a church, we have to be alert all the time and make sure that our members are well informed and safe.”

Bishop Eason yesterday ordained two pastors, Rev Precious Ncube who became a full pastor, as an Itinerant Elder in the AME Church and Rev Tariq Khalima, who got his first ordination to become an Itinerant Deacon. Pastors in the church take five years going through the mill to become fully fledged pastors.

The host Presiding Elder for Matabeleland East District and also the president of the Presiding Elders and pastors in Zimbabwe, Rev Eustice Bekithemba Ginya said the annual conference was spirit filled and successful.

“As we welcome you, we are not forgetting to thank the Lord for thus far he has taken us. It is not because of our wisdom or doing but by his grace that we are alive today. Others who were with us in the last conference are not with us today.

Some have been called to rest and some are somewhere sick, yet we are here in good health. We also thank the Bishop for being with us, and we pledge our commitment to work tirelessly for our Lord in the AME Church,” he said.

The host pastor, Rev Ethel Moyo and her station also received praise for successfully hosting the conference and sprucing up the church.

Young’s Chapel is regarded as the mother of all churches, as it was the first church built in Central and Southern Africa in 1928. The 20th episcopal district of the church covers Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and part of Mozambique with the headquarters for all continents and districts based in America where the church was founded.