Summary:
Kirk Slater, a church missionary and one of the founders of Kigezi Baptist Church, urged the new pastor to shepherd his congregation with humility and devotion.
KABALE: Pr. Boaz Ndyamuhaki has been officially installed as the sixth pastor of Kigezi Baptist Church in Kabale District.
The installation ceremony, attended by Baptist Church members from around the world, took place on Sunday at the church located in Kanyakiriro Cell, Nyabikoni Ward, Kabale Municipality, in southwestern Uganda.
Boaz succeeds Pr. Simpson Owembabazi, who faithfully served as the fifth pastor of Kigezi Baptist Church from 2012 to 2024.
As part of the Baptist tradition, a group of elders gathered around the kneeling Boaz and his wife, Mrs. Precious Ndyamuhaki, offering prayers of blessing and encouragement, dedicating them to God for their pastoral journey ahead.
Delivering the sermon, Kirk Slater, a church missionary and one of the founders of Kigezi Baptist Church, urged the new pastor to shepherd his congregation with humility and devotion. Drawing from Psalm 23, Kirk emphasized the pastor’s responsibility to provide, protect, guide, and pray for the church.
“Do not attempt to control or rule them with harshness or brutality, but rather strengthen them and help them grow in the word of God,” Kirk advised. He also encouraged church members to support Boaz in fulfilling his divine duties.
Pr. Kenneth Agaba, chairperson of the Kabale Baptist Association and pastor of Kamuganguzi Baptist Church, revealed that Boaz’s selection followed five months of prayer and seeking divine guidance.
“We have held numerous prayer meetings, and finally, God gave us a name. That’s exactly how Boaz was chosen,” Kenneth said.
Kenneth, who had served as interim pastor of Kigezi Baptist Church since September 2024, expressed gratitude to World Venture Church missionaries, led by Kirk Slater and Skip Sorensen, as well as evangelists from the United Kingdom, the Western Uganda regional overseer’s office, and leaders of the Kabale Baptist Association for their support during the transition.
Rev. George Mbonye, regional overseer of Western Uganda Baptist Church Associations, described Boaz as a humble servant of God. He noted that Boaz had grown from a youth leader in the church to becoming the pastor of West Rock Baptist Church in Kabale, demonstrating a commitment to service and humility that would benefit Kigezi Baptist Church.
The ceremony was attended by guests from Baptist churches in Kamuli, Mbarara, Rubanda, Kisoro, and Kampala, all of whom joined in prayers for Boaz and his family.
In his maiden speech as pastor, Boaz pledged to focus on preaching the gospel and reaching out to the lost.
“I won’t promise to build a mega church here. My plan is to intensify evangelism, reaching those who have not yet heard the gospel and bringing them back to God,” he stated.
About Kigezi Baptist Church
Kigezi Baptist Church is one of 66 churches in the Western Uganda Regional Cluster, which subscribes to the Baptist Union of Uganda (BUU). The BUU comprises over 1,800 churches and more than 550,000 members and is officially recognized by the Government of Uganda as a Christian denomination NGO. It consists of nine regions and 95 associations.
Kigezi Baptist Church was the first Baptist church established in Greater Kabale District, founded by a group of missionaries led by Kirk Slater. Partnering with the Kisoro Baptist Association, they established a small fellowship between 1998 and 2001, which later grew into a strong church.
Since then, the Kabale Baptist Association has facilitated the planting of seven more churches in the Greater Kabale District.
The foundation of the Baptist Church is deeply rooted in biblical teachings and revelations, which form the core principles guiding its existence and operations.
