Fourteen church ministers, comprising seven men and seven women drawn from different denominations, ministries and churches across Zimbabwe, have been ordained into full-time ministry, in a ceremony that underscored the growing importance of interdenominational cooperation and unity among churches.
The ministers, who are already serving in various churches and ministries, came from Bulawayo, Mutare, Rusape, Raffingora, Macheke, Marondera, Domboshawa and Harare for the ordination ceremony held under the auspices of the God Generals International Fraternity (GGIF).
The ceremony provided the ministers with ordination, ministerial licences and certificates, formally recognising their calling and service in the ministry while bringing together Christian leaders from different denominational backgrounds.
Guest speaker Bishop Dr J. Mudhenda of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe said the ordination marked an important transition for the ministers, giving them the authority and mandate to fully execute their calling in the Church.
“I’ve been here today to participate in the ordination of the Servants of God through the auspices of the God Generals Fraternity, an umbrella body that brings many churches together,” Bishop Mudhenda said.
He said the diversity of the newly ordained ministers demonstrated the fraternity’s role in creating a platform where people from different churches could come together for a common purpose.
“As you can see, some came all the way from Mutare; some from Bulawayo; and some here in Harare from different churches for ordination,” he said.
Bishop Mudhenda explained that ordination represented a significant step in the ministers’ journey, as they were formally entrusted with responsibilities associated with full-time ministry.
“This is to give them a licence that they are full-time in ministry, unlike what they were as students. And now ordination simply means they’ve now been given the mandate and authority to go in their call,” he said.
He added that ordination enables ministers to undertake various responsibilities within the Church, including baptism, confirmation and the administration of sacraments.
“Also, the ordination means they can now baptize, confirm, and minister sacraments in the Church of God, as full-time ministers,” Bishop Mudhenda said.
He, however, urged the newly ordained ministers not to view ordination merely as recognition or elevation, but as a call to greater responsibility, humility and service.
“My message to them is simply to know that ordination wants them to be humble. Ordination means sacrifice. Ordination means saving the people of God,” he said.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Bishop Dr Aderino Nyabanga, President and Founder of GGIF and founder of Daybreak Bible College, said the fraternity was deliberately positioned as a bridge connecting churches and Christian leaders rather than as another church or denomination.
“God’s Generals International Fraternity is a Kingdom leadership fellowship and strategic platform connecting, equipping, mentoring and mobilizing pastors and Kingdom leaders across churches, denominations, cities, nations and continents for greater spiritual and societal impact,” he said.
He stressed that GGIF did not seek to replace local churches or compete with existing denominations, but instead sought to create relationships that would enable churches and their leaders to work together.
“We are not a church, but we are in the Church. We do not replace local churches, compete with denominations, recruit members away from ministries or seek to create another ecclesiastical structure,” he said.
Bishop Nyabanga said the fraternity’s strength lay in bringing Christians from different backgrounds together around common objectives, arguing that differences in denomination, culture and tradition should not prevent cooperation.
“The question is no longer: ‘Which church are you from?’ but: ‘What can we accomplish together for the Kingdom of God?’” he said.
He described this approach as “unity without uniformity”, saying churches did not have to become structurally identical for their leaders to cooperate.
“We may have different worship expressions, traditions, administrative structures and theological emphases. But where we genuinely share the central confession and mission of Christ, those differences should not automatically become walls,” Bishop Nyabanga said.
He also challenged church leaders to move away from unhealthy competition and instead embrace collaboration, saying different ministers possessed different strengths which, when brought together, could generate greater impact.
“We must move from my church to God’s Kingdom; from my platform to Kingdom purpose; from my members to souls to be won; from my denomination to the Body of Christ; from ‘Who gets credit?’ to ‘Who gets the glory?’” he said.
Bishop Nyabanga said GGIF’s vision was anchored on bridging generations, building Kingdom leaders and reaching nations, with mentorship and the transfer of knowledge between generations forming an important part of its mission.
“We need fathers and mothers who are willing to pour into sons and daughters. We need younger ministers who are humble enough to learn from those who have gone before them,” he said.
He said the Church needed to develop leaders capable of making an impact beyond the pulpit, including in business, education, communities and other areas of society.
“The Church does not only need people who can preach. We need leaders who can think, solve problems, build institutions, manage resources, mentor people, understand society and represent Christ with integrity,” Bishop Nyabanga said.
He said GGIF would continue building networks of Christian leaders across cities, provinces, nations and continents while allowing individual churches to retain their identities.
The ordination ceremony therefore provided more than formal recognition for the 14 ministers. It also highlighted an emerging model of cooperation in which ministers from different denominations, ministries and churches can fellowship, receive ministerial recognition and serve alongside one another while maintaining their respective church identities.
Bishop Dr Aderino Nyabanga is a seasoned minister of the Gospel, life and business coach, financial literacy mentor and author with extensive training in theology, coaching and mentoring.
He is the founder of Daybreak International Ministries, Daybreak Bible Institute, Daybreak International Charity Foundations, God’s Generals International Fraternity and Legacy Builders Global Hub, among other initiatives.
He also serves in various international Christian leadership capacities, including as Country Director of Adullam Bible Institute in the United States and Country Programmes Coordinator for Christian Leaders Fellowship in South Korea.
Beyond his ministry work, Nyabanga is involved in coaching, marriage and relationship mentorship, youth and women’s empowerment, prison and hospital ministry, charity and philanthropic initiatives, including supporting orphans and vulnerable children with school fees.
He has ministered in several African countries and South Korea and has authored 10 books covering leadership, ministry, relationships, marriage, spiritual warfare, entrepreneurship and personal development.
His work has earned him several coaching and mentorship awards, including Coach of the Decade in 2025.
New Ziana
