27 January 2021
We are delighted to announce that James Wanje will be joining our International Board in April 2021. He replaces Ibrahim Dikko who will become our Area Director for Africa.
James and Chao Wanje have worked as missionaries in their nation, Kenya, for 16 years, first for the Family Life division of CRU (Campus Crusade) and now as part of a mission called Sowing Seeds Of Joy Kenya. They work in Nairobi where they are based but also have a passion for the coastal region of Kenya, the area where James’ father, the late Reverend Morris Wanje, invested more than 50 years in evangelism and discipleship. Reverend Morris Wanje was the first Baptist convert in the whole of East Africa and planted around 70 churches, many of them in the coastal region.
Their heart is to equip pastors. They do this by helping them strengthen their own marriage and family, and by equipping them in leadership development, church planting, and discipleship. James says, "In the communities we work with, more than 80% of the pastors lack theological training. We work in partnership with local churches to bring theology into their communities. Alongside theological training, we also train the pastors and church leaders in basic leadership development to help them build stronger congregations who will also reach their communities. We have found the Freedom In Christ message absolutely fundamental in that and have seen it change so many lives."
At one time James and Chao worked alongside our current Africa Directors, Howard and Aileen Ostendorff, in CRU, and the two couples have together been fundamental in establishing Freedom In Christ in Kenya which is now led by Caroline Kihanda. James is Chair of our Kenyan Board, and is currently part of our Transform training program for leaders in Africa. Josh Shaarda, our Uganda Director, says, "James has been very faithful, committed, and humble in his interactions with us in Transform. He shows insight and appreciation for the content, expressing how to live it out in his own life. His heart's desire is to serve God, walk daily in the Holy Spirit, bring Him glory, and expand His kingdom."
Steve Goss says, "We are truly blessed to have someone of the maturity and experience of James Wanje join our Board. We are all very much looking forward to working with him. I'm so grateful to Ibrahim for his fantastic contribution to our Board over the last five years and incredibly excited about the expansion we have seen in Africa under Howard and Aileen Ostendorff''s and Ibrahim Dikko's leadership but I sense 'we ain't seen nothing yet!'"