The Rev. Zacharie Mboyamba Kabala of Kananga will be the keynote speaker at the CMN conference March 14-16. The legal representative of Presbyterian Community of Congo (CPC) and and director of the Department of Mission and the Life of the Church, he is well known for his skill in conflict resolution and community-building.
Pastor Mboyamba is the Legal Representative of the Presbyterian Community of Congo (CPC) for the former West Kasaï, Katanga, Bandundu, and Kinshasa Provinces. He is Director of the Department of Mission and the Life of the Church. In addition to caring for its churches, the CPC administers more than 800 primary and secondary schools, three pastoral institutes, a seminary, and hospitals and clinics.
Rev. Mboyamba is also pastor of a congregation in Kananga. He is at home both preaching to diverse adult audiences and teaching children’s Sunday School. He is known for his skill in conflict resolution and problem-solving. He has an easy-going manner but is passionate about the church, said mission co-worker Jeff Boyd. Pastor Mbyamba:
- has traveled to the U.S. twice to speak on behalf of the church
- has traveled to Rwanda and Uganda to learn about community peacebuilding
- travels to presbyteries and synods throughout to CPC for evangelistic and reconciliation outreach to communities.
- conducted a radio ministry out of Kananga that was a beacon during the Pandemic
- served communion regularly during the pandemic, inviting people to come into a classroom one by one to receive it, thus avoiding contagion.
“Mission and church life are the heart of what he does. He recognizes the life and dignity in people. He respects people for who they are,” Boyd said. He added that effective communication and humility mark his leadership style. “I asked him once what to call him. He said, ‘Pastor Mboyamba,’ not “Reverend Mboyamba.’ Humbleness characterizes him.”
Rev. Mboyamba was born in 1955 in the province of Kasai Occidental at Bulape, a station founded by Presbyterians in the late 1800s. He completed primary school at Bulape, then secondary school at Katubue, the first Presbyterian secondary school. In 1984, he completed a degree in theology at the Presbyterian University of Congo (UPRECO.) He later completed a postgraduate specialization in evangelism and a master’s degree in theology.
Early in his adult life, he was a secondary school teacher. He later served in the (CPC) as a pastor and as an evangelist for his synod, and as the chaplain for UPRECO. In 1991, he was elected Secretary of the CPC Department of Evangelism. In 2005, became Director of the Department of Evangelism. In that capacity, he directed and supported the following areas of the CPC community: Christian Education, the three pastoral training institutes, the radio and print ministries (IMPROKA and STUDIOPROKA), lay training seminars, and two conference centers. He is also an assistant professor at UPRECO. He has served as editor of a major CPC journal, “Bikayi,” and has written Christian literature for the CPC.
Pastor Mboyamba is married to Pongo Charlotte Mikoko, and they have seven children. Mission co-worker Bob Rice, who worked for many years with the Rev. Mboyamba, wrote about him: “Pastor Mboyamba believes that evangelism is “the engine” of the church. He also believes that having a good personal witness (being honest, trustworthy, etc.) is essential for people to know the love and grace of God. Pastor Mboyamba is a hard worker and a creative problem solver. He is wise, and he likes to tell good stories. He is an important leader of the Congolese Presbyterian Church.”
