{{ Bethel Church is currently in a crisis after a large number of its members are leaving the church citing rigid rules and questionable financial discipline of the church management.}}
It’s said that the church top management summoned members of all its branches operating in the country for a general meeting which was held over the weekend at the Bethel main church at Giporoso,Remera.
During the meeting with all the church members, the congregation was asked to submit written questions, observations and complements.
Prayers were thus suspended and all the day was used to address to members of the church several issues.
Common among the questions was the demand for accountability of funds given to the church inform of tithe.
Other queries included the tough rules the church imposes on the congregation which most members say had caused them to abandon the church to more liberal churches in Kigali.
Some members of the congregation also expressed disatisfaction with the dressing code of Pastor Umugiraneza who is also a founder member.
IGIHE contacted Pastor Thérèse Umugiraneza a founding member of Bethel church about the allegations of some members of Bethel church leaving.
Pastor Umugiraneza co-Pastors alongside her husband Pastor Nkurunziza at Bethel Church Remera – a church they started in 1998.
She told IGIHE, “No one signs a contract while joining Bethel church and therefore they are at will to leave whenever they want.”
She added that Bethel church is an association with a clear statute which contains objectives, rules and regulations within which members should operate as long as they are still members.
When such members come to our church, its by their own will and they too give their lives to Christ on their own.
They are not forced to accept Christ. Thus they also could leave the church at will.
François Nkurunziza and Thérèse Umugiraneza are the Founding and Senior Pastors of Bethel Churches in Rwanda.
A source who preferred to remain anonymous but also attended the Sunday meeting of the Bethel faithful at Remera branch, told IGIHE that while management was explaining to the church members on the issue of management of church funds, this angered Pastor Nkurunziza who immediately demanded to know why members were asking about church funds yet they were not shareholders of Bethel church.
However, in an interview with IGIHE, Pastor Umugiraneza admited that church members had the right to demand for accountability of church funds.
According to the Bethel church website, the church praises God for having enabled them to purchase several acres of land in many parts of Rwanda incuding; 3 hectares in Kabuga, 1.7 hectares in Nyamata, 9 hectares in Gashora and 3 extra hectares in Gashora.
Bethel church is talking of constructing ; a secondary school in Kabuga, guest house, Bible Institute and a string of churches around the country.
Bethel church website also shows that there are only four staff members of the church including: Gakumba Félix(Administrator ), Nzabahimana Manasseh (technical work and logistics),Nzitunga Alain Christian(Financial Manager) and Mbanzabugabo Bruce(Media Works).
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