Alum elected president of Ethiopian Evangelical Church

Rev. Yonas Yigezu (M.Div.’06), right, pledges to lead the Ethiopian Evangelican Church Mekane Yesus with unity and love. On left, outgoing EECMY president, Rev. Dr. Wakseyoum Idosa.

The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) 20th General Assembly took place January 22-28, 2017 at the Mekane Yesus Seminary, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Rev. Yonas Yigezu Dib-binyam (M.Div.’06) was elected as the next president of the church.

Yonas Yigezu, 55, is currently serving at the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Central Office as director for mission and theology in Addis Ababa. He was a candidate for the leadership position of the church at the 10-13 August council held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The current president, Rev. Dr. Wakseyoum Idosa, has led the church since January 2009. He is also president of LUCCEA of which the EECMY is a member.

“I am very happy that the unity of the church has been maintained and growth has been recorded during the last 8 years. The participation of the EECMY in spreading the gospel nationally and internationally has increased. I will continue to serve the church in all my capacity,” Rev. Dr. Idosa said, following the election.

Out of 446 voting members of the EECMY, 274 chose President-elect Rev Yonas Yigezu. The church’s highest governing body also elected Rev. Dr Kiros Lakew (president of the Addis Ababa Synod) as vice president of the Church and Mr. Bacha Ginaas as treasurer to serve for the coming four year term.

“God is calling me into a challenge but for enormous blessing ahead. I am a team builder and prayer warrior. I see my success in this,” Rev. Yonas Yigezu said.

Yonas Yigezu pursued his early education in Horest Spinnings Junior Secondary School in Challia, Wollega and Ghimbi High School. He then studied in Westhill College, England, where he took his advanced diploma in church management and in Manchester University where he earned a bachelor’s in development management policy and a M.A. in management and economic policy. He earned his Masters of Divinity at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia in 2006. Currently he is pursuing his Ph.D. at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Yonas Yigezu was ordained in 2006 in West Wollega Bethel Synod, Danbidolo. He and his wife, Ayantu Dufera, have 4 children.

The EECMY became a national church in 1959 and joined the LWF in 1957. According to the 2016 statistics, the Church has 8,564 congregations and 8,310,129 members.