Ethiopia: CITA Conferences for Ministers as a Tool for Church Growth

Pastoral and Family Conferences by CITA: Strengthening the Church in Ethiopia. In February, missionary and international director of “Christ is the Answer” ministry, Taras Sen, led a series of pastoral and family conferences in Ethiopia. These events took place in the city of Bonga, alongside another major crusade. 

For the first time, CITA also hosted a missionary conference for the local team in the city of Debre Zeit.

Pastoral Conference

Before the crusade, as is tradition, Ministry Director Taras Sen held a pastoral meeting titled “The Honor of Ministry” for 200 local church leaders.

The minister from Ukraine shared insights on the responsibilities of a pastor, the challenges in ministry and personal life, and introduced the work of the CITA Ministry, its origins, and the miracles God has performed through it.

For two days, Taras Sen also prayed with the pastors:

“On the second day of the conference, we prayed together for the strengthening power of the Holy Spirit. God’s power moved mightily—many experienced deliverance from demonic oppression, yet our mighty God set them free. After the service, everyone was filled with strength and joy from the Holy Spirit. It was an unforgettable time when heaven bent down to help and set the captives free. Glory to Jesus Christ!”

“At the end of the first day, a minister approached me and shared how valuable the teaching was for him. I hope to see real fruit from this gathering,” said the Ministry Director.

“From the very first day of training, our brother in Christ, Taras, taught us with great depth about love, the responsibilities of pastors, and their struggles in ministry. All the church leaders were deeply impacted and shared that they had a truly special experience. I want to thank God for this opportunity,” said conference participant and evangelist Abate Alemayehu, Secretary of the Evangelical Churches Union of the Kaffa region.

Family Conference

How can we build a happy marriage? This question was the focus of family conferences held by Taras Sen in the Ethiopian cities of Bonga and Debre Zeit for church and ministry leaders.

A total of 134 people attended the family conference in Bonga, most of whom were church ministers and their spouses. The speaker emphasized the importance of spending quality time together as a family and balancing responsibilities in raising children.

“I had the opportunity to preach about the commandments of a happy family, using biblical principles and examples. We discussed the roles of husbands and wives, parenting, prioritizing family time, resolving conflicts, budgeting, serving God together, and much more. Most importantly, I spoke about the greatest commandment—loving one another.

At the end of the conference, we fervently prayed for our families. God’s grace filled our hearts—husbands embraced their wives, wives embraced their husbands, and joy was evident on everyone’s faces.”

The program also included interactive activities. One exercise involved writing heartfelt messages on colorful cards and reading them aloud to their spouses.

Taras Sen strongly encouraged pastors to establish family ministries in their churches. To support them, the Ministry has created family-focused TV programs, already translated into Amharic and available on YouTube. Pastors expressed gratitude for the conference, as it was the first of its kind in their communities. Taras Sen expects to see real steps taken toward family ministries.

“We are so happy to be here with you! It’s true that problems and misunderstandings arise between husbands and wives. Love can fade for many reasons. But through this training, God opened our hearts and inspired us to restore our love and unity.

Our God is faithful to His promises, and He wanted us to renew our marriages and church life through this gathering. I also want to thank God for your ministry and vision. You came here to serve and teach us this beautiful Word of God that restores our souls! May God bless you all! Praise the Lord,” shared conference participant Pastor Sinknesh Deneke.

“Love in marriage often weakens over time. Although there are many sermons in churches, the topic of love remains crucial. Love is the very reason why God sent His only Son from heaven. This meeting helped us realize that love cannot be replaced and must always remain our priority.

This program inspired us to love one another both in the church and in our families. We are so happy to be part of this experience! This is the ministry we have been missing! Thank you. May the Lord bless you all,” said Fikadu Woldeyes, a full-time evangelist in the local Bonga church for 28 years, who, along with his wife, is raising five children.

“I want to bless all of you for your ministry. You paid a great price to come here from abroad.

This family event was an incredible lesson. We understood that investing in families means investing in the church, which leads to the strengthening of the entire community. A healthy family produces a fruitful generation. If the foundation of marriage crumbles, not only the children suffer but also the church.

This meeting is a major challenge for us—to start similar initiatives in our communities. Due to cultural traditions in Ethiopia, it is difficult for men to express their emotions or buy gifts. But after this seminar, we are ready to change. With God’s help, we will overcome barriers to learn the wonderful lessons of a healthy family.

I now clearly understand how to care for my wife and raise my children—with love and tenderness. We deeply appreciate your work!” said Tagaye Shiferau, a church minister.

“I gave the men a homework assignment: to take their wives out to a restaurant and send me a photo of their date night. Also, within the next six months, I encouraged them to take their wives on a short getaway—to a retreat center or a lake.

During such meetings, many people’s eyes are opened to simple yet important things that significantly impact family relationships,” shared Taras Sen.

As the Ministry leader, it was important and rewarding for Taras Sen to see the fruits of his labor, especially in organizing family conferences.

One of the senior church leaders, who oversees more than 400 congregations, shared that at least 100 of them now hold monthly family meetings.

Taras Sen plans to further develop family ministry materials for Ethiopian colleagues to help strengthen family-focused ministries in local churches.

Missionary Conference

For the first time, CITA held a missionary conference in Ethiopia for local ministers from various regions. The event featured training sessions, a family program, a missionary school graduation, and water baptisms, with over 100 participants.

Taras Sen taught missionaries and pastors about church structure, tithing, and the importance of financially supporting at least one missionary. They discussed the mission’s vision for Ethiopia and its work worldwide while praying for the entire CITA team.

To encourage missionaries in their Bible study, the Ministry Director provided them with Amharic-language one-year Bible reading plans.

“I believe missionary conferences like this are incredibly important because when we raise the level of pastors, we automatically raise the level of churches. A church, as a rule, will not grow beyond its pastor. So by investing in ministers, we are investing in churches. Pastors will carry sound teaching, practical insights, and essential principles back to their regions. God blessed the conference—many participants shared that they received a word from God, encouragement, and renewed strength. It was inspiring to see such a vast army of God’s warriors passionately spreading the Gospel across Ethiopia. In just three years, God has given us so many strong pastors. The largest missionary team of our ministry is in Ethiopia,” said Taras Sen.

The Ministry Director traditionally holds pastoral and family conferences in churches while visiting different countries, aiming to strengthen the Church and establish family ministries within local congregations.

The Ministry holds annual missionary conferences for the team in Ukraine, and a similar gathering is planned for Ethiopia next year.

Over three years of partnership with Ethiopian ministers, 35 CITA daughter churches have been established. Today, 70% of all CITA missionaries serve in Muslim-majority cities.