The Shepherd's House

Baptist Theological Seminary Of  Zimbabwe

South Eastern Baptist  Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina, U.S.A

This was the first church Rev. Gumbo was called to pastor,  while also serving as interim pastor at Mashava United Methodist Church. He served with Rev Chigumira and Mr. Machiri, and together started Chirumanzu United Methodist congregation, in the rural areas. During this time at Mashava Baptist church Rev. Gumbo worked with Rev. John Paul Griggs, a missionary from the United States,  who was involved in church planting in the Masvingo and Midland providences. They worked hand in hand church planting, and were able to start 21 small churches in the area. It was a great opportunity winning people to Christ, using “The Jesus film” and preaching the good News of Christ. When Rev. Gumbo would preach at each of the small churches they had developed, he would spend a week there teaching and preaching in schools and clinics around the area, preparing the congregation to be able to move forward after he had left. Thank God some of those churches are still there today.

When Rev. Gumbo got to Zvishavane, there where two baptist churches that didnt have a pastor. While the task was challenging, he found it a blessing to pastor both Tsitsi Baptist church and Maglas Baptist church. During this time he was also asked to be an interim pastor, starting the work of the United Methodist Church in Zvishavane. Here he met and worked with Mr & Mrs Chengeta and the Mareya family, who had been appointed as leaders of that congregation. They did not have a place to meet for worship services, but thanks to Maglas Baptist church, who agreed to embrace their fellow christians, the arrangement ended up working very well for both congregations. Up to this day both congregations are using the same church, to God be the glory. In the period he was preaching at Tsitsi Bapist church, he planted 27 chruches in the districts of Chivi, Mberengwa, and Nhema. Rev. Gumbo also had the opportunity to preach revivals in Baptist, Methodist and other churches all around Zimbabwe. He also founded Umhizha Craft Center as a ministry to help young people earn a living through art work; those who didnt have the opportunity to go to school, and those who had gone to school but couldnt find jobs.