ILI: History Makers Leadership Podcast

Ep. 81 | Mentoring a Movement - Build Legacy Through Leadership

• International Leadership Institute • Season 1 • Episode 81

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What does it take to hand off a movement without losing momentum? In this inspiring episode, Bishop David Muniri Thagana shares how Gospel Outreach Assembly (GOA) grew from five small churches to a thriving network of 270 congregations across seven African nations, along with eight children’s homes serving over 400 children.

Bishop Thagana opens up about his passion for mentoring the next generation, the heart behind GOA’s Vision 2055, and the launch of his new foundation—focused on empowering entrepreneurs, funding education, strengthening civic leadership, and caring for the elderly.

He also discusses the real challenges of leadership transition, succession planning, and cross-generational communication, offering deeply personal lessons from his own experience. You’ll hear how his book Overcoming Obstacles: Resilience of an African Boy and his upcoming project on mentorship are shaping his mission to raise leaders who will carry the gospel further than ever before.

Whether you’re leading a church, business, or community, this conversation will equip you to multiply impact, invest in others, and build a legacy that lasts.

🎙️ Tune in now to be inspired, challenged, and recharged for your own leadership journey.

Join a community of leaders who are ready to change history and make an impact in this world. When you take part in ILI training, you will discover how ILI's Eight Core Values will help you transform your leadership. Discover more at ILITeam.org/connect.

SPEAKER_00:

Welcome to the History Makers ILI Leadership Podcast. Norival Trendaji, ILI's vice president for training here. We are continuing our conversation with Bishop David Muniri Tagana, the founder and general overseer, Bishop of Glory Outreach Assembly, GOA. GOA is an African-initiated denomination based in Kenya, present in East Africa, Europe, and North America. Bishop David is a dear friend of many years. We've had a great conversation in our first episode. We are continuing our conversation by focusing on the future of Bishop David, the future of GOA, the future of the gospel in Kenya. Bishop, um GOA has come a long way. You started in, as we talked before, you started in the at the end of the 80s through the 90s, you grew, you you went from planting one church to having five churches in 2001. And then from then on uh how many now? 270. From five in 2001 to 270 churches. How many countries? Uh in seven countries. Seven countries. Eight orphanages. Eight orphanages that serve 400 children. You're raising 400 children in the Lord through your homes. Um of whom are still HIV positive, right? Africa faces a big challenge. Beat the drum, right? That's the name of the home. I've been there.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

Beautiful place. Um you're also uh rescuing children from and and these children you're rescuing them from the streets. Strong Tower home, that's another one that I have uh a history with. Tell us uh a little bit about Strong Tower. How did it get started?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, Strong Tower uh uh is in Naivasha, uh right on a very located in a million-dollar view of Lake Naivasha.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh that that is a million-dollar view. I don't I I I still don't understand how you were able to buy that particular plot of land with a view of a play uh a region called the Rift Valley of Kenya, which is uh Rift Valley in Africa is a is what is it? The it's such a it's a valley so large that it can be seen from the moon. Is it something like that?

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and and I would say the Lord just gave us that piece of land. Uh when I was teaching in Karimagaos High School, the nearest city was Naivasha. So every time I would come to the bank in Naivasha, I found the street children. They would beg me food, they would tell me they want to go with me to school and to a home. Um when we started too many children's home, I thought that would serve the purpose. But then there were too many, and they needed uh we needed to start a home that is closer to them so that they can glow within the same environment of Naivasha City. And that is how we ended up uh starting the Naivasha, the Naivasha's uh children's uh the Naivasha home, uh the Strong Tower Children's Home. Strong Tower Home, yes.

SPEAKER_00:

And uh, and I I have a part of that history because um I was in Naivasha in 2004, and um we we spoke and preached to some of these children, and I took some striking pictures. I had a camera with uh with a with a long telephoto lens, and some of these children were the face of desperation. Uh some of them had the the glue that that that we mentioned in the last episode that they were sneefing. Um and but from those photos was birthed a vision uh that resulted in that school.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, and those same those same photos of desperation, today they are the same photos of inspiration and and hope because the same kids have grown into the homes, come back, uh taking care of other kids in the home. They love the Lord, they love uh the ministry, and uh so and that is what keeps us keeps us going, and it is yes.

SPEAKER_00:

And that's the beauty of the power of the gospel, isn't it? Uh one of the boys that I photographed in 2004. The last time I was at Strong Tower, he was working.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, yes, and uh and even today, when you walk around every home, you're gonna find kids who are in the streets then. Today they are either uh managing the home, teaching in the school, caregiving, or or doing something product.

SPEAKER_00:

Amazing, the power of the gospel. So this is what you have been able to build. Um, and I know when I when when I say you, it's a plural you, because I've I also uh know many of the leaders that that have been alongside of you throughout these years, and and they are as much responsible for the success of this ministry than than you are. Yet none of us are getting any younger. So um tell us a little bit about some of the initiatives. Um let's call those legacy initiatives that that you have been spearheading in in your in your network of churches. As um as you come to closer, you're not you're not anywhere close to stopping, but you're coming closer to that age of when you retire from that kind of ministry to be more of a mentor.

SPEAKER_01:

So in uh in 2021, uh GOA turned 30 from 1991 to 2021. So I gathered all my leaders together so that we could look at the past 30 years from the beginning. And uh I gathered the first generation of GOA who were part of the founders, who have continued leading with me. And I also gathered children who have been born during that same period who are 30 years then. And we all sat together in a literate, in a prayerful environment, uh thinking strategically, and we ask ourselves the question what is it that we have done so well in the in the 30 years? Of course, we had a great opportunity to hear from the children who have seen us grow, and we wanted them to feel free to tell us what is it that you'd have preferred done differently. And uh what it is that uh then we ask ourselves, what is where are we now? And where would we want to be the next 30 years? So we engaged, we developed questionnaires, we sent them to all the countries and all the partners where we serve, and uh that resorted to GOA vision 2055, which is what has been leading us from uh from uh that uh 30 years anniversary, moving towards 2055. Now, when I personally turned uh 60 years on 9th of March 2023, which is two years after that strategic thinking, I happened to have marked my birthday in Djibouti, uh dealing with the history maker's journey. And I and I asked the Lord, why would I mark 60 years in Djibouti of other places? And how, and we have just looked at the future to 2025, how does all this tie together? And one thing that became very clear to me, and the Lord spoke to me in Djibouti during the history makers uh training there in March uh 2023 was that uh there will always be those countries that I may not be able to easily access uh directly to take the gospel. And I therefore need to create and to listen to the Lord of more creative ways of getting into some of these nations. And that is where the Lord, first of all, started speaking to me about the business ideas, uh, to about going to certain places through to do business and to equip business leaders, to empower business leaders. And when I got out of Yubouti, I went back to Kenya, uh BTL, Bible Translation and Literacy Center, for a history maker's journey for business people only, which we which which we did there in uh or just for business people only. And the Lord continued speaking to me about the need for investing more in these core values in the business people, uh business people who can go to every country where, because every country needs business people, and they can do their business, they can glorify God using their businesses, they can represent uh Christ there, they will be welcome, they will be accepted. And uh it is at that point that God uh spoke to me that uh as I think about transition from GOA, a Christian faith-based organization with uh an international vision of the nations and great commission, that I can still transition to Munere Africa Foundation, a non-governmental organization that will focus on empowering Africa, uh specifically in the line of business, uh small medium enterprises, with a view to eradicate poverty or to uh to reduce or minimize, alleviate poverty, we in African countries through empowering people through business, small-medium enterprises, uh, through governance, uh, which I'm very passionate about in terms of helping people understand with the civic education, uh having the right leaders in place. Because in the continent, once you become a leader, uh top leader, you want to sit there until death do your part. You don't want to leave. So, and because of corruption and you have amassed a lot of money, you can buy all the other people in the office, and you just sit and change the constitution to extend your stay. And then once you're about to leave again, buy more people, buy more people, change the constitution again. I am deeply concerned about that that governance of many African countries, and uh and want to see how we could influence that. That is something I was not able to do in while in GOA very much because uh it would come it would change my vision and organization very much in GOA. This is something I want to do. Uh empower people in business, uh, empower people through governance. Uh I am very passionate about the elderly people. I have seen the neglect of the elderly people because traditionally, elderly people are taken care of within an African setting where where the sons get a piece of land inherited and they build next to their fathers, and then they build next to their fathers, grandfathers, and then you build a homestead. But this is clapping now with the modern system of work where everybody is going to the city to look for for a white collar job, so the elders are left neglected, nobody cares. With the coming in of technology, where the young people are friends of the phone more than anyone else. They don't even know how to communicate with their grandparents, and they they they they they are on the phone, the grandparents expect them to look at them and talk. That generational diversity has uh bothered me a lot between the generations, especially with the neglect of the elderly people. And uh and and and then generational diversity even in the place of work. We want to address that through Muneri Africa Foundation. Uh, we want to address the question of education, having been a teacher and now seeing people not able to access higher levels of education, particularly college and university. That bothers me a lot. We want to give educational scholarship to very vulnerable and fortunate, less fortunate people so that they can become sustainable as they get jobs, and we can be able to take care of the 48% of unemployed people in Kenya and also in many African places. So Muneri Africa Foundation, MAF, will uh focus on empowering Africa in the areas of education, scholarships, in the area of caring for the elderly, in the area of empowering people through business. And uh in all these areas, our focus will be mentorship. Uh our greatest responsibility is to look for mentors around the world. And we are asking people only one question: what is it that you have done throughout your lifetime and you enjoy doing it, and you have something you can share with another person who is younger or who has never had that? And if somebody says, I've been a successful politician and I want to see successful, we take that as a mentor. I've been a great businessman and I want to see people. And when we ask these questions, most of the people turn historical and say, Oh, in our time things were better, these days things are very bad. We say, that is why we need you to bring the past experiences and we can match it with all the intellect and all the digital prowess of the young people, and we bridge that gap. You learn something from them, they learn something from you uh through mentorship, and all these areas we want to mentor and mentor and mentor people. And the Lord confirmed this on May 29th when I got into a fatal accident. I almost died. Uh, the car got destroyed completely. I God rescued me and asked him why. He said, You need to be alive to mentor. So I'm now, I'm now, I am now keen and very intentional. The reason I never died in that car wreck is to be alive to mentor people. This is what I'm doing through my ILI networks in Africa, East and South. Uh I want to spend time with the next generation. Um, looking for them, I'm spending time with them online, talking to them. I want to know where they are uh in all the countries. When I go to Congo, I want to spend more time with Paul Shimbari, the son of Varali, more than I want to spend with Varali. When I go to Luanda, I want to spend more time with Emmanuel more than I would spend with uh with Guillaume. When I go to another country down wherever it is, I want to spend more time with that generation. That is why I am even traveling with my own son Timothy more than any other time in my lifetime.

SPEAKER_00:

That's true.

SPEAKER_01:

Because mentorship is the key, and that's what I want to do. So Muniery Africa Foundation is out there and it's roaring. Right now we have three businesses that we have started. We have one educational scholarship in the university that we have offered. Uh 10th of Saturday, 10th of October, uh, this year, we will do a fast elderly training, and God made sure that I am not in the country so that that other next generation can do it without me.

SPEAKER_00:

They'll have to do it without you. That is amazing, David. That is really amazing. And uh so the other aspect of the mentorship is or of the aging process. And uh it was very interesting that you're talking about the grandparents but or the elderly, but that's not you. And then the next generation, that's not you either. So as that middle generation, you are mediating uh that process of connecting the older generation with the younger generation. That is a beautiful, a beautiful insight. Something that all of us who are uh at our better years, who have that experience, um, would benefit from doing it. Um engaging with the next generation, helping them navigate the challenges of life, but at the same time learn from them. They have much to teach us. Yes. Uh their passion, their commitment is is is encouraging. But we're not going to be here forever. So and and one of the things that that are part of our conversation here at ILI is transition. Transition, succession planning. We have actually had a I had a whole episode where uh we we talked about about that. Um tell us uh how do you view succession planning for a leader who is approaching retirement and and what and what what you are doing as as a as a denomination, as a church.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, we uh we are investing, and and I would encourage every other leader who is who is uh probably my age or younger or older, uh to intentionally.

SPEAKER_00:

A footnote. We are uh in the si in around in the 60s. I am 67.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, I am six, I am I'm turning 63 in March next year. Okay. And that and when I started thinking this way was I was 60. Okay. And uh, and that's why I feel that anyone who starts thinking this way and getting these conversations with their leaders, they are going to they're likely to have a smooth transition, uh and they're likely to find their successes. And and possibly even without crisis, managing a crisis, be able to spend enough time with them in uh in the transition. It is a long process. It is a long process. And sadly, sadly, we don't have many models to look at. Uh, we don't have many models. I have personally benefited from one model, uh, Midway Church.

SPEAKER_00:

Midway church.

SPEAKER_01:

The art one I is is one of those that I've personally uh benefited. And when I was looking for a model and I found that, I asked him, would you mentor, mentor me into this process? And therefore, we spend a lot of time. One of the things that uh I learned from him is that uh it will be difficult for me to transfer everything that I have learned all these years in person, so I better start writing books. And uh I learned that and I immediately started writing my first book, uh, which is almost complete, which I'm going to be launching and signing in Midway Church on the 20th of May, 2026.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, how nice that. Uh, we'll actually make sure we'll put the the links to toddleads.org. I think I believe that's the name of his organization, so that you can see and check his books and check Todd Wright. It is a beautiful story of uh of transition, uh, of succession planning. And uh, and it is, it is, it is true that they've done a great job. And uh, if they're mentoring you, that is a good sign, Bishop. So, what is it that you are doing other than writing books uh to make sure that your legacy is there for the next generation?

SPEAKER_01:

I am I am writing books, transferring that knowledge. Uh that first book, which is entitled Overcoming Obstacles, Resilience of an African Boy, tells my story.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

As how I've overcome all these obstacles we've been talking about in this podcast, and uh and the resilience, encouraging someone else to be resilient in the same way. That one I will I am in the process of beginning the second book, which is going to be entitled Mentoring Legacy, and uh and I'm going to focus purely on what mentorship is and why it is important and how you can find a mentor and all that. Uh so that because I have found people asking, what is this mentoring? Uh actually, even yesterday in a meeting, one one man asked me what is the difference between discipline and mentoring. So these are questions I found all over. When I was doing my major research uh in masters in leadership, I focused on uh assessing the need for leadership in Africa uh with reference to mentorship. I was surprised that all the 250 questionnaires that I sent out, only five people had heard the word mentorship. And only two of the five knew what that one is. Others never even had a clue of what that is. So um I will uh uh my second book is on mentoring legacy, uh, basically, and and I'll continue doing that. The other way I'm preparing myself is practical mentorship, like now walking with my own son Timothy, and saying, This is the way I do it, uh, this is the way we have done it. Uh, there's something you could learn out of it, giving them the opportunity to do it and space to grow. I have many, many of those young people all over the continent that I am working with, uh, meeting online with them, uh, having just being uh uh availability for them. The second thing that I'm doing is to find that next generation of leaders. It's not very easy to find them because some of them will uh shy off, some of them will want to compare themselves with you, some of them will feel inadequate, which is what I felt also. So finding them intentionally is is one of the things that I'm doing. And when I fight them, I address all the fears and all the concerns, especially inadequacy. And then we begin the journey of working together. Uh the other thing that I'm doing is to create a framework for mentorship, which is what I've called the Munere Africa Foundation. A framework that uh that I can uh build a pool or network of mentors and mentees from around the world with a clear framework uh where people can can easily come and identifying the areas where they could mentor. So that that that has become very, very, very useful. Basically, that is what I'm doing, and uh and openly having these conversations because this is not uh characteristic of African culture. To talk about future, to talk about uh about moving out of your office, these are not characteristic of uh my culture. My culture is is uh is dictatorial in nature. You sit on that chair of leadership until death does you part. You you until somebody uses the gun to get you out. Or you don't easily leave it. Even if it means changing the constitution, even if it means buying off people, even if it means just not caring what people think about your leadership. Um that is what is characteristic. And uh, and so engaging people on that conversation, I have had people asking me, why are you talking about this as if you are dying tomorrow? Because they associate the subject with either you are dying or you have you are likely to be incapacitated soon for something you know that they don't. So I have just decided to openly, uh intentionally get into this discussion and freely say we are soon going to be out of those offices, and somebody has got to sit in that office.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. And in to that smooth transition. Now I want to ask you a question, because as you know, I am planning an interview with your son Timothy, who is a millennial, a next generation. Um he is traveling with you, he is learning from you. Um he is also a dear friend and uh and and uh uh a young man that has really blossomed in in leadership and all of that. And I'm gonna ask him one question, and I want to ask you the same question because then we can look at look and look at it from both sides. So what from a mentor, from a older generation, what are the the the challenges? You've you've already kind of alluded to one of them. What are the challenges of that relationship with say let's imagine even somebody older than that, somebody who is in approaching 70 or past 70 years old, who is now going to relate to a 30 year old? Um, what uh in in a relationship of mentorship, there are some challenges that are that are inherent to the young man. What are the challenges that are inherent to the to the let's say the old man, for lack of a better word, in your opinion?

SPEAKER_01:

Many, but top on the list is insecurity. The all the older men or lover, those in the office, feels insecure, and they interpolate that mentorship is prematurely removing themselves from the office or or giving an opportunity to the next set of leaders to take over. Uh, and and most of the times it's not looked at from a positive uh perspective. It's look looked at as uh as a coup d'etat, it's an overthrow of the government or it's that idea that if you empower somebody, you're setting yourself up to be removed. You're setting up yourself to be removed, and because of lack of proper succession models, uh that fear sometimes becomes genuine because we have had places where the one who is being mentored prematurely wants to get into that position. Doesn't even wait for the for the process of mentorship to be completed, or or use some methods that really do not uh are not good leadership skills. That insecurity is the major and the top, especially in my continent. And uh to a certain extent, there has been the genuine concerns where that has happened. To the better part of it, it's not genuine. It is insecurity that is based on probably lack of proper exposure of the older generation, lack of training on leadership and vision to envision the future without a person. Uh sometimes lack of education, because a younger person, well educated, has come, and uh mentoring them means that they already are better placed than you to take you out. Um sometimes some leaders have had physical challenges, health, illness. Uh so they think, oh, well, if I do this, I'm setting myself up for that. Is the major, major, majority, major insecurities is the major, major, major deal. And of course, there comes with others like uh communication challenges. There's a big, big, big communication challenge between the generations.

SPEAKER_00:

We don't speak the same language a lot of times.

SPEAKER_01:

We're not even having the same culture. Yeah, they they will dress differently from what we'll dress, they will want to eat different from what we eat. We talk about eating healthy, they talk about eating different, we talk about dressing language. Um we we we are we have a different culture. And that communication within those two cultures in the generation affects leadership significantly, to the extent that even when I am drawing closer to them to with a good intention of mentorship, sometimes they still want to take aback. And uh they they they are not very sure. And and and and and also it's a big test of my patience, and it's a big test of the those the mentors, big, big test. Of test of patience because uh we as we said, different culture, so things will be done differently. And and most of the times people from my culture they might be very rigid on the way to do it and not not flexible at all.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. It's it's almost like sometimes you're old the older generation is that this is how it's been done. And then the new people it's if if it's the way it's been done we need to challenge it, which is not always true. Uh sometimes the way it's been done is good. Um sometimes it needs to be changed. Absolutely. Well, I am I I just want to wish the best and and pray that that both this this initiative of the foundation and the transition, which actually are interconnected uh initiatives, uh will be will be successful. Um just as a wrap-up, David, I do have to uh to affirm that uh to use a little bit of internal language, you saw a need, you felt it, you bonded with it, um, and then you felt like there was a there was a way that you could address the need uh of this generational gap, of this, of all of these issues um in the continent of Africa. And I praise God for uh that for leaders like you in Africa. Uh I've I've learned I've I've been to Africa many times, most of them to Kenya, and I've learned to love uh to love Africa and to love many African leaders. And and it and I think I believe what you are doing is is going to uh literally change history for the kingdom of God in Africa. Thank you for being with us. Um if you've enjoyed watching and listening to our conversation, please remember to um like us, make a comment. Uh comments help the algorithm. Um make sure that you recommend our podcast or our YouTube channel, depending on how you're watching, to those of you who you believe will benefit from hearing conversations about leadership and the eight core values. Our goal is to equip leaders who will accelerate the spread of the gospel. And we do that here in this podcast by sharing the stories of men and women who are changing history, Bishop David being one of them. Last words to our audience, Bishop David.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you very much, uh, our viewer and audience. Um, I invite you to walk with us into the future. We see uh we have a bright future. This uh world is a better place when um when there is that mentorship between the different generations, and all of us have got a place to play. Uh I can't imagine anyone in this world who doesn't have one thing that they have learned over their lifetime that they would want to see that happening to others in the future. So we can all be mentors in certain fields where we do well. I don't know of anyone who can be very successful without being mentored. So I I really feel that um this is the way to go for all the young people and encourage them to look for mentors. And uh, if you would want to walk this journey of mentoring someone or being mentored uh with Muniere Africa Foundation, check us out there on Muniere Africa Foundation's website or Facebook or YouTube, Muniere Africa Foundation MAF. You will find us there and you can just declare your interest, either to be mentored or to mentor somebody. There is a very bright future. There is a very bright future. And those of you who are like me, who are saying you want to retire, go home and wait for death there, uh, change that thinking. Uh change the thinking of retiring to changing tires. Think of it of changing tires to new tires. Change of it of retire, not retiring to go home and die there and become useless. All what you have learned in this life is too, too, too important to just be dumped there. Uh just just come on board and get something else that you can do that you'll enjoy doing without uh necessarily straining yourself. Uh let's make this world a better place for ourselves and for others. And uh thank you so much. And the Lord bless you so much. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you, Bishop David. We are going to make sure that we have all the links to the Manir Foundation, to Bishop David's uh social channels and website so that um you can check it out. Uh show notes will have them. Uh, you will also have them in the video description below. Uh make sure to check out Bishop David's social. Make sure to check out uh the foundation. Uh it will be a blessing. So um let's uh make the world a better place by mentoring others and developing the next generation. Uh, it was exciting to talk to Bishop David. Thank you for watching. Thank you for listening. God bless you guys.