Pastor brings international connection to Prairie City

PRAIRIE CITY — Cedar Rapids to Prairie City is one of the shortest moves pastor Willy Mafuta has made in his lifetime as he grew up in Africa and earned four college degrees in four countries.

Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mafuta began schooling in his home country, but then earned scholarships to travel as an international student to South Africa, Canada and the United States.

“It was a long-shot dream to come to the U.S.,” Mafuta said. “I tried to find which way would be the best for me, and then I met an American missionary in South Africa. They helped me get a scholarship to come to U.S. It was a dream and I thank God that I was able to study here and live here.”

Living in Iowa, he preached at a pair of churches in Des Moines beginning in 2008, and then was appointed to Cedar Rapids a few years later.

Fast-forwarding to September 2015, Mafuta became the pastor of Prairie City United Methodist Church and officially became a resident of the town, living just a couple blocks away from the church.

“I think you can be a more effective pastor when you live with the people,” Mafuta said. “Living with the community helps you get to know each other more and also helps me when I’m preaching. I can be more relevant to what I’m talking about, and I can relate to them in an effective way.”

Mafuta explains his preaching style to be thematic, as he preaches about themes and series regarding larger topics — such as common and social issues, issues about faith and spiritual growth.

In the larger scheme of things, because he grew up in a foreign country and has studied in areas around the world, he has an opportunity to expand the mindset of his listeners in every church in which he preaches and be that bridge for international connection.

“It’s something that the world we live in today requires. We cannot be isolated, even as a Christian, from the rest of the world,” he said. “I think I bring that to Prairie City — globally connecting Prairie City and the world — by bringing news and what’s happening in different parts of the world.”

Mafuta utilizes his wide variety of education also as an instructor as he currently teaches ethics at Drake University. He can even pick out similarities and differences between his styles of teaching and preaching.

“I like to be more dynamic in the classroom. I don’t like boring stuff,” Mafuta said. “So even when I’m preaching or teaching I try to be as dynamic as possible. I try to do my best to make sure everything’s relevant and effective so I can get a response back when I’m communicating with folks.”

Communication is Mafuta’s and the Prairie City United Methodist Church’s main goal as they have recently made a change for an earlier Sunday service time of 9 a.m., which includes a little more contemporary music and hymns to appeal to the younger families in town. The first 9 a.m. service was Sunday.

“What can we do as a church to really serve the community? That’s my focus. I think a church can only be more relevant if it really plays into the community,” Mafuta said. “It’s one thing to talk about God and heaven, but if we don’t have our feet in the community we live in, I think we’re irrelevant.”

Contact Alex Olp at aolp@myprairiecitynews.com