The Rt. Rev. Dr. Lawrence Dena

Director of Pastoral Care and African Ministry

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Lawrence Dena is a retired Diocesan Bishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, Malindi Diocese, where he served upto June 2021. He is currently living in Central Texas with his wife of 44 years, Jane. Together they have 4 children who are all married, and 11 grandchildren.

Bishop Dena received a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) Degree from Asbury Theological Seminary, Kentucky, USA, in 2017, and Master of Arts Degree in Bible Exposition and Theology from International Leadership University, Nairobi, Kenya, in 2002. He has also received certificates in Advanced Leadership Development from Haggai Institute, Hawaii, USA, in 2010 and Counseling Psychology from Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya in 1999 respectively. His doctoral degree dissertation was on transformational leadership. In February 2018, Bishop Dena implemented his dissertation by starting the Anglican Ministry and Leadership Institute in Malindi Diocese that offered classroom training and graduated 35 students in the first year of certificate program by December 2018. In 2019, the institute graduated 35 students more. The third class of 2020 was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and did not graduate until end of 2021.

In 2019, Bishop Dena also started the Diploma School of Chaplaincy in Malindi Diocese that offered a two-year classroom training on modular basis. The first diploma class graduated 15 students in 2021. Both programs are ongoing after his retirement.

Bishop Dena first served as a teacher at both Elementary and High School levels between 1978 and 2004. He then taught at Daystar University (Mombasa Campus) as a Lecturer (on part time basis) for five years from 2010 to 2014. He was ordained in the Anglican Diocese of Mombasa in 1994 and continued to serve as a teacher, priest, and school chaplain upto 2004. He then joined the church on full time basis to serve as Assistant Bishop of Mombasa from 2005 to 2014, and later as Diocesan Bishop of Malindi from 2015 to 2021.

Bishop Dena currently assists Fr. Kurt Hein, the Rector of Light of Christ Anglican Church, Georgetown, Texas, in preaching and teaching adult education. He is also the Director of Pastoral Care and African Christian Diaspora in Central Texas.

The purpose of Pastoral Care in the Church is to provide spiritual, social, and emotional support to all members, as in the pastoral ministry related to shepherds and their role of caring for sheep. (See Psalm 23 and Psalm 78:52).

The purpose of African Christian Diaspora forum is to create space in the church that fulfills the spiritual, emotional, and practical needs of the African Christian Community in Central Texas.

“Casting all your anxieties on him (Jesus), because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7)

Feel free to contact Bishop Dena using the form below.