The Zimbabwe Council of Churches was formed in 1964 with the aim of bringing together the church and Christian organizations for joint action, witness, and coordination, particularly to adopt a united and common response to the political and socio-economic problems. Its aims, objectives and current structure are clearly laid out in the constitution.

The structure of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches is made up of:

• The Council which comprises of the official representatives of 24 member denominations, 2 observer denominations and 10 associate members is the supreme decision-making body and meets Bi-annually.

• The Executive Committee comprising 52 members who operate in five standing committees. The Executive has delegated responsibilities from council and meets in between Council’s Bi-annual meetings. The Executive discharges its functions through regular meetings and through its standing committees

• The Officers Committee elected by the Council namely the President, Vice President, the treasurer and two Committee members meets in between executive meetings to assist the Secretariat

• The Secretariat which is led by the General Secretary has delegated functions of the day to day running of the council affairs. The secretariat is divided into three departments which are; the General Secretariat dealing with Administration and Finance, the Training Department dealing with short and long term training and the Church in Society department dealing with issues of Justice and Peace, Women, Youth, and Mission and Evangelism.

Objectives

1 To bring together for discussion, conference and joint action Christian Denominations of different traditions in order to increase understanding among them and to develop more effective ecumenical witness, study and action at local, national and international levels.

2  To study union and reunion proposals that affect member churches and to offer counseling, advice and help as desired.

3  To coordinate, assist and encourage the work of the churches in Zimbabwe in order to carry out their evangelistic and development tasks for the propagation thereof of the Good News of Jesus Christ to every corner of the land more effectively.

4  To assist the churches in their common work of leadership development, lay and clerical, for common responsibility for liberation, reconciliation, justice, peace and human development.

5  To be a national point of reference in the world-wide fellowship of the Christian church but not to seek to legislate for members nor to compromise their autonomy.

6  To be a national and international point of reference and resource base for interfaith or multi-religious dialogue, without prejudice to such independent initiatives or positions as individual members may from time to time engage or take.

7  To participate in forming an enlightened public opinion on issues of national importance affecting the people in the country by serving as the representative body that can, after study and investigation, express the conscience of the Christian Community on such issues.

8  To promote collaboration and coordination with the World Council of Churches of which the Council is an associate member, and of similar bodies in such a way as may be mutually agreed.

9  To do or cause to be done such things, within the mandate of this constitution, as may be necessary for, or incidental to, the effective achievement of the above objectives.