Bishop Kirby de Lanerolle
APOSTOLIC DIOCESE OF CEYLON
CHIEF OVERSEER OF THE ADC
RT. REVEREND DR. KIRBY DE LANEROLLE
Rt. Reverend Dr. Kirby de Lanerolle was appointed Chief Overseer / Bishop of ADC in 2015 by the INAD which is the largest and only state recognized Charismatic/Pentecostal Diocese in India. He has been honored with a doctorate by the INAD Open University. He is also the international secretary for interreligious harmony for the INA Diocese. WOWlife, which is his local church, is also an established 501 C3 in the USA.
In 2024, Rt. Rev. Dr. Kirby de Lanerolle, was appointed as the General Secretary of the IIADS, and will now cover, oversee, and be responsible for the spiritual welfare of over 11,000 churches across South Asia, the Middle East, and the United States
Rt. Rev. Dr. Kirby de Lanerolle received the position of Coordinator to the Ministry of Christian Religious Affairs for free and independent churches in Sri Lanka by direction from the prime minister’s office in 2019.
Rt. Rev Dr. Kirby de Lanerolle has also been awarded with the title of ‘Deshabimana’ for his effort in social service that has bridged relationship between Temple and Church; enhancing inter-religious harmony within the nation. His church initiated a model example of the first Charismatic/Pentecostal mission to work together with the local Buddhist temple in serving the community for social uplift-ment. He also officiates as an all island “Justice Of Peace”.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Kirby de Lanerolle has also served with the state sectors. He first entered service at the age of 28, when he was appointed as the Executive Adviser to a Cabinet Minister, making him one of the youngest individuals to hold an official government position ratified by the Cabinet. Spreading his reach further into the field, Rt. Rev. Dr. Kirby de Lanerolle was also a member of the Board of the National Aquaculture Development Agency (NAQDA) and was the National Project Coordinator for Aquaculture Development for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). He was further appointed as the Adviser to the Minister of Special Projects.
The success in the Maradana area of his social initiative: The Warehouse Project led to his appointment as the Executive Adviser to the Ministry of Social Services. Within this office he initiated and established the National Volunteering Secretariat funded by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV), of which he served as Working Director. He was then appointed as a member on the National Council for Persons with Disabilities appointed by then President of Sri Lanka.
Rt. Rev. Kirby is one of the visionaries of the prestigious “V Awards” in 2012 – which is the National Award for Volunteering Services in the country.
In his young days Rt. Rev. Kirby de Lanerolle was an avid sportsman and has won national awards in boxing & rifle shooting.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Kirby de Lanerolle was highlighted in TedX and later in 2013 in National Graphic Channel to talk on spirituality and fasting.
Rt. Rev. Kirby de Lanerolle is the head of the WOW life Church based in Sri Lanka.He is under the covering of INAD Bishop Rev Dr. Paul. T. Maran & Bishop Rev. Dr. Neil Obeysekere.
His church initiated a model example of the first Charismatic/Pentecostal mission to work together with the local Buddhist temple in serving the community for social upliftment.
Rt. Rev. Kirby de Lanerolle’s envisions a church culture relevant to reconciliation & nation building as opposed to division & segregation. He emphasises a solution-based gospel over a conversion-based gospel. He emphasises on the actual implementation of spiritual dynamics to everyday life, thereby empowering the believer to have excellence in their field of influence.
He is married to Pastor Fiona Rachel de Lanerolle (LLB, Buckingham, UK) since 2004. She is a Master of Theology candidate at Fuller Theological Seminary. Fiona and Kirby are both the founders and visionaries of WOWLife ministries & the Warehouse Project.
He has been in the private sector from his young days; at the of 22 and was instrumental in setting up the tea export packaging company Ambassador Tea which later went on to win the medium scale export awards for value addition consecutively in 2010 and 2011. He also set up a $25 million Alokozay Tea plant in Jebel Ali, UAE in 2003. Currently he partners and owns a food fish and prawn farm, a leading commodity trade house and partners in energy consultancies in Sri Lanka.