A Letter from Kabwata

Tomorrow I fly back home from Kenya after a quick in and out trip. As stated in my profile, I volunteer with the YMCA and we are presently discussing plans to open up a university with campuses in Togo, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The meeting finished yesterday and today was spent on a guided tour of Kenya YMCA facilities in the morning (I will not bore you with that) and a tour of the Nairobi National Game Park in the afternoon.

The team that made up the workshop participants garbed in Masai dressing

Below are a few amateur photographs of the wild animals and birds that we managed to see in the park. I think that we could have seen more and learned more if we had an trained and experienced game guide with us but evidently this amateur photographer was in the hands of an amateur game guide. Next time I will give the guide a small test before I accept the deal. Perhaps we will have better photos too!

An Antelope (Hartebeest). They are difficult to take a photo of because as soon
as you approach them they run off, stand at a distance, and then look back.

The Buffalo. Ugly and dirty but a great friend of birds (can you see one on
its back?). This one was surrounded by impalas as if for protection.

The Guinea Fowl crossing the road to quickly catch up with its friends

who had already done so. They are almost always seen in groups.

The Hippopotamus. It is the most dangerous of all the wild animals when
it comes to killing human beings. So, we kept a fair distance from it.

An Antelope (Impala). It is also very hard to take a picture of and is very
quick to run away and hide behind bushes. I must admit, I love their meat.

The Lion. Everything about this animal confirms why it is called the
king of the jungle. We got this close because we were in a car!

The Male Ostrich. It is the tallest and fastest land birds on the planet
and is native to Africa. The ostrich eggs are also the biggest bird eggs.

The Stork (Marabu). It is a wetland bird, as can be seen from its long legs.
It is a scavenger and will be found where vultures are also found.

Vultures. Mention the devil... They are usually poised on top of trees waiting
to see the cats capture their prey. Then they swoop down to have their share.

Finally, the Zebra. Well known for its black and white stripes, it belongs to
the horse family but has never been tamed and so you are not likely to ride it.

Let me begin this blog post by allowing our current interns, Chopo Mwanza and Sydney Kombe, to tell us how they have found the programme as they come towards the end of their one year with us. (Scattered across this post will be photos of some of the other men who have been through our internship programme).

* * * * *

Chopo Mwanza preaching on assignment

CHOPO MWANZA: I came to Kabwata Baptist church for my internship in January this year with several expectations. The first one was to experience and be part of a church that has an evangelistic thrust and fully committed to missions. The second expectation was to witness and learn biblical church government. I was eager to see how an eldership functions. I further wanted to see how a pastor can have a sustained and effective ministry for a long time.

As I come to the end of my internship I can confidently say my expectations have been met. One of the first things that were made clear to me was the fact that Kabwata Baptist is “outward” looking. Every ministry is evangelistic; the church is always looking for ways to reach out to the world. Providentially, I came at the time of the missions conference. The church’s heart for missions was clearly evident, through the giving, the prayers, the concerns and the support towards missions and the missionaries. It was clear to me that the church exists to reach out to lost souls.

Kwenda Kwenda went through our internship
programme and is currently labouring in Choma

Working with the elders at Kabwata has been a learning curve for me. It has left me convinced that plurality of elders is the biblical church government. What made my internship even better was the fact that it was done in partnership with Lusaka Baptist church. Not only did I learn from probably the biggest reformed churches in Zambia but also two experienced pastors, in pastors Conrad Mbewe and Ronald Kalifungwa. It was a privilege to have them pour their lives in my life.

The four years of theological training gave me the tools to work with while my internship was a workshop where I actually used the tools. It’s my prayer that I will continue using what I have learnt till “the church is built and the earth is filled with God’s glory.”

Sydney Kombe, one of the current interns,
trained in South Africa

SYDNEY KOMBE: I came to KBC as an intern on 21st January 2012. It has proved to be a fruitful experience. I came having a stereotyped mentality with regards to ministry. I never knew that pastoral ministry goes hand in hand with administrative traits. I have learnt this in my internship. Observing and participating in the running of the church and its ministries has sharpened me.

When the internship program commenced, I was on an observing side. In the second quarter, participatory strands got extended under observation. In this last quarter, I am more in the running of the church programs and other ministries reporting to me. My duty is to update elders of the happenings.

Adamson Shamfuti, a graduate from the Theological
College of Central Africa, also interned with us

KBC has served me the way in which Antioch Bible Church did while I was studying at Bible College in South Africa. KBC is a viable and reliable launching pad to reaching Africa with the gospel. It is well vested with the manpower to equip men like me to do effective ministry. The essential place of godly character and devotion to the spread of the gospel is what has been passed on to me.

During my internship, I have observed that my commitment to the work of ministry and the word has really developed. Cardinal administrative skills have been developed—and I am still developing in them. This is because you are given very clear areas of responsibility as an intern with the purpose of shaping your focus on what is important. Thus you are helped to do the Lord’s work with excellence.

As my time at KBC draws to an end, I can say that it was time well spent, which will have an effective impact in my ministry for many years to come, through the fruitful discipleship and edification of the saints, to the glory of God.

* * * * *

Emil Grundmann attended our internship programme
all the way from Germany!

Our pastoral internship programme has continued to grow. Next year we are expecting three interns—Matthews Fikati from the Copperbelt Province, Kuyumbana Poniso from the Western Province, and David Chibanga from the Lusaka Province. These men commence their stay with us in January 2013. God has also given us a former pastor with vast experience to coordinate this work.

I mentioned in an earlier blog post that we were purchasing two houses to accommodate our interns. In fact, at the time of that post, the purchase of the first house had been concluded. We have struggled a little to find an appropriate second house but we are almost there. This will enable us to accommodate a maximum of six interns at any one time.

Andrew Matoke is a Kenyan who also went through
our internship programme at KBC

Our idea is to make our internship programme open to anyone across Africa who is preparing for pastoral ministry and who would like an exposure in how a Reformed Baptist church functions in its membership, its meetings, its ministries, its officers, and its missions work. This is meant to augment the training that such a person has already received in his Bible College training. We are willing to consider anyone, as long as they have commendation from their church leadership and are willing to learn. We provide a small pocket allowance and accommodation for the entire period of the internship.

Monametsi Bahudi from Botswana also came for
a brief period of internship with us here at KBC

I would like to urge readers of this blog to pray for these men who come to us that God will use our church to horn the gifts that these men have so that they can blend what they have learnt in the classroom with what they experience in the context of a lively congregation whose life and ministry is fashioned after the New Testament. We have no doubt that it is when these two things come together in souls that are filled with the grace of God that we shall see well-trained men go out and lead churches that will truly impact the world and glorify Christ, the head of the church.

If you know anyone who is interested in such a programme, or you are interested in such a programme yourself, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at tulip@iconnect.zm.

Felistas and I went out for a date on her birthday last Saturday. In the afternoon we attended our intermediate youth camp awareness concert. It was the culmination of months of intense preparations and advertising by our young people. The number of Facebook postings that were counting down towards the concert amused me. I'm sure other social networks that I'm not a part of were also employed to bring in the crowd of young people that attended the concert. We just sat back and enjoyed the afternoon. Below is a short account of the event.

The three MCs--Kapanda, Selina, and Koza

Juliet and Juliet singing a duet

Kapanda Chibambo, Selina Chibutu and Koza Gomile were the MCs. They were a fine combination and they did a fine job. The concert consisted of songs, poems, plays, etc. The theme was constantly around the life and work of Christ as the answer to the many questions that beset the lives of young people. The clarity of the gospel presentation was impressive. Issues affecting young people such as immodest dressing, pride, the reality of Satan, hypocrisy, morally questionable entertainment, sexual immorality, etc., were addressed in these presentations.

One of my old favourites, Steve Green's The Mission, was sung very well by Sanctum from Lusaka Baptist Church. I would have loved to have the words displayed on the screen but it looked like the young people knew most of these songs as they easily sang along.

Twalumba singing a solo

Sanctum, who sang Steve Green's The Mission

In one sketch, David's sin with Bathsheba, his complicity in the murder of Uriah, and his being confronted by Nathan were modernised in the context of inordinate office relationships. Another sketch was written two years ago by a young man in the church (together with his brother) when he finished high school. This young man died a few months later in an accident. It was a wonderful portrayal of how young people seek fulfilment in all the wrong places and end up being disappointed and devastated by the world...until they look to Christ who rescues them from sin and hell. I wished he were here to see the play he wrote!

Our Junior Youth Ministry also participated with one song

Petronella reciting a poem

Charles Bota, our elder who oversees the music side of KBC, was in Cape Town on duty but for a few minutes he was able to watch what was happening via Skype's video facility to make sure the young people were taking heed to his admonitions. He had told them, "If you are taking part to show what you can do, or to be seen as a great artist with great skills, or so that the girls or boys can admire your talent or gift, or just to raise money for the camp...then you have the wrong attitude. Whereas all these things will sadly probably be a part of the concert, for that is the nature of concerts, you must determine to be different!

"Let your attitude rather be one about which ten, fifteen, twenty years from now you will meet one soul who will say, 'Because of your ministry at the KBC concert on 1st December 2012, I became a Christian or was restored or was greatly ministered to.' Let your participation be one for which the Lord will say, 'Well done good and faithful servant. You were faithful to me in your ministry at the KBC concert on 1st December 2012.'"

Kasi singing a solo and ending with prayer

Wonderful a-cappella sang by this group called Kozo

I think the young people acquitted themselves very well. The presentations were of varying qualities, with some being amazingly high. The poem The Incarnation of Christ left my eyes wet with tears. Of course, there were the usual glitches that betrayed the fact that it was not professionals who put the concert together. The voices coming through the microphones were sometimes too low or too high, little effort was put into choreography and dressing, etc. Having said this, it was obvious from the quality of presentations that they are improving every succeeding year. This year’s concert was by far the best and I look forward to an even better set of presentations next year.

ChristLife also sang one song

The play written by the young man who died soon after writing it

One side benefit of such an event is that young people build wonderful relationships as they work together through all the preparations that go with such an event. It was also good to see youths from sister churches who not only came to attend but also to present some of the songs and poems. Thanks to the Chisomo, Evangel, Lusaka, and Mount Makulu Baptist Church youths for helping their fellow young people at KBC to put up such a wonderful event. Our God is an awesome God almost never took off, but in the end the two guitarists far outdid our expectations. Well done!

Mumba participating in a well-thought out poem entitled This Is 4

Wonga and Chipo (sisters) singing one song for us

As the last item on the programme, Lukonde Makupe from Lusaka Baptist Church shared from John 3:16 and Revelation 20:12 pleading with the young people present to consider seriously the love of God expressed in the death of Christ. Eternal life was only offered in Christ. He spoke of the two destinations—heaven and hell—that we must end up in after the judgment of God. Only those who are trusting in Christ will find themselves in heaven. He implored the young people not to wait but to call upon Christ for salvation.

Lukonde Makupe preaching the gospel towards the end of the concert

Part of the crowd of young people who attended the concert

This was a 2012 Youth Camp Awareness Concert. Apart from helping our young people to participate in raising some funds towards their camp, it was also meant to create awareness among the young people themselves that our annual youth camp was around the corner. In fact, the camp begins in three days’ time (on Thursday 6 December). We are expecting around 700 teenagers to come for this camp. Please pray for us. It is primarily an evangelistic event, which demands a lot from our church. However, when we see how the Lord has blessed this camp with conversions, we think that it is worth the effort. Watch this space for a report on how the Lord will answer your prayers.

The Incarnation of Christ poem that drove me to tears

The day ending with a romantic dinner, with a water fountain behind us

Well, the end of the concert spelt the end of part one of my date with my wife. Felistas and I then went for dinner with two of our friends as the second and final phase of our birthday date. In that relaxed atmosphere, chatting about “the good old days”, we ended our celebration of my wife’s birthday!

This week, I'm attending the Central Africa Baptist College's 9th Annual Leadership Conference. Okay, (a little confession is good for the soul) I'm also preaching there. I only begin preaching towards the end of the week. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the ministry of the other keynote preacher, Dr Sam Horn, and the other preachers.

Dr Horn graciously offered to spend last weekend at Kabwata Baptist Church preaching at both our Sunday services. His ministry was greatly appreciated. We hosted him in our home and he comfortably fitted in with us in spite of all the activities of our family. Thanks to my fellow pastor and the chairman of our deacons (and their wives) for having him for meals while our home was upside down with other activities.

Dr Sam Horn more formally dressed in the KBC pulpit

I missed the first day (yesterday) of the CABC conference as I travelled from Lusaka to Kitwe. Today (Tuesday), I decided to attend the pastors' stream. The Leadership Conference has three streams--a pastors' stream, a chaplains' stream, and a general stream. Dr Sam Horn was dealing with expository preaching from the Minor Prophets in the pastors' stream. It was good stuff!

Dr Horn began with a summary of what had been covered the day before. He described prophets as (1) men, (2) holy men, (3) speaking God's word, etc. He warned against the tendency to see biblical prophecy mainly as foreseeing the future, but that it is about how to live today. He began with the fountain of Old Testament prophecy, Moses, went through Samuel (the model who works with the kings), all the way to Elijah (who confronts the king), and the minor prophets (who address the entire nation of Israel).

Dr Sam Horn more relaxed at the CABC Leadership Conference

After a short break, there was a short quiz. I am glad that Dr Horn excused me from it, otherwise I would have betrayed some serious ignorance—having missed the “serving” yesterday.

Dr Horn then went on to deal with (1) How do you identify a false prophet? He used the example of Micaiah in 1 Kings to show who a true prophet was in the context of the 400 false prophets. All the prophets were claiming to speak the word of God, yet by the end of the chapter it is very clear who the true prophet was. The application for us is that we must preach what God has said in the Bible.

Part of the group of pastors and Bible college students at the conference

(2) Are there any prophets today? What part of the prophetic office still exists today? Dr Horn simply used a question and answer approach to arrive at the answer. It was good to hear the clarity with which the pastors answered. The teaching part still exists but not the foretelling function. Since the common understanding is that a prophet has direct revelations from God, Dr Horn said that we must not use that term (prophet) about ourselves as preachers. Let us use the New Testament term "pastor".

God allows false prophets to test our hearts (Deuteronomy 13). You do not test a false prophet by whether a sign happens but by whether what he says helps you spiritually to obey God. False prophets use the Bible. They do signs. But they also tell people to do what God tells them not to do.

Someone sweating it out over the quiz that I am glad I missed!

After lunch, Dr Horn began to instruct us on how to preach through the 12 Minor Prophets. The first was to realize that this was largely unfamiliar territory for many Christians. Therefore, the preacher must have an overview of the Minor Prophets. The main message of the Minor Prophets is about the coming Messiah. He was coming to deliver his people, Israel, from their enemies. He would restore their fortunes. He would reunite Israel, rule over them, restore their land, their Temple, their wealth, etc. all this would happen in "the day of the Lord". The New Testament version of this is "the last days". These days are upon us already.

I wish I could write more, but at this point I was whisked away to attend to other matters. More on this tomorrow!

My name is Comfort Mulenga. I am the second last born in a family that is now down to three. I have lost two sisters and a brother. I am a lawyer by profession. I became a Christian in the year 2000 in Ndola, which is my hometown, after a friend and work mate of mine who was a believer started ministering to me. I soon started attending lunch hour fellowship with him and I enrolled for a correspondence Bible course, which I completed in due course. Through the constant ministering of my friend, the lunch hour fellowship, and the Bible course, I soon understood what it meant to be a Christian. I came to the realisation that I was a sinner and that I needed to repent and give my life to the Lord. My friend prayed with me even as I surrendered my life to God.

I have heard many sermons during my Christian walk. However, one of the many that stands out for me is a sermon that was preached at Kabwata Baptist Church in 2011 by a visiting preacher, Pastor Jeremy Walker, from Maidenbower Baptist Church, in the UK.

The sermon was based on the story of Lot in Genesis 19. The Pastor used this chapter in the book of Genesis to teach us how we should be steadfast as Christians in order for us to evangelise and spread the word of God to others, particularly to those who are not Christians. Our lives and the decisions we make should reflect the saving work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in our lives, so that when we minister to others we do not do so from a compromised position. He gave Lot as an example of a compromised messenger. He preached on how in Genesis 13:12, when Abraham and Lot parted, Lot pitched his tents near Sodom, where the men were wicked and sinned greatly against the Lord. Lot decided to settle in a place where sin and wickedness prevailed, thereby placing himself in a compromised position as he was a man who knew the Lord but chose to live in a sinful place.

Pastor Jeremy Walker said that if as Christians we are not steadfast in our choices and we settle in the midst of sin we would find ourselves compromising with sin. He pointed out from in Genesis 19 how the two angels sent by the Lord spent the night in Lot’s house and the men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house demanding that Lot brings out the men (who were angels) so that they could have sex with them. Lot’s response to the demands of the men of Sodom is found in Genesis 19:7-8, which was as follows; “…No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do whatever you’d like with them. But do not do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”

Lot found himself offering a Sodomite (sinful) solution to the problem he was facing with the men of Sodom, as opposed to offering a godly solution. What kind of a solution was that to offer his daughters to the men of Sodom? It was a sinful compromise.

Pastor Walker pointed out that when we live compromised lives as Christians, we become compromised messengers, such that when we seek to evangelise and speak to others about the Lord, they will not take us seriously because of our compromised lives. This is what happened when Lot spoke to his sons-in law as he warned them of what the angels of the Lord had told him, which was that, the Lord was going to destroy Sodom and they needed to get out of the city, but his sons-in-law thought he was joking (Genesis 19:14). His sons-in-law did not heed his message and so they did not leave the city, which was eventually destroyed by the Lord and they perished.

Pastor Walker emphasised that when we are compromised messengers we will not be able to save souls because people will not take us seriously. As a result, people whom we could have brought to saving faith will perish because of our compromised state. Therefore it is important for us as Christians to live upright lives so that others can be drawn into the Kingdom of God instead of dying in their sins.

This sermon changed my life in that it was a reminder that the way in which I live my life has an impact on others. Therefore, if I live a sinful and compromised life, which is unbecoming of a Christian, the people around me will be affected because when I choose to share the word of God with them, they will not take me seriously. They will look at my life and they will just say I am being a hypocrite—and rightly so! However, if I live an upright life and share the word of God with people, they will look at my life and be encouraged to listen to the gospel. This may lead them to desire to become Christians and ultimately others will be drawn into the kingdom of God. This sermon was a sobering reminder that the lives we lead as Christians can be the starting point of effective evangelism.

Dad went to be with the Lord on 12^thJune 2012 at about 16.00 hrs after a short illness. He was in hospital for about 5 days. In many ways this has been no ordinary death. I will ever cherish the memories of dad’s last days on this earth.

Ever since I was a child, one of the worst fears I ever imagined was the loss of a parent. How would I take it? Would I ever face it? Would I ever want to imagine this day to come? When June 12^thcame when my dad departed, it was a different experience from what I ever imagined or expected. I will never forget the expression on his face as dad gripped my hand for the very last time in farewell, as he said, “Thank you, thank you,” in the last hour before he left this world. I whispered back, “Go in peace, dad. As per your request, we will not be bitter. We will ever be thankful to God for you and for everything that you have done and have been to us.”

It was at that moment that it dawned on me that it had come to pass, this was it.... And when that dark moment came, as he was pronounced dead, our first reaction with my siblings was to hold hands around his body and give praise and glory to God for his life—a life that had touched many lives. The worst fear of grief that I had grown up with was never to be, all because dad prepared us in every way and very well for his departure to the very last minute. Praise be to God!

The final family reunion—October 2011

Many months before his departure, dad began to prepare us—his children, mum, and the other members of the family—for his departure. He began his farewell mission as far back as October 2011 when we all gathered at their farm in Kanakantapa at a family reunion which was the only one of its kind attended by over 100 family members—his children, grandchildren, sisters, nephews and nieces, cousins, and of course his wife, mum. During that time dad shared with us our family history and family tree, urging us to remember this and pass it on to our children.

Dad clearly told us that this was his last family reunion and urged us to continue in love and unity. That Sunday he lead us in a Bible study from Acts 16:16-37. His message and concern was salvation for the members of the family that did not know God. He prayed for those members of the family that were not saved and asked each one of us to see him in private if we needed spiritual help. That was so touching. I will never forget his prayer for us—that we may each know our God and have a closer walk with Him.

Our final daughters surprise visit

Months later, early March 2012 when we his seven daughters paid them what we called “a surprise visit for the weekend,” dad told us, “you do not know what you have done... to you it is a surprise visit to us; to me there will never be another time like this.” Later that evening after all the chats, storytelling and dancing, we each took turns to tell our parents how grateful we were for them and what they meant to us. In response, dad said he too was grateful to hear all we had to say about him while he was still alive. He went on to tell us that his time was near, he had fought a good fight and run his race and that he was ready to leave this earth.

Dad went on to tell us about what he wanted us to do when he dies, i.e. where to bury him, how to look after mum, what to do with his farm workers, and about his property, etc. We listened attentively as he spoke like he knew for sure that he did not have much time to live on this earth. He spoke so confidently and so comfortably about his passing on to heaven like he was speaking about visiting a far away land... he did not say “if I go” but rather “when I go.” If I remember correctly he never used the word “die” to refer to his passing on. He always used “when I leave” or “when I go” and later often used the expression, “When I take on my new body.”

The visit of the seven sisters

Dad’s final two weeks on earth

The last two weeks before dad’s departure were truly amazing. The man was very sure he was going and made it clear to those close to him. I was privileged to spend most of his last days with him. I listened as he spoke either on the phone or in face-to-face conversations with different people mentioning that his time had come. This was even before he complained of any ailment.

Returning from our cousin’s wedding on Sunday, May 27, 2012, dad asked me to drive him up into the new Levy Mwanawasa Stadium to see it, saying, “ I want to see the inside. This is my last visit here, and I will never come back this way.” I did as he wished. During that weekend he was very jovial as usual, telling us stories and cracking jokes, and teasing me about my careful driving. In the midst of all that, he mentioned several times about his time having come and about his departure.

Dad spent the following week visiting and bidding farewell to close relatives and friends. Then he fell ill, complaining of a fever, on Tuesday June 5^th. As my sister and I accompanied him to the hospital, dad told us the 3 hymns he wanted us to sing on his funeral while I was driving. These were: 1. Yehova Mbusa wangadi (The Lord’s my Shepherd). 2. Nlokoma dziko langa (Behold my beautiful country). 3. Zokoma ndithu nthawizi (Sweet hour of prayer). He started teaching us the way he wanted us to sing them on his funeral day and asked us to start rehearsing. This was exactly a week before his departure. He spoke as in an ordinary conversation and in his usual tone of voice. That was also the day I asked him to stay with us at my home so we could keep a close watch on him.

Later that day, my cousin Philemon, who was with us at home, called me to tell me what dad told him that worried him: 1) That he said his time to go had come, 2) that he wanted to be buried at the farm and that he wanted his grave to be not less than two meters deep, 3) that he was urging us not to be bitter, not to mourn “his loss”, because we would not be losers, and 4) that he had already chosen a cow to be slaughtered on his funeral for us to celebrate his life.

Phil and I were almost in tears. Later that evening, he insisted he wanted to drive back to their home in Kanakantapa to be with mum. So, he drove back there later in the evening to come back the next day for another doctor’s appointment. That night we prayed earnestly for his healing. We later learnt that when he went back to Kanakantapa he took someone to the gravesite to show them where exactly he wanted to be buried.

Mrs Sakala with her surviving children

Dad’s final journey on earth

The next day, Wednesday June 6, dad called for me to go and pick him up from the farm as he was in a lot of pain and did not feel comfortable enough to drive. He insisted I don’t come alone but come with my sister. So I drove there in the afternoon with my sister. We took him straight to the hospital where he received treatment and we returned to my home with him. Soon after we got back from the hospital, he started making phone calls to different people who were close to him and with whom he had an agenda pending—meetings, weddings, etc. I watched as different people came and left. Some walked out of his room weeping. When I looked at dad, he didn’t look like he was dying!

Later in the evening, he called for all my siblings (his children) and grandchildren in Lusaka to come. The five of us Lusaka siblings gathered at my home with our children in no time. He bade fare well to each one of us as he called us into his room, one by one. Later, he called in all the grandchildren, talked to them about his departure, prayed for them, and blessed them. He also phoned my two sisters on the Copperbelt to travel to Lusaka the next day, which they did.

The message to all of us was that we had no reason to mourn his departure as he had fought a good fight, run his race, and the time had come for him to take off his old body and put on a new one. His constant words were “Please, do not be bitter with God. You are not losers. Be grateful to him for my life and celebrate when I go.” Still, he did not look like someone who was anywhere close to dying. Later that night I called a doctor friend to come and see dad. He came in around 21.00 hrs and decided that we take dad to the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). He was admitted.

The next day, while in UTH, he continued inviting people to see him, and for each person he had a message. Some of the people he called for included Father Charlie Thomas (his good friend), who is in charge of the Anglican Cathedral, whom he asked to host his funeral service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Rev Moses Mwale (his son-in-law), who is the Moderator of the Reformed Church in Zambia, whom he appointed to preach at his funeral, his lawyer with whom he checked his last will and testament, and uncles Judge Esau and Jacob Chulu. Each time people prayed with him for his healing, he urged them not to be disappointed if God did not answer their prayers the way they wished but to accept whatever outcome because his time to go had come. Later that night he spoke to my two brothers in the USA via Skype video.

Dad’s final worship service on earth

Sunday 10^th June all his children and spouses went to have a prayer service with him at his hospital bed. We had such a memorable Sunday service with dad. With a smile and loud and clear voice, though in great pain, dad sang beautifully the hymns in Nyanja ‘Nlokoma Dziko Langa’ and ‘Zokoma Ndithu Nthawizi (Sweet Hour of Prayer). He sang particularly loudly and emphatically the last verse:

Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight.
This robe of flesh I’ll drop, and rise
To seize the everlasting prize,
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

It was a bittersweet moment when he pleaded with all of us, saying, “Whatever happens, he is a great God and we should not be bitter with him. That moment I felt such a grip of renewed faith, hope, and strength. Everyone smiled as we looked at each other and at dad as if he had just injected something in us. The next day, Monday June 11, was a quiet day for dad as he was in pain but he spent most of the time with mum at his hospital bed.

Dad’s final hours on earth

I was privileged to spend the last hours of dad’s life on this earth with him. We held hands until I literally felt the cold hand of death touching him. In the last hour before his departure I told dad that we had accepted that it was time for him to leave this earth and take on his new body. I thanked him for everything he had done for us to raise us to where we are today, in the fear of the Lord. I told him we will ever be grateful to God for having given him to us as our father. And when I said, “Go in peace, dad; all is well with us, we will be fine,” he raised his head, looked at me and said clearly, “Thank you, thank you, thank you—Nimwetseni madzi” (give me water to drink). After I helped him drink some water I sang for him the first verse of “Sweet hour of prayer.” As I sang I watched him smile as his eyes began to close. And when I said again, “Go in peace, dad,” he stretched his arm and gave me such a firm handgrip that I will never forget. I just had to capture it with my phone camera.

I called my sister, Mrs Florence Mtonga, who was praying near the window, and the two of us held each of his hands firmly as we began to feel the cold creeping up his body. Minutes later he went into a comma and about half an hour later he was pronounced “gone.” Four of my sisters and I held hands in prayer as dad breathed his last in the Intensive Care Unit.

In conclusion

We will ever be grateful to God that dad did not just prepare us psychologically for his passing, but he also put everything in order. In his passing, our faith in God has been renewed. Indeed we are not bitter but grateful to God for having given us such a father with rare qualities.

Jennipher Sakala-Uwishaka
the author

Born on 19th December 1934, dad was 77 at the time of his passing. He married mum on 8th January 1954 at a wedding ceremony that took days, which many who attended and are still living still speak about. At the time of his passing my parents had been married for 58 and a half years, during which they were blessed with 12 children: Ngaiwe (died at 3 months in 1957), Isaac, Florence, Stephen (died at 3 years in 1963), Myra, Jennipher, Andrew (passed on in January 2004, aged 38), Judith, Fanely, Esther, Esnart, and Talandira. All of his children are confessing Christians.

Dad left a very rich chronologically written autobiography of his life, which we hope to have published on the first anniversary of his passing on.

(EPILOGUE:I hope to publish in the next few days a summary of Rev Foston Sakala’s life and ministry, written by my good friend, Dr Japhet Ndhlovu. So, watch this space!)

By Rev Dr Japhet Ndhlovu – Nairobi, Kenya

Zambia recently lost a great son of the soil. A Zambian giant of family, religious, political, and moral conscience stepped off the stage into the arms of the God who saved his soul and made him in many ways a statesman and many good things to many people. The Rev Foston Dziko Sakala went to be with the Lord on Tuesday 12^th June, 2012 at the University Teaching Hospital after an illness. He was put to rest at Kanakantapa in Lusaka East near his retirement home.

When all is said and done, it is not about how long we lived, but rather how well we lived life in the years that God the Creator alloted us. Reverend Sakala touched more lives than most will ever realise in his excellent service to God and humanity. The writer of this tribute, who was his ardent student, is one such grateful life.

Family

Reverend Sakala was 78 years old at the time of his death. He enjoyed 58 years of marriage to his dear wife, Emelia Sakala, who has survived him. God blessed them with twelve children—three of whom have already passed away—and several grand children. They trained their children in the ways of the Lord and general humanity. Reverend Sakala insisted that all his children receive respectable formal education from very good institutions of learning.

Ecclesiastical life

Rev Sakala was an ordained minister of the Word and Sacraments in the Reformed Church in Zambia (RCZ). He served God faithfully through the RCZ and in very high and important ranks until he honourably retired from active ministry upon attaining the age of 65. Yet among his many protégés he was popularly and fondly known simply as “abusa FD” (pastor FD). He preached and lived the gospel of Jesus Christ. A great number of people were introduced to faith in Jesus Christ through his life and ministry.

Being an ardent believer in the value of formal education, he served the RCZ as its Education Secretary to promote education through the RCZ learning institutions. He trained hundreds of young people who eventually became ministers of the Word and Sacraments in the Reformed churches of Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa. Some of these are now serving God in other countries such as Kenya, Canada, Sierra Leone, Australia, and the USA.

Service to country and region

Rev Sakala was a man of many accomplishments who served his country and region faithfully, diligently, and with great commitment and honour. He had the rare honour and privilege to serve as Chairperson, President, Trustee, or Executive Committee Member in a multitude of organisations. These included:

- Long serving Principal of Justo Mwale Theological College in Lusaka;

- Chairman and Trustee of the Bible Society of Zambia;

- Vice Chairperson and long serving member of the Citizenship Board of Zambia under the Ministry of Home Affairs;

- One of the first appointees of the Commissioners of The Human Rights Commission;

- Chairman and later Trustee of Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation Board;

- President of the Christian Council of Zambia;

- Board member at World Vision Zambia;

- Chairman and Board member at Multi-Media Zambia;

- Executive Committee Member of the Southern Africa Alliance of Reformed Churches;

- Executive Committee Member of the Reformed Ecumenical Council;

- Board member of the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ);

- Founding President of the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP);

Reverend Sakala was such a brave advocate for justice that when the local outspoken voice of conscience, Bishop John Mambo, was about to be deported for what could be termed as ‘politically motivated reasons’, he gathered the required courage to face the then very powerful and feared President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda (KK), to successfully plead for Bishop Mambo’s release. The powers-that-be then (United National Independence Party) had wanted to silence Bishop Mambo, who believed in the non-violent struggle for justice and peace, from talking openly and without fear about matters of good governance in Zambia.

Reverend Sakala believed in democracy and the rule of law and thus actively participated in the re-introduction of multi-party politics in Zambia. In 1990/91, a while before the multi-party democracy storm engulfed the country, he showed rare courage by telling the all-powerful KK, that the era of one party participatory democracy was no longer sustainable in Zambia.

Reverend Sakala became a member of the leading team of clerics under Anglican Bishop Stephen Mumba that brought KK and the leaders of the opposition political parties, led by the late Dr FJT Chiluba, to agree on an historic road map to the multi-party elections of 1991. Reverend Sakala’s role as President of FODEP speaks volumes of how he championed transparent, free, democratic, and fair elections in the country.

Reverend Sakala used his high profile to campaign for the emancipation of the oppressed, to defend human rights, and to fight HIV/AIDS, ignorance, disease, poverty, and racism.

Service to the world

Reverend Sakala was an ardent believer in the dignity of all human beings and as such he promoted the culture of human rights for all. His clear Christian leadership made global impact as he provided leadership for the global church family, especially in the years of apartheid. His stance was clear—the church should not tolerate such a grave injustice on humanity. He articulated this constantly as a member of the Executive Committee of the Reformed Ecumenical Council—one of the antecedent bodies of the World Communion of Reformed Churches in the 1980s.

Reverend Sakala contributed in a small way to the dismantling of this evil system of racial segregation (apartheid) in South Africa. This he did by actively engaging the Dutch Reformed Church’s leadership in South Africa over the subject, and also by raising his voice in ecumenical bodies such as the Reformed Ecumenical Council on this matter. He served this body at the same time that Rev Dr Allan Boesak of South Africa was also in the leadership. Reverend Sakala went as far as arranging a meeting between President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and President P W Botha of South Africa which took place at Katima Muliro border town. The purpose was to allow Dr Kenneth Kaunda, as a strong moral voice of the then Frontline States, to prevail upon President Botha about the need to dismantle the evil system of apartheid by starting legislative processes, the return of refugees (including Thabo Mbeki, who by then lived in Lusaka), and the release of all political prisoners (including the great Nelson Mandela).

Reverend Sakala was a modern day prophet. In the opinion of this writer, the true prophets of today are those who see the evil in this world and speak out and/or write against it in the hope of turning people away from such evil and back to the created and heavenly intent of God. Unlike Old Testament prophets, prophets of our own times are people who fearlessly call on both the faithful and the powers-that-be to remain true to the positive ideals and values of love, compassion, and justice and that is exactly what Rev Sakala did throughout his life. He was a true champion and friend of the poor and oppressed both in Zambia and beyond. He led several delegations to Heads of States and to government leaders, be they Ministers or Permanent Secretaries, to champion one moral cause or another.

The message of condolences sent to the RCZ and the Sakala family by the General Secretary of the world Communion of Reformed Churches, the Rev Dr Setri Nyomi from Geneva- Switzerland, further testifies to the great man Reverend Sakala was. The message read, “We received the news of the home-going of our brother, Rev. Foston Dziko Sakala with much sadness. We thank God for the impact of Rev. Sakala’s leadership”.

His never wavering sight of God

Though Reverend Sakala became a giant in his role as spokesperson for, and defender of, justice and truth, and as he gained popularity and affection for exhorting the Zambian people to non-violent struggle for justice and peace, he never lost his simple faith in God and pious devotion and love for the Saviour of his soul. He was truly committed to Jesus Christ and the cause of the gospel. He often said to those of us who sat in his theology classes that he was doing what he was doing motivated by his faith in Jesus Christ. He was a true voice of religious and moral conscience.

As did the great Patriarch Jacob, father of the Israelite nation in Genesis 47 verse 29 onwards, when it was clear he was about to die, Reverend Sakala sufficiently prepared his family for his passing on and even arranged in some way his own funeral service. He then prayed, breathed his last, and he was gone from this world.

He was indeed a man of great faith in a great God. He went through great trials but exhibited great commitment. He has left a great legacy and great inspiration for Zambians. As believers in Jesus Christ, we believe that what awaits this great son of his country, labourer in the Church and servant of God, Reverend Foston Dziko Sakala, is a great reward which God our father will give not only to him but also to all who love the appearing of our Lord and his son, Jesus Christ.

May we all emulate him!

(The author is Head of School of Theology, Presbyterian University of East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya. He is the former General Secretary of the Council of Churches in Zambia and also former Spokesperson of the Oasis Forum in Zambia.)

Last Sunday, July 1, 2012, was yet another milestone at Kabwata Baptist Church, as we set apart yet another missionary into the great spiritual harvest field. This time it was a national from Botswana, and he was being sent back to his own people to plant churches under the banner “Central Baptist Church”, starting with Central Baptist Church, Gaborone. His name is Monametsi Bahudi. We would value our praying for him. Below is his testimony of salvation and calling to the full time preaching ministry.

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Pastor Sibale taking Monametsi Bahudi through his ordination vows

Testimony of salvation

I came to faith in Jesus Christ during the month of July in 1992. A gentleman who did not give me any breathing space but kept inviting me for Christian meetings had been pursuing me for some time. On this occasion I finally went with him because he had been so insistent. During the meeting, the sermon that was preached was about Naaman and his issue of leprosy. I became convicted of my own sin that could only be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. I believed on Jesus as my personal Saviour. The delivery of the sermon and the call to repentance were predominantly Arminian but I genuinely believed. I spent some time not affiliating to any church, as there was such a strong debate on which church was the correct one. I only joined a Baptist church in 1994 through baptism and I began to experience true growth.

In 1995 there were some Southern Baptist missionaries in the church who must have embraced Reformed theology. They isolated about five of us young men (including Bonang Lekoba) and began to teach us doctrines, which I now know to be the doctrines of grace. I enjoyed them and began to teach them to other youths. I was a leader for the youth group in the church and also began to preach when our pastor (Benjamin Kabika of Gaborone Baptist Church) asked me to. I soon became competent at preaching even though I cringe when I listen to what I taught in those days because of either the doctrinal errors or emptiness in the sermons.

In 2003, I worked in Francistown and was included on the preaching roster. Somehow, I was given more preaching slots than the other men. The church seemed to have a soft spot for my confident emptiness in the pulpit. Maybe even this emptiness was better than the “fullness” that others had! When I moved back to Gaborone, I was effectively an associate pastor in the church, which exposed me to the closer scrutiny. At that time the church wanted to register with the government and so we had to fill in some forms, which required us to put down our beliefs. This is what opened a Pandora’s box of diverse beliefs in the church. To cut the long story short, I realized that I my beliefs were incompatible with those of the church, especially in the areas of church government and the authority of the Bible. Fellowship became increasingly difficult as many members of the church felt that I was a heretic and was preaching the doctrines of the devil.

The church elders laying hands on the new missionary

I finally joined Central Baptist Church in July 2004 when it was just being formed. We were finally registered with the government in 2005.

Sense of call to the ministry

The bible teaches that when a man desires the office of elder he desires a good thing. For sometime now I felt that this was the call and desire for my life but I often suppressed it, especially in 2005/6 when we were hoping to get Mr Nsenduluka as our church-planting pastor. I looked forward to being under a Reformed elder who would guide me on how I can really be sure that God was calling me. With the passing of time, this desire got stronger and clearer. When we could not finally get Mr Nsenduluka and began to look for someone else, this desire was growing in me. However, I avoided mentioning it to my fellow leaders (Katongo Nkamba and Phanuel Mweemba) for fear of presumption. When Ted Vinatieri—an elder from Grace Fellowship in Pennsyvania, USA—came to visit us, I had a long chat with him about it. It became even clearer that I am the servant that God wants to use to lead Central Baptist Church in Gaborone.

Since then I have been trying to deal with my blind spots. The church has affirmed my preaching and leadership gifts for some time now and I feel more confident that God has called me. I am planning my exit from my full time government service some time next year so that I can devote more time to the church.

The Bahudi family after the ordination service

My family

I am married to Tshoganetso and God has blessed us with four wonderful daughters. We are also fostering my late sister's son. Our first daughter is 15 years old and is doing Form Two. She is a very reserved person and very quiet. Eunice Ikanyeng is 12 years old and doing Standard Seven. She is not quiet at all. She is vibrant. Abigail is going to be 6 next December. Finally, we have Rene who will be two years old in October. Ignicious is 18 years old. He is doing Form Four. He has had to repeat a few years cause he is apparently a slow learner but now he is doing better with his schoolwork. He is a very respectful boy.

* * * * * * *

We are grateful to our sister churches and partners who have joined hands with us ever since we started planting churches in Botswana in 2004. Botswana is hard ground, spiritually. We now have three churches—in Gaborone, Francistown, and Orapa—but they are all still in diaper stage. This is our third attempt to send a missionary there, the first having been Kapambwe Nsenduluka (a Zambian) and the second being Bonang Lekoba (a national of Botswana). We are under no delusion that the devil will yield ground easily this time. We ask you to pray for Pastor Bahudi that God will use him far beyond our wildest dreams. We know that in answer to your prayers, God can do it!

One experience that often refreshes my heart when I visit the USA is when I meet Christians telling me that they are sensing a call to go as missionaries to Africa or Asia and are actively praying and preparing to that end. I often ask myself the question, “Why don’t I hear this back home? Why are our own people not thinking about taking the gospel to far away lands that desperately need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ? Doesn’t God want to use Africans in missions too?”

The individuals who speak like this are often young couples raising very young families. They speak about going to places where they will be far away from their families and friends, where they will forego many of the comforts of Western life, and where they will be exposed to disease and danger. Yet they speak with great excitement and anticipation. It is something they want to do for Christ and for the gospel. They sense that this is what will bring fulfilment to their lives.

We can easily say, with a very judgemental spirit, that these are individuals who have failed to make it in life in their own country, and so they want to get out onto the mission field in order to survive. Let us suppose that was true about some of them. Well, then, why don’t those in our circles “who have failed to make it in life” come forward asking us to send them as missionaries into our rural areas or into impoverished and dangerous countries in Asia? Even that is not happening here!

We are still a receiving church

I think that there are a few reasons why we hardly experience this phenomenon in Africa. To begin with, we are still very much a receiving church. We still see missions as something the white man does. After all, they are the ones who brought the gospel to us so many years ago. Due to this unconscious view, we do not feel guilty about this sin of omission. It is like children in a home who do not participate in raising funds for the education of their siblings even when they have started working. “It is the responsibility of mom and dad. After all, they are the ones who brought us into this world!”

David Brainerd preaching to the American Indians

Missions is absent in our worship services

I also think that it is because the subject of missions does not occupy any meaningful part in our regular worship. I have noticed that in many churches in the USA, there is a deliberate effort to focus prayer on specific countries of the world that are most needy spiritually. This is often also included in the church bulletin for that particular Sunday. Hence, children grow up in church thinking about the worldwide needs as far as gospel work is concerned. This bears fruit as they begin to wrestle with what to do with their lives in their late teens and early adulthood.

That is not the case here in Africa. The average church in Africa does not have any specific section of its worship dedicated to the subject of missions. Everything is inward looking. Even when you come to the church prayer meetings, the requests are about sick uncles and aunts, travelling mercies for those going out of town, money for school fees, etc. It is not God’s worldwide agenda at the centre of the prayer times but individual needs within the church. Missions is conspicuous by its absence!

We think we are too poor

I think that another reason is that we see the lack of money as a real hindrance towards the work of missions, especially when it involves crossing lands and seas. How can I find myself in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, or Uzbekistan, without having a pocket full of money like the Americans? We think, “If I am already struggling to survive financially in a place where I have friends and relatives, how much more if I go to a place where I do not know anyone and the people are hostile to the Christian religion?” Hence, the work of missions is not an option.

What we fail to realise is that most Americans who have to make their way to Africa or Asia (or anywhere else in the world) spend an entire year or more going from church to church to raise their support. Many of their supporters give small amounts regularly. They often have to survive with very little support coming in. They also have to spend some of that money to keep their supporters well informed as to what is going on in the field so that their financial and prayer support can continue. Sometimes disaffection creeps into their relationship with their supporters and the tap runs dry. However, despite all this, the missionaries still want to serve the cause of the gospel abroad.

We lack African role models

We also lack role models. Whereas we have church pastors serving in African churches, we do not have African missionaries who can come to our churches with reports of how God is extending his kingdom through their labours in foreign lands. We do not even have such biographies in our bookstores for our young people to read and be inspired. All our missionary biographies are about Western missionaries, and so we relate to them the way in which we relate to movie actors. We are mesmerised by what we read but we conclude that these are not men of like passion as ourselves.

That is not the case with our American friends. They read biographies of men like David Brainerd and Adoniram Judson and can relate to the towns where they grew up and the schools they went to. They can understand the sacrifice that they made to leave their own world to go and serve among the local Indians and the Burmese across the oceans. They sense that the same God is also calling them to leave their comfort zones and go into places of poverty, disease, and danger for the sake of the gospel.

Adoniram Judson

So what should we do?

Therefore, there are a number of challenges that come to us today, those of us who are pastoring churches in Africa. We need to teach our people regularly that the days when the church in Africa was an infant are over. The days of receiving must give way to days of giving. The Great Commission is as much our responsibility as it is the responsibility of Christians in the West. We also need to serious make space for information from the mission field and prayer for missions work in other countries—especially the most needy countries of the world. There will never be a burden unless statistics are known.

Those of us who are pastoring churches in Africa also need to network with other churches, both within and outside Africa, in order to raise funds for the work of missions. Yes, in comparison to our Western friends, we are poor; but if we can pool our resources together we can do something. Where our Western friends are sending out thousands of missionaries, we will send out hundreds of indigenous missionaries.

And finally, we need to seriously look for African role models. Surely, we should have a few dynamic men and women who have left the bright lights of the African cities to plant churches in rural areas. We must have a few African men and women who have quietly gone into Islamic and Communist countries to spread abroad the aroma of Christ. We need to know them and put their heroic examples before our people.

The Zambian Annual Reformed Family Conference and School of Theology this year is on the theme, “Missions—Not Beyond Our Reach.” It will be addressing this very matter. So, if you are able to join us, please mark Monday 27to Friday 31 August in your diary. We need to put our heads together and turn the tide around. We as an African church need to take our place in the grand purpose of God in world missions. We can do it. Missions is certainly not beyond our reach!

The most popular Zambian-produced adverts, meant to persuade us to buy Zambian products today, are often senseless and bordering on the absurd. Whether this is true the world over or only here in Zambia, I do not know. But certainly the adverts that I have been seeing on television of late have left much to be desired. They seem to suggest that we Zambians are all idiots!

An advert of Herve Renard with his "magic" white shirt--thanks to Boom!

The mindless absurdity

To begin with there is the lack of relationship between what is being advertised and the claimed benefit of using it. For instance, look at the advert where Jeff Sitali is claiming that Herve Renard (our national football team coach) was successful in coaching the Zambian team into Africa’s number one team because of his “magic” white shirt, which is only made possible because he uses Boom washing powder.

This is obviously not true, but it is also ridiculous. What relationship has a sparkling white shirt to winning a football contest? Isn’t that the same logic that makes up African superstitions and witchcraft? I once sprained my back when trying to reach down to my computer bag during our annual missionaries prayer retreat. When an old aunt of mine heard about it, she asked me, “Did anyone touch it before you did? They could be after your job, son!”

There is sheer mindlessness in so many of the adverts. I think here of a paint advert on ZNBC TV where all we are shown is a guy with a hoarse voice dancing with a bucket of paint. I am not being told what the superior quality of this paint is. So, am I being expected to prefer this paint over others because someone danced with it? Or am I being told that I will dance like that if I use this paint?

The blatant lies in the adverts

What also worries me is the blatant lying. Look at the television advert where Christopher Katongo (our national football team captain) is claiming he uses MAQ products for his laundry detergents, his bathing soap, and his body lotions. He is being paid to tell a lie. He knows that it is not true, but he goes in front of the whole nation and blatantly lies to us. Why are we allowing this?

Granted, there is a grey area in all areas of life, and advertising is no exception. How long should Christopher Katongo use MAQ products before he can say to the nation that he uses them—one week, one month, or one year? There is no such line. However, for a company to come and pay me so that I can claim I use what I do not use—that is a lie. If I have any moral fibre, I should not accept that.

Tiger Woods with the Nike "swoosh" on his cap and golf shirt

Learning from others

Look at Tiger Woods and Nike. Nike's trademark is the famous “swoosh”. Woods simply wears that symbol on his clothes—and they pay him millions of dollars for doing that. He does not need to tell us lies that the swoosh is the “magic” or secret of his success. The secret of his success is talent, hard work, and practice on the field. Even an idiot knows that!

The United Kingdom has what is called the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which is a watchdog that prevents what has become a senseless “free for all” here in Zambia. One of its rules is that adverts must not exaggerate facts. Recently the ASA in the United Kingdom banned an advert because it had exaggerated the effect of using L’Oreal brand anti-aging cosmetics on the famous actor Julia Roberts. That is how such watchdogs should function.

Doesn’t the Zambian Marketers Association or Chamber of Commerce have some rules about advertising? Surely, although there are some grey areas, which will be exploited by those wanting to make quick bucks, an active watchdog should ensure that these adverts that insult our intelligence come to an end!

A WORD TO MARRIED MEN: When you underwent pre-marital counselling, I am sure your counsellor did not tell you that in marrying a wife you were acquiring a second mother. The only difference is that when you met your first mother, you were a little baby and so she could experiment on you as she pleased and you did not have much of a choice. After all, all you could do was to kick up tantrums (i.e. her understanding of your refusal to accept her will without putting up a gallant fight).

Now you are an adult. You have a mind of your own. You think you know what is best for you. However, in comes your second mother—your wife. She is concerned about your bulging waistline, your sagging cheeks, or your thinning hairline, and she expects you to take her efforts at addressing this without adult tantrums (again, her understanding of your refusal). That is where the problem is.

It goes something like this. Your wife spends an afternoon with her friends—perhaps at a church outing—and, while they are gossiping about men (just as men do about women), they express some of their concerns about their husbands. Those who have been more successful than others share their magic formulas with those who have been less successful. “Try it,” they assure their friends, “it works wonders!” And, sure enough, your wife resolves to “try it” on you!

When you were a baby, you were too young to notice that your mom had decided to suddenly change your skin lotion, the colour of your clothes, or your meal patterns because of advice from friends that she had met the day before. After kicking and screaming for a few minutes you simply accepted that this was your fate in life and you adjusted to the inevitable. After all, she was your mother.

The problem is that now you are an adult. When your breakfast menu changes from a full three-course meal to a solitary banana sitting on a plate, you do not take that lying down. “Where is my breakfast?” you ask. “You haven’t seen it? You’re only having a banana for breakfast today,” your wife answers from the kitchen. One solitary fruit for breakfast is not your idea of breakfast and so you put up a gallant fight. “Yah, but where was the decision made to change the menu? I thought I was the head of this home… blah, blah.”

Okay, I know it does not get to this extent!

Perhaps you are about to go out for some event and think that your favourite blue shirt is just right for that occasion. You search for your shirt but cannot find it. Finally, you ask your wife if she has seen it and her response is, “I decided to give it away. I felt that you had worn it enough times and it needed its well-deserved rest. So, I gave it to your younger brother when he was last here.” “Excuse me,” you blurt out, “who decides when a shirt has been worn too many times? I thought I was the head of this home… blah, blah, blah.”

Such remonstrance does not achieve its desired end because… a wife is a second mother. She knows what is best for you—at least, so she thinks. She knows how much you ought to weigh, what clothes you ought to wear, the amount of exercise you should have per day, the amount of food you should eat, the hour you should get home from work, how many hours you should put into your office work, how many hours you ought to sleep, how warm your bedroom should be, which women you should keep a distance from because they are bad company for you, etc.

Hyacinth helping Richard with his tie in Keeping Up Appearances

Anyone who has ever watched the television comedy series Keeping Up Appearances can see the second mother in Hyacinth. Her husband, poor henpecked Richard, just never seems to get anything right! Hyacinth is the one who knows what impression to maintain with the neighbours and she makes sure Richard toes the line. What makes this comedy so hilarious is that Hyacinth exaggerates what many men often have to live with in their homes. It is the phenomenon the Bembas call, “Tachimoneka bwino” (English: “It doesn’t look nice”).

If you are a husband, then you must be familiar with the following comments and questions from your wife: “I would have thought by now you knew where to put your dirty pants and socks.” “This room is stuffy; you mean you couldn’t open the windows?” “Did you take your morning bath?” “No, no, no, you can’t put on that shirt with that trousers; the two do not go together.” “Have you eaten your breakfast?” “Another helping?! No, that's too much!" "Here. Have some more vegetables. They are good for you." "I don’t like that friend of yours.” Who do these comments and questions remind you of? Your mother, of course!

[As I sit down to compose this blog post, let me state that I have a counter on the blog that tells me that I will soon be reaching 200,000 visits. So, since this is likely to happen before the next blog post, I thought I should mention this now. Also, I am sure that by the next posting I will have my 150th "follower". Whoever you will be, thanks for taking the trouble to join my regular readership!]

In two weeks' time, I will be celebrating 25 years of ministry at Kabwata Baptist Church. Hence, you can well understand that my mind has been riveted onto this subject for the last month or so. 25 years! That is half my life on the planet! I thought I should do a few blog posts on the eve of the silver anniversary. And the very first one is a reflection on the joy that I have had in pastoring KBC for the last 25 years. It has truly been a great joy!

To begin with I must thank the leaders and members of KBC who in July 1987 voted almost unanimously to call me into the pastorate of the church. The church itself had only been in formal existence for a year and a half (since January 1986). I do not think they were desperate—at least not yet. So, for them to call a 25 year old single young man, who had no theological qualifications, to be their pastor had to demand a lot of faith on their part. Today, when I look at 25 year olds in my congregation, I say, “No way! What were they thinking?”

Felistas and 25 year old Conrad in 1987

Thanks to my wife and children

I must thank my dear wife, Felistas, who has stood by my side from the start of my pastorate. We got married on 2 January 1988, a few months into my pastorate. At the time of our wedding, I had no home to bring her into but the church deacons were working frantically to ensure that after our honeymoon we would walk into our own home—which we did. Phew! She knew that this was going to be a life of sacrifice and was willing to work double shift—as a wife/mother and as a breadwinner, like the noble wife of Proverbs 31—so as to ensure that our little family was well supplied. To her I must say, “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” More on this on 2 January 2013—our silver wedding anniversary!

I also want to use the opportunity to thank my children for their unflinching support. It has been good to see the children grow up, come to faith in Christ, and begin serving the Lord in the church. We are like one small army with a common passion to see souls saved and the church make progress. Over weekends, you see this one preparing the songs to be sang, another one is preparing the equipment for recording the sermons, another is helping with cleaning the auditorium, etc., while “yours truly” is also busy preparing the sermons. May this zeal continue long after the Lord scatters us in different directions as jobs and marriages empty the nest. Jesus is worth serving for life!

The family as at December 2011, without our married daughter

The sources of joy in the church

What has brought me the greatest joy in KBC itself? I would like to begin with the leadership. We had our periods of difficulties. In the earlier years the difficulties were primarily doctrinal, as I steamrolled resistance to the Reformed Faith in the life of the church. Remember, I was a young man. Then in latter years, some of our difficulties were primarily related to personalities. However, on the whole, we have had excellent men serving both as elders and deacons. Many times, I have told the Lord, “Why have you spoilt me like this? This is a dream team!”

Then, it has been the joy of seeing conversions. Which pastor would not be melted to tears to see whole rows of individuals saved through the ministry of the church? As I sit on the podium next to the pulpit waiting to preach, I look across the congregation and see individual after individual sitting there who first came into the church or into my office totally lost in sin and degradation. Now, there they are, sitting at the feet of Jesus and living for him. Wonder of grace!

The KBC eldership, standing on the shoulders of others who have gone before

Leading a working congregation

What else has brought me joy in serving at KBC all these years? It has been the joy of seeing a congregation that has turned from being a bus into being a body. Once upon a time, KBC functioned more like a company of auditors and I was the only accountant. The chief question on everyone’s mind was, “Has the pastor performed up to our expectations?” That has totally changed now. The chief question in our members’ meetings is, “How have we performed in our various ministries of the church?” That has truly been a breath of fresh air.

This zeal for Christian service is particularly evident among the teenagers and young adults. We often joke about them in the eldership that the main reason why we keep running (despite our age) is that if we stopped they would run over us. So, we just have to keep on running—while huffing and puffing—for dear life’s sake. While their friends are wasting their lives in passionate lusts and debauchery, these young people are busy serving their Lord and Master. It is truly a joy to behold. It reminds me of the zeal we had in the good old days.

KBC ministry leaders being interviewed during KBC's 25th anniversary

The growth of the work of missions

May I add to this list the joy of seeing more and more churches being planted? When I came to KBC 25 years ago, there were no formally recognised Reformed Baptist churches in Zambia. There were Reformed Baptist individuals in many pews, but no church or pulpit had pinned such colours to its mast. Today, we have over 40 such churches scattered around Zambia and its neighbouring countries. KBC is involved in planting at least half of them. What a joy it has been to see this!

I thank God for our deacons. Each time we go to them to ask whether we could send out another missionary, in view of the church’s hand-to-mouth financial situation, their response has always been, “Yep!” Yet, no sooner is a new missionary sent out than our own financial giving towards missions grows and new partners come up who want to join hands with us in this work. I recently said to our church treasurer that the Bible is true: “According to your faith be it unto you.” This level of faith among the deacons has been a great source of joy.

Let me wind up this first blog post to commemorate the silver jubilee of my pastorate at KBC. I wanted to begin these blog posts by at least making it clear that the 25 years have been a joyous ride. I often have to sit with fellow pastors in Zambia and around the world who pour out their hearts to me because the going has been hard. I thank God that it has not been so with me. It has been a most joyful ride. Given a chance to live my life all over again, I would accept a call to KBC and remain there for 25 years. The Lord has truly been good to me!

Our annual intermediate and junior youth camp came to an end this (Monday) morning. Apart from a quick peep on Saturday night, I was only able to attend the camp the whole day Sunday. Although we did not hit the 700 number we were targeting, we had about 600 young people present. As usual, it demands the most from our members to ensure that such a large number of kids are ministered to both physically and spiritually. Thankfully, the membership rose to the occasion. It was good to see so many of them involved in every corner of the camp—registration, meals, seminars, sick bay, counselling, small group studies, etc. Every each of ground was taken up, especially during the seminars which were held in parallel sessions.

Pastor Ronald Kalifungwa preaching to one of the groups

Pastor Albert Ngoma preaching to yet another group

Our main preachers this year were Pastors Ronald Kalifungwa, Albert Ngoma, and Chipita Sibale. Whereas in previous years I've tried to give a run down of the programme on specific days, this year I've opted to simply share some testimonies from young people who have been converted in recent camps. I took a few aside yesterday and interviewed them. I hope you will find these sample testimonies as a tonic for your soul and as fuel to impel you to pray for similar fruit from this year's camp. As usual, my camera was on duty throughout the day and so I have sprinkled this blog post with photos of different small group meetings.

The group to which Pastor Kalifungwa was preaching

The group to which Pastor Albert Ngoma was preaching

* * * * *

Hi, I am Salifya Simbeye. I was brought up in a Christian family. My mother brought my siblings and me up as a single parent. I got converted at this camp in 2009. Pastor Saidi Chishimba was preaching one evening about how everything is meaningless without God. I had wonderful plans for myself and realised they were going to be meaningless without God. I went to my dorm and thought about it. That was the day I repented of my sins. One area in which I have noticed a real change is in the way I relate to people. Previously, I never wanted to relate to people but now I am interested in them and in their welfare.

The group to which Pastor Chipita Sibale was preaching

* * * * *

Hello, I am Chibale Chisupa. I grew up in a Christian home with Christian principles. I was saved in 2010 during the youth camp that had the theme, "The wrath of God." I was talking to one of the camp counsellors about the challenges I face at school. She told me that to meet these challenges I needed Christ in my life. After our conversation, I went back to my room and thought about what she had said. That was when I gave my life to Christ. I have noticed a real interest in the things of God since then—reading my Bible, praying, going to church, etc.

Mrs Sarah Kalifungwa teaching during one of the seminars

* * * * *

Hi, my name is Siwilanji Sichalwe. I come from a Christian family. I got saved during the 2009 camp and the theme was, "Vanity of vanities." Pastor Saidi Chishimba was preaching about how meaningless life on earth was without the Lord Jesus Christ. After the camp I spoke to my mom about it. She again showed me from Scripture how meaningless life was without Christ. I then asked Christ to come into my life and save me. I was not free with people, but this has changed since Jesus saved me. I even enjoy reading the Bible and leading devotions at home.

Pastor Ronald Kalifungwa teaching in another seminar

* * * * *

Hello, my name is Khuzwayo Tembo. I grew up in a Christian family and have been going to church all my life. I used to think I was a Christian because of that. Before coming to camp in 2008 my dad spoke to me about whether I was a Christian. In my testimony Jesus was totally missing. When I came to camp the theme was, “The last judgment”. Pastor Makashinyi asked if we were ready for the judgment. I knew I was not. He pointed us to Christ as the only one who died to make us ready for judgment. There and then I gave my life to Christ. Although I liked going to church I never served Christ. Now I really want to serve him.

Mr George Sitali teaching in yet another seminar at the camp

* * * * *

Hi, my name is Njekwa Sitali. I grew up in a Christian family. I thought that in knowing I was a sinner, God would have mercy on me. In 2009 I attended the KBC youth camp. On the last night, the preacher told us about his friend from primary school days who always wanted to work for NASA but died soon after getting this job. I was really affected by this story. I went to my dorm and asked Jesus to save me but I don't think he did. The next day the same preacher pleaded with us to give our lives to Christ. That moment, I again asked Jesus to save me. This time I had the assurance that he answered my prayer. I was very short tempered before I became a Christian and did horrible things when I was angry. That anger has totally dissolved.

Mrs Miriam Nyasulu (heavy with child) teaching in yet another seminar

* * * * *

Hello, I am Nelson Mauzeni Mumba. I lost my mother when I was very young and now I live in the SOS Children's Village. In 2010, before Christmas, members of KBC came to the village to share a Christmas party with us. They invited us to this youth camp. The theme was, “The wrath of God.” At the camp, Mwindula Mbewe was the opening keynote speaker. He preached about spiritual fruit being proof of our salvation. I saw myself as a sinner deserving to be "cut down and thrown into the fire". I went to my room and thought about all this. It was then that I asked Christ to save me. My life has totally changed. I have a hunger for God's word and I gladly serve him among my fellow youths at the SOS Children's Village.

Mrs Clementina Daka teaching in yet another seminar

* * * * *

Hi, my name is Tolai Mwetwa. I was brought up in a Christian family. My dad is a pastor. Many people assumed that I must have become a Christian while I was still very young, since I came from such a home. That was not the case with me. I got converted in the 2011 youth camp. Pastor Saidi Chishimba said no matter how many sins we have committed God is willing to forgive us. Previously I used to think I was too big a sinner for God to forgive me. This used to really trouble me and the guilt had been getting stronger. I needed to do something. There and then, when I heard Pastor Saidi Chishimba say this, I gave my life to Christ. A few months later I went through doubts concerning my assurance of salvation. However, my faith in Christ's finished work and the change in my life have gone a long way to assure me that I am saved. I am now thirstier for God's word and I really want to know God more and more.

Pastor Albert Ngoma teaching at yet another seminar

* * * * *

There you are—seven testimonies of the grace of God in saving young sinners. Last night, Pastor Ronald Kalifungwa preached from 1 John 5 that one sign of a true believer is that he overcomes the world. He shared with me that one young man went to him and said, “I always thought I was a Christian until I heard you tonight. I have now realised that I am not. Please show me how I can become a Christian.” And so they spent some time in a corner as this young life was pointed to Christ!

Part of the 600 young people that heard the gospel this weekend

...and so to prayer. What shall we say? To God alone be the glory. Amen!

Pastor Choolwe Mwetwa, one of my favourite Zambian preachers

One issue I often have to address in my itinerant preaching is the abiding relevance of preaching. One interviewer said to me after hearing me preach, "But don't you think you put too much confidence and emphasis on preaching? People have their Bibles now. Shouldn't they simply be encouraged to read their Bibles and then come together to discuss what they are learning from their Bible reading?"

That is the popular mindset. Men and women do not want to be told what to believe and how to live. They want to share their opinions. This is particularly observable in the blogosphere. It does not matter how thoroughly you as the author of a blog post have done your research, thought through a matter, and then posted your most educated work. Most comments come from people who just want to say what they already know, without putting their thoughts through a fresh test in the light of the blog post. So, if what you are teaching opposes their long-held beliefs, they will not even pause to really listen to you. They immediately tick you off and go on to say what they think—which is often nothing more than a scoop from a pool of ignorance. I say again, this is the popular mindset. We are all teachers and should just share what we all already know.

There is a place for Bible reading and discussion

Let me begin by granting that there is a place for Bible reading and Bible discussion. It was the error of Roman Catholicism that developed a priesthood that insisted that only trained priests could understand the Bible. Ordinary people could not. Taking this further, it became not only intellectually dangerous but criminally illegal for ordinary (“ignorant”) people to have the Bible in their own mother tongue. The Latin Vulgate was the last stop. Any other version was to be burnt!

However, having granted that does not mean that we do away with the preaching ministry. A preacher is a herald. He comes into our busy and preoccupied lives and announces to us what the king of heaven has sent him to announce. That is how God normally communicates with his people. He burdens men with his word and sends them to us to unburden themselves before us. While we are busy with our callings in the world they are busy in the study of the word and of the world. They then come to teach us what the word says about our world and about our lives in this world. We ignore them to our own peril.

Rightly dividing the word of truth

The view that we all have Bibles, and so should simply read and discuss what we discover in our Bibles, overlooks the fact that "rightly dividing the word of truth" necessitates training, experience, spirituality, and giftedness. The more you have of these ingredients, the more the sacred pages seem to yield to your eyes and your heart. Some biblical truths are milk and any spiritual baby can understand them; but other truths are strong meat that only the truly mature can process without having stomach problems. If we insist on meeting on equal ground, it will not be long before the blind lead the blind into the ditch!

Come on! Even in secular fields, a lecturer does not begin with, "Read your text books and let us discuss as equals.” Rather, he teaches first, gives assignments to enable you to think a little further, and then calls you to discuss the issues that you have learned. Even where he asks you to read your textbooks first, his learning is acknowledged in the discussion that ensues afterwards. Now, if that is true of subjects that do not endanger human souls for eternity, how much more should this be the case with spiritual truths? Surely, we should be humble enough to sit and humbly learn under proven and experienced "men of God" before we open our mouths to speak.

The pride of human learning

It seems to me that we are up against the pride of human learning when men and women suggest that preaching is past its sell-by date. Ultimately, men and women do not want anything that sounds authoritative, especially if they have grown up in a context where there were no authority figures in their lives. So, they want to control the learning process themselves. Like Herod they want to be able to say, "Enough! I'll hear you later!" This is especially the case when the subject is getting uncomfortable and touching their darling sins. Some interpretations of the Bible swallow an entire camel to legitimize sin.

A typical example is the modern understanding of the text, “Do not judge”. If you sit in a group and hear people citing this verse, you would think that Jesus was saying that we should not pass moral judgment on anyone who is doing something that is morally questionable. This is especially the case with sexual sin. So, if men and women who are co-habiting come to church, we should all look the other way because the Bible says, “Do not judge.” It is in cases like this that you need those whose spiritual senses have been trained due to the regular study of God’s word to speak to us all about what Jesus really meant by that statement. An honest study of the context soon shows that the modern interpretation is totally wrong. God calls us to judge those among us who are living in sin.

Is preaching a boring monologue?

Another version of this problem is the claim that we now live in a very interactive society. “People cannot sit for 30 minutes to an hour listening to one person talking in monologue fashion,” we are told. I find this claim very hypocritical. The same people who say this will sit and listen to an hour of news or of the president giving a "state of the nation" address! They will even tell the children to shut up or leave the room because they want to concentrate on what they are listening to. Then on Sunday during worship they say that they cannot concentrate. The sermon is too long. We need more discussion and less preaching. Ad infinitum. Ad nauseam. Let us face it—the problem is a lack of interest.

To those who claim that preaching is a boring monologue, I argue that preaching is very interactive. There is a lot of communication going back and forth between the preacher and the hearers. Of course if what is being called preaching is the dead droning along that sends half the church to sleep then there is need to trade in the preacher for someone or something more interesting. But that is not preaching. Preaching is "theology on fire". The whole body of the preacher preaches and as the sermon's intensity grows it is almost impossible for anyone to sleep. Empathy with the subject or hatred for it keeps the adrenaline flowing in both the preacher and the hearers. They cannot sleep.

Preachers must be godly men

Finally, to suggest that preaching is past its sell-by date overlooks the place of sanctification in the assimilation of God’s word. Preachers must be godly men. In that way, they will not dodge any part of God’s word but will bring out the full menu to feed the flock. A story is told of a preacher who was called to pastor a church in an area where the favourite sport was cock fighting. Sunday after Sunday he addressed this vice from the Bible (I am not sure which verses he used!). Finally, the deacons of the church called him for a meeting in which they told him, “This congregation does not like sermons on cock fighting. So, if you want to remain our pastor you must stop preaching on that subject.”

God in his wisdom has raised up godly and faithful preachers to stand against the popular tide—even among believers. As long as sin remains in the world, preaching will never be past its sell-by date—until the Lord himself returns to put an end to our spiritual rebellion.

If there has been a phrase in the Bible that has been recently tortured until it confesses a lie, it is the phrase, “Touch not the Lord’s anointed.” I hear it a lot in Christian conversation today. Usually, the phrase is meant to caution anyone who is criticising the questionable teaching or way of life of a famous preacher or church leader. That is meant to be a no-go area.

The popular understanding of this phrase is that if you say negative things about “an anointed servant of God,” something nasty will happen to you. You might even die a horrible death. This is African traditional religion creeping into the church through the back door. In Africa, you do not say anything negative against an elderly person or a chief or a witchdoctor. If you do, something nasty will happen to you. You can even grow a beard at the back of you neck!

Where this teaching is found
“Touch not the Lord’s anointed” is found in Psalm 105:15 in the first person. Its full statement is, “When they [the Israelites] were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it, wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, saying, ‘Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!’” (Psalm 105:13-15). Here it referred to Israel as a nation and, more specifically, the prophets whom the Lord had sent to minister among his people.

This is illustrated a number of times in the life of David when he had already been anointed as the next king of Israel. King Saul did not want him to succeed him and so he tried every trick in the book to kill David. Through a turn of fortunes, it was David who ended up with a number of opportunities to kill Saul. However, David desisted from doing so saying, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:6, see also 24:10, 26:9-11, etc.)

What makes this even more poignant is that Saul was by this time already forsaken by God because of his disobedience. Yet, David still desisted from dethroning him. He, as it were, left it to God to deal with him in his own time—which happened a few years later in battle.

The lesson is apparently sealed beyond debate when the individual who finished off the wounded Saul in battle is killed at the command of David (in 2 Samuel 1:14-16). This person thought David would commend him for getting rid of his enemy, but instead David instructs his guards to kill him because he had killed the Lord’s anointed.

How can we apply this phrase today?
When this is applied to today’s preachers, what is the correct application? Does what God taught in Psalm 105:15 and what David did in 1 and 2 Samuel teach that we should not express any negative views about pastors and that if we do something bad may happen to us?

The first test that such a view fails is in 1 Samuel itself. Was Saul ever criticised when he did something outrageously wrong? Yes, he was. Samuel himself criticized Saul a number of times, until he was told that God had rejected his kingship. Saul still continued to serve as king but God had long forsaken him. If criticizing “the Lord’s anointed” was wrong, surely Samuel would have been wrong to rebuke Saul and Nathan would have been wrong to rebuke David in 2 Samuel 13.

“Touch not the Lord’s anointed” is about harm, especially physical harm, and not legitimate criticism. Public teachers must be above reproach. That is one of their qualifications. If they meddle in heretical teaching or immoral living, they disqualify themselves. Thus, those of us who are aware of their devious dealings or dangerous teachings must sound the public alarm. We must warn the unwary lest they fall prey to them. Public sins must be rebuked publicly.

Paul named heretical teachers and wanted the church to keep a safe distance away from them. He wrote to Timothy saying, “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some” (2 Timothy 2:16-18). Was he “touching” the Lord’s anointed? No, but he was certainly publicly naming those who were teaching heresy.

Similarly, John named a leader of the church who had disqualified himself by the way in which he was carrying on his leadership in the church. He wrote, “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church” (3 John 9-10). Was John “touching” the Lord’s anointed? Again, no, but he was publicly naming the person whose lifestyle was perilous to the church.

A few concluding words
In each case, I am not justifying libel or slander. But that is not the issue here. The phrase “touch not the Lord’s anointed” is not being used against character assassination. Rather it is being used to stop people coming forward to testify against immoral and heretical preachers. Corruption in the church is multiplying while the silent majority dare not speak out lest they touch the Lord’s anointed. It is an epidemic! Extreme Charismatic pastors are emptying church coffers in order to line their own pockets and impregnating girls in the churches but those who have the evidence cannot speak out lest they touch the Lord’s anointed and something bad happens to them. That is the issue at hand. Clearly, that understanding of Psalm 105:15 and 1 Samuel is wrong.

Love demands that I rescue those whom I love from danger. So, if the preacher who has gone into immoral living or heretical teaching is someone I have a personal relationship with, love ought to compel me to talk with him privately with a view to restoring him to biblical orderliness. However, where his repentance is not as notorious as his sin, or I do not have such a relationship with him, or his heretical teachings or immoral life have become too widespread and are ruining the faith of many, the same love should compel me to oppose him publicly and thus restore the faith of many. Hence, love should cause any true preacher of the word not to keep quiet when the faith of many is being ruined, as is the case today in Africa.

Paul rebuked Peter publicly when he acted in a disorderly manner and his behaviour was going to undermine the gospel. This was not even heresy—yet it had dangerous long-term effects. Paul says, “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?’” (Galatians 2:11-14). Evidently, Paul did not think that rebuking Peter publicly was touching the Lord’s anointed!

I love watching birds. They display a variety and beauty in God’s creation that is easy to see and appreciate. You need very good eyes to appreciate the variety and beauty of the minute creatures we call insects. You need to be very brave to go sightseeing among wild animals. You need to be a very good swimmer to plummet the depth of oceans and appreciate the variety and beauty of fish. With birds, all you need is to look around you. I also love to think that I am obeying the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “Look at the birds of the air…” (Matthew 6:26)!

Here is a sample of the birds that Felistas and I saw on our 25th (silver) wedding anniversary as we took a boat cruise on the Zambezi River, the fourth longest river in Africa. Aren’t they lovely?

The African Darter loves to be anywhere where it can find very large rives or lakes, and the Zambezi fits that description. It is often found on dead trees overhanging the waters. It is famous for submerging its entire body in water, except for the top part of its neck and head, which it keeps turning to the left and right. At a distance, you would think it is a snake in the water! I had to give you a double dose of photos on this one because it is not often that I capture a bird taking off as I captured this Darter.

The Yellow-billed Egret is yet another lover of large bodies of water. They tend to move in large numbers. Their beautiful white colour makes them easy to see.

The Hamerkop is a loner, and yet again a lover of large rivers. It is not the most beautiful of birds and has a peculiar whistling call when excited or alarmed. It builds large oven-like nests, using sticks and rubbish.

The Sacred Ibis loves to be in company with others in large numbers. They fly in wonderful formation.

The Glossy Ibis is a very shy bird and a loner. It loves the edges of quiet waters. You can see from this picture why it has been given the name “glossy”.

The Egyptian Goose is usually found in pairs. It loves to swim and so will be found wherever there is some water, even if it is just a small lake or dam.

The Pied Kingfisher derives its generic name not from its size but from its ability to catch fish by diving head first. It then carries the fish to a favourite place where it beats the poor thing to death before swallowing it. You cannot miss its characteristic long, stout and pointed bill.

The White-fronted Bee-eater derives its generic name from its favourite meal. It eats bees (and other small flying insects), which it often captures while in flight. As you can see, this particular species has a beautiful variety of colours.

The Wire-tailed Swallow spends a lot of its time flying because it captures its food (insects) while in flight. This particular species has a chestnut reddish head that singles it out from other swallows.

Finally, just in case you think I am an ornithologist, let me correct the impression. I enjoy taking pictures of whatever birds I see, but then after that I get to my books on birds and try to identify them and read a little more about them. I find this such a refreshing and relaxing exercise. It is this latter exercise that results in the little knowledge I have exhibited above. At heart, I am still a preacher!

Our 2012 pastoral interns, Chopo Mwanza and Sydney Kombe, "graduated" at the end of December. We are grateful to God for the opportunity that he gave us to invest into their lives for one year. We pray that the exposure and experience they gained while they were with us will go a long way to equip them for ministry as they settle in pastoral work and for many years to come.

In the providence of God, he has brought us three new interns! These men arrived last week and are now settling in their work. In this blog post, I have short testimonies from each one of them. They talk about how they became Christians, sensed God's call to the preaching ministry, and found their way to Kabwata Baptist Church to participate in our internship programme. Read on...

PONISO KUYUMBANA

My name is Poniso Kuyumbana. I was born and grew up in a non-Christian family and village. My parents and all my family members were ancestral-spirits worshippers; and I was led to believe and involved myself in that system of worship at a tender age. We believed that we were doing good to the spirits of our ancestors, and they would in turn help us in times of trouble such as sickness or drought. In 1996-7, some Baptist missionaries came to our village to sink boreholes for the people. During this time, they also organised Bible studies in our village, which I attended. One day, they taught us a Bible story of Abraham’s call from Haran to Canaan. In this story, the missionaries taught us several spiritual truths concerning salvation in Jesus Christ. I was convicted that I was a sinner who deserved nothing but hell. I was also convinced that I needed Jesus as my personal Saviour. I gave my life to Jesus and asked him for forgiveness. I developed a deep interest in the things of the Lord and how I could be prepared for Christian service. I enrolled at the Centre for Christian Missions Bible College for theological training. I am graduating next year, 2014. I am thankful and looking forward to the ministry exposure and experience I will gain during the pastoral internship programme at Kabwata Baptist Church.

MATTHEWS FIKATI

My name is Mathews Fikati. I am 29 years of age and became a Christian in 1996 when I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour after hearing the gospel. The message really sank in my heart and it caused me to be so restless for almost a week. One day, after a week of restlessness, the Spirit of the Lord convicted me of my sins and my eyes were opened to realise that, though I was brought up in a Christian environment and was very committed to the youth meetings, I was not a Christian, but a sinner who was heading for destruction. The conviction became so strong that I could not resist but surrender my life to Christ. I sensed the call to the ministry gradually. In 2004, I started theological studies at the Centre for Christian Mission on the Copperbelt, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree. I am currently doing further theological studies at the Copperbelt Ministerial College. While at college I learnt about the pastoral ministry from a theoretical point. I now desire to learn more about it from a practical point. It is for this reason that I enlisted to join the Kabwata Baptist Church pastoral internship programme.

DAVID CHIBANGA

My name is David Chibanga. I was raised in Mufulira on the Copperbelt. I attribute my religious upbringing to my mother, who happened to have been a Christian. When my parents separated, I went with my mother. In 1989, God called me to salvation in a cell group meeting where I heard the gospel message. My heart was pricked, I immediately stood up and said I believed, and I received Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour. From that time onwards, God has continued to be faithful to me. Upon my completion of high school, I moved to Lusaka. This move was to facilitate for my tertiary studies in London. My sister lived and worked in London. It was while in Lusaka that I met Pastor Steven Bell a missionary under Baptist Mid-missions. Together with him, and other brothers, we established the Berean Baptist Church of Chelston. I served in various capacities until my call to pastoral ministry. I was ordained in April 2005. In 2008 I enrolled at the Baptist Theological Seminary. While at the seminary, Pastor Isaac Makashinyi introduced me to the Reformed Faith in his Greek classes. Upon completion, I applied to do my internship with Kabwata Baptist Church. I am privileged to be here.

Pray for these men as they embark upon our pastoral internship programme, that the Lord will use it in their lives to sharpen their ministerial skills.

The missionaries and guests at the prayer retreat on the first night

This week is missions week at KBC. It began yesterday with our missionaries prayer retreat. Twenty of us gathered at the Baptist Theological Seminary and spent the evening sharing personal testimonies. Today, eight of the men shared how the year 2012 was in the providence of God. The situations in which these men labour varies. However, it was a source of great joy to hear stories of progress in each church plant. Here are summaries of what they shared with us. This being a prayer retreat, these reports were fuel for the altars of prayer and praise. As you read these accounts, keep in mind that none of these churches existed a few years ago.

Raphael Banda, our missionary to Mazabuka

Central Baptist Church, Mazabuka (Raphael Banda)
The work is now in its 10th year, while the missionary (Raphael Banda) is now in his 8th year of service. This year the church should be weaned to become an independent church. Raphael’s report first gave a bird’s-eye-view of the history of Central Baptist Church. It was good to see how he has kept the brief history of the church in pictures that captured the peak times. Then he went on to share testimony after testimony of the trophies of God’s grace--men, women, married couples, youths, and children. Most of them were brought to faith through the various ministries of the church. It was a very encouraging report. He was now training leaders in preparation for the weaning.

Brian Mutale, our missionary to Monze

Reformed Baptist Church, Monze (Brian Mutale)
Brian is the only missionary that was adopted as a missionary prior to getting married. He was already engaged to get married and in fact married his fiancee last year in August. However, the whole process of getting married robbed him of a chunk of precious time in the year. He was glad this was now over. He was now even preaching on Sky FM radio, whose signal is picked as far as Lusaka. Brian spoke of the various outreach activities that the church was involved in, especially towards women, youths, and children.

Kenneth Siwale, our missionary-to-be in Sinda (God willing)

Reformed Baptist Church, Sinda (Kenneth Siwale)
Kenneth is not yet a missionary, but has already been interviewed by the elders and has been presented to the church for ordination as a missionary. Kenneth is finishing of theological training. The work commenced in 2007 under another missionary pastor (German Banda), who has since moved to Lusaka to help stabilise another church plant. His report was primarily about the challenges of taking up the work. There was the period when older members were still attached to their previous pastor. There is also the challenge of living in one town and ministering in another. He can’t wait to move into Sinda so that he can minister there 24/7.

Poniso Kuyumbana, our missionary-to-be in Senanga

Reformed Baptist Church, Senanga (Poniso Kuyumbana?)
Poniso is also not yet a missionary, and has also been interviewed by the elders and has been presented to the church for ordination as a missionary. He moved from Shangombo to Senanga last December, and so this is a very new work. The only contact person was a young business lady who was once a member of KBC. He is also presently undergoing pastoral internship at KBC. This involves him going back to Senanga for 10 days every month, and thus enabling him to not only be with his family but also to preach over two Sundays and also handle other outreach issues in the midweek. Poniso said that the nickname for Senanga is “San Francisco”.

Charles Mwanza, our missionary to Nyimba

First Baptist Church, Nyimba (Charles Mwanza)
This work has been in existence for the last 5 years. Charles’ report centred on what had happened in the church over the last one year. Apart from the outreach work that is primarily spiritual, Charles also spoke of a number of outreach efforts that were dealing with the economic welfare of people in the community. The church held a business seminar and a “farming God’s way” seminar. They were also currently putting up their church building, with the walls being almost complete. The church has already began another church plant some 17 kilometres out of town in a place called Kamalenje.

Monametsi Bahudi, our missionary to Botswana

Central Baptist Church, Gaborone, Botswana (Monametsi Bahudi)
Monametsi was ordained into the ministry in July 2012. He is still tent-making until the end of this year. The work itself started in 2004 They have about 30-40 people in attendance. They presently have some 8 people being prepared for baptism out of the intense outreach efforts in March, April, June, August, and December. They have began a Bible study at the University of Botswana and is being regularly attended by 10 students. He also spoke of the visits of KBC young adults and later Pastor Sibale, who helped them with outreach efforts. The church in Gaborone is also overseeing two other church plants in Francistown and Orapa. Monametsi visits these towns once every quarter.

Curtis Chirwa, our missionary to Kabanana in Lusaka

Faith Baptist Church, Kabanana, Lusaka (Curtis Chirwa)
Curtis shared that the church’s current averaging attendance is about 50 to 60 individuals, with 70 being reached on very good Sundays. Formal membership was constituted in April 2012. Due to the fact that they host the Hope Ministry (sponsored by the RBC of Louisville), they have been helped to put up an auxiliary building in which they meet. It is a lovely building. Hope Ministry was presently sponsoring 45 orphans through Faith Baptist Church. He was thankful for the young adults and preachers who came out from KBC in the course of the year to help with outreach work. In his presentation, Curtis took us through a number of ministries and the evangelistic work they did during the year.

German Banda, our former missionary to Sinda and now in John Laing

John Laing Reformed Baptist Church, Lusaka (German Banda)
German warned us that his year had been so good that most of us would be green with envy by the time he ended his report! He had been planting a church in Sinda (in rural Zambia) until March last year when he moved to Lusaka (Zambia’s capital city). His move from the rural area included leaving his cows with his parents in the village where they lived because he could not bring them to the city. German was grateful that the Lord provided brother Kenneth Siwale to take over the work in Sinda. He spoke about his shock when he arrived in John Laing because he found a work that was still in its diapers. The congregation he found there only had 6 people, but now the attendance is about 30.

What shall we say to all this?

“Shine Jesus shine
Fill this land with the Father’s glory
Blaze Spirit blaze
Set our hearts on fire
Flow river flow
Flood the nations with grace and mercy
Send forth your word
Lord and let there be light” (Graham Kendrick)

(End of Part One. Part Two to come tomorrow, the Lord willing)

Ivor Chilufya (next to the fan) presenting consolidated missions budgets

This was the second and final day of our missionaries prayer retreat. Last evening, our church treasurer, Ivor Chilufya, spent the evening with us going through the budgets that the missionaries compiled for the year 2013. It is always an interesting evening because, as you can guess, there is never enough money to go around. We try to share out our resources as equitably as possible. Thankfully, the men are mature enough to accept their mite without grumbling.

Tuundjakuye Tjijenda sharing about the work in Namibia

Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Windhoek, Namibia (Tuundjakuye Tjijenda)
Tuundjakuye, popularly known as Spencer, shared with us how he moved from Westside Baptist Church, went to Epukiro Pos3, and finally landed at Grace Reformed Baptist Church last year. He said that Namibia now had five Reformed Baptist churches. They are planting a number of other churches across the country. GRBC now had 38 members. He spoke glowingly of his predecessor, Kapambwe Nsenduluka, who was our missionary who planted the church, and of the oversight of Eastside Baptist Church (Pastor Joachim Rieck). He was also encouraged by the growing unity in the church. They run three conferences a year, using preachers from Zambia. They are now seeking to reach students at the University of Namibia.

Lovemore Banda, our missionary to Petauke

Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Petauke (Lovemore Banda)
Lovemore shared that the church was to be weaned next month. The church began in 2000 when he left the local Southern Baptist church. The initial group that commenced with him soon left him because they did not really appreciate the Reformed faith. They initially sought oversight under Calvary Baptist Church and KBC formally took over in 2005 after Calvary Baptist Church had serious leadership problems. It was not long before GRBC, under KBC, got involved in church planting in Sinda, Chitawe, Nyimba, and Katete. The church was also used by the Lord to start the first Reformed regional conference. The membership was now at 25. The church was now putting up a church building.

Manasseh Kaonga, our missionary to Kapiri Mposhi

Grace Baptist Church, Kapiri Mposhi (Manasseh Kaonga)
Manasseh shared about a number of evangelistic activities that have been conducted in the church in the course of the year, with the help of various groups from KBC. The Central Africa Baptist College, who had sent some students to Monze, had also sent some students to help the work in Kapiri. Most of the evangelistic work was door-to-door but Manasseh wants to diversify into specialised group outreach efforts. He is working hard to start a youth and children's ministry. Manasseh's wife began a pre-school that presently had almost 50 children. They had two baptisms in the course of the year. A piece of land was presently being purchased on which the church building was to be constructed.

Boyce, talking about the Reformed cause among black South Africans

Boyce shared about how South Africa's apartheid system caused the majority black population to remain behind theologically. When in the early 1990s men like Martin Holdt were trying to help improve the theological understanding of pastors, they were misrepresented and the efforts were frustrated. The black Baptist churches are in the Baptist Union and are divided in the territorial associations. Boyce was involved in church planting in George along Reformed lines. There were a few people who were pursuing the Reformed path in Cape Town. There were about 8 Reformed Baptist pastors, though most of them are pastoring churches that are not Reformed. The key was to start new churches.

Oswald Sichula, our missionary to St Bonaventure in Lusaka

Bonaventure Baptist Church, Lusaka (Oswald Sichula)
Oswald gave a bird’s-eye-view of the previous year. He spoke of the team from the KBC cell group that is the focus group for the work in Bonaventure who went and joined them for a weekend of outreach at the start of the year. Using a PowerPoint presentation, he showed us pictures of their children’s work, their youth group, their ladies ministry, their men’s ministry, etc. The ladies ministry had more than doubled in the course of the year. The church received students from the Central Africa Baptist College for a month of outreach. A baptismal class of about 10 individuals commenced towards the end of last year. The individuals are due to be baptised next month.

Matthews Bwalya Banda, our missionary to Chitawe village

Reformed Baptist Church, Chitawe (Matthews Banda)
This is by far the most rural Reformed Baptist church in Zambia. It is situated in a village in the outskirts of Sinda. Matthews has begun a men’s ministry with a view to disciple all the men and out of that choose the men who can be discipled into leaders in the church. The church is involved in a number of projects that are meant to help people meet their social and economic needs. The pastor is involved in the government distribution of fertilizer and the implementation of the Samaritan’s Purse project in the area. They also teach literacy as a subject in order to help their members and other people in the village how to read. In 2010, this church started churches in Kasamba and Lusandwa.

Kasango Kayombo, our missionary to Ibex Hill in Lusaka

Ibex Hill Baptist Church, Lusaka (Kasango Kayombo)
Kasango was ordained as a church-planting missionary for Ibex Hill during last year’s missions conference. The church reaches out to Ibex Hill, Salama Park, Valley View, Avondale, Chainda, Ibex Meanwood, and the Zambia Air Force camp. The work began in 2007 as part of KBC’s outreach work to a children’s home in Ibex Hill. At that time it was simply a preaching point. Soon members of the community began to attend the services. In 2010, a school in the area became the meeting place and the church was formerly launched in March 2011. Last year, the church moved onto its current premises, which is a piece of land that has been freely given to it by one of the families in the church.

Reformed Baptist Church, Katete (Gershom Nyirongo)
Gershom was not able to be with us. Lovemore gave us an update about the work there. He told us that Gershom was doing further studies with the Copperbelt Ministerial College. The church was working on a building project and had almost completed the office section of the building, with a view to start meeting there for worship. Gershom recently had a mild stroke and was still battling with high blood pressure.

[Please pray for these men as they return to the mission field after the missions conference, which starts tomorrow]

I know that in the West many churches hold missions conferences and so the heading of this blog post may cause many of my Western friends to yawn and move on to something more interesting. However, in the whole of Zambia, I'm only aware of two other evangelical churches that hold annual missions conferences. Hence, this is headline news!

Pastors from the East leading the conference in singing a vernacular hymn

In my last two blogs posts, I wrote brief summaries of reports that our missionaries gave at our missionaries prayer retreat concerning the triumphs of grace in their neck of the woods. This covered Monday 21st to Wednesday 23rd. It had been my desire to write daily blog posts on the missions conference which started on Thursday 24th and ended on Sunday 27th. I will readily admit that the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak.

Congregational singing during the just-ended missions conference

Now, with the conference over, I'm en route to the USA on a preaching trip. I have a flight of 16 hours across the ocean and a stop over of about 10 hours in New York. If I cannot get this blog post done in these hours then it is a lost cause. So, here goes...

Our missions conference took place over Thursday and Friday evenings, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning. Our preacher across these four days was Pastor Choolwe Mwetwa from Chingola Central Baptist Church. He preached four sermons on the theme, "And you shall be my witnesses". One of the elders wrote a text message to me at the end of the conference saying, "Choolwe was exceptional!" I think that says it all.

Pastor Choolwe Mwetwa preaching on "You shall be my witnesses"

One of the highlights of our missions conference was the PowerPoint presentations that the missionaries made each day. The photos enabled us to see what went on in the mission field as our missionaries laboured there while we held the ropes back home. It is one thing to hear about these things in written reports, but it is something else to see the fruit of their labour. Then on the last day, all the missionaries sat on the podium to answer questions from the congregation for an hour. Although we did not go through all the PowerPoint presentations, the little we saw reconnected the church with its missionaries.

Our missionaries answering questions from the congregation

Perhaps the most moving presentation was that of the funeral of our missionary to Malawi, Percy Chisenga, who died in March last year. It brought back fresh memories of that painful event when one of God's choice servants lost his battle with cancer and graduated to his reward in heaven. After that presentation, our church treasurer came forward and gave Percy's widow, Betty, a cheque on behalf of the church to enable her finish off the building of her home and pour the balance into a chicken run to enable her sustain herself. She jokingly told me afterwards, "If you had told me what you had planned to do, I would not have come." I believed her because the funeral presentation left her in tears.

An overwhelmed Mrs Chisenga receiving a cheque from our church treasurer

Although this is an in-house conference, and so we do not advertise it to sister churches, we had international visitors at this one. We had brethren visiting from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. Most of them came to see how an indigenous missions movement looks like, with the hope that they can replicate it in their own countries. We need to have more and more African churches taking the work of missions seriously. There is nothing like a missions conference to keep the fire of missions burning in the church. One visitor from South Africa, Irving Steggles, came to present the need for Zambian Reformed Baptist missionaries to go to South Africa to help plant churches there.

Irving pleading with our people to plant RB churches in South Africa

One of my tasks on the last day was to speak about where we were in our participation in the great missionary enterprise. I drew the church's attention to the two new missionaries we ordained last year and another two that were due to be ordained soon. I also pointed out that four churches had now become autonomous. These churches were in Kafue and Matero (Zambia), in Zomba (Malawi), and in Windhoek (Namibia). In 2013, we are expecting another two churches to become autonomous. This was going to bring to six the number of churches that would have been planted and were fully autonomous.

Tuundjakuye Tjijenda (alias "Spencer") the new pastor in Windhoek

Whereas autonomy sounds good when all you are thinking about is that you can now do as you please without getting permission from HQ, it is a nightmare when you do not have enough resources to pay all your bills. This is what inevitably happens with all our church plants. It really takes long for the Christians in those churches to realise that it is their responsibility to meet the cost of the ministries in their churches. By the time the penny drops, the pastors would have gone quite a few nights without bread. So, pray for the churches that have been weaned that they will wake up soon to their financial obligations. Pray also for our missionaries who have to brave difficult financial times for a season.

Pastor Raphael Banda answering a question during the Q&A session

The conference ended with "the grand announcement". This is where the collection taken on the last day towards the work of missions is announced together with the total monthly pledge. Our goal at this conference was to raise enough funds to repair and furnish the two homes of our pastoral interns that had been recently bought with funds from HeartCry Missionary Society, to finish off the home of the widow of our late missionary and give her some start up capital for a small business, and to finish off the roofing of a church we are planting in Sinda. I left for the airport before "the grand announcement" but was most encouraged to hear later that once again the total collected exceeded the goal. I remain grateful to God for a church that has learnt to give generously to the work of missions.

The missionaries being committed to the Lord as they return to their work

When everything was over, the congregation sang the hymn...

Facing a task unfinished
That drives us to our knees
A need that, undiminished
Rebukes our slothful ease
We, who rejoice to know Thee
Renew before Thy throne
The solemn pledge we owe Thee
To go and make Thee known

A visit to the Nairobi National Game Park

Our Internship Programme Continues To Grow

Our 2012 Youth Camp Awareness Concert

The Central Africa Baptist College 9th Annual Leadership Conference

The Sermon That Changed My Life—Comfort Mulenga

The Last Days of Rev Foston Dziko Sakala—by Jennipher Sakala (his daughter)

A Tribute To A Great Zambian Christian Church Leader – The Rev Foston Dziko Sakala (1934 – 2012)

Monametsi Bahudi—Our New Missionary To Botswana

Why are we not sending out African missionaries?

The “Magic” White Shirt

Your Wife Is Your Second Mother

My Joy in Pastoring KBC for 25 Years

Our 2012 Intermediate and Junior Youth Camp

Is preaching past its sell-by date?

“Touch Not The Lord’s Anointed”

Bird watching on our 25th wedding anniversary

Three New Pastoral Interns Arrive At KBC

The Triumphs Of Grace On The Mission Field - Part 1

Triumphs of Grace from the Mission Field—Part 2

Yet Another Glorious Missions Conference At KBC