Gospel Partners

 Let me introduce you to Elisha & Agnes and their family. Elisha is a man I came to know a few years ago as one who would exchange US$ into Kwacha. He started as a poor street marketer who was selling sugar in small plastic bags. He has gradually grown his business and he now has too very small shops in the market place (we would hardly call them shops). Elisha makes travelling trips to Dubai and Tanzania to purchase for his shops and also wholesales some goods to other areas. He is a true businessman and a fine Christian man.

God has blessed Elisha with much materially through his business, but this man constantly invests in eternity. He supports the Samfya Gospel Workers Trust, a group of Christian businessmen who fund regular ministry trips to village areas by evangelists and teachers, as well as often going on these ministry trips himself to promote the gospel. Three mornings a week, he and a team attend the local hospital to preach the gospel to the patients, and they also help with food and assistance for patients, especially for transport costs when they go home to their villages (I hope to attend one morning next week to witness this work).

No wonder his business is blessed – he continues to give with a grateful heart for all God’s blessings to him. I know very little of the various ministries that he is part of but it is clearly evident that he loves Christ and invests in eternity. Last Friday it was this man who drove me in his vehicle from the Mambalima Conference site to Mansa (about 90 kms) so that I could have my visa renewed. Elisha would not accept any payment for fuel even though he was turning around and heading back. He also organised the right taxi for my trip back to Samfya.

I find it a real privilege to work alongside men like this that are devoted to gospel ministry. Zambia is often seen as a place that has its hand out for money, however many brothers and sisters are doing all they can with the resources that God has given them to bless others. That applies to many graduates of the Bible School who exist on very little but expend themselves for the church and the glory of God. We see at the Bible School itself the chicken projects, broilers and layers that add significant income to the Bible School for its ministry. These people are genuine partners in gospel ministry – what a privilege to encourage them in their vital work and also bless them witrh the abundance that God has given us.

 

Peter & Patricia Tembo and family. Peter is an elder in the English Chapel - pray for meeting that he is organising next week with his elders for us to address issues of tradition in church and how they can make changes for the future.

Teaching Pastoral Epistles At Samfya

Today I began teaching the Bible School Students 1 & 2 Timothy. This will be a week long course, starting at 8am and finishing at 1pm each day. I was very impressed by the questions that these students asked. They are certainly thinking about the text and also of its implications on other portions of God’s Word. The picture below is in the new classroom block. Power is not yet connected, however the classroom is fully functional.

These Pastoral Epistles cover so much material that is essential in the village churches that these students come from: prayer in the church, women’s role, qualification of elders, the care of widows (with necessary application to orphans), the priority of the Word of God and teaching the truth. I count it a huge privilege to walk through these chapters with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It would appear to me that the training these students are receiving has improved significantly – the staff have worked hard to ensure they are truly equipping these people for fruitful service.

On Sunday I taught at the English speaking Chapel here on the Bible School site. With English becoming more and more common this church has the potential to have significant impact in the community but there is a real need to apply change to long standing traditions! Lucy & Elisabeth Chama were at the service (picture below), the widow and daughter of the previous Principal Rodgers.

Reports back fro m the Mambalima Conference have been incredibly positive – it seems that the clear teaching of truth is something that the people are hungry for (I am told they had a tally of 18,543 people – not sure how  they got that number but there were huge numbers of people). Oh that we can see more and more men & women trained for these needy rural churches. The Bible School staff indicate that a large number of applications for next year’s course have been taken, and also there is strong interest in the School teachers training during school holiday periods.

One need that I was talking to Levy Kasoma about today is for an additional teacher as they plan to begin a second year programme next year. There is much interest in this additional year and it would be wonderful to see it established. There is a potential teacher who has a BTh degree, has pastored in a CMML church for 14 years and is ready to come to Samfya and teach. He is also keenly interested in writing Bemba resource material to get into the hands of local churches – these are the kind of people that we need to partner with!!Maybe your church would like to consider sponsoring this man for this growing work. Let me know if you are interested in talking about this very cost effective supporting a national worker!!).

Well I have much more to do this week – we are working on the figures to see how much more is needed to finish the multipurpose hall and then looking at the potential next stages once things have consolidated. Thanks for your prayers.

Sunday afternoon entertainment at the park just behind the Bible School - probably about 3000 spectators for this local club game

More Photos from Conference

I have arrived back at Samfya after having my visa renewed at Mansa Immigration. Here are some Photos of the conference: One of the choirs singing in front of the rock - the pulpit is under this rock and you can see our team when we passed through here about two weeks ago.



The children singing as they walk up the dusty road after Sunday School lessons



School Teachers gathered to hear about the new training programme for them in their school holidays
beginning April 2013



The road that leads down to the conference has a lot of street vendors selling goods



These rapids are called Mambalima Falls and are 5 minutes walk from the conference site. I swam a couple of times in an eddy off to the side to cool off in the afternoon heat getting close to 40 degrees!



This area had heaps of cooking, although this was happening everywhere you went. This lady really wanted her photo taken!!



view down the river towards the Conference site



Levy - Sometimes the day is just too hot and long!!

Hungry Hearts – Feed Them The Word!

Well this afternoon was elective time and I was expected to give time for interaction and feedback. We tried that for the first 10 minutes, however with a couple of thousand or more people in an elective that is fairly hard. We ditched that plan and I taught on the role of an elder – what should an elder do? I was blown away by the response and desire from these people to hear God’s Word. Notebooks were out, people were constantly writing. They were devouring the Word of God and its explanation – they are hungry to hear truth explained and as I talked with the Bible School staff later we reflected on the lack of depth that happens in the teaching in many churches here.

Praise God for his work in these dear saints. We have been able to leave each church represented at the conference with two translated copy of John MacArthur's small booklet on Elders. The Bible School staff translated this resource as it covers so many necessary areas for these rural churches to grapple with and will reinforce the teaching from today's session.

After this meeting it was a joy to see many school teachers come and visit with the Bible School staff as they promoted the new training initiative for teachers in their holiday breaks starting in 2013. These people were keenly interested in taking in teaching that will equip them for further ministry in their local churches. Pray that this new initiative will really impact lives! At the same time a troop of kids came singing up the track having just had a Sunday School sessions.

I wish I could convey all the sights and smells and experiences of being in this huge throng of humanity (they report 18,000 people - maybe a little inflated but it is packed). It is alive with joy in Christ. There are more challenges than you could imagine with various ministries desiring help. Life in Christ is such a blessing and these people are rejoicing in this life and also desiring to learn so much more. What a privilege to see Samfya Bible School play such a significant role in the teaching and focus of this event. Please pray that even more students will be identified for the coming years so that the church here will be strengthened and grow.

Tomorrow I head to Mansa to have my visa extended and then I head home to Samfya. Next week I will teach the Bible School students through 1 & 2 Timothy. As always your prayers are valued, and thank you for the regular feedback coming through.

Bibles and Vision

Please meet Kafusha Kanyemba a graduate of Samfya Bible School working in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kafusha has been attending conference but today makes his way back to the border, across the Luapula River and home. He is taking three boxes of Bibles (84 Bibles) and these Bibles will be sold at affordable rates to the village Christians in the Congo and the funds raised are going to provide three sponsorships for students to Samfya that have been identified by two churches there. What a blessing Bibles are – meeting the needs of Christians but also supporting ministry.

If you look at Kafusha’s bicycle you will see that it is just about worn out. These graduates are very active in ministering to churches and bicycles make them so much more efficient in the use of their time. Sponsorships for Bicycles would be a real blessing costing around NZ$130 each.

  Since arriving at the Conference Levy and the Bible School staff have been burdened to design a course for School Teachers. Many of these people are placed in village areas and they have good English and can have a significant effect on the ministry of local churches. The staff are planning a Certificate in Biblical Studies that will be available to these teachers in their holiday break times. Here is what the course will cover:

• Theology Survey - Theology Proper, Bibliology, Anthropology, Soteriology
• Bible Interpretation
• Expository Preaching
• Biblical leadership
• Biblical Counselling

There is likely to be electives of women’s Ministry and Sunday School ministry to cater for the many lady teachers that are also in these rural schools. Zambia has a very large school system right through rural places and teachers are often placed in these rural areas for a number of years. This vision of inputting into these teachers lives and seeing them strengthen local churches is very strategic. I am excited that we can partner with people who are thinking mission and strengthening local churches. Praise God for these faithful people.

Answered Prayers

Your prayers certainly sustained and blessed the people as we studied Acts 11:19-30. The people’s response has been overwhelming – they just love having truth proclaimed and seem to have an earnest desire to live in accordance with God’s Word. It seems that there are thousands more people here today, they continued to pour in from all around Bemba speaking Zambia and even some from DR Congo.

Currently a teacher from Kashikishi Bible School is teaching on evangelism and that call of the church to reach the lost. He constantly refers to my message – so it is good to see that the foundation that the Samfya Bible School staff desired has been set and is giving these men support in their ministry. Keep praying friends. I have various personal meetings today and teach a leadership workshop tomorrow.

The Bible School book table. We are selling bibles at an affordable rate to the people (not cost price). The new shipment just arrived in time and the people so desire to get a copy of the scriptures.

Teaching On Leaders Roles in Church Ministry

Well today was a long one – 8am-8pm at the conference site which is hot, dusty and full of people. The children gather around just to gaze at this strange looking man – it feels like you are the main attraction in a zoo!

Well today I led the opening teaching sessions of the conference addressing leaders and how they are to guide the church in its ministry. We focused on the four major themes of Acts 2:42 and we focused for some time on the Apostles doctrine with a close look at Paul’s admonitions in 2 Timothy.

The response has been very affirming – the desire was to lay a foundation for the other speakers during the week. We also had a number of personal interactions with church leaders seeking advice and counsel and help.

Tomorrow I will teach from Acts 11:19-30 on the Characteristics of The Spreading Church. Your prayers are valued! I am keeping well and rejoicing in the fellowship of the Bible School Staff who are looking after me very well!



all four of these are the view from the pulpit at conference

Me under the big rock where the pulpit stands waiting to teach

Photos From Conference Site

Camping out under the stars



More camp sites



Cooking time!



Ready for meetings

Helping at the Bible School Book Stand

I am sitting and helping at the Bible School book stand at the conference. A continual flow of trucks arrive with choirs singing and people offloading. The place is beginning to fill up and the heat is building. I am looking out across the beautiful Luapula River and the D.R. Congo is within swimming distance. Already the programme has changed again (2nd time) and my opening sessions have been put off to Tuesday morning, but we have also added elders workshops on Wednesday.

I am sitting with Peter Chomba one of the teaching staff and he is talking about the book that he is currently writing on Biblical Counselling. He is the teacher that we sponsored for training in South Africa with Dr Mack and Dr Joel James. The book will be written in Bemba and directed to the village church leaders. Peter is also desiring to write a book on Expository Preaching once the counselling one is complete.

This is very exciting news! Good Bemba resources are few and these two particular areas are of great need to be taught and applied in the churches. Of course the challenge will be coming up with the necessary capital to see the printing and supply of these resources as reasonable rates. What an incredible blessing however to partner with these precious saints as they work to see the local church grow and deepen in Biblical Truth.

I will update the blog later this evening with some photos of the conference site for your interest – it is very humbling to see the circumstances here and an encouragement to here the praise of God on the lips of these saints.

In Mambilima

Greetings all I am in Mambalima with the Bible School staff. The conference starts tomorrow, however the programme has already changed and we start after Lunch now, not in the morning. I do value your prayers for this week and that my teaching would open God's truth to our brothers and sisters and be motivation for further change in the way leaders are leading in their churches.

Already hundreds of people have arrived. We are staying a few kilometres up the road at a Mission where there is a hospital and disabled school. We are staying in one of the dorms for the school. I will post information as the week unfolds, but the pictures below are of my room for the week and then one of the Luapula River right where the conference is being held. The river will be the bath and dishes washing place for the expected thousands

The Journey North

Hi all – what an interesting day. I was on buses for 18 hours and I had so many opportunities to share the gospel with people and also talk to others about their faith. The people here are so open to talk about spiritual issues.

One very funny thing happened as we approached a weigh bridge. New regulations have been applied and there is absolute bedlam as every truck and bus is weighed to try and ensure weights are legal. Well before we got to the weigh bridge we stopped and off loaded a large number of people and put them in a minivan. They were taken and dropped on the road side well past the weigh bridge. We then proceeded to be weighed and we failed. So more people were taken off and walked a short distance out of the way and then we went around again. Still too heavy!!

Well I am not sure what happened then but it took ages. Maybe a fine was paid or a bribe, I don’t know, but after more than two hours we were away again. We picked up our two sets of offloaded passengers and the driver put his foot down. Despite losing all that time we arrived in Samfya on schedule because we flew along! This bus is used as a cargo carrier for small business people who buy supplies in Lusaka – it is a double decker, very high with huge luggage compartments underneath and they load it to the max!!

It is very windy here at Samfya today coming directly off the lake, but nice and warm. The swamp flies have hatched (every month) so tonight it will be doors closed and lights to a minimum so I don’t get overrun by bugs!

The Team in Botswana waiting for a game drive



King of the beasts having a lazy reat in the heat of the day

God's Majestic Creation

The majesty of Victoria Falls



African Wild Dogs - a rare sight as opposed to vilage dogs that are everywhere!!

The Next Stage

 As I write I am on the bus north heading to Lusaka and then Samfya – about 15 hours of buses rides in one day. The team is at Livingstone International Airport ready to get home – Daniel a bit sore after meeting a rock while white water rafting!! Last night we were able to reflect on our time together and the challenges and joys of the things we have been exposed to. We have all been blessed by the hospitality and devotion of our brother s and sisters in Christ from village areas. We also rejoiced in the good work  that was evident among the many graduates – the ministry of the Bible School is making real differences in village life.

It is a difficult dynamic being tourists in a place like Livingstone after all we have seen in the North, however we have been reminded of the incredible wisdom and creativity of our God as we witnessed Victoria Falls and enjoyed the diversity of wildlife that our God has created. He has given us all things to enjoy as 1 Timothy tells us, but we must never place our hope in the riches that he blesses us with, but rather on Him and being wise stewards of all that He has given . For me that is why the investment of time and money and energy in Samfya Bible School is such a blessing – it impacts thousands and thousands for Christ.

I should arrive back at Samfya at around 2am on Saturday morning, sleep for a while and then head away after Lunch for a week long conference at Mambalima. The Bible School staff have been vitally involved in the committee organising the conference, and their focus is on what the local church should be and do. I start off the conference with two sessions on leadership and how leaders are to function and what they should be desiring for the church. The rest of the sessions then build on this over the whole week and we will be there to interact with people and leaders and help them in their role in church life. We also trust to make contact with many potential students so that next year there could be an intake of up to 30 soaking in God’s truth.

Once back at Samfya I am to teach the students and also spend much time with the staff in planning and looking towards the future. I hope to work through with the staff some of the chapters in Jerry Wragg’s book on leadership. Would you please pray for these weeks ahead that much will be achieved for the Kingdom and that as further plans are established that we would find more partners to help this ministry expand.

It is a challenging thing to know that for many of the village churches that span through hundreds of kilometres, the only source of encouragement they receive from outside of their region is from the Bible School – often the only supply of Bibles and help for their work. Friends let’s store up treasure in heaven by investing in this humble but growing work – your support makes a real difference!

Camp Conference with 1750 Others at Mwewa

Wow what a weekend. With 1750 others we camped in tents they were out under the stars! You have never seem so many children and young people and families – all gathered from about 23 churches and coming to share in a conference titled “Stepping Into Eternity.” During the Sunday School we estimated there were around 200 children, and then the young people in the late afternoon would come in singing and dancing in joy before the Lord.

It was humbling to be with these people – they have so little and yet their love for the Lord is so evident and their friendliness fantastic. We were able to meet with 5 graduates of the Bible School that come from this area. They are very active in the local church and also have work happening in about 5 church plants. They co-operate together in these plants, doing evangelism door to door and in the market places. They are the people that are motivating much ministry through the church network – youth, children’s, teaching...

The challenges these people have are common to most graduates. The need for literature is extreme. We have only just received the Bibles at Samfya while we were away at the conference, but there is the need for more resources in discipleship, bible studies – but in the Bemba language. All of them have transport issues, with needs for bicycles or spare parts to keep bicycles going – not having effective transport makes life so much more difficult as they have to walk significant distances to minister to the churches around them. One graduate has a wooden leg and he walks 6 kilometres to the church plant every Sunday! Bibles are always in need – one church plant of 65 people has 8 Bibles and another of 25 people has 4 Bibles.

It is good that we have received the Bibles supply and boxes will be sent to this region. They have identified 3 students for next year and the small amount of money that these are sold for will go towards a scholarship to help these students attend the Bible School.

It is a sobering thing to share with these people when we know how much is available to us in our own church and also how much is there in the English language. The need to translate material is significant, but that takes time and money and planning. Oh that there might be even more partners that would get behind the vital ministry of the Bibles School – its impact is right across the Bemba speaking area of Zambia and even into the Democratic Republic of Congo. The graduates are doing wonderful work with their very limited resources. Praise God for their faithfulness to the calling they have in gospel ministry.

A new area of ministry is also being identified by the Bible School staff. There are many Christian teachers in these rural areas. They usually have reasonable English and are significant helpers in local church work. The staff here are thinking through possible training to these teachers during their holiday breaks, equipping hem further for the work in local churches. There will also be a follow up to this area for Sunday School Leadership training – with 50% of the population being under 15 years of age, the needs to teach these children about Christ are huge – and they are always so very receptive.

Well please keep praying for this work – we will give further reports on this time in the days ahead. Tomorrow at 5am we drive to Lusaka – a long day but we are rejoicing in all we have seen!

People everywhere!!


Anyone for Nshima??

Sunday School on Saturday!!

Counting the sticks - one per person attending = 1750!!


Five graduates working in the Mwewa area


Meetings in progress

Men at Work

Ray & Colin refurbishing Blackboards for the new classroom






Roger cutting panels for under the eaves



Daniel with Peter getting door frames ready to install

The team leaves shortly for a conference in Mwewa, approximately 90kms from Samfya. Thank you for your prayers.

Midweek and Power Problems!

Greetings all. The work on the Multi-Purpose Hall continues with the roof all on over the toilet block, the fiddly woodwork under the eaves progressing well and a concrete pour just about ready for the veranda. Please pray for continued safety on the work site. Power continues to be a major problem here with the voltage only ever getting close to full capacity in the early hours of the morning. Often there are power cuts completely and always from around 6pm-9pm the lights only just glow! It makes productivity very difficult indeed and things like meals are always a logistical problem to cook! The whole power issue is a significant challenge to effectively using evenings and the people here laugh to think that much work happens at night in pastoral ministry and care!

This weekend we are heading to a conference about two hours drive from Samfya where they have been inspired by our 2011 Impact Conference to teach on Stepping Into Eternity. We leave Friday afternoon and will return on Sunday afternoon/evening. Then on Monday the team begins the homeward journey via Livingstone (two days travel) with time to see Victoria Falls.

Donald returns to Samfya on Friday 17th and then on Sunday travels to the Mambilima Conference with the Bible School staff who have had a significant role in organising this year’s programme. It will focus on the life and ministry of the local church. With well over 10,000 attending and camping out in very basic conditions it is an amazing place but they come to be taught and also to hear the wonderful choirs from the churches attending.

Donald will teach the opening two sessions on the role of Leaders to advance and promote the ministry of the church which will feed into the later sessions during the week long conference that are encouraging various aspects of church life. The need to see leaders equipped and prepared to lead in their churches is significant, so please pray that this conference will be used of the Lord to strengthen the church and also that potential students will be identified for the 2013 student intake.

The Team passed through the Mambalima Conference site on the way to Kawambwa last weekend.

Tuesday 7th August

Sunrise over Lake Bangwelulu today Facia boards going up on the outside. More Photos to come but the internet has slowed too much to upload!! roof going on

Leadership Training in Kawambwa

What an amazing weekend! Leaders were gathered from 10 churches, some men biking 150kms to attend the training. We were able to give out a small booklet on eldership that the Bible School staff have translated into Bemba (written by John MacArthur). The issues in this booklet are the very issues that the Bible School staff have identified as necessary in training up leaders from these village church areas. Donald, Levy & Francis shared the teaching and there were great times of questions as the men shared the issues and problems they face in setting biblical standards in their churches.

We also had the privilege of sitting with five recent graduates of the Bible School. We were able to pass on Bemba Bibles to help them in their ministries and also a Study Bible each which will enhance the work that they do. They get little financial assistance from their own churches (an area of teaching we have been working on with the elders) but still remain very active in the ministry. They are involved with two church plants in the Kawambwa area as well as teaching and various ministries in their local churches. Transport is often a difficulty with only one of them having a bicycle to travel the distances between churches so they have to walk. They report that people are open to hear the gospel and they actively involve themselves in evangelism.

 Donald & Francis in Training Mode

The graduates reported that the training that they received at Samfya Bible School has been a significant help to them in their churches. Many of them commented on the confidence they had gained in studying the Bible and then teaching it to their people (the expository teaching classes have had excellent input). Before raining they had little confidence and were in some ways timid. Praise God that the school is equipping these people for their service in the churches. They also commented on how the agricultural training has helped them become a little more financially secure which assists them as they go away on frequent ministry trips.

We had a private meeting with elders from these graduates churches and without fail they reported how well these graduates were working and how much they fitting in with their leaders and willingly working with them. They can see how the training has blessed these graduates and they have very encouraged by the teaching that they have been providing. They are so impressed by the work that they have identified 6 potential students for the 2013 year and also want to send one student back to do further training when the second year programme begins. We are arranging to send three boxes of Bibles that will be sold to the church families in Kawambwa, the proceeds then going to help sponsor these six new students.

Thank you for your continued prayers for these workers in the gospel. They have little in material terms, however they are rich in spiritual terms as they live out God’s calling in their lives.

 The hospitality was fantastic!

We also had a meeting with a group of evangelists who are also helping with one of the church plants, but have a passionate desire to get out and do more in reaching new areas for Christ. Their challenges are financial and the Bible School staff tried to help them think through how local community resources could be rallied to encourage their desires. There are also other good models of local churches working together to send out evangelist teams – please pray that they will continue to step out in faith to preach the gospel.

Kawambwa Area Churches

Graduates with new Bemba Bibles for distribution

We have just returned from Kawambwa where leaders from 10 churches gathered for training and equipping. It was a blessing to see five graduates of the Bible School who are all excelling in the ministry. I will write more in the next couple of days but it is time for bed after a busy morning of teaching and then 6 hours of travel to get home to Samfya. We are all well and thankful for your prayers.

Leadership training - holding the booklet on eldership translated into Bemba. This resource has been a huge blessing in the training


believe it or not there is a Spitting Cobra in this photo - a bit blurry and just his head is visible ready to strike!! We backed off!