“And give Him no rest…”
Lusaka Baptist Church’s theme for 2015 is “Prayer” with focus on Isaiah 62:7 “And give Him no rest till He establishes And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth”.
Pastor Ronald Kalifungwa took a short series of sermons on prayer at the beginning of the year. The insightful and well delivered messages prepared the church for a number of prayer sessions relating to missions work and inter church causes like the African Christian University (ACU). To that end, an interchurch prayer meeting involving Kabwata Baptist Church, Evangel Baptist Church, Emmasdale Baptist Church and several other churches of ‘kindred mind’ was held in June 2015. The Church looks forward to more times of coming before the Throne of Grace to find mercy and grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
The 2015 Lusaka Baptist Church (LBC) Mission Conference whose theme was “Building Mature Churches” drew a lot of interest from members and several LBC missionary Pastors across the country. The main speaker was Dr. Tim Cantrell (Antioch Baptist Church, South Africa). Pastor Ronald Kalifungwa opened the conference with a key note address on “Building Mature churches: Our History, the Need of the Hour and the Roadmap”.
Pastor Cantrell gave a series of challenging messages on five key areas (1) Building a Biblical leadership (eldership, deaconate and ministry leaders), (2) Building a devoted membership committed to elder’s teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread and to prayers (3) Building a giving church, (4) Building a serving and missionary minded church and (5) Building a sending church that understands its role in developing mature churches on the mission field.
Also speaking was Mr. Watabu Simfukwe, who for many years has worked in very remote places of northern Zambia. He shared his experience of church planting in rural Zambia and bringing principles to bear on the question of “Building Mature Churches”. There is a growing concern of the rise of false religion and depletion of true missionaries in poverty stricken areas. This has led to thousands of people falling prey to anything that comes their way. Lusaka Baptist Church is currently thinking of how to effectively and Biblically counter the growing tide of false religion in rural and vulnerable communities.
During the conference, all missionary Pastors associated with Lusaka Baptist Church presented reports on their work. Of special interest is the “new” church plant in Chongwe. Since the “inauguration” a year ago, the church had been conducting its Sunday services at a Government Primary School. The situation is about to change! Sometime in June 2015, after the conference, the church acquired a plot of land with some ‘buildings’ on it. These buildings were previously used as “taverns” (Beer drinking places). One brother recently remarked “We have managed to depopulate and decrease the number of drinking places in Chongwe. This is good for the advancement of the Gospel”! Amen.