When we arrived in Mushindamo Association, the church leaders were disconnected, frustrated, and had no vision because for the past few years their leadership team in the association had not done a single thing. I was uneasy about the difficult conversations that needed to take place with the leadership team which was mostly elderly. In Africa, it is usually unacceptable for a young man to hold an elderly man accountable, especially one with an authoritative position. However, God worked in a wonderful way. The chairman, took some time during our workshop to finally check on the churches and how they were feeling. The church leaders openly voiced their concerns for some time. Eventually, they all agreed to refresh the leadership of the association.
Before they nominated new leaders, they asked me if I had anything to say to encourage them. God had prepared me for this moment. I had already worked up a simple document and translated it into kiKaonde for them. It briefly detailed four works that an association should focus on. I explained each task and the benefits of it as well as what can happen when those things are not evident in an associational leadership. I exhorted them to think on these things as they nominate so that they choose leadership that can accomplish these tasks well.
I had also prepared a translated a document for churches to use as a guide for their work as a church. It is a basic chart with all the main things a church and its members should be focusing on in minsitry. They all voiced approval and said it would be helpful to keep them on track in ministry and reveal to them areas of weakness or neglect. They decided to use this document to check in on each other as they met together as an association as well.
All in all, God prepared me and them for the meeting due to your prayers. They all left our time together with vision, purpose, and encouragement!
Stanley (in the blue), is one of my Truth Mining Bible School students. He sacrificed some time away from his wife and kids as well as his night classes at electrical school to help me. He helped with some translation and did all the note taking for the group.
After recording questions that they have or have heard about God the Father, we split up into three groups to study passages about God.
After I shared the gospel with these 150 people, the leaders brought the truths they found in the Bible about God the Father. The next morning we used those truths to find answers to the questions they mentioned at first.
After they nominated names, they voted for new leadership in the method you see above.
Praises:
God answered your prayers and we all had a great and productive meeting
The Mushindamo Association has a better idea of how to self-theologize and has some skills to do that.
Prayer Requests:
Pray for the new leadership team in Mushindamo Association to lead well, with humility, and kingdom focus
Pray for each church to be kingdom-minded
Pray for Association leaders and brothers in Christ who will visit Kamabende Baptist Church to deal with some umbilical practices in their church
Pray for Kamabende church to repent of unbiblical practices and follow what scripture teaches.
I thought you might enjoy a photo of a typical village scene.
And the road. Sometimes it's worse and sometimes it's better. Either way, it just is what it is.