Kambule Reformed Baptist Church – Mongu
The Church (KRBC) came into being in a bid to advance the biblical Reformed cause of Christ and also to serve as a refreshing point for the saints. Having surveyed Mongu for a sound church and not found a Reformed-inclined Oasis, a Reformed Baptist Church was a natural consequence. We took advantage of the four days holiday at the end of June to early July to host a meeting of Reformed kindred minds. The preacher was Mr Paul Mumba who blasted away on the great commission from Matthew 28. Having done his job well, Mr Mumba took his leave without the slightest hint that he had been used to stir brethren to start a church. He only learnt that much later. In the inaugural meeting (July 1999), we covenanted amongst ourselves never to compromise the faith as long as any of us remained here in Mongu, and even after we were gone. In the quietness of the Phiris’ home (Chikondi and Anne), the following resolved to begin a work, under the leadership of the Lusaka Baptist Church: Mr Chikondi Phiri, Mrs Anne Phiri, Mr Paul Simfukwe, Ms Kamo Msimuko, Mr Pelani Ndovi, Mr Kaumbu Mwondela, Ms Tileke Namfukwe, and Mr Billy Sichone.
In our resolve, we purposed never to “poach” people from other churches but rather go to the “highways and by-ways” and persuade unbelievers to the Saviour. As such, our first official meeting was in July 1999 in the Phiris’ home where we met for church services until November that year when we moved to a School obviously for strategic reasons. Shortly after shifting camp, a mass exodus of our core associates occurred. All but three were left to run the church, in a totally strange place, and hardly knowing any local dialect. We turned to the Lord in earnest prayer for at least one Lozi speaking convert. Those months were amazing indeed because shortly after that, over ten Lozi speaking people professed the faith! We were overwhelmed as many kept visiting us all day enquiring after the Saviour. Thus, we begun inviting outside speakers as well as intensifying our evangelistic thrust. We met on Saturday afternoons for evangelism and surprisingly, the majority of those that volunteered to go and preach the gospel were the seekers! We went alongside them and, in the process, some of them got converted as they heard the gospel expounded. We looked out for any opportunity to spread the gospel while maintaining our fidelity to the Scriptures. In another breath, we sought to run away from the dead orthodoxy that often plagues some Reformed churches where they spend their entire lives splitting hairs with no reserve energy left to engage in spiritual combat with Satan. We sought to watch our LIVES and DOCTRINE closely so that the gospel would not be hindered.
