“Ama Puritans!” is a very common phrase in Zambia. This is especially the case among young people who are new to the Reformed Faith. This often simply refers to individuals who are not dating girls or who are not crazy about football. On a more positive note, this phrase is often used to refer to Christians who are very serious about their faith and will often be found reading doctrinal books and frequently attending church prayer meetings. These are seen as today’s Puritans.
Who were the original Puritans? Why did they get branded as such? Should we even bother to know who they were? What material difference does it make to our spiritual lives? These are the kind of questions that have motivated us to set apart one issue of Reformation Zambia to this subject. Take a few minutes to read through this magazine so that when you hear other people being called “Puritans” you will know what that is all about. But much more, may your knowledge of that generation of Christians propel you towards emulating them in their life and practice, even as they imitated Christ.
This issue of Reformation Zambia is also a special edition because it is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Zambian Reformed Conferences. This magazine grew out of these conferences. It was meant to give us another means of fellowship and ministry by our pastors. The conference was once a year but
the magazine comes to us three times a year. So, as we celebrate the 30th
anniversary of this conference, we want this magazine to capture the moment.
The Zambian Reformed Conferences grew out of the annual Elbycites Conference the way in which a butterfly grows out of a caterpillar. When a
number of us in the Elbycites became pastors we felt it best that we make the conference a church-based conference. Kabwata Baptist Church managed it for a few years but now it is managed by the Lusaka Reformed Baptist churches collectively. God has been good to us as a Reformed movement in Zambia!
