MISSIONS TRIPS INTO CONGO DR
I just wanted to let you know about the work that is going on in Congo DR. This work was started by a Congolese who was working for the Community Development & Social Services Ministry. This man, according to the information we got, came from Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Ndola. We don’t know whether he was a member of that church in Ndola or just a regular visitor. This person left Congo DR in 2003.
In the year 2004 the church in Congo wanted to be affiliated to the Baptist Convention of Zambia. In the same year in July we received two leaders from the same church who thought I was pastoring a Baptist Convention church. When they heard that we were a Reformed Baptist Church they gave us their Reformed background. Since then their desire has been to work together with us.
We visited them in September 2004 and we had a good time of fellowship with them. Last year, 2005, we had a seminar. This started on 27th September and ended on 3rd October. We were looking at “What a Reformed Baptist Church is” and “Leadership”. We had received much help from the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith and The Reformed Faith and The Distinctives of a Reformed Baptist Church. Communication was not difficult because Bemba is the common language in the places we were reaching. These people in Congo DR have requested that the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith be translated into Bemba and French.
We need your prayers as we will be travelling back to Congo to finish what was left unfinished. Last time we went there two of us almost died when the canoe in which they were capsized. Remember also to pray for the church in Congo.
Kennedy Chibwe (Pastor)
Ebenezer Reformed Baptist Church, Mwense
New Church Planting Effort in Malawi
From 1999 to 2000 the Frank Maxson family resided in Ndola and Kafue in Zambia seeking to become involved in church establishing efforts. This brief sojourn was something of an internship and introduction to Central African culture and church life. We were blessed to meet and observe the Reformed Baptists among whom we saw the reality of sound doctrine and practice. Our oldest son Victor was blessed to attend the Reformed Baptist Preachers College in Lusaka, and we were blessed as a family under the preaching of men in the Copperbelt as well as Lusaka areas. I attribute my vision for what a church in Central Africa can and should look like from the Reformed Baptists during our sojourn in Zambia.
In God’s providence we also sought a place of usefulness in Malawi in 2001 in the rural setting. After a return to the United States from early 2002 till late 2003, we returned to Malawi with the aim of establishing a church in the urban setting. In the former capital city of Zomba we started by efforts in personal evangelism and Bible studies in the home setting. After an encouraging visit to our home by Conrad Mbewe at the end of May 2005, in early July we launched out in a more public effort. We rented a room at CHESA Private Primary School and erected a sign proclaiming our presence, and handed out brochures announcing our intentions of establishing a new church in Zomba. Our first service drew a crowd of about 30 curious Malawians, and after almost a year of perseverance in the effort we now have a half dozen or so true believers and a regular attendance of about twenty to thirty people, besides my family of twelve. We are meeting for a Bible study on Sunday mornings where my 26 year old son Victor has been systematically teaching through Romans. In the worship service, after the Bible study, we have been moving through the Sermon On The Mount in an expository series, with some occasional interruptions to preach on relevant topics, like the baptism in the Holy Spirit, a hot topic in Malawi where Charismatism is so pervasive.
At the end of September 2005 some of my family and I visited Chipata Calvary Baptist Church with the intention of sharing with them the work we were doing with the aim of securing their help in the Zomba church planting effort. The cry was, “Come over into Malawi and help us”. Their reception of us was wonderfully encouraging, and during the end of May 2006 we were blessed to have Chipata Calvary Baptist send brothers Percy Chisenga and Prosperous Mutimushi to minister the Word in our midst. Calvary had been praying for the Lord’s leading in the life of their founding pastor Percy Chisenga, and they had been praying for a door into Malawi. The Lord seems to be answering those prayers. As a result of the visit to Malawi, we have all come to agree that Percy Chisenga should come to Zomba to join us and to take the lead in this church planting effort. He is able to preach in Nyanja which will enable us to have services in the vernacular as well as the English we have been using. This will open the door to the larger population of Zomba town.
Please pray for this extension of the Reformed Baptist movement in Zambia. To our knowledge there are no other Reformed Baptist Churches in Malawi, and the need here is great.
Frank Maxson
INDUCTION SERVICE OF RONALD KALIFUNGWA
It was with great joy that Lusaka Baptist Church, Longacres, held an induction service on Monday 7th August 2006 for Ronald Kailfungwa and recognised him as their ninth pastor. Pastor Kalifungwa had previously pastored Lynwood Baptist Church, Pretoria in South Africa (1998 – 2006) and Fairview Reformed Baptist Church, Mufulira (1988 – 1998). The induction service was attended by about 200 people, including friends and relatives from various churches in Zambia. Also in attendance were Pastor Kalifungwa’s wife, Sarah, and their sons: Kunda (13), Mumba (9), and Chisomo (7).
The act of ordination and induction to the new pastorate was performed by Chikondi Phiri, elder at Lusaka Baptist Church (LBC). Dennis Chiwele, elder at LBC prayed for the pastor. Pastor Kalifungwa gave an account of his call to the ministry from his college days to the time he accepted a call to pastor Fairview Reformed Baptist Church in Mufulira. He also spoke of his ministry at Lynwood Baptist Church and how he accepted the call to Lusaka Baptist Church.
Pastor Kalifungwa gave his doctrinal summary outlining the preaching ministry of Joe Simfukwe, sixth pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church, Banner of Truth books, audio tapes on Calvinism borrowed from Justo Mwale Theological Library and the influence of friends as what led to the shaping of his doctrinal beliefs. Pastor Kalifungwa described himself as a Reformed Baptist who shared the evangelical heritage of Calvin, Luther and Zwingili. He also described himself as an Evangelical. Pastor Kalifungwa noted the greatness of the challenge that lay ahead of him in the pastoral ministry.
Conrad Mbewe, pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church, preached from 1 Corinthians 3:9 with much passion. He spoke on the relationship that existed between a pastor and his flock. He urged the church to be prayerful in order for the pastor’s ministry to be effective and, as “God’s building”, to put God’s Word first. He urged the pastor to jealously cherish God’s presence in his life and ministry.
Paul Mumba, elder at LBC, led the congregation in singing hymns such as “When all Thy mercies, O my God”, “How good is the God we adore” and “Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my longing eyes”.
Stephen Tembo, elder at LBC, gave an account of how the church extended a call to Pastor Kalifungwa, starting as far back as 2002 and culminating in November 2006 when Pastor Kalifungwa wrote to accept the call to become pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church.
Thanks be to God for his new provision and for all the faithful brethren who have assisted the church during the time it had no pastor for almost two years.
Gabriel S Konayuma
