Raise, Train, Equip and Release!

As we dropped Percy Muleba off at the Charlotte airport, we couldn’t help but smile at how productive his recent visit had been. He made use of his newly granted R-1 Religious Workers visa, the first ever granted to a Zambian, welcomed friends old and new at our open house, trained with us a small group of worship leaders from seven churches, and we solidified our future plans. And, of course, it was a pleasure having him in our home to talk and share meals and build our friendship.

Sometimes it’s only by looking back that you can make sense of what the Lord has done. Sixteen years ago, Percy Muleba and we hung a white board in a tree with brown twine and began training mission-minded students in Zambia. We had no grand plan. We just wanted to build up pastors and leaders who wanted to learn and put what they had learned into practice. And we especially wanted to answer their burning questions about discipleship and mission.

Over the years, the Lord’s grand plan slowly developed one course and one class at a time. We learned by doing, and we learned from both our successes and our failures. Today, we have a full outcome based curriculum with which we train small groups of pastors, chaplains and leaders, both men and women, in a four phase process encompassing about 120 hours of classroom time. We now use this approach in person and through live-streaming, and the fruit has been incredible.

Churches have been planted, ministries launched, schools developed, and five generations of students trained. What began under a tree in 2010 has now become Biblical Worship Training Centre - Africa (BWTC-Africa) which multiplies the Gospel through three academies: the Biblical Worship Academy, the Biblical Entrepreneurship Academy, and the just launched Church Planting Academy.

The Biblical Worship Academy trains students in person and online from twenty African countries in a sound understanding of worship. The Biblical Entrepreneurship Academy trains single mothers and others in business as mission, has started a medical school entrepreneurship club, and has developed a Kingdom Fund to grant loans to civil servants in partnership with the Zambian government. The new Church Planting Academy will be led by one of our early students, Bosco Kutoma, who has overseen the planting of thirteen healthy churches since 2012.

In addition, just last year, we established BWTC-USA with the goal of bringing Zambian trainers to the States by 2031 to add value to our churches and leaders. Our vision has always been for two-way mission. As Percy often says, Zambia is no longer a mission field, but is now becoming a mission force.

To say we’re amazed by what the Lord has done and is doing would be an understatement. We’re reminded of Paul’s words to the Ephesians,

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Well, what does the future hold?

In the short term, we fly to Zambia on May 27th for an eight week mission. Accompanying us will be a dear friend, Laura Rumple, a gifted musician, recording artist, and talented voice coach and therapist. This will be her first visit to Zambia where she will work with both individuals and praise teams. Later in the trip, our Global Training Network (GTN) colleague, Michael Brogna, will help us train our Namibian students. We have been anxious to partner with Michael for several years and are excited that he will bring his unique approach to the Old Testament to our students.

We ourselves will be training as well in Namibia, and of course in Zambia. We’re especially excited to have the opportunity to train a new group of rural church planters who will gather in Livingstone, and to partner with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) for training in Lusaka.

And, drum roll please…Abby will be ordained by the CCAP on July 5th, becoming the first non-Zambian and the first white to be ordained in that historic body. They and we are very excited about this, not only for the doors it opens to train their pastors, chaplains, and leaders, but also to work with their Chasefu Theological College in the important work of preparing new pastors for ministry and mission.

In the long term, we anticipate making one eight week trip each year to Zambia, and while we are home training students online for several weeks each year with both BWTC and the CCAP, and welcoming Percy twice per year to develop BWTC-USA and train students here. In addition, we will be developing new curriculum for the Church Planting Academy, and Doug will be writing a series of short books at Percy’s request, two of which have already been finished. More on that later.

As always, we look forward to seeing our mission partners whenever possible, and adding value to our supporting churches in whatever way we can.

Here’s our basic itinerary:

May 27: Depart for Livingstone, Zambia

May 30-June 11: Training in Livingstone

June 15-24: Training in Katima-Mulilo, Namibia

June 29-July 3: Training in Livingstone

July 4-12: Training in Lusaka

July 5: Abby’s Ordination

July 13-14: Debrief in Livingstone

July 15: Depart for Charlotte, NC

July 16: Arrive Home

As always, never forget that when we go, you go with us. We are forever grateful for your prayers, partnership and encouragement, and your friendship!

Below, we thought we’d share a few African wildlife images Doug has created with the help of Ai using his photos as a starting point. Let us know what you think.

Something Was Different…

It was hard to put our finger on, but Percy, Abby and I sensed a shift in all three of our student groups this trip. There was an even deeper openness than usual, a healthy impatience with the status quo, and a deeper hunger to explore new possibilities. It was both exciting and sobering at the same time.

The pastor-centered model for church life in Southern Africa has left the pastors exhausted and vulnerable. In addition, the pressure to compete with the glitter of the traveling “prophets” with their false promises of prosperity is great and always a complete waste of time. Thankfully, the “prophe-liars” are being exposed for the charlatans they are as the promises of health and wealth have failed to come to pass.

Our students spoke often about their desire for a new approach to ministry. This same conversation is happening among some significant academic leaders in Zambia, as well. Pastoral training is being rethought, especially with the desperate need for competent church planters and pastors as Christianity in Southern Africa continues to multiply. On top of this are government demands that pastors be legitimately trained and certified.

It begs the question of how a one year accredited training program might look given the reality on the ground. A three year traditional seminary program is simply unworkable for the majority of pastors given the time and money required. Given that, would something like an official one year, give or take, “Church Planting Academy” make any sense?

Historically, the sort of training the Methodists used in the 1800’s for their circuit riders comes to mind. It was outcome based training that allowed the Methodists to plant healthy churches. Relational training in spiritual formation, sound doctrine, preaching, evangelism, pastoral ministry and leadership laid the foundation well. The training was experiential, doctrinal and spiritual, stressing personal holiness and relational accountability. The goal was the empowerment of capable practitioners who could multiply the Gospel in a rapidly growing and expanding nation.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s practical approach to seminary during WW II, chronicled in his book Life Together, emphasized the discipline and value of living in community while studying Scripture and theology and practicing ministry at the same time. This is another model that could be adapted to African culture and contemporary needs.

In addition, BWTC’s new entrepreneurial training will continue to grow in its importance to pastors in Southern Africa who must make a living outside the church that is adequate to love and care for their families.

Our training has always been relational and outcome based so it lends itself to these sorts of models. And, we’d love to be part of a more defined movement in this direction. It will be interesting to see how things develop over the coming years as we continue our work.

Our time with pastors from Divundu, Namibia, who came to the border town of Katima Mulilo, Namibia to be trained in Phase 2 courses was exhilarating and rich in discussion. They camped at Pastor Jack and Kalleny’s church which hosts an accredited Bible and Vocational School, and a few of their students joined in, as well.

Our dear student and friend, Bosco Kutoma, his wife, Phenny, and their lovely 3 month old daughter, Favour, came to join us at our lodge all the way from Mongu, Zambia, where they have helped to plant more than 10 churches! Bosco joined in the training and spent one afternoon with the pastors from Divundu presenting Church Planting and encouraging them. The Holy Spirit was building all of our relationships like crazy.

So, yes, it was a very significant trip. As always, we deeply appreciate your support, prayers and encouragement. And please remember that where we go you go!

An Unfolding Significance

How do you measure impact? For us, we measure impact by the life transformation we see in our students and the multiplication that results as they live out that transformation. During our Phase 4 training in Mumbwa (May 7-15), it became apparent that the impact was real, and for that we are delighted.

As Abby taught “Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible” and Doug taught “Church Planting,” we began to notice that the questions raised were deeply reflective. We had several significant discussions during class and several meaningful one on one discussions during breaks. The pastors were struggling with a variety of significant issues, some potentially life changing.

On our fourth or fifth day, one of our students made this comment, “I said yesterday that you are provoking us and I want to go even further today. I think you are causing a revolution in us. And we are very grateful.”

The revolution he was talking about was in his understanding of prayer and the nature of the church. And for him, it was a penetrating and life changing revolution.

The life of a Zambian pastor is tough, very, very tough on so many levels. For example, the vast majority of pastors are not paid, have no health insurance, and no pensions. Most have not been formally trained in any meaningful way, although there are some exceptions. Many lead churches that have been infected with the so-called prosperity gospel being spread by traveling false prophets.

So when we train them over time, the real questions begin to be asked. The real concerns begin to be expressed. The difficult decisions they must make reveal themselves. And this opens the door for transformation and multiplication. In our students and in us!

As we left Mumbwa for Livingstone, we felt profoundly grateful. And our gratitude would only deepen as we worshipped on May 18th with the CCAP church in Livingstone led by Rev. Abednego Kunda and his wife, Loveness. Abby was privileged to preach and her sermon was very edifying. The worship was filled with joyful music, and the congregation was warm and welcoming. We enjoyed dinner with Kunda and Loveness two days later and began getting to know one another better.

Our gratitude deepened further as we trained BWTC’s leadership team for four days (May 19-22) on “Discovering My Life Purpose.” Intermixed with this we shared leadership principles we’ve learned through experience over the years. The team is young, smart, committed, and beautifully led by Percy’s spiritual son and our spiritual grandson, Dan Mayeya, BWTC’s Africa Director. What a wonderful four days!

Some of the comments we heard were, “When I walked in the room and saw Abby’s face, I knew I was in the right place,” “I love to learn and you have taught me so well,” “When I look at Doug, I see Percy and Dan and better understand the DNA of BWTC,” “I never knew that I had a life purpose and this really changes things for me moving forward,” “Sometimes women are not given the same freedom to lead as men in Zambia so we are grateful for BWTC and your encouraging training,” “No one has ever told me before that I ask good questions,” and many others. We were deeply, deeply encouraged. And excited about the impact these young leaders are already making and will make in Zambia and beyond.

Friday morning (May 23), Abby met with the CCAP Women’s Bible Study and had a great time getting to know them better. On Saturday (May 24), Abby led a CCAP youth Bible study and we both enjoyed being with them.

On Sunday, we left early for Katima Mulilo, Namibia and on the drive saw some elephants, a kudu, an ostrich, impala, baboons, a bunch of mongoose, and wart hogs. Cool, huh? We began five day (May 26-30) Phase 2 training on Monday with pastors who traveled about two hundred miles from Divundu, Namibia and some local pastors and leaders, as well. The group is fantastic, but that’s the subject for another blog.

Following this, we’ll return to Livingstone on Sunday, June 1st and then fly out on Wednesday, June 4th, arriving home on June 6th.

As you can tell, it’s been an eventful and encouraging trip. We hope you enjoy the photos below. Regrettably, we’re having difficult adding captions for some reason. We do want to point out that the “smoke” rising in the upper left corner of the hippo photo is the mist rising from Victoria Falls, known locally as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” or “the smoke that thunders.”

We are so grateful for your support, encouragement and prayers. Thank you again. And remember, where we go you go!

A Wonderful Beginning

It’s been almost a year since we’ve been in Zambia so it’s been such a joy to return. We were warmly welcomed at the airport on Saturday by Percy and Muyunda Muleba and enjoyed a reunion with the Fawlty Towers Lodge staff who’ve become our friends. We were then joined on our seven hour drive to Lusaka on Sunday by Percy’s dear friend, Kongwa, whom we’ve had the pleasure of knowing over the past several years.

We had the joy on Monday to spend a couple of hours over lunch with our friend, the Rev. Sevatt Kabaghe, the former General Secretary of the Church of Central African Presbyterian (CCAP). It was so good to see him again, catch up on his family news, and hear about his new pastoral call. He has an amazing heart for evangelism and discipleship and it’s a privilege to know him.

As some of you might remember, Abby’s ordination by CCAP had been scheduled for last August. With that on everyone’s mind, we had the pleasure of meeting with the new CCAP leadership team and their wives Monday night to discuss where to go from here in that regard. It was a delightful evening as we shared a dinner filled with family stories and laughter before we had an official meeting. In short, the ordination is still on and will now be held during our late spring trip next year which honors both their schedule and ours.

By the way, CCAP graciously offered to send a representative team to the States to ordain Abby sooner, but after discussing this option we all agreed that it would be more appropriate to hold Abby’s ordination on Zambian soil among a broader gathering of CCAP pastors and members. Of course, you’d be welcome to fly over and join us!

We also discussed what it might look like if Starlink was installed at CCAP’s Chasefu Theological College, which is located in an historic yet very remote location in Zambia, and we all agreed it would be crucial to adding value to the excellent training there. Percy then unexpectedly announced that his ministry, BWTC, would like to donate the equipment if CCAP could handle the monthly subscription. They were thrilled with this arrangement. Imagine the possibilities for on-line training!

Finally, we discussed pursuing a formal relationship between CCAP and our denomination, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), something Doug had looked into before our trip. The CCAP leaders are very much interested in that possibility so we look forward to connecting with the EPC’s Fraternal Relations Committee to discuss this when we return.

Tuesday evening, we had the joy of having dinner with Titus and Kahilu Njamba, our former students and the parents of Douglas (Dougie) who is named after Doug. Some of you might remember that amazing story from six years ago. While it was wonderful to see them and to hear about Titus’ progress towards his Bachelors of Theology degree, it was bittersweet because Kahilu is fighting cancer and undergoing chemo which is why they were in Lusaka. Please add them to your prayer because it’s been and continues to be a difficult struggle.

Wednesday morning, we enjoyed breakfast with our student, Dan Mayeya, who is the Director of BWTC Africa. It was great to see him again. He then joined us for the drive to Mumbwa later that morning.

Mumbwa is where we are now writing this and where we are teaching Phase IV to our amazing students. What a terrific reunion it’s been! Abby’s teaching “Psalms: The Prayerbook of the Bible” and Doug is teaching “Church Planting.” We’ve had a great first two days of training on Thursday and Friday. On Sunday, Abby preached in Bishop Bishop’s church (not a typo). As always, it was a joy to worship and the music was just great. It is such a privilege to encourage and add value to these faithful leaders and their churches.

All in all, it has been a very encouraging start for us!

Please continue to remember us in your prayers, along with Kahilu and Titus, and never forget that where we go you go because of your amazing support and encouragement!