Church Life

Giving Hope to Rural Zambians

The churches of MBA are rural churches serving their surrounding villages. Only a handful of MBA churches are located in urban areas. Most churches have between 70 – 250 members. Growing beyond 200 members is rare and the reason is practical. Churches are located in sparsely populated areas and the distance it takes to travel to church is long and people have to walk to church. When people need to walk too far we can respond by planting a new church in the neighbouring community. The churches worship in simple structures built by the members. Usually a church is started by designating a preaching point. When the gathering has reached 50 people the preaching point is officially opened as a local church.

A week in the life of the church

Sundays	We gather to worship. Before church Sunday School gathers. In the afternoon Youth Fellowship gathers.
Wednesdays	Cell groups gather
Thursdays	Woman’s fellowship gathers
Various days	Bibles Studies are conducted
Three times a week	Choirs gather for prayer and practice
Other times	Youth gather to play football (soccer), volleyball or to fellowship

Choirs

Visiting volunteers comment how they enjoy listening to the choirs. Churches often have several choirs (Sunday School, Youth, Women or Quartets). Choirs are an important part of our gatherings. It has been rewarding to experience how these choirs have grown in quality, not only in their singing but also in the content of their praise and worship. Sometime drums are used but often singing is accapella.

Musical talent has been developed in the youth with great ability to compose songs often with a clear biblical message, sometimes quoting extensively from the Bible, sometimes dramatizing in song incidents from the Bible. This positive development has been partly due to teaching, competitions, and exercises held at conferences since the early 1970s.

We are blessed as a denomination with wonderful choir leaders and are thankful for their contribution.

Mkwimba, Mpongwe Youth Choir CD is now available! You will find it on Amazon, Spotify and a number of other digital music suppliers (Google Mkwimba). Listen also to videos of our choirs.

Women’s Wing

Women’s Wing is active in many areas of church work.

A week in the life of Woman’s Wing Women can include Prayer gatherings, Choir practice, Cooking for Discipleship Students, Visitation or Preaching the gospel. These activities can take place locally or out in the villages as part of outreach. The vision of Woman’s Wing is to empower women through Self Sustaining Skills Training, Agriculture and by Help the Hospital. Read more and see photos Women’s Wing and Women’s Projects.

The Youth Wing

Youth Wing’s vision is to empower ourselves through Self Sustaining Skills Training, Agriculture Activities, Video Production, Pastoral Training and HIV/AIDS Campaigns. More about Youth Wing activities, projects and challenges.

Sunday School Wing

A new wind of development is blowing among the Sunday School Wing.

In 2009 a pastor with a passion for Sunday School ministries and three other people were identified to become Trainers of the Leaders by Child Evangelism Fellowship. We are thankful to MBA for making scholarships available to equip these leaders.

During 2009 a seminar plan was initiated to assist districts whose work was struggling. In the past seminars were being held at Mpongwe but this year seminars were planned in various zones of the MBA. In 2009 they started in zone 1 at Chinemu Baptist church, and in zone 2 at Mikata Baptist Church. The idea of taking the training to districts has been welcomed. At Mikata there were 14 participants attending the seminar. Among the things they learnt were the “wordless book” (an evangelism tool) and memory verses and how to interpret them. Sunday school teachers face challenges. The training for Sunday school teachers was really needed. In Mikata Baptist Church, there were only 2 teachers to teach 100 children making it difficult to divide the children into age groups. Because participants lack income some failed to raise money for transport and course fee. The course costs only $4 (K20, 000) to cover the cost of food during the five days of training. One of the participants we talked to said that they have really benefited in terms of knowledge from the seminar. We look forward to watching as these committees gain new skills and enthusiasm for their ministry.

MBA and the Sunday School Wing appreciate any contributions or toys to support the children’s ministry so that they seminars can be held in other zones. It is a challenge to afford transport for the coordinator and the instructors and most of churches lack toys for the small children.

Conferences

Conferences are an important time to meet, fellowship, worship and learn. MBA arranges several conferences each year, including annual conferences for Women, Youth and Sunday School (for children and their leaders). In addition there is a bi-annual General Conference where all gather together: men, women, youth, young and old. The church calendar contains other gatherings including a variety of Prayer gatherings, Pastors gatherings, coordinating with the other denominations of BUZ, District Leader Seminars, Sunday School teacher seminars, Evangelism trips and other leadership seminars.

Discipleship Training

MBA identified a need among the churches, a lack of basic knowledge in church work and church administration. In response to the need a Training Program was developed with the goal of equipping lay leaders, (elders and members) to serve and lead their churches. Most churches are without trained pastors so lay leader skills are vitally needed. More about Discipleship training program.

Church Planting

The number of churches in the Association has grown from 120 to 163 during 2004-2009. The growth was achieved through church planting. This program will continue, inspired by the Lord’s commandments on making disciple. The work begins with evangelism. As people come to faith they are invited to gather regularly at the preaching point. By the time the congregation has grown large enough to become a church as many as 40-60% of the members are new in the faith. More about Church Planting.

Churches Having Impact: Serving Orphans and the Vulnerable

MBA Churches are in a process of engaging with the challenges of their communities in a way that cares for both spiritual and physical needs. More about these exciting developments.

Evangelism

In several MBA churches teaching on evangelism lead to identification of evangelists. These lay leaders, who are really passionate about evangelism, have been encouraged to gather together and support each other in their work. Among others we have evangelism groups in Ibenga, Mulilansolo, Ipumbu, Chisanga, Ngabwe and Lwela church districts.

NEWS from MBA CHURCHES

UKWIMBA – The Mpongwe Youth Choir CD is now available!

Mpongwe Baptist Church became a sound studio in 2008 when our partners from UK recorded MBA Youth Choir for a CD!

Mkwimba, Mpongwe Youth Choir CD and MP3 is now available! You will find it on Amazon, Spotify and a number of other digital music suppliers.

BUILDING PROJECTS

Several of MBA’s churches have started building projects to replace buildings that have aged and have structural problems.

Mpongwe Baptist Church has begun building a new church building. Excavation began in 2008.

Chitaba Baptist Church has begun their building process, starting by burning bricks, a project the whole church will participate in.

Kanyenda Baptist Church is in a building project.