Hope Baptist Church, Chamba [Pictures & Video]

Today it was such a blessed day for us and I don't even know where to start telling you all about it. My heart is always overjoyed when I can visit new churches and today it was even better, because I got to see a new, vibrant and healthy church like I don't get to see all that often. I was amazed to see how God worked through some men I invested it many years ago!

As you probably very know already, we work in Mpyupyu for a long time now. Many years ago, I started a one-year Bible School with the men of the church. One of the immediate results was that the building started to be too small for the church, so last year we had to build another one. Another amazing result was that some of the men felt led to plant a new church, in a village where there was no Christian, no church and no other missionary! At this point, all I can say is: "That's what I'm talking about!"

The work in the village of Chamba started 3 years ago, in 2013, with 3 people. Today, we have more than 70 attendants on a regular basis. The church is still in its incipient stage, so it doesn't have its own pastor yet, but pastor Simion from Mpyupyu is the one visiting them and growing and encouraging them.

I was invited to perform a baptism in this place, but before that, I had to work with the people, to teach them and get them ready for that event.

The road to Chamba, not very paved.

What I like to do when I visit new places is to preach the Gospel message and invite people with the Gospel invitation. Romans 10:9, 13. I see it as my duty to make sure hears the Gospel presentation at least once, in a clear and direct way. I want people to be brought at a point where they have to make a personal decision.

God blessed our time together and the Word that was preached. 19 people gave their lives to Christ today, among them also the chief of this place, chief Chamba.

After a wonderful time of fellowship in the Word, singing and prayer, we continued with an amazing meal cooked in the village. Chick-fill-A has a lot to learn!

More than 40 men and women want to be baptized next month, on the 31st. Until then, though, it is my duty to keep preaching the Word, to teach the people about baptism and to make sure that only those who believe are baptized. Unfortunately, many churches in Malawi still don't have the right perspective on baptism; for many, baptism means getting saved and for others it is just getting church membership. As you can imagine, I have a lot of work in this respect, so pray for me.

The building we use.

I would like to take this opportunity and remind you about the vital need for the Bible School that not only we want to start, but also need to start here in Zomba. Our Brothers and Sisters lack basic Biblical knowledge and all this while Jesus commands us to teach them: "...teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." Matthew 28:20. We need your prayers and financial support to finish the building.

The chief of this village donated a piece of land close to where we are meeting now, so that we can have our own place. What you see in these pictures does not belong to the church, but rather we are borrowing it until we can have our own church building.

My desire and my plan is to continue to work in this place, for the Kingdom of God. Aside from that, I would love to be able to help them build their own church.

As a side note, the word Chamba in Chichewa language means "Indian hemp". I can assure you, though, nobody from the church smokes it. At least I hope so :).