Solomon chats about his Zambian adventure

Solomon recently travelled to Zambia to attend a conference. This is his feedback.

“The conference theme was Luke/Acts - A Journey. Probationers met in Johannesburg and then embarked on a journey which took them through Polokwane, Bulawayo, Livingstone, Lusaka, Harare and Masvingo and finally back to Johannesburg.

The question we asked as we went and witnessed to the work of God, “What is God doing in this situation?” We were encouraged to remember that it is God’s work in His Church that we are part of, and that ministry involves identifying what God is doing and then joining in partnership with Him.

There are many things that we learnt as we continued our journey. What was clear was:

 God is disciplining those whom He loves and has called to service.

 We were reminded that ministry often doesn’t go the way we have planned, but that God is with us. He can use chaos to move us from our comfort zones.

 At St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (Zimbabwe) we witnessed how God is helping people from different histories and backgrounds to find and respect each other and bring the challenge of the Gospel to those torn by the situation in Zimbabwe, which has sometimes turned Christian brothers and sisters against each other.

In Zambia, students and their spouses are taught to be self supporting whilst they are training, because many Zambian ministers are not paid regularly. I was challenged by their commitment to spread the

Gospel no matter what their personal circumstances and also by the commitment of congregations to do what they could to support the ministry.

One minister shared how each month when he got paid, his Session came to pray with him and brought him a message of hope and encouragement

We learned the importance of adaptability and of listening to and consulting with the elders and fellow ministers. God uses His whole body and we need each other.

The reflection showed clearly the need for the prophetic role of the Church, even at a congregational level. God is raising up people, who can stand for justice and live lives of integrity. He is also saddened by the violence of Christian against Christian, and there is much need for the ministry of reconciliation.

God seems to be pruning His vineyard in Zimbabwe, and there was a call for us to take heed so that we do not become unfruitful and need the same pruning.