A report by Gary Morrison

Six African Pastors’ conferences were held in South Africa during January. My portfolio was to see that these conferences ran smoothly and that included organising the display of the books which are sold at subsidised prices thereby bringing very considerable advantage to the pastors. This latter responsibility was made a pleasure by diligent workers at each conference who know the book trade. Cornerstone Baptist Church, Bolton, generously and whole-heartedly supported me in these travels in sunny South Africa. My first pastorate was in Mandini, Kwazulu and with that background I have great sympathy for the needs of African pastors who live in an economic climate very different to ours.

The first conference was held at Mseleni near the border between Mozambique and South Africa, Pastor Choolwe Mwetwa (Central Baptist Church, Chingola, Zambia) spoke very challengingly on ‘The marks of faithful ministry’, and Pastor Raymond Zulu (High Wycombe Evangelical Church, UK) with the advantage of preaching in his mother tongue soared wonderfully on the theme, ‘The Word of God as our sure foundation’.

Our second conference at Koinonia Conference Centre was nearby the town of Hillcrest which in turn is not that far from the city Durban. The Speakers included Choolwe, Raymond, Dennis Hustedt (Utah, USA) and myself.  The response was encouragingly very positive. Such is the increasing interest and edification that the pastors are calling for an extension to this work to reach the youth and from them so seek to build up a future body of able ministers of the Gospel. We will have our work cut out to wrestle with this challenge and act positively.

Our third stop was in the Eastern Cape in at the city of Port Elizabeth, where Dr Paul Stoltz (Bible Institute of the Eastern Cape) very capably organised the three day conference. Pastor Bob Dickie (Berean Baptist Church in Flint Michigan USA) also expounded the awe inspiring subject of Worship. We also had an outstanding Q & A session. Some interesting topics were discussed including the role of women in ministry. This cropped up at most of the conferences. It seems to be a recurring theme that may need to be addressed sensitively in the future.

The fourth conference (click here for sermons and photos) was near the beautiful city of Pretoria. This time the speakers included Pastor Irving Steggles (Birchleigh Baptist Church, Kempton Park). He spoke on revival and delivered the conference sermon (‘Motivation in the Ministry’). The conference was a tremendous success under the very capable leadership and organisational skills of Irving who was assisted by church members from Birchleigh Baptist and also from Constantia Park Baptist Church in Pretoria where Martin Holdt is senior pastor. The Book table ministry was also a great blessing here. The three days and two nights, including six meals cost each person the equivalent astounding sum of 70 Rand (£5.00). This is a admirable demonstration on just how far money given by churches in both the USA and the UK can go towards financing more APC’s in future years.

The fifth conference was in the large Free State town of Welkom. This once rich gold-mining  town is now not far from poverty. Even the local fire engines have been repossessed by the manufacturers. The local CESA (Church of England in South Africa which is a reformed denomination) minister, George van der Westhuizen, acted as host to the conference at his church building. There was tremendous response to the preachers Choolwe and Raymond. On a personal note heartbreak and challenge came to me the next day when the three of us visited Morning Star, a crèche for 85 local HIV positive children. What an inspiring work is done by the ladies there, especially Joan Adams who is responsible for running it.

Finally the last of the conferences took place at Newcastle. This was a first time event and was capably organised by pastor Paul Jacobs. Here we saw demonstrated what can be done when a whole church supports a conference like this. This practical backing came from the Newcastle Baptist Church. Apart from the books hardly any subsidy is needed when this takes place. Some were disappointed inasmuch that they did not have enough time to secure enough money to purchase more of the discounted books that were available. In Newcastle they all wanted us to stay on for a second day. Lord willing next year we will.

Read specific news from Conferences in:

• Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
• Ora et Labora near Pretoria
• Mseleni, Hillcrest (Koinonia conference centre), and Port Shepstone, all in Kwazulu Natal
• Welkom, Namibia

African Pastors Conference at Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, 11th-13th December 2007

It is impossible to overstate the pastoral needs in present-day Zimbabwe. Believers and unbelievers alike are suffering deprivation: people are dying of starvation (life-expectancy of men is down to 36 years), even a minor illness can become life-threatening, public and private transport have ground to a halt and for the godless there is no hope. Yet Christians are convinced that God is at work and that the present situation is for the good of his people and the advance of the gospel.

There are wonderful indications of blessing – to mention just two: a renewed sense of urgency concerning spiritual things even among unbelievers for whom issues of life and death are so real; Christians have been drawn together in love for mutual care and support as in the manner of the early church they share things in common (whether it be salt, or fuel, or meat, or maize or toilet rolls!).

It is in this context that the African Pastors’ Conference occurred in December. Until the last moment we were not sure whether there could be food available for this residential meeting, but by the grace of God and the initiative of his people, we ate well and were given inspiring hospitality by the Theological College of Zimbabwe. 50 pastors attended (the maximum who could be accommodated) and many more had to be turned away: because of transport problems we could only invite those from the Bulawayo area. Pastors came from all sorts of church and doctrinal backgrounds but with a great desire to learn to preach faithfully and minister biblically and effectively to their needy flocks.

Books are an essential part of these Conferences, and the men were delighted to take away a package of free books which had been kindly sponsored by churches in England and America and the publishing houses.

Ronald Kalifungwa of Lusaka Baptist Church, Zambia, spoke on ‘The Pastor and his Family Competence’: much of the teaching which so many of us have valued for years was new to many of these men. Laban Mwashekele of Monte Christo Baptist Church in Windhoek, Namibia spoke on ‘Establishing Biblical and Healthy Churches’ helpfully emphasising the need for spiritual health in the pastor, the pasture and the flock. The Conference Sermon on 1 Peter 1 was delivered by Victor Nakah, the President of TCZW, who gave a fine exposition and included the telling sentence ‘It is my greatest fear that Christians in Zimbabwe came away from the present situation spiritually empty-handed’.

We pray this Conference will have helped that fear not be realised. Please pray for our brethren in Zimbabwe and especially those with the responsibility of changing individuals and a nation by rightly handling the Word of God.

African Pastors Conference at Ora et Labora near Pretoria 17th-19th January 2008

43 pastors from Gauteng, Limpopo and even Botswana attended this Conference. Several enthusiastic and faithful pastors from Swaziland were unable to come at the last moment because of transport problems. The speakers were Conrad Mbewe of Kabwata Baptist Church Lusaka, Laban Mwashekele form Windhoek and Raymond Zulu from High Wycombe UK, and before that in Newcastle, KZN, South Africa. Erroll Hulse also gave us a biography of David Livingstone. The talks are available on the website.

This was a group of mature pastors eager to learn and to minister biblically. For some, errors had to be confronted and we are especially grateful to our speakers for getting alongside the men and giving good pastoral counsel. Raymond Zulu in particular has openings as a fluent Zulu speaker. Big issues were addressed in the talks with faithful and powerful preaching. God gave the three main speakers physical and spiritual stamina – some had spoken 15 times over the recent few days of Conferences.

Because of the kindness of the owner of the centre at Ora et Labora in not charging for its use and because of the faithful team of volunteers in the kitchens, the total charge to the pastors for 3 days was 50 rands (under £4 or $7) and the sponsorship could be used to offer great discounts on the excellent book table.

African Pastors’ Conferences at Mseleni, Hillcrest (Koinonia conference centre), and Port Shepstone, all in Kwazulu.

As indicated above the one-day conferences at Mseleni and Port Shepstone were first conferences and both revealed great potential for the future. Mseleni is in a game reserve area and as you drive to this remote place you expect to see rhinoceros in the bush. Fifty spiritually hungry pastors greatly appreciated the books in Zulu available and the fine array of books in English at the reduced prices. Everything was in Zulu or translated into Zulu. Shiloh Baptist Church was the venue at Port Shepstone. About seventy pastors and Christian workers attended.

First African Pastors’ Conference at Welkom, Namibia

The Pines Christian Care Centre for Children was an ideal venue for this conference at Welkom. The theme for the day was the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. Erroll Hulse expounded the meaning of Pentecost from Acts two, Raymond Zulu opened up the subject of Spirit anointed preaching and Dennis Hustedt concluded with an exposition of Acts chapter three.

Each conference has its own distinct character. Much improvement by the organisers is needed at the book tables. For instance we need to pay much more attention to having books which match and back up the topics that are dealt with in the sessions. Books which deal with how to handle grief are needed. Almost every conferee has lost a relative or relatives in the AIDS scourge. Books for children are needed. We also need to have a stock of Bibles in all the indigenous languages. An NIV study Bible is pure gold in Africa but far too expensive for most the people.

~ Irving Steggles