Zimbabwe   Bulawayo

Plans for the APC in Bulawayo from 14-16 June involved very careful   planning. The difficulty of taking the books, 43 boxes in all, was acute. At the border there was a four hour delay as the claim was made that there was insufficient documentation for the books. Prayer was the only resort. Suddenly in answer to prayer access was allowed with no duty being demanded.

143 pastors attended which made this the largest APC so far. The hospitality of City Presbyterian church was generous and helpful with everyone pulling together to cope with the numbers, 43 more than was anticipated.

The pastors acquired many books – we must now pray they will read them and be transformed in their thinking and ministries by them. Nearly all the pastors were from Bulawayo. They are noted for their patience and perseverance in times of tribulation.  Only the gospel and Christians being salt and light will bring radical change to Zimbabwe – we must pray earnestly to that end.

One witness commented on the preaching as follows: ‘The conference was a huge success – the preaching was superb. Michael Bwembya (the main speaker from Zambia) related well to the pastors and was very thorough in his teaching.  Craig Jones is a well prepared and dramatic teacher (he used visuals from his laptop, which were well received). Pastor John Stambolie is calm, authoritative and pastoral as well as humble (one cannot help liking him). Pastor Irving Steggles was brilliant and straight with Biblical truth as always, even when many there may have disagreed with him. He teaches in a fatherly, courageous way and the men love him and greatly respect him. The teaching styles were very different but complementary. Variety added interest. The teaching sessions were all outstanding and well received – very relevant to the needs.’

South Africa and Swaziland

During May about twenty-two pastors and trainee pastors attended an APC at  Port Alfred which is on the coast about half-way between Port Elizabeth and East London. Isaac Mackashinyi and Irving Steggles were the preachers. The theme was the doctrine of the church.
Michael Ntozini and Boyce Salemi organise this APC.  The aim always it to inspire pastors to be biblically and doctrinally faithful, expositors of the Word and faithful in pastoral care.

The Baptist Pastor of the nearby township supported the conference with his members.  The church building is one the side of a hill with a very good view over all the shacks – he said on Sunday morning you can see the people walking from their shacks up the hill to the church.

Barberton

Pastor Choolwe Mwetwa of Zambia was the visiting preacher for three APCs. He was greatly enabled in his preaching and much appreciated first at the now well-established conference at the Phumula Conference Centre just outside Barberton. 90 plus attended. This included students from the Back to the Bible College.

Karl Peterson reports that a very encouraging beginning has been made in the large township of Kabokweni near Nelspruit. Thirty-four attended. Pastor Choolwe’s powerful preaching was inspiring. Choolwe was also the main preacher at the second APC in Manzini, Swaziland. Many books were sold at these conferences.

Future APCs

We are thankful for the APCs reported above and for the eight successful APCs in January described in RT 240. We pray now for those coming soon. The townships in the area around Bushbuckridge north of Nelspruit represent a great need. Karl Peterson accompanied perhaps with a Zambian preacher is planning a one day APC in Bushbuckridge in late August.

Irving Steggles is planning an APC in Louis Trichardt (Limpopo province) in September and in November returns to Francistown in Botswana.

We are hoping also to set up an APC in Cape Town later in the year.

There are still provinces in South Africa where have not yet had conferences and where pastors are longing for training – Northern Cape and North West cover geographically vast areas of the country which are also spiritual deserts. We have contacts in these areas and much prayer is needed that we will be able the needs of pastors there. Please pray that we will be able to organise an APC in the Capetown area.

There is a possibility of organising an APC in Tanzania and also one in Namibia – we have had requests from pastors in both countries. We get many ‘Macedonian calls’ from countries further north.

The number of books needed is increasing. Our financial resources are stretched. Donations can be gift aided. Cheques should be made out to African Pastors’ Conferences and addressed to Mrs Rachel Rothwell, 4 Hall Close, Bramhope, LS16 9JQ.   UK