In this post, we introduce the first of three new missionaries in Zambia. Sangwani Mtika recently completed a pastoral internship under Pastor Ngoma at Calvary Baptist Church in Chipata. Chipata is located on Zambia’s eastern border with Malawi. In June 2015, Sangwani was ordained and sent by Calvary Baptist to plant a church in the Magazine district of Chipata. We would like to mention a few significant things about this work.
First:
Sangwani is what we might call a ‘second-generation’ HeartCry missionary. He was discipled by pastor Percy Chisenga, a precious brother and former HeartCry missionary who has gone to be with the Lord. Sangwani, along with many others, benefited from Brother Chisenga’s loving care and wise counsel.
Second:
The Magazine church plant shows the commitment of the Zambian Reformed Baptists to their church-planting strategy. Over twenty years ago, the emerging leaders of the Reformed Baptist movement purposed to first reach the urban centers of Zambia, planting English-speaking churches to target the educated, business-professional class. These churches could then financially sustain mission efforts to the rural areas and other African countries. This goal has been accomplished. The Magazine church plant is part of a growing wave of ‘vernacular’ (native-language) churches taking the gospel to the poorer and less-educated areas. The church’s meetings will be conducted in Chewa, the native language of eastern Zambia and Malawi.
Third:
The work in Chipata shows the cooperation of the Zambian Reformed Baptist churches in the spread of the gospel. Calvary Baptist Church of Chipata is a church-plant of Lusaka Baptist Church. They are now sending Sangwani as a missionary church-planter, and his support will come from Kabwata Baptist Church.
To read more about Sangwani (his conversion testimony, call to ministry, and wife’s testimony), please click here.