Pastoring of rural churches: a challenge in Luapula Zambia Field

Abstract

While the Church in Luapula, Zambia has been able to record growth in membership on a quarterly basis, which now stands at 64, 190, the percentage of Spiritual maturity and qualitative growth in the knowledge of the truths held dear, as Adventists is still very low especially in rural churches. How can biblical approaches enhanced by pastoral care and lay involvement help in the nurture and growth of those disadvantaged rural churches? This question has been raised because the project is founded on the hypothesis that lack of pastoral leadership and lay involvement is the cause of stagnation in most rural churches in Luapula Field. Considering the vastness of the territory to be covered, a survey was conducted in only one rural church-Lubwe church, to ascertain among other things how long members have been in the church and their involvement in the mission of the church; whether in their view pastors and elders have been giving adequate spiritual nurture or not. In addition to the survey, young people and the elderly who could not read and write were also interviewed.Under literature review, Old and New Testament bible passages on church growth were investigated with a view to understanding what the Bible says, and how best we can work to help churches experience qualitative growth and thereby become active participants in missions. Other literature on church growth was also investigated; this includes Spirit of prophecy, Adventists and non-Adventist church growth authorities. The program was developed and implemented over a period of six months; beginning with training lay members’, lay involvement and monitoring. At the end of the period an evaluation of the program was carried out and recommendations made. Key among them was a recommendation to plant another congregation within the same area and nurture it to grow into a full-fledged church within a period of one year and also put a lay bible worker to over-see the growth of the church before a full-time pastor can be sent to the area. At the end of the project, lay members’ involvement in soul wining became evident, in six months three baptisms were conducted and 147 souls were baptized, and where it has taken years for an organized company to become a church, it only took a period of eleven months for a congregation started after an evangelistic campaign was conducted to be organized into a church, which is now self-supporting and 100% of membership is fully involved in the mission.