Dates: 22 – 26 March 2021

TSE Hermeneutics Block Class in Samfya, Zambia

Hermeneutics Block Class

Location
This location is about three hundred kilometers from Kitwe town. However, I could not use the shorter route of passing through the DRC. This is because the road from Mufulira to the DRC border was impassable at the time. A lot of big trucks were stuck while small vehicles were having water get into their engines. This caused me to use the longer route of passing through Kapiri Mposhi and Serenje. This distance is seven hundred kilometers from Kitwe.

Pastors in this location are organized by the chairman of the pastors’ fellowship (Reverend Patrick Mubanga). He is a Pentecostal Assemblies of God local church pastor, which we used as a center for the class. We had forty-six participants on the first day. However, ten of the pastors withdrew to go to Mansa, where they were taking part in the translation of the Bible in the language of Samfya they call Kabende. This was the period of campaigns for elections. On the second day, politicians wanted to take all the pastors for an impromptu political meeting, but the Lord intervened. We finished the block class with 30 participants.

Observations/Challenges
• There is a great need for men to be trained in this town and surrounding villages. Some local churches have women serving as elders. I categorically mentioned that we were not there to train them as elders and pastors because what we see in the Bible is that only men are to be elders and pastors. Because of this challenge of women serving in leadership, the pastor’s fellowship brought 12 women as part of the 30 participants.

Following this challenge, I consulted with our leadership team at CABU. It seems we have had similar challenges in Swaziland, Botswana, and the DRC. The advice is that we let the women take the courses we offer except for Pastoral classes, which will be a reserve for pastors/men only. I have communicated that concern to the Samfya group.

• My other observation was a lack of scriptural knowledge among the pastors. They are not able to quote scripture for the doctrines they teach. They were amused to discover that they have not been teaching in line with the truth. You will learn here from their own testimonies in the video. It was also sad to note that out of the 46 leaders when we started, only three read through the Bible for their own edification.

• The pastor’s fellowship has appreciated TSE ministry to them. They have pleaded that we continue giving them the training to serve the Lord from a well-trained and informed perspective. They are also grateful for the ESV Global Bible’s resource from Crossway placed in their hands through CABU.

Prepared by:
Liwoyo Mubanga
Director of Extension Studies