Europe is caught in a drought and famine of the word of God. The age of political correctness has gone too far. School nativity plays are considered inappropriate. Yet, in our Zambian schools teachers are pleading for the church to come and share plays and teachings that impart virtue to children. In Europe, parliaments are passing laws that are reducing traditional religious liberties, but here it is our government that calls for days of national prayers. In Europe, Christian Unions are being expelled from Universities; in Zambia, University Christian students spend more time in Christian fellowship than in studies. Christian freedom in Europe is diminishing so quickly that unless European Christians begin to act together they will be facing persecution within our lifetime. Recently, in UK parliament voted on a legislation that would have forced for churches and Christian organization to employ non-Christians. Thankfully, it was narrowly defeated.

It is so different here. The ground is moist for revival. Sadly, most of our preachers are preaching a version of the gospel that focuses on establishing individual material blessing without taking into account the purpose of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  The apostles’ mission of spreading the gospel was the major reason the Holy Spirit empowered them.  Europe needs missionaries that have come to grips that the purpose of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is missions. Unfortunately, because the version of the gospel that is being preached in Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa focuses on establishing individual material blessing, it cannot communicate in Europe.

In Europe today we need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as was the case at Pentecostal when “Parthians and the Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea … Egypt and the parts of Libya … heard the message in their own language.” (Acts 2:9ff).  Europe is now subdivided into areas suitable for Christians mission and others that are too ‘sensitive and are no go areas for Christian mission.’ The future of evangelism in Europe lies in a church and Christians who are rooted in Acts 1-2. Are you that church? Are you ready to face persecution? Europe is a new Macedonian call. Are African Christians ready to respond to the call?

Lawrence Temfwe

The frustration being experienced by General Miyanda is understandable when you consider the levels at which we tolerate abuse of resources as a people.  The Auditor General report has stated that most of K20 billion that was released for the medical and funeral expenses of president Mwanawasa was irregularly spent and unaccounted for by the people responsible.  But who cares?  We tolerate court cases on corruption that takes 10 years to dispose off. Don’t we know it is corrupt to have a court case that takes ten years? How many of us know that as cabinet is sitting to debate whether to pay the K5 billion or not, we have thousands of vulnerable and poor children who will not go to school this year because they cannot afford the minimum of K500, 000 being demanded by government schools for a child to be enrolled?

This frustration ought to change our attitude and fuel our hearts to do something in order to put things right. For us Christians our immediate response should be prayer.  We must seek the face of God and hear his heartbeat for the situation and ask Him how we can join him.  Second, we must join him knowing that it is God sending us and that whatever we do is about his glory. Third, we must go knowing that God has revealed the problem to us because he has no other option but us. This frustration must not only be understood and acknowledged by us who call on the name of the Lord.  Christians must diligently engage the secular world in a way that calls everyone into the fight against injustice.

Throughout the Bible, we see God raising men and women to royal positions where they could put things into right order. Esther, Nehemiah, Moses, and Nathan are powerful examples of men and women who stood in the gap at a great cost to their own lives to correct injustices in their time. Today in Zambia we have several men and women of God in royal positions. Could it be that God is calling them to correct injustices where children are denied education because they can’t afford K500, 000?  Could it be that God is calling them to speak out and stop this payment of K5 billion double blessing? This is a great test to Christian men and women who serve in royal positions. Will they like Esther echo these words: “I will go to the king… if I perish, I perish”? Meanwhile, I am fasting that this K5 billion will be directed to pay for the education of vulnerable and poor children. How are you praying?

Lawrence Temfwe

When President Zuma starts talking about what is moral, as he is doing in his e-mail to the Zambia Post Newspaper on the rights of children and on his government’s efforts to promote prevention treatment, research, and the fight against the stigma attached to the HIV and AIDS endemic, we unfortunately cannot hear him because his words do not coincide with his actions. President Zuma has no moral standing to talk about the rights of children when he is the father of a child to a woman whom he is not married to. Similarly, he has no ethical position to talk about HIV and AIDS prevention when he is not committed to one woman and does not practice safe sex. It would be like asking Tiger Woods, the USA professional golfer who it was recently revealed had a score of mistresses, to come out in favor of marital fidelity as a standard for leadership.

Zuma and the ANC Youth League are saying that character doesn’t count and that people can separate, especially if they are elderly, what they do in private from what they do in public. But you can’t subdivide character; the same ethical standards that guides in public matters will also guide in private ones. King David’s adulterous affair with Bathsheba gives us a wonderful illustration that you cannot separate one’s  private moral compass from one’s public moral compass. When King David found out that Bathsheba the beautiful woman whom he had an affair with (private life) was pregnant, he sent her husband off to the front line to be killed in a battle (public).  Character cannot be subdivided. 

African people are weary of looking at the children of poverty who live without fathers, mothers, and hope. Unemployment, HIV disillusion, and AIDS have created a pain that weighs heavily on the average African. Africans are seeking leadership with the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose of overcoming these challenges, but within this leadership there must also be the character that inspires confidence.   Jacob Zuma has failed in both instances.

Zuma’s testimony is an invitation to every Christian leader to do some critical self reflection. Yes, Zuma must be held accountable for his private actions, but how many of us are also being held accountable for our private actions?  Do we try to divorce our public moral compass from our private moral compass?  Are we inspiring the people around us to overcome challenges while also possessing a character that inspires confidence? When African Christians take seriously this call to holistic living, we will start to see the emergence of new leaders in public life who will mirror this value and hope. 

Lawrence Temfwe

Recently the Commissioners attending the National Constitutional Conference adopted a clause that will exclude citizens without an education degree from entering the presidential elections. Soon, Zambia will have a constitution that will ban up to 99% of Zambians from aspiring to the presidency. When you bear in mind other considerations such as tribal, money, and age issues, those capable of pursuing the presidency diminishes to less than 1% of the population.  Mr. Chamberlain was wrong.  There are such governments and statesmen who are guided by values that state do whatever the situation will allow, no matter the wider interests of your people.  These actions are driven by situational values.  The Commissioners’ thinking is short-term because their reasoning is that they will be there only for a short time and after that they will be gone.

What our nation lacks is the ability to identify people who are inspired by sustainable values.  Sustainable values state that we will always be here; therefore, we must work in ways that sustain and facilitate for every living Zambian and future generations to pursue their happiness.  Sustainable values dictate that we must level the political field for all citizens.  With a level political playing ground, Zambians will have the ability to choose leaders they deserve – leaders who have character that is produced by their level of virtue and who reflect this in the ethics by which they live. Unfortunately, the trajectory of Zambia continues to be driven by those operating with situational values; therefore, our political field becomes increasingly catered towards those with power and opportunity. 

Jesus prayer in John 17 for the disciples and future Christians gives us a powerful example of a leader who is inspired by sustainable values. His prayer was not only for the disciples living then but also for all of us who will believe in Him for generations to come. He prayed that we be unified and protected from the evil one while being people of character. Today, as a result of Christ’s prayer, Christians around the world are unified as a powerful witness to the reality of God’s love.

The real power to change the world for good does not lie in leaders who are inspired by situational values but by those inspired by sustainable values. Jesus prayed that the disciples not be taken out of the world but they be sent out into the world. Our prayer should be that those the Lord has given you to disciple are sent into the world with a vision of sustainable values.  If you are not praying this way then Zambia will continue to have leaders with a mindset dominated by situational values. May the Lord help his church in Zambia to send his disciples to serve in every sphere of life in our nation so that we are led by men and women bound to sustainable values.

Lawrence Temfwe

NCC commissioner Chieftainess Nkomesha Mukamambo, in supporting the clause, stated that as a member of the Constitution Review Commission she had moved around the country and heard people call for a 50%+1 threshold. “I therefore support this clause because this is my opportunity to give Zambians what they have always wanted.” (Post, 15 Jan) Chieftainess Mukamambo understands that if we are to create a new constitution that shall shape Zambia’s destiny as a beacon of shalom to the world, it will need a government that derives its just powers from the consent of the governed.

The chief’s statement is significant in two ways. First, she is cleverly saying that in her position as chief she is not a master but a servant of her people. When last did you hear a commissioner say that he or she must represent the views of the Zambian people who sent them?  WOW! The failure to appreciate the fact that ordinary Zambians are intelligent lies at the heart of Zambia’s political and economic backwardness and the reluctance of the commissioners to listen to the people. This could be the beginning of a new Zambia where government and traditional chiefs facilitate for the people who try on their own to invent solutions to their village and nation’s problems.

Second by her statement, the chief has sacrificed the treasures of this world that may have been accrued to her if she sided with the government by not supporting the adoption of the clause. The earthly blessings would have included praises and increased status from the government. The chief, by her decision to serve the majority of Zambians who want the clause to be adopted has chosen to give up her personal freedom, status, and maybe wealth.  She may even pay the price of development support for her village. The chief  has decided that giving the Zambian people the “We the People” constitution is worth the sacrifice.

As Christians we know that we are called to sacrifice the treasures of the world in order to point people to the cross.  This sacrifice may require that we endure torture, mocking, humiliation, and even at times an excruciating death. However, Christians are called to acts of compassion, justice, and generosity.  To do the work of justice may require political actions that serve to influence good in society.  Please pray for Christian commissioners on the NCC that they serve as an influence for coming up with a constitution that shall not compromise Christian virtues but will also ensure that the preamble “We the People” make sense to every Zambian.

Lawrence Temfwe

Thailand is a Buddhist country.  It would be impossible to have a President in Thailand who is ignorant of what are Buddhists beliefs. Imagine India with a President who cannot explain Hindu beliefs. Or can you just imagine in your wildest ideas having a President in the Islamic Republic of Iran who does not declare, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.” The President must not pass the buck. He must be the first to explain the core values that define us as a Christian nation.

However, the President is right in challenging Christians to impact our communities, nation and our world with the gospel by deeds and word.  Therefore, it was sad to watch on television and see the small number of people who attended the church service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross to mark the eighteenth anniversary celebration of declaring Zambia as Christian Nation.  What I saw does not demonstrate that we believe in what we have declared.  No leader from any of the three Christian mother bodies was  represented at this gathering. One would have thought that on this day there would be joyous celebrations equivalent to those the Jews held as they remembered how God delivered them from slavery. On this day Zambian Christians should be holding festivals depicting how they shall celebrate when they shall enter physical presence of the Kings of kings.

Unless the church is mobilized to appreciate that the declaration is meant to inspire and motivate Christians and to align them with God mission to change their communities, the general populace will question the relevancy and the credibility of the declaration. Until the government leaders and opposition political leaders are able to explain why Zambia is a Christian nation, the general populace will think that the politicians are using the declaration to advance their political fortunes. The relevancy and credibility of the declaration is at stake. Which political party leader is ready to die for it? Which Christian leader is ready to die for it?

Lawrence Temfwe

Many charismatic and evangelical Christians are motivated by a deep care and concern for justice and righteousness, but it is not readily apparent to much of the church and public. Confronted with the challenges of AIDS, orphans, unemployment, poverty, homeless children and widows one would think that the presence of the church in these activities would be very visible. This is not the case in many instances. In the last four years Jubilee Centre has been part of the team of the district planning committee of World AIDS Day (WAD) in Ndola. What has been most appalling about WAD has been the tangible absence of the charismatic and evangelical Christians participation in this activity. It is like AIDS has spared the church. Even if AIDS has spared the church, the church should be justified to reach out because of its deep love, care and concern for those affected. But the church has not been spared.

The evangelical and charismatic churches must demonstrate that they are legitimately concerned with these issues that families are struggling with in their everyday life. When our message is not perceived as firmly rooted in a foundation of love and compassion, we lack the moral authority to provide vision for our nation. Communities in low-income areas will support the church’s voice on the characteristics of political leadership needed for our nation when the church demonstrates a self-sacrificing commitment to serving our communities in need. As it is, the public perception of the church’s concern for people in need is that Christians are largely in the work of compassion for personal benefits or own political agenda rather than uplifting the lives of the orphans or people living with AIDS.

For people in need to see that we are truly concerned about their misery and suffering, we must do something more than the obvious of giving food, blankets, mosquito nets, and preaching breakthrough messages. We must deal with the root of the problem. Those who deal with root problem are extremely discontented over a particular social evil and will be satisfied only when the root cause is corrected. This may mean lobbying or advocating for government funds, local and foreign, to meet education needs and to address environment issues. It may also mean motivating the churches to give to these needs. It may also mean organizing church members to lobby the government to change laws that are unjust or exploitative. If all these do not work, we may organize the community to change their members of parliament or the president.

Jesus is a perfect example of the sacrifice required to address the root problem of peoples’ needs.  This Christmas, as we remember the needy and provide them with food and blankets, may we also be aware that Christ is also calling us to address the root cause of the problem. That is what He came to do when He left heaven. Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year!!!

Lawrence Temfwe

Traditional and cultural practices that do not allow people to criticize leaders, whether living or dead are an insult to Africans.  They reinforce our traditional belief that our leaders are infallible-flawless.  But Christians know that only Christ is infallible. Nelson Mandela will be quick to let you know that he is fallible. Even Mother Theresa would never accept that she was infallible.   Our former Presidents- Kaunda, Chiluba, and the late Mwanawasa all made mistakes and even sinned as they provided leadership for the country.  The late Mwanawasa even asked for forgiveness to those he may have offended in the discharge of his duties. In that confession he taught us that one mark of a great leader is humility.  Unfortunately this form of humility is lacking in many of us defending his legacy.

Today, in Zambia the attitude prevails that Zambians dare not to criticize the actions of the late Mwanawasa.  What is the big deal when people debate the way Mwanawasa fought corruption? No one will take away the legacy that he initiated the fight against corruption. History is there to show that successes which have been achieved through the conviction of many high-ranking government officers. But what is wrong if people ask, “Could it have been done better? Where did Mwanawasa fall short and how can we improve on what he accomplished?”  He himself complained that he was spending too much money on lawyers prosecuting the cases. Is there a better way? So what president Rupiah Banda is saying about the amount of money being spent on lawyers is not different from what his predecessor said. 

Any person who thinks they are infallible should stay out of leadership positions. Our Lord Jesus Christ was infallible yet He was still insulted as being “a glutton, a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors (corrupt leaders) and sinners” (Luke 7:34).  Who are you to think that you will not be insulted? Yet, in the paragraph that follows in Luke 7:34, we see Jesus Christ accepting a dinner invitation to the house of an individual who belonged to the group that was insulting him. Jesus accepted to have dinner with an individual who was cynical and skeptical because Jesus had a mission that was larger than life and that was based on values that included laying aside personal agendas to reach his vision.

We must desire to be leaders whose mission is larger than our lives while holding our national leaders to the same standard.  Leaders whose mission is larger than their lives begin by first sharing their core values with those they invite to join them in the leadership team. They share where they are going, the work required to be done and the attitude adjustment required to get there. Those who want to join the team ask, “Do I want to go where the leader is going? Can this leader get me there? Do I trust this leader?”

Even though Mwanawasa had an admirable vision of a nation free from corruption, we must still ask the tough questions. Did he invite the right team? Did he share his values with the team? Did the team trust him? Jesus had a compelling vision of “catching men”. He invited a team to join him. He gave them his core values and then made them go through attitude adjustments. They knew where the leader was going. They knew that this leader would get them there. They trusted the leader such that when he passed on they laid aside their personal agendas to preach the gospel in season and out of season. In our defense of Mwanawasa’s legacy, are we following the footsteps of Jesus? As we celebrate the life of Mwanawasa let us be mindful that he was not infallible.  Neither are we. Jesus is.

 Lawrence Temfwe

In the book of Acts we see Jesus communicating a compelling and captivating vision that will direct his followers in their mission. He begins by commanding them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. Upon hearing these words the apostles asks a critical question, “Lord will you at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?” The apostles asked because they were ardent students of the Old Testament and therefore, they were able to connect outpouring of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus had promised, with the coming of the kingdom that Ezekiel 36 and Joel 2 foretold. The people were expecting a political leader who would set up an earthly kingdom and get rid of Roman domination, persecution, and oppression. The challenge that Christians faced at that time is similar to what is being faced by African Christians today. We too are being dominated by political elites who have entrenched their positions of privilege and who have neglected the welfare of the majority of the people.

The apostle’s expectation of a literal, earthly kingdom was consistent with what Jesus taught. However, Jesus in his teaching showed that His kingdom would not take this form right away. First, he would go away for a while, and his followers would need to be faithful, hard-working, and complimentary in doing the work of the Lord during his absence. Upon His return, Jesus would inaugurate a kingdom more powerful and just than anything they could expect. The exact time of His return, however, remains unrevealed.  He reminded them that it was not for them to know the times and seasons when the kingdom of Israel would be restored.

Jesus’ response to the apostle’s question was that the mission of spreading the gospel was the major reason for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  His vision of reaching the world would come through the power of the Holy Spirit. The apostles responded in obedience by proclaiming the gospel, doing well, and advancing the rule of God.  Similar to the apostle’s questioning, we are today asking why is God our Father not answering our prayer that His kingdom come as it is in heaven? Jesus’ answer is the same as yesterday: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” Just like his disciples, Jesus is instructing us to witness through the power of the Holy Spirit to people in all positions of life in our nations including politicians. Let us not allow the question of increasing African poverty cloud the answer Jesus is giving to his church today.

The plight of Africa is not only physical poverty; it is a poverty of leadership as well. With the ever growing church that is filled with men and women who are baptized in the Holy Spirit, there is no reason why we can’t have leaders in every sphere of life who are faithful, hard-working, obedient and whose aim is to serve people and to advance the kingdom of God on earth.  Christian Africa is in dire need of Christian leaders in all areas of life-witnesses who tell the truth about Jesus and who are ready to die for their faith. We must ask ourselves, “Are our church member’s activities reaching outside the walls of our church and witnessing in this manner?”  When we ask again why God is not answering our prayer that his Kingdom comes, maybe we should realize that He is presently asking us the same question. 

Lawrence Temfwe

(Extracts from a message preached at New Hope Christian Centre)

 Mark Noll is his book Turning Point states that David Livingstone’s, “lifetime activity in sub-Saharan Africa-as missionary, explorer, scientist, consultant to European governments, and antislavery zealot-was guided by a firm belief that modern agriculture, energetic commerce and serious Christianity could together end the slave trade and ennoble African society.” Livingstone did not foresee any problem with the combination of imperial and Christian interests. However, the combination of colonial and Christian interest did create problems as the European began to use the missionaries’ to influence indigenous people to cede land to European companies. The land rights transfer to these companies included mining rights, game rights, governing rights, taxes and privileges of whatever sort connected with territory. This is why early missionaries are blamed for paving the way to colonial rule in Africa.

Today, Africa has not changed much. Instead of the combination of imperialism and missionaries’ interests, there is now the combination of Christian leaders and African political leaders’ interests.  Africa is not short of credible Christian leaders who are engaging presidents of nations and leaders of local communities that our hope to overcome the ravages of HIV and AIDS and extreme poverty lies in “Christianity, Commerce and Industry.”  However, the most serious and difficulty part for the Christian leaders in Africa is how to convince citizens that politicians who have biblical leadership qualities combined with skills are what will bring prosperity to the nation. Especially since the current structures of power in most African countries, and recruitment into them, seem destined to produce leaders for the country who enjoy less than honorable reputation of character-leaders who are uncommitted, practice tribal politics, and are corrupt and self-serving.  In the later part of 19^th Century the missionaries refused to represent Christ fearlessly and independently as to prophetically speak against the evils of colonialism. The missionary attitude was to visit the colonialists privately and have dialogue with them over a cup of coffee. This achieved little and it eventually led to a violent reaction by the colonized people of whom most were Christians and elders in the missionaries’ churches.

In the 21^st Century the church in Africa has not generally lacked evangelists, pastors and teachers. No wonder the church is growing numerically fast. But prophets have been scarce in Africa. The situation in Africa today, as it was in the later part of 19^th Century, requires prophetic power to address the sin of greed, selfishness, and corruption which is one of the causes of poverty, AIDS, war and oppression in Africa. With the growing Christian population and the combination of free market and democracy there is no reason why Africa should be bound in ethnic hatred and be failing to spread the benefits from its resources to the needy so that those who have much do not have too much and those who have little do not have too little (Exodus 1616-18). The question is: are we preaching from the Bible with profound insights that our people identify with powerfully as seen in the example of the early church in Acts 2-4? May the church leaders not be blamed for paving way for selfish and evil political leaders.

Lawrence Temfwe

Jubilee Centre

Will the Church Save Africa Forum

Africa Predicament: Is It Leadership or Is IT Aid?

Speaker: Elias Chipimo

Venue: Jubilee Centre Resource Centre

Date 28th November  Time 9-12 Registration K5,000