Growing

My current title is Discipleship and Church Growth Specialist for the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP), Synod of Zambia. And it is particularly interesting for me to go into a growing, vibrant, remarkably healthy denomination, and serve as a church growth specialist. They are already growing in tremendous ways, and while I believe that the churches I have served have grown during my ministry, I am not sure they have grown in the way that CCAP Zambia has. And so I wonder, looking at CCAP Zambia, why I would be called in as a church growth specialist? Reading their Strategic Plan was certainly a humbling experience!

CCAP-Zambia grew from 16 congregations in 1984 to 67 in 2010; from 16,000 members in 1984 to 63,450 in 2010. In 1984, there were only 4 ministers in CCAP Zambia and now there are 57, with more in seminary. They are an energized, vibrant church. And this is reflected not only in numbers. Here is what they are doing in regard to mission work, from their recent strategic plan:

"We will preach the word of God, and provide education, health, and agriculture services to the church and society."

In those areas, these are their accomplishments, as of 2011:

• Education: 14 mission schools and 21 community schools
• Health: 1 rural health Center, 1 under construction, implementing new CHE programs
• Water and Sanitation: 434 shallow wells as of Feb 2010
• HIV/AIDS Department: 17 Day Care Centers and 22 Home Based Care Centers
• Agriculture: Hiring staff to help families become self sustainable in terms of food security

In their HIV/AIDS Department, they are addressing the following goals:

• Conducting regular workshops to raise awareness, training medical staff on HIV/AIDS
• Developing educational materials on HIV/AIDS in the 7 major languages of Zambia
• Providing equipment for HIV testing
• Training personnel in counseling skills
• Ensuring supplies of ARV drugs at clinics
• Educating pastors on HIV/AIDS; requesting that clergy preach 2-3 times a year on HIV
• Encouraging people living with HIV and AIDS to experience the love of community and the joy of Christ, as well as medical treatment 

I feel incredibly blessed to be working with this denomination; still relatively small, but growing by leaps and bounds. Only 67 churches, and yet they are doing all this wonderful work for God? That is amazing, exhilarating growth and energy!

And so, here is what I hope to offer. I hope that I can grow right along with the denomination, and as my faith deepens and expands, I can help other people deepen and expand their faith, as well. As I see the tremendous gifts of this church, I hope that I can help other people see these gifts, and invite them in. As we work together to serve God's people and create change in the world, I hope that I can call others to join with us, to be a part of this amazing body of Christ, in this particular location in the world. I hope that we will all grow, as we watch God perform miracles in Zambia.

I do trust that God can work through me, and that God is awesome enough to enable me to do the work that I am called to do in Zambia. One thing I am pretty sure of, though, is that I will be the one growing; blessed and grateful, as we all grow together.