Posted by Nick Lugg

Back in April, our Zambia network partners, Lordsway Ministries, held their 3^rd Easter conference. Easter is the time we have set for all of our churches to come together, and in previous years we have had wonderful times, but nothing to compare with what happened this year. We took the faith step of not restricting the numbers that could come, and as we received feedback from the churches we realised that we were going to be seriously challenged in space, accommodation and finance! We wondered what would happen as the first singing bus arrived from out of town!

However by the grace of God we managed it – well over a hundred people were accommodated in the homes of local members. We were able to provide food parcels for the hosts, a snack lunch for every single delegate every day, and assistance with transport to get home!

In the end we had approximately 450 people in a building that normally holds 200 (this is Africa!) – but everything was orderly and well managed – if a little hot. We are used to 9:00am services starting at 10.30, but somehow this was different, people were there ahead of time, there was a great sense of expectation and faith.

We had preaching from our local pastors as well as from those who had come from our branch churches, and a special guest, our friend Hendie Bwalya who preached with great power and authority. The presence of God was there and there was great celebration as the gospel was preached and taught.

At the beginning of the conference we officially had 6 churches – on Sunday morning we had a long but wonderful time of recounting how the ministry had grown over the last 12 months. We ordained the elder from our church in Mansa as a pastor, we appointed our National Women’s Coordinator, we received more churches into fellowship, and commissioned a new church plant – by the end we were 10 churches, with more in the pipeline!

We shared communion (all 450 of us) which was a fitting way to express the spirit of oneness, of family, that had pervaded the whole event. The whole thing was finished off with a palm waving celebration – it was a landmark event, a faith enhancing celebration preparing us for the next step in a great adventure!

To find out more - and to connect with - the work of Lordsway Ministries in Zambia, visit their website, or contact their network leaders, Nick and Erica Lugg here. We look forward to hearing more of their work as this rapidly-growing ministry develops. Keep tuned!