And the Pace Quickens . . .

The eleven men I am teaching are a joy to fellowship with. With their permission, I will introduce you to them, their families and their ministries across the following weeks. Most of them are bright and promising young men already serving churches.

It’s interesting how “global” some of the worship controversies are. At tea yesterday, one young man introduced himself as the worship leader of an area congregation. He expressed some impatience about being part of a congregation where leadership only recently permited worshipers to clap or sway or sing newly-composed songs. He said that recently the prohibitions had been lifted, but that older members still looked disapprovingly on the freeer forms of worship. I didn’t have to travel halfway around the world to hear that conversation.

(By the way, I mentioned “tea.” With the British influence in their past, tea is served at 10. Women bring cups of sweetened tea around the small quad and we fellowship for 10-15 minutes before the next class. I could get used to this!)

I spent about 45 minutes in the seminary library yesterday. I wanted to review the African Bible Commentary that was released in 2006. It is a one-volume work written by conservative evangelical Africans. Two entries were from Zambians, including the Matthew commentary, which I turned to first. I also scanned through several evangelical journals created in southern Africa, including one journal series by Reformed Baptists in Zambia who seem to have a vital and growing indigenous ministry.

As you continue to pray for my service in Zambia, remember 3 opportunities that have just been scheduled. I will attend a lay preacher’s class on Thursday that IMB missionary Franklin Kilpatrick teaches. He wants me to talk with the men about my routine of sermon preparation. Also, on Friday, I will travel all afternoon out of Lusaka with IMB missionary Van Thompson who leads TEE--Theological Education by Extension. This is an effort to bring theological training to pastors who cannot make the commitment to the residential program at the seminary in which I’m teaching. Finally (for now!), I have been asked to speak at the Lusaka Pastor's Fellowship that meets once a month the following Monday.

I am still looking for an opportunity to visit with one of our IMB missionaries who has started a Sunday afternoon Bible study to the expatriate (European) community in Lusaka.

If you didn’t read my earlier post today, I have some thoughts on missions in light of John Piper’s book, Let the Nations Be Glad!