We went to Matanda today. This is Jonas Chitukula’s zone. He is such a precious man of God. When I look at him, I think about ‘peace be still’. I have not been here in two years.
Our journey to Matanda is very eventful. First , we missed the exit and ended up on the way to Deya before Felix asked me where I was going. Returning, a friend showed us a shortcut (he was a man, I should have known). We ended up pushing our pastoral-mobil out of two tight situations. The road was tough and I begun to wonder if it was a reflection of what we were going to encounter. Then of course we got lost. The joys of ministry. It doesn’t get any better than this.
We arrived and the place was full of pastors. These are the guys in suits and bibles under their arms (you can see that this is bible they have owned for years). This is the learned group, who challenge the teaching and we had an amazing time. The subject…salvation! I love this topic. There were 47 pastors and leaders present. Three zones had come together, Mzondo, Deya and Matanda. There was an equal distribution of them all. They are active and do not need to be drawn out. This is a teacher’s dream. They make it fluid and crisp. They are here to learn and it is apparent.
At the end of it all, we agree that salvation is a grace thing and no one, no matter how devoted to Christ, can ever take credit. He has done it and accomplished all. He deserves the highest praise because nothing we will ever do will ever suffice. It is by grace that we are saved. It is the free gift of God.
There was an old lady that came up to me at the end and told me that in all her years of being alive, she had never heard teaching before, this was her first time. It is humbling to hear and amazing to comprehend. She looked in her late 60s. all those years… amazing.
A pastor said a t the end how they needed to go back and call all those that they have been teaching to correct some of the things they have been teaching. A friend said to me that ‘that is humility’. I agree. Admitting that you have had it wrong is not something we do well as people of God. We would rather say that we have grown into new things. These men are willing to admit. They sit and listen to a woman in jeans and a colourful shirt talk to them about salvation and they LISTEN. It still baffles me how people listen and then are blessed. This is me…with my drama and my issues and yet…God uses this fool and confounds the wise. I love that. I am a fool for Jesus. I have nothing in which to boast about and when I DO try that, God needs only remind me of who I am without His grace…. To God be the glory. For the transformation in the hearts of His people through His Word at His appointed time. What a privilege it is for Felix, Diamond and I to be a part of this work.
Leaving Matanda I just know that God is moving. I know we say that often, but it was there… in the atmosphere. There is a song that says ‘I feel it in the atmosphere…the power of the Lord is here’. Something is happening. Felix likes to say ‘it’s spreading like a prairie fire’. I always laugh. But it is. He is. His Spirit is moving.
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