The second Sola 5 Conference and Annual Business Meeting took place in Windhoek, Namibia from 31 August to 2 September 2006 at Eastside Baptist Church.  More than 200 people from all over southern Africa registered to attend the Conference.  Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and Zambia were represented.

Theme

The theme of the Conference was “The glory of Christ in his bride in Ephesians.”  Six speakers expounded the letter, each addressing a chapter.  Bruce Button (Antipas Reformed Baptist Church, Pretoria), Christo Beetge (Brackenhurst Baptist Church, Alberton), Laban Mwashekele (Evangelical Baptist Mission, Windhoek), Roland Eskinazi (Goodwood Baptist Church, Cape Town), Doug van Meter (Brackenhurst Baptist Church), and Ronald Kalifungwa (Lusaka Baptist Church) were finally followed by Nico van der Walt (Antipas Reformed Baptist Church, Pretoria), closing the Conference in the seventh and final session.  Readers will find abstracts of most of the sermons in this edition of the Chronicles (the remaining ones are scheduled to appear in the next issue).

Welcome to five churches joining Sola 5

The applications of five churches for full membership of Sola 5 were approved: Eastside Baptist Church (Windhoek Namibia), Goodwood Baptist Church (Cape Town South Africa), Kraaifontein Baptist Church (Cape Town SA), Mount Zion Baptist Church (Alice SA), and Roberston Reformed Community Church (Robertson SA).   We praise the Lord for the strengthening of the Sola 5 membership and welcome all the churches into the Association.  In addition the applications of 43 associate members (husband and wife teams counting as one) were approved.

Theological education (University of Africa) initiative

A proposal by Bruce Button was discussed extensively and the following resolution was accepted unanimously: That Sola 5 goes ahead with the opportunity believing that it is God-given, taking into consideration the comments made at the discussion, and that a board will be carefully appointed by the current Education Committee (consisting of Bruce Button, Jacobus de Koning, Jeff Gage, Ronald Kalifungwa, Doug van Meter) after ratification by the Steering Committee.  A full article appears elsewhere in this edition of the Chronicles.

Finances

It was agreed that Sola 5 would adopt a centralized budget to cover the following items (list of items).  Member churches agreed to make themselves accountable to Sola 5 and to give according to what they receive.  There is no pressure on any church to given any specified amount since we are confident that God will lead His people to give and thus provide for His work.  Mission projects will be overseen by and funded through local churches.

Communication of Sola 5 projects and activities is vital.

The Steering Committee was mandated to have a re-look at the Sola 5 budget against the principle of a minimalistic central budget.

Projects

Feedback regarding the following projects was given: India, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Sola 5 youth.  In addition, Francois Koch and Tim van Aarde were given the opportunity to enlighten the Conference on the work done in Ethiopia and the intended work in Burundi respectively.

Steering Committee

The newly elected steering committee that will lead the Association up to the next conference will be Bruce Button (chairman, Antipas Reformed Baptist Church Pretoria), Christo Beetge (Brackenhurst Baptist Church Alberton), Ronald Kalifungwa (Lusaka Baptist Church), Conrad Mbewe (Kabwata Baptist Church Lusaka), Laban Mwasheleke (Evangelical Baptist Mission Windhoek), Joachim Rieck (Eastside Baptist Church Windhoek), Hein Strauss (coordinator, Antipas Church Vereeniging), Doug van Meter (Brackenhurst Baptist Church Alberton), and Errol Wagner (George Baptist Church).

2007 Conference

An invitation by the Zambian delegation to host the 2007 Sola 5 Conference was gratefully and happily accepted.  The Conference is scheduled for 30 August – 1 September 2007 in Lusaka, Zambia, back to back with the Annual Zambian Reformed Family Conference.