Rieck's Report –

Zambia: Reformed Family Conference & SOLA 5 Conference (25th August - 3rd September 2007)

Lameck & Susan Mwewa, Conrad Kromberg, and the Rieck family left on 25th August 2007 to represent Eastside Baptist Church (Windhoek, Namibia) at the annual SOLA 5 conference which was to be held in Lusaka.We left a little earlier to also attend the Zambian Reformed Family Conference which preceded the SOLA 5 conference.

The trip by car took us via the Caprivi, crossing the majestic Zambezi River at Katima Mulilo entering via Sesheke into Zambia.Having covered 1400 kilometres on the first day, we arrived (somewhat tired) in Livingstone.Being the Lord's day on the next day we worshipped at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in Livingstone (a church plant from Lusaka Baptist Church). The pastor there is Michael Bwembya. We had an opportunity to briefly visit the Victoria Falls at Livingstone, and were greatly moved by the majesty of God's creation.From there we drove on to Lusaka for the remaining 600 kilometres.

We were warmly welcomed at Kabwata Baptist Church by Charles Bota (Conference organizer) and Pastor Conrad and Mrs Felistas Mbewe. We were allocated to our very gracious hosts Amon and Yvonne Silwimba who operate a Lodge and Theme Park ("Dream Valley") on the outskirts of Lusaka. Zambian hopitality during this week was warm and generous. We thank God for many visible tokens and evidences of Christian love.Our children were thrilled to have space and such pleasurable surroundings.

Monday evening saw the beginning of the 18th Reformed Family Conference. Emmanuel Sakala was the key note speaker on that occasion. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday saw 900 people gathered together for the Family Conference. We marvel how 4 churches managed to provide food and other logistics for so many people. What was truly amazing is that visitors from outside Lusaka were not expected to pay at all! The costs of feeding the multitude was borne by the hosting churches.

The Family Conference truly catered for the whole family. The young people had their sessions, and the women were ministered to by Martha Peace from the USA, best known for her good books that have helped so many women. The other speakers (also from the USA ) were Voddie Baucham and Jeff Noblit.Voddie and Jeff alternatively spoke to the Youth and to the School of Theology (another facet of the Conference). The preaching was powerful and relevant. We knew that we were in the hands of God. The rousing singing of great hymns (acapella!) will not be forgotten.

The 3rd SOLA 5 Conference began on Thursday morning.Our theme "Biblical Love" was rooted in an exposition of 1 Corinthians 13. Whatever we may fail to be or to have – we must not fail to have the distinguishing marks of the church as outlined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Voddie Baucham, Jeff Noblit, Christo Beetge (Brackenhurst Baptist Church, South Africa) and myself shared in the expositions of this great chapter.250 Delegates attended this Southern African Conference. The delegates came from Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Swaziland and South Africa.

One of the components of this conference was the feedback concerning common projects undertaken by SOLA 5 churches. It is good to see our churches joining hands in meeting the needs of our suffering brethren in Zimbabwe. Some churches have joined hands to do church planting in Botswana. The South Africans are leading us in the establishing of a new Seminary (Sovereign Grace Theological Seminary in Pretoria) in association with the University of Africa. The Namibians and Zambians rejoice to see the growth of their churches in their respective countries.

When we sit back and survey the progress of the last 4 years since we had first met in Heidelberg (South Africa) to consider the constitution of SOLA 5, we are indeed stunned to see what the Lord is doing!I am certainly very encouraged by these developments.

As we survey these developments we also remember that no growth happens without pain. No genuine spiritual growth takes place without being fiercely resisted by Satan, the archenemy of God's church and kingdom. We rejoice however that light is greater than darkness, and that the truth of God's word is greater than all the lies that Satan sows in God's field. We know that prayer is a great gift from God, who says: "Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession." (Psalm 2:8)

Joachim Rieck

September 2007