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Mission and Evangelism

  1. INTRODUCTION

The First Director for Evangelism was Rev. William Hicks from Canada who served more than 20 years. The second Director was Rev. Donald Walker from Scotland who also served for several years. The Third Director was Rev Alex Mwalilino who served from 1993 to 1999 and continued to establish the new department under the new restructuring exercise which is Mission and Evangelism Department, then they appointed Rev. Derek Suwilanji Silwenga in 1999 as the first Mission and Evangelism Secretary (MES) and sent him to school then Rev Alex Mwalilino continued up to 2000 as the Acting Mission and Evangelism Secretary.

  • Rev. Derek Suwilanji Silwenga served as MES from 1999 to 2006
  • Rev. Sydney Sichilima served as MES from 2007 to 2008
  • Rev. Dr Richard Chimfwembe as MES from 2010 to 2017.
  • Rev. Morgan Silwenga as MES from 2018 to 2021

Before the Stewardship, Women’s and Youth departments were abolished and amalgamated into Mission and Evangelism department, the following officers served as Directors:

Stewardship Directors

  • Rev, Kapongo served from 1986 to 1990
  • Rev B B Sinyangwe served from 1991 to 1995
  • Rev Kapongo

Women’s Department

  • Rev Peggy Kabonde served
  • Rev Justina Vwalika served

Youth Department

  • Mr Andrew Muwowo served from 1988 to 1996
  • Late Rev. Paul Matembo served from 1996 to 1999
  1. VISION

The total Salvation of humanity, with spiritual restoration and physical well

being fully reconcile in Christ the only Saviour.

The vision is to be reached through empowerment by way of training, facilitating and encouraging members to participate in evangelism and discipleship, community work in donating their gifts, talents, time, skills, resources, professional experiences etc.

  1. MISSION STATEMENT

The United Church of Zambia is committed to spreading the Good News of Salvation to the Zambian people and all nations in fulfilment of Christ’s mission to the world.

The mission is to empower Congregations (where the people are) to establish own and participate in the community and the running of all the United Church of Zambia activities.

  1. GOAL

The overall goal of the department is in line with the UCZ Synod Strategic Plan, which is to increase the number of people saved and improve the quality of spiritual, social, economic and physical well being.

  • To reform and strengthen the department’s organizational capacities for effective and efficient service delivery.
  • Engage in meaningful Christian Stewardship by mobilizing and utilizing departmental resources prudently.
  1. LOCATION

The Mission and Evangelism Department offices are located in Ndola, at House No. 14 Chikola Crescent in Itawa Area.

  1. ADMINISTRATION

The department currently has two members of support staff and one part time worker.

7.  STAFFING

  • Rev Andrew Chulu Synod Mission and Evangelism Secretary
  • Grace Mwaba Chanda – Stenographer (MES’s Secretary)
  • Albert Ngwira – Office Orderly/caretaker
  • Benjamin Katebe – Part time bookkeeper

 

  1. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT

Co-ordinates the work within and amongst all committees and groups that fall within the Mission and Evangelism department namely:

  • The Men’s Christian Fellowship (MCF)
  • The Women’s Christian Fellowship (WCF)
  • The Youths
  • Stewardship Committee
  • Doctrine Worship and Evangelism (DWE) Committee and any other work related to the Mission of the Church.

Responsibilities:

  • Assists the Church interpret, plan, work through and implement the Vision and Mission statement of the United Church of Zambia.
  • Facilitates and enables Church groups and Congregations through Presbyteries (Provinces) to realize and work on the day to day challenges.
  • Facilitates write ups for MCF and WCF Manuals
  • Setting specialized teams comprising of people with special gifts
  • Facilitates Bible study guidelines
  • Facilitates UCZ Office Managers (Secretaries) Seminars and workshops to exchange ideas on how to administer systems, to help raise high standards and co-ordinate work activities for the office effectively and to assist each other in communicating corporate goals effectively in the Church fraternity.
  • Facilitates Administration and Management skills training (short courses).
  • Facilitates UCZ Elders Conferences
  • Facilitates professional teams for the purpose of facilitating all professionals within UCZ.
  • Facilitates short courses for selected people from Presbyteries for organic farming
  • Facilitates Gender related programmes
  • Facilitated awareness mission programmes on the Copperbelt to enable them see, identify and meet the needs accordingly. ( Donated furniture for Synod office and MED.
  • Developed a five year mission development from 2004 to 2008
  • Networks with other mission agencies especially in terms of resource mobilization, personnel and learning or educational materials, such Agencies as Drug Enforcement Commission, Campus Crusade Zambia, Future Search Integrated Training Solutions (ITS) etc.
  • Ensures that evangelism and discipleship is intensified through the Church courts in the UCZ by way of training groups, sourcing and writing evangelism and discipleship materials and funding.
  • Ensures Church growth in number and resources, Church planting as well as in issues of spiritual nature through Seminars, Conferences, Retreats for all categories of Church members and the church workers.
  • Plan in consultation with various groups and committees within the Church for short and long term strategic plans for groups and committees that fall under the Synod Mission and Evangelism Department.
  • Prepares the annual programmes of events for the department.
  • Responsible for preparing the Lessons for annual church retreats and other lessons for Synod days and Sundays.
  • Responsible for preparing/organizing retreats, seminars and drama in consultation with Head Teachers and School Chaplains in all UCZ grant aided schools.
  • Responsible for the development of Stewardship in the Church through mobilization of human material and financial resources.
  • Responsible for producing and sourcing of stewardship learning and teaching materials to be used by the Church in areas of giving and church mission support.
  • Responsible for Youth, Women and Men’s developmental programmes.
  • Responsible for organizing, co-ordinating and convening Synod Committee meetings at least twice a year.
  • The department prepares reports and recommendation to the Synod Executive Committee and Full Synod Council meetings respectively.
  • The department is responsible for all the Church property under its care, which is administered on behalf of the General Secretary of the UCZ.
  • Responsible for marketing the UCZ Programmes and work done by Mission and evangelism in and outside the country.
  • The department is responsible for children’s ministry through intensive training of Sunday School Teachers and carrying out other relevant or suitable programmes for children.
  • Initiate and implement mission contribution and evaluation on behalf of Synod.
  • Initiate programmes and seminars for equipping of church workers and spouses and general membership in entrepreneurship skills.
  • Train, Trainers of Trainers in the UCZ in order to reach all Presbyteries with qualified trainers.
  • The department in consultation with Christian Training Committee has a responsibility to develop syllabuses for women and men’s programmes to promote lay training within the UCZ.
  • The department has a task of sensitizing men, women and youths in UCZ about the importance of caring for our environment through conducting awareness seminars and workshops.
  • Holding Evangelism Campaigns – This is done by equipping members of the church with skills of reaching out to all people especially those not yet reached by the gospel through seminars and workshops in conjunction with the UCZ University and the church has managed to plant new churches all over the country.

 

  1. COMMUNITY BIBLE STUDY INTERNATIONAL TRAINING (CBSI)

The department in collaboration with CBSI, have training of trainers (TOT) in Community Bible Study International throughout the country. Over One thousand (1000) people have been trained in various UCZ Presbyteries. This programme is for equipping bible study leaders with skills of conducting effective bible studies.

  1. TEAM OF WRITERS:

The department has a group of Manual Book and Lesson writers. The work of the writers has seen the works fulfilled which has greatly helped the United Church of Zambia in many areas. The manuals are there to help the church to conduct effective teachings, care and guidance to all her members.

  1. SYNOD WCF CHOIR

The department has a WCF Synod choir. This choir has members from all the ten (10) Presbyteries.

The Synod WCF choir members when they visit, they always have meeting and practices and donate money or materials in UCZ institutions:

This is an effective outreach to rural communities. The Synod choir has shown a very good example of how mission outreach should be done and they always think of the need of the institution and rural congregations, where they give help as part of their mission outreach.

 

  1. UCZ UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SYNOD CAMPAIGN:

The UCZ Synod in conjunction with the University College conduct annual Synod Evangelism campaigns as part of training in soul winning conducted by our Theological and Diakonal University students in the area of Evangelism and also an opportunity of planting new churches especially in rural areas where UCZ still need further establishment.

  1. YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAMME:

The Youth exchange programmes as part of the mission work of the church. The Youth exchange programme is mainly sponsored by Council for World Mission (CWM) and Cevaa. The Youth exchange programmes have proved to be very effective in capacity building and learning exposure.

  1. PRAYER AND FASTING MEETINGS:

The department also facilitates prayer and fasting meetings and conducts workshops in all the 10 Presbyteries of the UCZ through Doctrine Worship and Evangelism (DWE) committee.

  1. YOUTH ACTIVITIES:

The department of the Mission and Evangelism facilitates all the Youth activities in UCZ. All the 10 Presbyteries are actively involved in youth activities such as:

  • Youth Conferences
  • Sunday School Conferences
  • Youth Seminar and Workshops
  • Youth Musical Festivals

These youth activities have contributed to the success of mission work in the UCZ. The department also facilitates sporting activities during national Conferences. This is important in promoting a healthy church and communities. It has become a common practice that, at any youth gathering, sports is part of the activities. This is also an effective tool of evangelism which has proved to be very effective in UCZ.

By and large, the department also carries other duties which may be assigned to the department by Synod from time to time.

 

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