President of the world-wide Seventh-day Adventist church, Pastor Ted Wilson, visited the site of the proposed new Union Conference office facilities in Kitwe, near Ndola, Zambia.  He declared to Seventh-day Adventists that they are sent by God to prepare people for the second coming of Jesus Christ.  In his challenge to carry out the great commission of taking the gospel to everyone around, he said: “you have beautiful feet, when you carry the gospel.”

After listening and watching a young boy, 5 year old Blessing Banda lead a choir into a special item of music, he remarked that music should always be a blessing.  Seventh-day Adventists should always be pointing people to the worship of God and that they should never be ashamed to be called a Seventh-day Adventist.

Zambia has more than 760 000 Adventists and Elder George Brywell Simuzoko, the Chief Financial Officer for the Zambia Union of Seventh-day Adventists said: “in order to accommodate the growth rate of the church, it is important to establish a new administrative office.”  “In 1998, three territories were divided into six and as a result in 1990, it was announced to be the fastest growth rate in the world.  In 2007, the North Zambia field was divided into two because of it membership of more than 30 000.  As a result of the division, the North Zambia Field increased to a membership of 47 000 while the other part, Luapula Field of Zambia increased to a membership of 70 000.  “In order to manage such growth it is important to set up another Union Administrative office in Ndola.”  “In order to enhance evangelism we have to divide in order to multiply,” he said.

The projected plan of the church in Zambia is to double the church membership by 2020.   “The realignment of the Copperbelt Conference in Zambia will also be a form of decentralization in order to bring the leadership closer to the people,” said Pastor Daniel Chuunga, President of Copperbelt Zambia Field of Seventh-day Adventists.

Zambia is the fastest growing territory in the South Africa Indian Ocean Division region.

Dr Paul Charles

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