| A team of 22 men and women from CTMI Partner churches in six countries gathered in Lilongwe for the much anticipated Malawi National Leaders Conference.
The Gauna family kindly opened their home to an ever increasing number of people... There were originally 9 visitors, but 22 people finally came, making 29 for supper at the Gauna’s every night!
Bad news arrived on the first evening: a minibus hired by John Katimba, bringing pastors from Blantyre to Lilongwe, had overturned. Quite a few of them were badly injured, one of the pastors had to have his arm amputated, another lost his ear; a third had many cuts to the head - the rest were safe despite lacerations. A few days earlier, there had been another accident… Teddy Maliza, Joseph Chawawa and Andrew Dzimbiri were hit by a drunk driver. By God's grace their lives were spared but Teddy was still in hospital when the conference began.
On the first morning, there was much excitement in the air. The conference began with Miki speaking of the seriousness of the times that we are in… “We must be honest, and understand that if the church is weak, it is because the leaders are weak. Christians are hungry for something real, yet they move from church to church, without not knowing where they are going, they live in sin with one foot in church and one in the world! God is challenging you as pastors and leaders. Something needs to happen in your lives for you to see change in the church.” On hearing this, many applauded, while others commented loudly in Chichewa, the local language.
Miki continued adressing the root of many church problems: discord and lack of unity between leaders; pastors ‘burning out’; division; too much emphasis on material things; marriage problems; backsliding; hypocrisy. He told them that all these things manifest themselves in the lives of church leaders because they are carnal Christians. He encouraged them to examine their lives before God. “There will be a price to pay… God’s anointing must come back, there must be a return to the life of the Spirit.”
By the second day, 2,450 delegates had registered, with 200 from outside Lilongwe. Miki encouraged the pastors not to resist the Lord. He shared about the ‘apostolic doctrine’; that Paul partook of the sufferings of Christ. Sadly, Miki added, “the identification part of the gospel is not found in the Church today… instead Christians are led to seek all that they can get from the Lord. We cannot have life without death… anointing, without paying the price… there is no easy way, the anointing of God is not cheap, and it cannot be manufactured!”
After a break, Stephen Gachengo took the stage, stating that the apostles in Acts were true shepherds, but many in the Ministry today are not even called of God. “You church leaders will have to answer for all that you do. The service of God is a serious business…” He then declared boldly that, if they realised after this meeting that they did not really have God's call on their life; that they came to the ministry for other reasons: “If I were you, I would resign!! A true man of God doesn't think of manna first. He gives his life first, he serves the Lord first, and God takes care of him. What is your goal, and calling? Why are you in the ministry? ...I don't want to know how many churches you have… but I want to know about your life". The hall became very quiet, with many looking down.
The afternoon meeting began, with a group of sisters singing a cappella; the visitors were delighted at the beautiful sound - the kind of worship you can only hear in Africa! Miki came onto the stage and spoke at length of pastors today opening their doors to all kinds of preachers, doctrines and teachings, causing error and deception to creep into the church; some try to get 'power' and 'anointing' by praying or fasting. It is so much easier to fast than to die to one's flesh; to pray, than to deny one's rights!
Despite the meeting having run an hour over time, everyone still wanted to hear Stephen. So, while Miki and Gilbert headed off to ‘Christ for the Nations’ Radio, where CTMI has a weekly broadcast to the city of Lilongwe, to record an interview, Stephen talked about the power of the Cross of Christ in the life of every believer - beginning with pastors…
On the following day, Teddy arrived from hospital. The team were very glad to see him. During the meeting, Miki talked of the urgent need in the spirit to come back to the clear, simple gospel of the cross. He wanted to make sure they understood clearly that identification with the sufferings, and the death of Christ, was part of their calling. Stephen then continued, “Today, some know the Bible by heart, and can quote scriptures, but the gospel they hear is so mixed up with man-made principles and theories that feed their flesh and emotions. They grow in knowledge but not in the spirit. Christians, whose lives are not established on the foundation of the gospel, will swallow anything that comes from behind the pulpit"
That afternoon, the atmosphere was charged with joy and jubilant songs of praise. Miki could not hide his excitement. He knew that, if they were sincere, they would start to live new experiences with God. He didn’t want them to rush into a decision, but wanted them to count the cost first. “But if you believe that your time is now… and you want to surrender your life, your ministry; to take up your cross and identify your life with Jesus… then come forward - I would like to pray with you!” Before he had even finished speaking, pastors from all over the hall rushed forward. Many were in tears, some knelt near the stage; most held their faces in their hands. The presence of the Lord was powerfuly at work. Miki and Stephen took time to pray for a number of leaders.
On the final day, Miki shared on how the early church functioned, the five-fold ministries, and how crucial it was for true spiritual unity to be established between brothers in local churches. Stephen then continued where Miki left off. In the final meeting, Miki talked of the ‘business’ mentality in the church; how, especially in Africa, people want to be paid for everything they do for the Lord. He also addressed many issues concerning carnal and spiritual relationships.
Before closing, a follow-up visit was planned for late October to Blantyre, Lilongwe, and, Mzuzu in the north, to build upon the foundation laid at this gathering.
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