Building Biblical Marriages, Part I

Action Zambia held its second pastors conference this past week at Northmead. Tracy coordinated the entire conference, its theme being "Building Biblical Marriages". Speakers throughout the week included several men from the States, Rick Parks and Jon Hope, who were also here with 13 other short-term teammates from Columbia Crossroads Bible Church, SC. Several Zambian pastors, Gilbert Masonde, Fredrick Bwalya, and Laika Sitali also addressed
the more than 140 participants. Masonde and Bwalya successfully engaged the attenders and spoke into their lives in ways a
mzungu (Westerner) cannot.

A question and answer session followed each morning's messages. Tracy directed questions to each day's speakers which the attenders submitted either in writing or by texting a special pastors conference cell phone number. Questions ranged from those about polygamy to witchcraft to mother/stepchildren relationships. An interesting question from a mother involved her
husband's disapproval each time she disciplined their daughter.
For example, when the mother withheld breakfast to punish her child, the husband would refuse to eat.

Several choirs, Makeni Baptist and the Sweet Melodies, provided special music. I wish everyone could've heard the all-men's Makeni choir~truly moving. AZ's women, dressed in matching skirts, ministered in song on Wednesday with two selections.

For those of you who know Tracy, you're well aware of his passion
for the Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan. For fifteen years he has been reading through the entire Bible in a year, wishing he'd begun it sooner. So, he never misses a chance to share the method with anyone who will listen. On Tuesday each participant was given a copy of the plan and afterwards, Tracy gave a mini-seminar on the plan for those interested in more information.

Although it was a busy week, it was a blessed week. In my next blog I'll share comments from the participants, but let me whet your appetite with one from Michael Kandela, a pastor with whom AZ has partnered~"We commend you, brethren, for organizing such a powerful conference. We are really helped in [a] big way. Our perspective concerning marriage has been changed. All the messages preached touched everything we struggle with in our marriages, especially in an African context."

(Pictured below, top to bottom~Tracy shares the Bible reading plan; Tracy and Gilbert Masonde; Fredrick Bwalya with his interpreter.)