SOLA 5, Zambia
The third SOLA 5 Conference had as its theme ‘biblical love’ – a subject rooted in an exposition of 1 Corinthians 13. Whatever we may fail to be or 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 I shared in the expositions of this great chapter.
Some 250 delegates attended this Southern African conference, coming from Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Swaziland and South Africa itself. One of its components involved feedback concerning common projects undertaken by SOLA 5 churches.
It is good to see our churches joining hands in meeting the needs of suffering brethren in Zimbabwe. Some churches have joined to do church planting in Botswana. The South Africans are establishing 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 churches in their respective countries.
When we survey the progress of the last four years we are stunned to see what the Lord is doing! I am certainly very encouraged by these developments.
We also remember that no growth occurs 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 the truth of God’s Word greater than all the lies that Satan sows in God’s field.
We also know that prayer is a great and effectual gift from God the Father, who says to his Son, ‘Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession’ (Psalm 2:8). We are privileged to join in that ‘asking’.
