After Jesus Christ described who a true Christian is through the Beatitudes, in the famous Sermon on the Mount, he went on to state that such people are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:1-16). By using the words "salt" and "light" he was suggesting that Christians would arrest the moral and spiritual decay in the world and point the world in the right direction in order for them to find a blessed life. One way is by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in word. Another way is by living lives that challenge the wrong way of life around us. The question is: Are we as Christians deliberately doing that? 

Christian volunteerism fulfils this mandate marvellously. It includes both the sharing of the gospel and living a life that challenges the status quo. There is also a deliberateness to it that often involves programmes worked out together with others. It involves joining hands with others in institutions in which we commit our time, our finances, and our abilities.

THE NEED IS VAST

As one sees the way in which society is going, it must be obvious that we need more Christian volunteers to permeate our communities. In the political sphere, for instance, it is obvious that almost all who get involved are there for selfish reasons. They want to syphon the national funds, and so corruption continues unabated as state resources are mismanaged. 

In the social realm, we are endowed with a lot of natural resources and yet Zambia remains among the least developed countries in the world. Electricity, sanitation systems, tertiary education, and good health facilities are enjoyed by very few in our country. Morally, we continue to slide downhill because our churches have largely lost the gospel and instead cults like the Watch Tower sect are flourishing. Beer halls, gambling, and prostitution characterise life in the compounds. AIDS continues to reap its tens of thousands relentlessly. 

THE REASON

Those of us who are Christians are the ones who can truly bring about change in our country. We ought to do this because of God's cultural mandate. In Genesis 1:28, God said to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it." Evidently, he wanted them to turn a wilderness into a garden, and a forest into a city, by harnessing the potential that was already there in human beings and in the world. This baton has now been passed on to us. We must turn this mess around us into something beautiful, as Christian volunteers.

We also ought to do this because of the fruit of regeneration in our souls. This work of God in our souls has broken the power of sin, with its chains of selfishness. It has made us God-centred and hence we want to see God glorified in all spheres of life. We want to see his world made a better place through our involvement. This is what his Holy Spirit in our lives is producing. Hence, if we are Christian, we ought to naturally find ourselves volunteering to make God's world better.

We ought to also be engaged in Christian volunteerism because we alone truly understand human nature. The world tries to solve its problems but because it has the wrong diagnosis, its solutions are always useless. They shoot at a charging lion with a pea-gun. We know what the fall in Genesis 3 did to human nature. Therefore, we can go into the world's arena and labour to turn the situation around realistically. That is why we alone are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

THE EXAMPLES

Thankfully, we are treading where the saints have trod. Christians have changed our world for the better through their volunteering spirit. William Wilberforce arrested the slave trade. John Howard brought about prison reforms. Robert Raikes improved the education of the children of the poor through the Sunday school movement. George Williams improved working and living conditions for young men who were working in factories through the YMCA. Thomas John Barnardos saved many young lives through Dr Barnardos' Homes. Need I say more?

I am now asking, where are the Zambian Christian volunteers who will join this vast array and transform Zambia and Africa by going out of the saltcellar and permeating our nation and continent with their influence? Did I hear someone say, "Here I am"? 

The container of books for the ACU Library is at port in Beira, Mozambique soon to arrive at its final destination.  It has been a long journey from the shelves of the libraries of various individuals, pastors, teachers, churches and schools in North America.  Many people have participated in bringing the ACU library to reality.  A 40' container is being set up on the property of the new ACU headquarters in Ibex Hill, Lusaka in Zambia to receive the books.  The container will act as the temporary library until it can be relocated to the campus property in Chisamba.  It will be prepared with windows and a door, equipped with lighting, air conditioning, lined with shelves, and outfitted with tables, chairs and computers.  In honor of the fellowship of the saints in the USA who donated most of the books for the library, and to set a standard of a Christian scholar who we hope will model the African students who will use this library, it will be named the "Jonathan Edwards Library".  The Jonathan Edwards Library will be positioned under the "Olive Doke Pavilion" at the ACU headquarters.  Olive Doke served the founding Baptist work in Zambia at the Kafulafuta mission station beginning in 1916 until her passing in 1972.  The Olive Doke Pavilion will be situated behind the "Paul Kasonga House" on the ACU property.  Paul Kasonga was the first indigenous Baptist Pastor who pastored the Kafulafuta church from 1931 until his passing in 1954.  He served all his life while suffering from leprosy.  Adjacent to the Kasonga House is the "Anasi Lupungu House".  Anasi Lupunga was a Zambian ordained to the pastoral ministry in 1953 taking up the work at Kafulafuta Baptist Church after Paul Kasonga until Lupunga passed in 1970.  The Jonathan Edwards Library will sit proudly amongst the surrounding Zambian Christian heritage represented by the building names.  We pray that the church that Christ is building in Zambia will be strengthened and greatly advanced throughout Africa by the work of ACU.  We pray that the library will always represent a central place where Jesus Christ is honored, the Word of God is held authoritative in all things, and His ambassadors equipped and strengthened for service by his grace through the knowledge of Him.

Earlier this month the ACU-USA Board challenged the Zambian churches by offering to match up to $8,250 for needed construction cost at the ACU Headquarters.  Not only did the churches match that number, but even exceeded it by nearly $500.  Praise God for the increased generosity of the saints in Lusaka.

Praise God for the response of the ACU-RSA Board which has undertaken the purchase of desks and chairs for the classrooms for the Scholars Programme.

We are pleased that Chris and Keren Hays have purchased their tickets and will be joining the team in Lusaka around the middle of June. Furthermore, Librarian Kendra Hawley will be arriving June 1st!

Pray for the upcoming Taste of ACU days.  Much preparation is going into this day.  Pray that it would be effective in sharing the unique vision of ACU.

Continue to pray for those who are raising support to come and join us in time for the Scholars Programme: Carlos and Diana Paul and Davey Hoffman.

Pray for wisdom and grace for the three ACU Boards, committees, and management team as we continue to prepare for the advent of instruction at ACU.  The Scholars Programme is on track to begin in September 2014.