It is a fine line between having all that we need to seek, serve and glorify God, our Master, and having too much and serving our riches. As disciples of Christ, He told us that, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Lk 9:23) That line between denying the Lord in our riches and denying oneself to go after Him is the barrier that can only be crossed by faith. It is a faith barrier that is encountered daily.

Most foreign culture missionaries whom I have talked will acknowledge a period of "downsizing" the amount of their material possessions, even becoming disgusted with their abundance of possessions before responding to a call from God to serve Him full-time in another culture. My own experience involved a year-long struggle with "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matt 6:33) Did I really not need to worry about "all these things" that my wife and five young children needed to survive? Could I really make my first and highest priority that of seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness? I had a life-long, secure and well paying job as a tenured professor at a university. Could I really leave that job and trust God that if I denied myself (and my family!) for the sake of following Him that He would take care of all of our needs? I don't intend to imply that everyone must immediately quit their jobs to serve God, but this was the case in our situation. Very few of our Christian friends or family encouraged the possibility. At the time (although he changed his perception on this before he died), my father called me selfish and a fool for neglecting my wife and children with such thoughts. Yet I knew that I was choosing between denying the Lord and denying myself. In the end, God granted me the faith to take the first step of just saying, "Okay, Lord. Take my life as I make my highest priority to seek, serve and glorify You." He has bolstered that faith to continue to walk in self denial on a daily basis - not by my strength, but by His matchless grace.

Thousands of steps of faith have been taken since that first one. Each step has been confirmed by God as He has directed our steps and added all these things to us. By His grace all that we have needed, in faith and in supplying our needs, has always been there for us. I don't know how God calls each labourer to His field, so I'm not implying that everyone who follows Christ will have the same path that we did, but He does tell us that each disciple of Christ has to step over that line between denying themselves or denying Him. It is done by faith that first time, and daily thereafter.

The pertinent question is: "When will ACU commence operations?" The obvious answer is that we have already commenced the operations of ACU. Although 2015 is definitely around the corner, enrolment will commence as soon as the Lord allows it. The Board is doing what is needed to proceed with the registration process and will not be frustrated by the apparent delays from the authorities to this process. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. (Prov 19:21). It is important to note ACU is not the only institution waiting for registration but many other law abiding institutions are also in this situation. The latest is that the Higher Education Authority will meet this December to work out the criteria for processing applicants. We shall wait because all this is in God's (perfect) timing.

The plans for the delivery of the Scholars Programme are in place. The instructors are waiting to be unleashed! Within this programme is the Student Labour Programme. This programme will encourage students to apply knowledge and love labour in line with what the word of God teaches. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." (2 Thess 3:10)

The Scholars Programme is a preparatory stage for undergraduate studies. ACU will offer the traditional university programmes, and is already planning the Agricultural programme for our students to embark on animal and/or plant projects. Surely, the nation would benefit from this immensely. The Vice-Chancellor and the Dean of Students were accorded an audience by the National Technology Business Centre. Opportunities for entrepreneurial undertakings are vast and ACU has the po-tential to make a significant contribution towards this end. The philosophy of ACU is working as unto the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men (Col 3:23). Pray with us as we plan for these programmes. Undoubtedly, Zambia has been endowed with vast arable land and we need entrepreneurial acumen to work the land. The exploitation of the land should not be for selfish gain but for the good of humankind.

All disciplines/courses to be offered through ACU will be built on a Biblical Worldview in the strictest sense. Our students must learn the Bible's grand narrative and know that God created the world, man fell into sin, the work to redeem man was done by Christ and we all await the consummation of our salvation. This must be appreciated and appropriated. If one is truly regenerated, then one will understand what it means to work as unto the Lord. The world teaches that quality is defined as meeting the clients' expectations. Quality of education at ACU is teaching the truth as per Scripture. The corrupt thought must be exposed and presented in the light of the Word of God. Pray therefore that this will forever be so for ACU and that the students passing through the institution will have the fear of the Lord for therein lies wisdom and knowledge.