2016 will go down as an historic year in the life of the African Christian University. After 8 years in the womb, baby ACU was finally born in March when the Higher Education Authority gave us the licence to begin operating publicly. Those were 8 very long years of waiting.

I thank God for the Vice Chancellor and his faculty and management who persevered in faith that God would do what He had given them conviction He would do. I thank God for the Zambian churches that held the fort while arrows of unbelief were fired at us. Above all, I thank God for continuing to work in our hearts behind the scenes causing us to labour even in time of frustration.

When the licence was granted, we all felt like the psalmist who wrote, "When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.' The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad" (Psalm 126:1-3).

As this year draws to an end, I look forward as Chancellor to giving the certificates out to the students who have laboured hard to be discipled by this new institution. As we look into the eyes of the year ahead of us, I can go out there and ask for support from partners knowing that I am speaking about a university that is already up and running, with students who are eager to learn. It will make a world of a difference!

2016 has been a glorious year for ACU! Two weeks after the long-awaited Registration, with ACU becoming one of the first 19 universities to receive approval from the Higher Education Authority of Zambia, the first Scholars Programme was initiated with 25 students. The staff and faculty have greatly enjoyed the daily interaction with students on campus over these past 10 months. Mentoring and discipleship has been a serious part of our relationships with each student. The fruit of the gospel message made clear has been obvious throughout the core Bible's Grand Narrative course. Many professions of faith have been verbalised and radical change in the students' lives has been observed. The speech, the actions and the character of most students have been transformed as they have embraced Christ. We have heard numerous testimonies of the drastic challenges to paganism that students have confronted in their homes, neighbourhoods, and even in their churches. We rejoice with gratitude for the work of God's grace that we've seen beyond all expectations this year.

This has also been another year of challenges. James tells us to, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2-3). The year began with God's sifting of the final team intended to move ACU forward. The faculty and staff of ACU's first Scholars Programme has been steadfast, glorifying God in the unity and faith exemplified, even through various trials. The love of Christ has been our radiant testimony.

We close 2016 working diligently towards applying for Accreditation of four Bachelor Degree Programmes starting in 2017. We are exploring options for campus property due to challenges in water sustainability discovered in Chisamba. These and other issues will test our faith and make us steadfast as we trust in God's provision and His perfecting of us. The result: we count it all joy!

Thank you for your support through your prayers, your gifts, and your service.

2016 has been another reminder of how we need to utterly depend upon God for the fruition of the ACU vision. Just when we were losing hope of ever getting a license to operate, the Lord intervened and ACU finally opened its doors to the first cohort of students in the Scholars Programme after a long wait! We do now have a story to tell and we are excited about the university finally opening its doors to students. If there is anything we can learn from this long wait, it is that the Lord's timing is the best!

Activities on the Chisamba Campus land stalled because enough water to sustain a university population could not be found. This came after a lot of work, time and site visitations had gone into the planning. This has been frustrating but again, we are reminded of the fact that God works in mysterious ways. We value your prayers for wisdom as management and the board investigate options for the way forward.

One of the major preoccupations of the Zambian board this year has been the drafting of the ACU constitution. This is a key document that will ensure that the future of ACU is secured. It has been a painstaking exercise, but one we are confident will produce a constitution that will stand the test of time. We value your prayers on the completion of this process.  

A big thank you to all who have been praying and supporting this work! Please do not tire in your prayers and support as your efforts are not in vain. Rather, this is fuel for those who are "down the well".

As 2016 draws to a close, the ACU-USA board is thankful for the blessings of this past year. Knowing that God was in control of all the delays and finally the opening of the Scholars Programme is a great encouragement. What a tremendous testimony to God's grace as we hear of the stories of the students.

During 2016, the ACU-USA board was pleased to add Dr. Tim Tomlinson as a member. Dr. Tomlinson is the President of Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, MN. His help has already been a huge blessing and we are grateful for his willingness to serve in this capacity. Sadly, Tedd Tripp and Tim Connor stepped down from the board this year. Tedd's service has been a huge blessing through the years, but due to other responsibilities, he needed to step down. Tim's help during his service on the board was a tremendous blessing as well, and we were sad to see him leave, but he did so due to health reasons.

The board had a productive meeting in August and is planning another meeting in January as we look forward to the upcoming year. I am also thankful for Dr. Turnbull, Ron Thomas, and Ken Bennett who continue to serve on the board.

There were numerous opportunities to present the work of ACU during 2016. We attended the G3 Conference in Atlanta, the Gospel Coalition Women's Conference in Indianapolis, and the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary Conference in Grand Rapids, MI. In addition, another shipment of books was sent to Zambia from the USA.  Further opportunities to share the work of ACU in early 2017 include Atlanta and Houston.

Please pray for us as we are looking to increase our donor base and see the construction of the campus really take off. Thank you to all who have faithfully prayed and assisted us financially. May the Lord Jesus Christ be magnified through the work of ACU in 2017!

During the latter half of 2016 I have had the privilege of being appointed chairman of the ACU UK Board. These past months have entailed conversations with Dr. Ken Turnbull and others about the shape and function that this board might have. Our work within the UK is still at a very early stage, and our first priority is the identification and appointment of suitable board members. It has been a blessing to sense that God is in this, and to have conversations with other brothers and sisters who grasp the tremendous potential, under God, that ACU has for the extension of Christ's kingdom. Please pray as I continue to reach out to potential interested parties, and put together a schedule for 2017 which would allow us to become operational as a UK board. Please pray that our work would be instrumental in raising awareness of ACU, and resources for its work, in coming days.

Until the moment of registration, there has been an unhelpful cynicism concerning the whole ACU project among many churches in South Africa: 'much has been promised but not much has been achieved' is the underlying narrative.

At last in 2017 we can "re-launch" our promotion of ACU. This will involve our increasing the size of the Board from the 3 effective members at present: we would like all supporters to pray for us in this because we want a broad representation of sympathetic churches which would involve us trawling over a wider geographical area with the associated challenges in organising meetings. This itself will require the breaking down of the barriers of parochialism which restrain local churches from embracing a larger project. It is critical that all Board members are like-minded theologically and in biblical educational philosophy.

We hope to produce South Africa specific promotional material in addition to the fine material available at present. It makes an enormous difference now ACU is beyond the concept stage and living and active. There are three South African students, all from Birchleigh Baptist Church, who by the time this is published will have completed the first year Scholars Programme: their reports about the course are most encouraging and in themselves would be excellent promotional material! If there were 3 from each of 5 churches what a difference that would make!

We want to be able to encourage township students to go to ACU, but from this year's experience outside funding will be essential: parents make promises on fees but do not deliver. We pray that somehow a bursary fund may be able to be set up to help students with their fees.