The following report from Rev Mwai Kamuyambeni, Co-ordinator of ZEC's Leadership Training Department will give more items for praise and prayer.

Let me thanks my brothers and sisters in the UK for the support given to me personally and to this department in prayers and in funding. This has made our programme successful even in the short term. Friends, be assured that we are also praying for you day and night.

I thank the Lord for giving me the chance to serve Him in the Training Department. To me this is wonderful because I feel that one of my spiritual gifts is teaching. Friends, I love this ministry! I started working as Training Co-ordinator from January this year and we have seen God at work in that time.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT
During last December and January I met with various leaders to assess the main needs of the ZEC Churches in these days. It was interesting to note that almost everyone mentioned the need to intensify the teaching in our Churches. Leaders also suggested that we should have a consultation meeting which would draw up the vision and strategy of the department.

This was called for 13-15 February at the Lunzu Agriculture Training Centre. We had a wonderful time during those three days! Among those attending were Mission representatives, ZEC Synod officials, ZEC Regional Chairmen, Kotale Chairmen (a Kotale is a group of local Churches), all ZEC Co-ordinators, Superintendents and other leaders. The following resolutions came from the meeting ~

# TRAINING MISSION STATEMENT - to make the Church a radical, revived and effective force in Malawi and beyond.

# TRAINING OBJECTIVES -

(a) To ensure that every member of our denomination is rooted and established in his/her faith.
(b) To arouse spiritual hunger and thirst through the meditation of Scripture and personal devotions.
(c) To help Christians to understand their responsibility within the three fold ministry of a healthy Church.
(i) Ministry to God which is praising and worshipping Him (Ps.103:1)
(ii) Ministry to the Body of Christ; building up one another (Eph. 4:12)
(iii) Ministry of the Word: witnessing and evangelism (Matt. 28:19)
(d) Upgrading leadership skills at all levels for effective results; e.g.baptism class teachers, Sunday School
teachers, youth and womens leaders, Church deaconesses and deacons, elders, evangelists and pastors. Also equipping them with teaching resources,e.g.books.

# TRAINING METHODS -

Delegates upheld the authority of the Bible, believing that the Scriptures are essential and powerful in salvation, correction, rebuking and training for ministry (2 Tim. 3:16-17). It was therefore recommended that the following Bible study methods are introduced as soon as possible in all our Churches.
(a) All age Bible study to be held every Sunday before the main service of worship
(b) Group Bible study held during the week
(c) Home Bible study (family worship) every day
(d) Correspondence courses to be introduced for untrained leaders
(e) More leadership seminars to be held for those in leadership positions in the Churches
(f) Provision of equipment to be used for training in co-operation with the ZEC Theological Education Committee.

# TRAINING ACTION -

1. Dedicated committee representing each region to be elected and empowered to assess their regions needs so that the department will be able to address them as soon as possible.
2. Committee in each Katole to be responsible for the training in their group of Churches.
3. The Department should try to identify spiritual gifts and make sure to use everyone for the benefit of the Church.
4. Introduction of libraries in all Churches so that people can have access to good books.
5. The Department should aim to have a Deputy Co-ordinator in the future.
6. The urgent need for equipment like a photocopier, computer, books and Bibles was identified. And most of all a motor car to assist in transporting people and materials and following-up seminars and other activities.

# TRAINING SUBJECTS -

1. Preaching and teaching skills
2. Stewardship
3. Other religions
4. Leadership skills
5. Family planning
6. Aids and orphan care
7. Tradition rituals
8. Technical skills, e.g. building, carpentry, driving.

# TRAINING PROGRAMME -

The leaders drew up the 2001 programme with the aim in mind of introducing Bible studies in all ZEC Churches by the end of the year. This will mean that the trainers need to be trained. The Department now has a simple method of Bible study and has produced a booklet about it.

Rev Mwai Kamuyabeni Director of ZEC's
Leadership Training Department pictured with
Sheila Bradley, wife of the Chairman of the
ZM Executive Council during last year's visit to Scotland.

Events already held -

• After the key leaders meeting at Lunzu I started to organise the seminars according to the programme. The first assignment was with the Mitsidi and Chikwawa Kotale (7-9 March). Here we gathered 130 leaders from 32 Churches. During these days the materials and Bibles were distributed. The committee for these groups was already in place and people were happy to launch the Bible studies in their Churches. Pray for these Churches and the need to follow-up.
  
  
• The next seminar was at Liwonde (6-8 April) 110 kms from Blantyre. We gathered 121 participants from 21 Churches in this Moslem dominated area. It was difficult for the leaders to rest because of the torrent of questions from these folk!! The programme was supposed to close at 5pm every day but it went on until 10pm and then started again at 6am! Again, Bibles and books were distributed. Please pray for good teaching in these Churches to over come Islamic influences. One elder commented, "I was not aware that a person like me could read the Bible on his own and understand but with this method I can!"
  
  
• The Zingwangwa seminar was held in the Church where I serve as pastor (13-15 April) and was specifically for married couples. More than 90 couples came from Blantyre, Chiladzulu and Chikwawa districts. It was a time of counselling and reconciliation as well as teaching and it was agreed to hold such a seminar every six months.
  
  
• Since this report was received from Malawi a number of other training events have been held and the photos illustrate some of them.