That’s certainly true in Malawi.

FoY group at Limbe ZEC meeting in July

The Fellowship of Youth is the young peoples movement of the Zambesi Evangelical Churches. It was formed in 1983 ‘with the purpose of helping young people to become strong Christians and active participants in the Body of Christ’. Since then it has become a key part of ZEC with its ministries extending to youngsters and activities beyond ZEC. FoY’s aims are well expressed in its ‘slogan’ “Seek, serve and make disciples”.

The young people’s activities which include weekly meetings for worship, Bible study and prayer as well as regular outreach events and activities of social concern. Each Church has its own youth leaders and there are area committees to arrange group events. Nationally, FoY is led by a group of ZEC leaders with Anthony Masala as the Co-ordinator.

FoY National Leaders meeting in Blantyre in July

A recent example of FoY’s impact is the planting of a Church at Mayani in Central Malawi, an area with a lot of witchcraft activity and no evangelical Church. FoY arranged an outreach event in the area last Easter and large numbers of all ages responding to the Gospel. [Read more details in ZM News Archive for April 2007 and May 2007 “Miracles awaited us!”] Since then they have been followed up by the pastor and friends of nearby Dedza ZEC and nutured into a Church which is growing and already has its own pastor.

Local groups have led missions in other parts of the country and national projects currently include the production of Bible study guidelines for group use, training courses for leaders and local and national evangelistic events during Holy Week 2009 to celebrate this year’s 25th anniversary of the founding of FoY.

Sithembile Nthala, who is studying marketing in Blantyre, and Chisomo Sitima, a trainee mechanic, are members of the youth group at Limbe ZEC.

Sithembile (left) and Chisomo (centre) talking with
Anthony Masala, FoY National Co-ordinator

Asked what FoY means to her, Sithembile says, “Meeting together with other young Christians has helped me to learn to pray and to tell others about Jesus. I also find that it gives me encouragement to resist temptation when I am among non-Christians”. Chisomo comments, “We encourage one another in FoY. Meeting together helps me to pray, read the Bible and minister to others”.

We praise Him for all that is past and trust Him for all that’s to come!