A W O O D L A N D S C O N F E R E N C E P U B L I C A T I O N 2nd Edition 1st Issue / July 2020

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NTS Inside the Light House

EDITORIAL TEAM

A W O O D L A N D S C O N F E R E N C E P U B L I C A T I O N

GroundBreakingWOODLANDS CONFERENCE

Happen MakingThings

1st Edition 2nd Issue

Editor:Shangala JoedEditorial Secretary:Chitalu NaomiEditorial Consultants:Chiyokoma IsaacNamwanja M. ChikwabiLayout & Design:Muwaika BanjiContributors:Nyambe BrunoLweendo N. Hamuyuni

Woodlands ConferencePlot # 2B/45/62, Burma Road,KabwataP.O. Box 31411, Lusaka, Zambia+260 977 841979shangalaj@gmail.comshangalaj@woodlands.adventist.org©Woodlands Conference

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3 | Letters

4 | Editorial

6 | Managing Change

9 | WC Donates to Government to Combat COVID-19

10 | Church Member - Audit 2020

12 | Tithe and Tax Claims

14 | Turning Adversities into Advantages

15 | Outreach Activity - Women Ministries

16 | Meet the Woodlands Conference L.E. Champion

17 | Rufunsa SDA Church Dedicated

18 | Evangelism Strategies in the Wake of COVID-19

20 | First Ever Senior Youth Leader Investiture Service

22 | The Tyranny of Debt

“The Lighthouse Magazine is indeed a Lighthouse, as it provides various inspirational articles that appeal to readers of all age groups, while exploring what it means to believe, and live out the Christian faith in our time. Well done to the communications team in your endeavor to keep the light shining through this magazine.”

Rekha Chifuwe Mhango (Mrs) Deputy Governor Administration - Bank Of Zambia

“Reading the Lighthouse Magazine, I am reminded of the Scriptures in Psalms 119:105, which says “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” May God Almighty Bless this powerful and effective tool of the Ministry as we together serve in His vineyard and look forward to the second coming of our Lord and Saviour.”

Ambassador Chalwe Lombe Permanent Secretary - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

I was thrilled to read your Conference Magazine. It is very rich with diverse content suitable for not only our church members, but non adventist readers as well. I enjoyed very much the Special Needs (now the Possibility Ministry), Literature Evangelist and Meals on Wheels articles. This is exactly what our readers would like to see and hear, doing Jesus Christ’s ministry of love and compassion. Keep it up and may God continue to use this Magazine to excite others to be involved in TMI projects, as we prepare for His second coming.

Noel Sibanda (Mr) Communication & Media Director - SID

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“Youth, Let Your Light Shine

in the City”I was interacting with my colleagues, Pastor Highten

Hamweene, (Personal Ministries Director) and Pastor Johnnie Namwako (Executive Secretary), Doctor of Ministry students in Urban Missions at Adventist University of Africa, Kenya. When I heard them talk about ministry in Urban areas and

how young people can get involved, I was excited and moved to write this article to reflect on this urgency of magnifying

Jesus Christ in the city.

The General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church through Youth Ministries Department coined an initiative called One Year in Mission (OYiM). “OYiM is a global youth initiative designed to give teams of young professionals (18+) an opportunity to magnify Jesus in the cities of the world through the Three Angels Message!” The

Seventh-day Adventist Church has long promoted urban ministry

in seeking to fulfill God’s plan to reach all peoples of all nations

according to Mathew 28:19.

I studied the book of Daniel closely and

discovered that Daniel

wrote his book right in the

heart of the city of Babylon. Babylon was a great and prosperous city. Its military was advanced at the time, and guaranteed safety for all its citizens.

To draw lessons from the book of Daniel on urban ministry for the youth, I asked myself these questions: (1) How can we, young people, minister to the highest office in the land, the Presidency? (2) Who can speak for the teeming fellow young Christians? (3) How can we, as young people, be successful in urban ministry? (4) Can we learn anything from the youth of the book of Daniel that we can apply in a young Christian’s life today?

Daniel Chapter 1:3,4 records “Then, the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of nobility, youths without blemish, of good reputation, and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and

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to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.”3 The king chose young people, who were physically without blemish and were good looking, very intelligent mentally, able and easy to teach.

Firstly, modeled integrityThese young people of the book of Daniel were living in Babylon under the kingship of a powerful king Nebuchadnezzar. Though threatened to be killed several times, they uncompromisingly remained determined to stand for God, even to the point of death.

The word integrity means the “quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.” Though their names were changed, and the Bible does not indicate that they rejected their Babylonian names, they did reject the imposed diet. Daniel 1: 8: “But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, with the wine that he drank.” The king’s food was unclean, offered to idols and included strong wine. Daniel and his friends chose not to defile themselves based on their integrity.

If we are to be effective in urban ministry, we must be aware of what we can and cannot do. We must be aware of the surrounding culture, what we cannot change, yet we must know when to stand against what is wrong. We must never compromise our faith and truth as we seek to win people to Jesus Christ, even the elite, in

our communities. The Church is looking for youths of both genders who will be determined to honour God, both in word and deed as they proclaim the Gospel.

Secondly, they modeled commitmentThe word commitment means, “the stance or quality of being dedicated to a cause.” In the account of the three Hebrew boys, faithfulness was their theme. In Daniel 3: 2, 7, all the officials of the province fell down and worshiped the golden image. These youths did not allow the influence of the noble men and women of Babylon to sway their stance on worshipping God. They remained true to the cause. Not only did these three Hebrew boys remain committed to living out the Word of God, but they also preached it without hesitation.

In Daniel 2:17,18, after the king dreamt, and woke up unable to remember his dream, and threatened to kill all the noblemen and sorcerers in his kingdom, these youth reached up to God in prayer. Their faithfulness was honored by God when he answered their prayer.

Fellow youths, we must remain dedicated to the cause; we must say, we would rather die than dishonour God. Commitment should be our lifestyle.

Thirdly, they modeled humilityWhenever they escaped death, they did not take the

credit, but always exalted God. They explained to King Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel 2:28-30 “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries…. But as for me this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.”

When the youths, take the credit belonging to God, pride will replace the humility in our hearts. Pride always leads to one’s downfall. Proverbs 16:18 says “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

ConclusionGod declared to the children of Israel to say “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, for in its welfare you will find your welfare,” Jeremiah 29:1-7. This ancient method of urban evangelism is still effective to this day.

The youths of the book of Daniel promoted (1) mental health, (2) physical health, (3) spiritual health, (4) integrity, (5) commitment (6) humility of heart. These are the things we must embrace as youths of the Church in our daily lives.

Joed ShangalaWC Communications Director

REFERENCE:1. General Conference Youth Ministry resource material, youth.adventist.org/OYIM 2. Edgar J. Elliston and J. Timothy Kauffman, Developing Leaders for Urban Ministries (New York, NY: Peter Lang, 200), 4.3. All Scripture quotation are from the English Standard Version Bible.4. All Definitions from Oxford Dictionary 5. Pfandl, Daniel, 16, & David S. Vanderhooft, Babylonia and the Babylonians, in The World Around the Old Testament 2016, 126.6. Pfandl, Daniel, 19.

The day broke forth with its fresh fragrance. Peeping through the curtains, she could see birds flying around the house. She could hear the cooing

doves around the house as they made their way out of the cage. As she prepared breakfast, the phone rang. “Hai my darling! How are you? I will be home shortly. Prepare for me fried fish with chips for my lunch.” Soon the wife was in the kitchen preparing fish. Thirty minutes later, the phone rang. Putting her knife and vegetables on the table, she wiped her hands with a towel and answered her phone. “Hello!” She could hear the sirens in the background. She asked herself, “What is

happening?” Again, she shouted even louder, “Hello!” A strange voice came on the phone, “Yes

Madam? Any relation to the owner of this

phone? Yes, that is my hubby!” she responded. “Come to the hospital.” The phone

was cut. The husband is dead! It was unbelievable because twenty minutes earlier, they had just talked on phone. How can it be? Life is fragile. Life is short. Life is unpredictable. Life is slippery. Who can tell about tomorrow? No one except God! We only know about yesterday.

Life can change in a twinkling of an eye. You do not need to apply in order to be a widow, widower, or an orphan. Life just hits back at us and the status changes. Life has got its own twists and turns. According to the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, “There is nothing permanent except change.” It is crystal clear that change is inevitable for every human being.

Since we do not control the affairs of life, it is prudent that we brace ourselves for change. It does not matter whether you are young or old, life has a way of bringing us down on our knees sometimes. No wonder, the Tonga people say, “Mazuba nguna masandu”, “Mazuba nguna macaaca. The Chewa say, “Masiku sakoma onse. The Lozi say, “Mazazi ki malozwana.” Life can change for

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everyone! Today, we are hit with COVID-19. How do we manage life?

WHAT IS CHANGE?According to Carr (1996), change is generally defined as a significant disruption in established patterns of behavior or expectations.

CAUSES OF CHANGEThere are some occurrences in life that precipitate change. Some of the causes of change in human beings are:

Death of a Significant Figure in the FamilyDeath of a family member has potential to disrupt someone’s life. The death of a spouse, parent, child or sibling has devastating effects on the surviving loved ones. It affects life permanently, if one does not get proper counseling. Death of a significant person in the family is one of the causes of change especially, if the deceased was the bread winner in the family. The death of a parent, for instance, may bring about changes in the children’s welfare.

Loss of a JobThe experience of losing a job without thorough preparations for retirement can be devastating. Losing a job entails starting all over with life, more so, if there is a scarcity of jobs or if the victim did not have skills to acquire another job. The experience of losing a job without benefits can be traumatising if the victim did not have proper investment for survival.

SicknessSickness has ability to deplete financial resources. Chronic illness affects the family members emotionally and financially. Medical bills soar up. Members of the family, if they are bread winners, will cut their time in order to look after the patient. Sometimes, global pandemic like COVID-19 and local pandemics like cholera may have devastating impacts on family economics.

DemotionDemotion has a tag of a loss in terms of remuneration and other benefits accompanying a particular office. Demotion will entail adjustment in the family income in order to suit the new status. Apart from losing on the part of remuneration, a person who has been demoted has to wrestle with the need to maintain his or her reputation, especially if the demotion has to do with moral issues. Even if the person was demoted for incompetency, it still has a stigma attached to the victim. These changes in the life of the demoted individual have implications on the family, friends and the victim.

AgeingEvery day that passes by makes us grow. There are some fears when one is ageing. The fear that comes is that, one day you will survive at the mercies of your spouse or children or other family members. There is also fear that because you are ageing, death becomes imminent through disease. Such fears are normal as you grow older. You begin to think about your estates. “Who will manage my estates

when I die?” “Should I leave all the investments I have made all these years?” These questions are normal to ask as you grow older. As age catches up, you begin to worry about prostate cancer, cervical and breast cancer etc. Life changes as one grows older.

RetirementMany people dread retirement. As a matter of fact, retirement will catch up with almost everyone as long as we are not static but growing. The word “retirement” is not welcome to some who are nearing the retirement age. Retirement might mean no more income, no related benefits, no more living in an institutional house or driving an institutional vehicle. Life can change when retirement sets in.

DivorceDivorce affects the couple and the children. Members of the extended family and the community are equally affected. Even before the effect is manifest in the lives of children, it has devastating effects on the couple themselves. The divorced individuals go through traumatic situations to the extent that if not well handled, can lead to suicide and unbecoming behavior.

HOW TO MANAGE CHANGEChange that affects individuals is more traumatic than change that occurs in a group. When life hits hard, it becomes difficult to make ends meet and sometimes, one has a hard time balancing life.

Here are some ways you can cope with change:

Seek Professional HelpSome developments that hit on human beings need professionals to handle. If it is a medical issue, seek medical advice to help you arrest your situation. If it is a financial, marital, educational, or spiritual issue, it is important to seek help in the respective areas. They say “a problem shared is a problem solved.” Do not hide in a cocoon when life is eating up your bone marrow. Seek help from those you can confide in. When you seek professional help, you are likely to make it through your situation faster.

Make Personal AdjustmentsWhen life has changed on you, do not continue with appearances as though all is well. If you lost your bread winner, you cannot continue life as usual. You need to make adjustments in terms of house rentals. If you were living in an expensive house, but now you do not have the same income, you just have to adjust to a house you are able to rent. If children were in expensive schools, you have to sit and explain to them about the change. Sometimes, we can even go for two meals in a day in order to survive. All in all, when there is significant change in the family, you have to make significant adjustments.

Look for a Supportive FriendThere are times when life can be hard. In such moments, look for a friend you can share burdens with. Friends will make you laugh and friends will give you

comfort in times of distress. You don’t have to live like a maverick. Associate with people. Don’t build walls around yourself but, build bridges. People are the bridge that can help you cross over to another side of life. Create social networks were you can be kept busy. Associate with people because they can help you out in your personal problems.

Don’t Blame Yourself ForeverIn life, things can press on us based on our own wrong decisions and choices. There are times when we are in terrible situations because we did not pay attention to advice from other people. Probably you married a fellow who was never accepted by your family, and today your marriage is in deep waters. Or you invested wrongly and your business has failed to take off. Or you are in a career that is not giving you satisfaction because you defied guidance. In other words, in life we may find ourselves in predicaments that could have been avoided if we had listened. Today, we are reaping the consequences of our choices. When it is so, don’t blame yourself too much. Just stand up and pick up broken pieces and begin life afresh. You cannot gather spilt milk. Someone said: “Never blame any day in your life. Good days give happiness. Bad days give experience. Both days are essential.”

Commit Your Life in the Hands of GodPeople can desert you when you are in a fix. Employers may not be there for you. Sometimes, even

your family can forsake you. But there is a friend for all seasons, and that Man is Jesus Christ. He is Emmanuel meaning God with us. He will never forsake you. He has promised in His Word: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). You are never alone. Keep close to God in your darkest moments and He will never let you down. Osteen (2011) reveals: “When one door closes, God will always open another. If all the doors close, He’ll open a window.”

ALL IN ALLChange is inevitable. Novelist Mark Twain said, “The only person who likes change is a wet baby.” Every living thing in the world experiences change. Change is the essence of living. The fact that change is inevitable, entails that the ability to manage change is critically important in the life of any human being. It serves as a vehicle to cope with life circumstances. When life throws hard knocks at you; remember this: “And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28, NIV).

REFERENCESCarr, D.K., Hard, K.J., and Trahant, W.J. (1996). Managing the Change Process. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Osteen, J. (2011). Everyday a Friday. Faith Words, New York.

Daniel ChuungaWC President

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WOODLANDS CONFERENCE DONATES TO GOVERNMENT TO COMBAT COVID-19 IN ZAMBIA

Woodlands Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Zambia joined government efforts to combat the COVID-19 disease in Zambia by donating K30,000.00 Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) towards the fight against COVID-19 through its headquarters, the Southern Zambia Union Conference (SZBU).

SZBU President Dr. Harrington Simui Akombwa made the donation of K160,000.00 to government on April 10th, 2020 on behalf of the church in Southern Zambia Union Conference, which was broadcast on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC). This donation by SZBU was contributed by Lusaka based organisations of the Union as follows: Woodlands Conference K30,000; Lusaka Conference K30,000; Adventist Book Center K10,000; Eye Hospital, Hope Channel Zambia, ZAP, and LAC combined K40,000; and the Union office K60,000. Rusangu University also donated two scholarships for

Environmental Health for frontline workers through Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ).

Speaking after the donation was made, Chief Financial Officer Jowitt Mudenda expressed happiness with the commitment by Woodlands Conference to help fight this global pandemic.

“We, the church, as a corporate citizen, make this contribution to see that the spread of COVID-19 is stemmed. The Seventh-day Adventist Church members live in the community and the people affected are our members, and the people that we serve are not only our members but the community in which the Church serves. So, for this contribution that we have donated, it’s a true expression of commitment of the Church living as a good corporate citizen as well as at individual level. As a Church, we do not want to be so heavenly minded so that we become of no earthly value because we live in the community that needs, and works with the Church,” emphasized Elder Mudenda.

Pastor Hamweene, the Personal

Ministries Director added, “The Church is part of the greater society, and when a challenge befalls a nation, it befalls everybody. Woodlands Conference, with the idea to help the government in fighting COVID-19 is a response that is timely. It goes without saying, that helping one is helping all.”

This is a crucial time in the history of humanity, and Zambia has not been spared from the effects of this pandemic. We all need to do whatever it takes to ensure we overcome this battle. The coronavirus, if not stemmed, will have a huge, negative impact on the most vulnerable communities, and poses a risk to efforts and progress to defeat poverty.

Joed ShangalaWC Communications Director

Church Membership

Audit 2020Comprehensive

ApproachThe Adventist Church is one of the fastest growing churches in the world in terms of numerical growth, and particularly on the African continent. One of the irresistible facts is that evangelism in all facets, either public, publishing or

personal witnessing, has some of the most amazing stories on the continent of Africa in comparison to other parts of the world. As one church leader would say without fear

of contradiction, “the church in Africa may have received missionaries from the

United States at the turn of the 19th Century but, now the Church must begin to send missionaries to the first world and the western Europe, where the current Church’s picture looks dark and dim.”

Notwithstanding the incredible story of the Church in Africa, the general picture of membership loss at the global level is heartbreaking. Whereas from the founding of the Church by the pioneers in the mid-19th Century, the Church has had at least forty million adherents baptised, 150 years later, the Church barely has twenty million members on its records. It also goes without saying, that 20-30% of our members on the current records seem not to be located. In other words, and simply put, we have staggering figures of missing members on our church rolls.Some of the problems that have caused this type of loss are laissez-faire approach to the nurturing of new members. The Church does not seem to think that it has the major responsibility to keep those it brings. For the past quinquennium, the Evangelism Department had one of the rallying mottos: ‘Each One, Win One, Lose None’ and the other has been ‘to win, to keep, to train and to send’. These are the demonstration and indication that the church’s evangelism program is structured in a healthy style, and is in fact comprehensive, but, on the ground, the winning supersedes all the others.

It is this unhealthy approach to the growth of the Church that has given it the picture of two steps forward and one step backwards. As a matter of urgency, the Church leadership from the highest level of its mission has come up with the program of church membership audit. The church conducts financial audits and gives reports on the prudence of the utlisation of the funds. Therefore, how much more attention should the Church give to the audit of souls for which the Saviour died?

Why Church Membership Audit: Objective of the Ongoing Membership

Audit ProgramThe why of the audit is to develop an ongoing audit program that will maintain the up-to-date membership in the Church. Secondly, its purpose is to keep the names of the members who are weak in faith and need urgent assistance, before the decision to remove them from the Church registry. Thus, much more than just achieving a clean and updated record, the program is actually to foster an effective nurturing spirit in the Church.

How: Church Membership AuditThe first point to approach this is to have in place a Special Audit Team (SAT) special group consisting of the Pastor, the Elder, Church Clerk, Treasurer, and two or three members depending on the size of the church. All these members must have a very clear knowledge of the members in general, and must have the desire to see that those won to Christ are kept in the church and not lost.

The functions of this team include the following:

1. Verify all names in the church membership record and relating them to the five auxiliary lists. Frequent regular members, Non-Frequent regular members, members to transfer, members with unknown whereabouts and members to discipline and recover. The conclusive realisation of these lists would help the church have somewhere to begin from in looking for these members.

2. The second task would be to update, at least, on a quarterly basis all the five auxiliary registries updating the names according to changes to each member’s standing; however, never to remove the names from the record until the church

actually votes for their removal.

This provides the church an opportunity to get all the people in the church to their proper place.

3. The team must make sure that the auxiliary lists of the local church are up to date, and should be reviewed regularly with reports given through the clerk’s office to the Church board.

4. Use whatever means possible to find the whereabouts of the “missing” members. One good way to check and search for these members is by looking on the social media sites such as Facebook. It may be that these members have had poor attachment with the church but, can easily be located on their social networks.

5. The special audit team must always emphasize and provide/propose dynamic ways to the whole church on how we can maintain clean records but also all members either regular or not so regular on our records. We hope that we can continue to have unqualified or standard reports as far as souls are concerned, not only money.

The audit of church members is a responsibility for every child of God, baptised and professing to be followers of Christ. The question that the Lord posed to Cain in Genesis 4:9 ‘where is Abel thy brother?”. The missing members may be because we have not done enough to look for them or we have not provided an enabling environment for them to thrive. Whichever the case, we have the responsibility to search and find and keep our brothers and sisters as entrusted to us by the Lord.

Johnnie NamwakoWC Executive Secretary

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Tithe and Tax Claims

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A lot of things have been said about claiming the tax relating to the tithe remitted to the church from the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA). Conflicting statements without due care to context have been issued by different sections of society who may or may not have clear understanding of the ZRA practice on how to claim the tax. It is with this background that this article has been crafted to assist anyone who would want to make a claim. It’s my humble prayer that this article will be understandable and not obtrude in any way, one’s faith.

First things first.All income resulting from one’s employment (Emoluments/Remuneration) is subject to Income Tax under the Pay As You Earn System (PAYE). This tax is deducted at source and remitted to the ZRA by the employer. For the self-employed, a tax is computed on the taxable profits as computed under the income tax rules, which are mainly based on the source of income. This article will focus on the income earned by someone in formal employment and is subject to PAYE.

When computing the tax liability of the employee, there are certain allowable deductions that are taken into consideration in arriving at the chargeable income. Such allowable deductions include donations to approved charitable organizations such as the church. These donations reduce one’s taxable income so that tax is computed at the income net of the allowable deductions. However, since tithe is normally paid by the employee, the Tax (PAYE) computed by the employer does not take into account this allowable deduction (The Tithe) when computing the tax liability that an employer pays on behalf of the employee on a month to month basis. It

is for this reason that ZRA allows the employees to claim the excess tax that was paid without deducting the Tithe remitted to the church.

An example of tax without tithe being taken into consideration:Let us say Mr. Ragnar earns a gross monthly pay of K14,000.00, his tax computation will look like this:

Basic Pay K 10,000Allowances K 4,000Gross Pay K 14,000

Chargeable Income K14, 000Less DeductionsNAPSA @ 5% of gross pay K 700National Health Insurance @1% K 100PAYE as per computation below K 3,755Total Deductions K4,555

Net Pay /Take home K9, 445

Tax Bands Chargeable Income Tax Rate Tax Due

First K3,300.00 @ 3,300 0% 0

Next K3,300.01 but not 800 25% 200 exceeding K4,100.00

Next K4,100.01 but not 2,100 30% 630 exceeding K6,200.00

K6,200.00 and Above 7,800 37.5% 2,925

Total Tax payable 3,755

The scenario above shows us the computation of tax without taking into account the tithe and offering Mr. Ragnar pays.

Mr. Ragnar returns a faithful tithe and offering of K2,800 (Tithe K1,400 and Offering K1,400) and he makes a claim on the tax component that takes into account his tithe and offering (donation to approved charitable organisation).

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Thus, the new computation is as follows:

Basic Pay K 10,000Allowances K 4,000Gross Pay K 14,000Less Allowable DeductionsTithe & Offerings (K 2, 800)Chargeable Income K 11, 200Less DeductionsNAPSA @ 5% of gross pay (K 700)National Health Insurance @1% (K 100)PAYE as per computation below (K 2,705)Total Deductions (K3,505)

Net Pay /Take home K10, 495

Tax Bands Chargeable Income Tax Rate Tax Due

First K3,300.00 @ 3,300 0% 0

Next K3,300.01 but not 800 25% 200 exceeding K4,100.00

Next K4,100.01 but not 2,100 30% 630 exceeding K6,200.00

K6,200.00 and Above 7,800 37.5% 1,875

Total Tax payable 2,705

You will note that the new tax is less than the earlier one computed without taking tithe into account. The former leads to a diminution (reduction) of the net pay while the latter increases the net pay. So what Mr. Ragnar claims is the difference in the tax paid.

TaxInitial Tax computed and remitted K 3, 755New Tax computed after considering K 2, 705Tithe and OfferingsDifference to be claimed K 1, 050

Net Pay Net Pay Before tithe and Offering Consideration K 9, 445Net Pay after tithe and Offering Consideration K 10, 495

Difference to be claimed K 1, 050

Clearly, what is being claimed is the exact amount of tax deducted without the tithe aspect in the calculation.

To put things in perspective, what is claimed from ZRA is the extra tax component and not the tithe. The tithe, if taken into account, reduces the tax liability in the second computation. Please, note that in order to make this claim

one is required to provide authentic receipts from the charitable organisation, pay slips from the employer to ZRA. Based on these documents, re-computation is done so as to determine what the tax would have been had the tithe and offering been considered. Ideally, it is better to make this claim at the close of the year as opposed to every month to reduce the administration time one would need to visit the ZRA offices.

Therefore, none should feel guilty of bilking (defrauding), it’s just a claim on your net pay and not the tithe as is mostly understood by many.

I trust that many will be assisted in understanding the tax claims that are made from ZRA concerning those made by a certain section of the church community. In case you need help on the matter, consult with the members that have understanding in the Tax matters or visit the ZRA help desk. We are also available to assist where possible. Keep safe from the COVID19 and stay under God’s Protection (Psalm 91:1)

Jowitt MudendaWC Chief Financial Officer

| Stewardship Desk Dr. Clement N. Imolo

TURNING ADVERSITies INTO ADVANTAGES

The dismal state of the world economy must be the propeller of visionary activities for every existing church organisation. Financial setbacks are knocking on the doors of our families, churches and countries during this COVID-19 pandemic. Preparation for hardships is no longer an option but an imperative. From the time COVID-19 started spreading, I have been asking myself whether I was dreaming or this was the global reality. Our situation now

is even called, “the new normal” because it has come to stay.

A man by the name of Henningsen once said, “The Governments worldwide want us to believe that the worst

is behind us because the financial system is built upon the

foundation of trust and confidence. Both

of these were battered badly when it was shown

that much of the world’s prosperity over the past

few decades were simply a mirage that, once dispersed,

left behind only debt with no means of future production.

Now they want us to believe that they fixed

the problem via more debt.” Henningsen

Steve, Chief Investment

Strategist and Partner,

The Wealth Conservancy in Boulder, CO.

Can the picture be the same with

COVID-19? How can the picture change with so much debt problems facing advanced economies, including USA and the European Union? Where is our hope? God’s Word repeatedly warns us to be prepared for storms of every kind. In the book of Matthew 7: 24-27 we find the parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders. In this parable, both houses were hit by the storm, both the wise and the foolish builders experienced trials. The wise builder must do more than hearing God’s Word; he must put it into practice.

Our true hope should not be in a recovery, but a revival. A revival is a sincere turning back to God’s ways and wholeheartedly embracing our personal need for Him. God’s Word is a sure guide for every economic scenario. It covers all contingencies. The good news is that Christians can do well in any economic circumstance. To do well means to be a good and faithful steward of the resources God entrusts to you; to be prudent and watchful. That is our part; He is responsible for the results. For Christians, this means we must filter out the ungodly advice that competes for our minds. We must discern the narrow path of God’s ways, ignoring the broader path of the world. From the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builder, it is obvious that doing well means building your house upon the rock, not sand. But who or what are the rock and the sand? Contrary to popular belief, the rock is not your bank account. If you imagine that God only spares those who have a large stockpile of resources, you would be wrong. The rock in this parable is Christ, of course, and the sand is anything else – a big salary, high net worth, or a leveraged lifestyle.

God is not against planning or wise financial moves, but doing well in any economy means keeping your heart faithful to serve God, even in the midst of crisis. Too much emphasis, even by Christians, is placed upon financial success. It’s causing a great deal of needless worry and stress. In the next issue, we will go to the Bible to see how others prepared to turn adversities into advantages for economic events of biblical proportions. We will look at Joseph who began a seven-year program of preparation for the anticipated crisis or adversity.

Clement ImoloWC Stewardship Director

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OUTREACH ACTIVITY

Our Departmental Theme “A Ministry for Every Woman: Touch a Heart, Reach My World” took us to Chongwe District Hospital on 28th May 2020 for an evangelistic visit. A group of ten women represented the Department as they

paid a visit to the women who were hospitalised there. The initial plan was to show support to the women in the hospital, gladly, they managed to cover all the patients in the hospital at the time; women, men and children, including the hospital staff. We were carrying out a mission to intervene socially, spiritually and emotionally in the lives of the patients during their admission in the hospital, and supplying them with love packs. The packs consisted of bath soap, washing detergent, body lotion, toothpaste, cotton wool, two toilet rolls, sanitizer, and re-usable clothe face masks. The sanitisers and face masks were given to help the patients protect themselves from exposure to Covid-19, a pandemic which has caused loss of life around the world, including Zambia.

By touching the lives of persons in need wherever they are, we create a lasting friendship and relationship which eventually leads to winning souls for God’s kingdom by repeated visits. It is important that hospital visits are packaged with messages of encouragement and consolation. In order to provide maximum effect of the spiritual part of the visit, we invited the presence of our resident District Pastor

for Chalimbana Mission District, Pastor Bristol Mwakalombe, to help share God’s Word to the patients and assure them that illness was not a punishment from God, and that our God was in control of whichever situation they were going through. Prayers were also offered as we went around handing over the love packs (hampers) to everyone, and at the same time, assuring them that God answers prayer.

Another area we engaged our patients in is the education and understanding of Covid-19, and the regulations that have been put in place by the Government through the Ministry of Health to protect the public from being infected with this virus. This is where the use of face masks and hand sanitisers was explained, to their satisfaction. The patients appreciated the visit, gifts and our interactions with them. We were also grateful to our Pastor for his part, and The Health Director and Management of the hospital, for allowing us to visit the institution and show our love and care, during this sensitive time.

Charity NgondoWC Women Ministries Director

| Women Ministries Mrs. Charity Ngondo

they saw the harmonious chain of truth, the Bible was to them a new book; they hugged it to their hearts with grateful joy, while their countenances were all aglow with happiness and holy joy.

These were not satisfied with merely enjoying the light themselves, and they began to work for others.

Some made great sacrifices for the truth’s sake and to help those of the brethren who were in darkness. The way is thus preparing to do a great work in the distribution of the tracts and papers in other languages. - Life Sketches, pp 214, 215 (1915)

Books Taken from ShelvesIt is true that some who buy books will lay them on the shelf or place them on the parlor table and seldom look at them. Still God has a care for His truth, and the time will come when these books will be sought for and read. Sickness or misfortune may enter the home, and through the truth contained in the books God sends to troubled hearts peace and hope and rest. His Love is revealed to them, and they understand the preciousness of the forgiveness of their sins. Thus, the Lord co-operates with His self-denying workers. Testimonies for the Church, Ellen White, Volume 6, pp 313, 314

The promises of God are sure and they will remain eternally.

Morgan ChibalaWC Publishing Director

| Publishing Pst. Morgan Chibala

MEET THE WCLITERATUREEVANGELISTCHAMPIONThe Publishing Ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist is one of the most effective ways of evangelism to prepare people for the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ. The Ministry has men and women who have wholeheartedly hearkened to the call of the Master to go and blow the trumpet in the four corners of the world. As Woodlands Conference Publishing Ministry, among many, we have decided to share the blessings of one Literature Evangelist, Mrs. Harriet Lukata Mwila, who is married to an ordained Elder, Mr Marshal Mwila from Woodlands Central Church. This gallant soldier of the cross, a mother of three children has dedicated her life to bringing many to the fold of Jesus Christ through scattering books like leaves of autumn. She is among the many who are canvassing in Woodlands Conference and beyond the territory. What makes her ministry unique is the importance she attaches to the special calling God has extended in her life.

The performance of Literature Evangelist Harriet Lukata Mwila is a blessing to people who receive truth-filled literature, and helping them make decisions for eternity. The year 2019 saw the credentialed literature evangelist sell K153, 704.62 worth of books. In addition, Bible studies conducted with customers were 96, prayers offered numbered 186, free literature given out stands at 383, exhibitions held were 2800, baptised people were 2, attending services among customers were 7, and former SDAs she interacted with were 2. This picture shows how effective this method of evangelising

(literature evangelism) is in these last days of the world’s history.

Power of the Pen The pen is a power in the hands of men who feel the truth burning upon the altar of their hearts, and who have an intelligent zeal for God, balanced with sound judgment. The pen, dipped in the fountain of pure truth can be the beams of light to dark corners of the earth, which will reflect its rays back, adding new power, and giving increased light to be scattered everywhere. - Life Sketches, Ellen White, p. 214 (1915)

Influence of Our Publication I have been shown that our publications should be printed in different languages and sent to every civilised country, at any cost. What is the value of money at this time, in comparison with the value of souls? I have been shown that the press is powerful for good or evil. This agency can reach and influence the public mind as no other means can. The press, controlled by men who are sanctified to God, can be a power indeed for good in bringing men to the knowledge of the truth…CM149

Searching with Prayers and TearsI saw them holding papers and tracts in one hand, and the Bible in the other, while their cheeks were wet with tears; and bowing before God in earnest, humble prayer, to be guided into all truth; the very thing He was doing for them before they called upon Him. And when the truth was received in their hearts, and

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MRS. HARRIET LUKATA MWILA

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RUFUNSASEVENTHY-DAY ADVENTIST

CHURCH DEDICATED

The day of 1st March, 2020 is chronicled as a day to remember for the members of Rufunsa Seventh-day Adventist Church. On this special day, Rufunsa Church building was dedicated to the service of the Lord. Present at this eventful ceremony was the Honourable Member of Parliament for Rufunsa, Mrs. Sheal Mulyata; the Commissioner for Rufunsa District, Mrs. Judith Chama; Bishop John Mambo; Mr. Musonda Mukuntwe, Rufunsa District Administrative Officer; Former Agriculture and Livestock Permanent Secretary, Dr. David Shamulenge, and Headman Chipidani, to mention but a few.

Rufunsa was an unentered area not until June, 1990 when Evangelist Benson Musonda Kanfwanongo (now late) took the Advent Message there. Mr Kanfwanongo was a business man, selling second hand clothes commonly known as ‘salaula’. It was while conducting the door to door selling of ‘salaula’ that he started preaching the Adventist Message to his customers.

When the number of those who showed interest in the Adventist Message and desire to worship reached 7, a Sabbath School branch was organised at Brother Hoson Hakoma’s house in Rufunsa resettlement scheme. The Church since then, has seen growth from a membership of 7 congregants to 111 baptised members.

In July, 1991, Rufunsa Adventist Branch was

organised into a Company. In May, 2006 the company was organized into a Church by Dr. Chuunga who was Central Zambia Conference Stewardship Director then, now Woodlands Conference President.

Speaking during the Church dedication, the District Commissioner, Mrs. Judith Chama thanked and commended the Church for such worthwhile works.

Mrs. Chama said, “The government through the District Commissioner of Rufunsa is delighted with the development which will enable the Rufunsa Seventh-day Adventist Church to continue providing spiritual and social services aimed at transforming and contributing to the development of our District. Government views the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a formidable partner in national development for it plays an essential role in uniting the people of Zambia.” She further said, “I call upon the Church to continue giving counsel, direction to us civic leaders, and to continue to advocate for peace in Zambia.”

Speaking later, Mrs. Sheal Mulyata, also expressed her gratitude to the Church leaders for inviting her to celebrate, alongside her people the dedication of the Church building.

She further said, “The dedication of this church is such a blessing and a joy to us people of Rufunsa. Many thanks to the leadership of Dr. Chuunga and the team

for such wisdom. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a voice for the people and the voice of God on matters of right and wrong.” In expressing her gratitude, she and the husband Mr. Mulyata, donated K1,000.00 to the Church for achieving such a big task. She further pledged to attend this year’s camp-meeting.

In conclusion she implored, “I have one plea. My plea is that you remember me in your prayers.”

In response to the two civic leaders’ speeches, Dr Chuunga thanked them for their presence and for the gifts rendered to Rufunsa Church.

Dr Daniel Chuunga led out in the dedication litany during the event. Speaking later on in the day, He called upon Rufunsa District Churches to emulate what Rufunsa Church had done. He also charged Rufunsa Church members to, not only dedicate the building to the Lord, but to also dedicate their lives to the Lord; a life of dedication, commitment and service.

He added, “We the Seventh-day Adventist Church are resolved in supporting the government of the day. For it is a Biblical injunction that leadership comes from God. We as a Church, are resolved to partner with the government in the welfare of all Zambians.”

Joed ShangalaWC Communications Director

18 |

When COVID-19 was first reported in the world in December 2019, it seemed as though the disease would ravage only the western world. Little did we expect that the disease would reach Africa and Zambia in the shortest possible time. Today, COVID 19 is a global pandemic. Given the declaration by the World Health Organization, COVID 19 is here to stay and may not “vanish in thin air” as others have speculated. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has long proclaimed the imminent return of Jesus Christ. It has emphasized that the order of things are to wax worse and worse before Christ returns. It is evident that the signs that mark His coming will include pestilences and or diseases of sorts (Luke 21:11). Hence, the onset of these disturbing diseases occasioned by cocktails of viruses, germs and bacteria remind us of the validity and reliability of God’s inspired Word. The church therefore ought not to fear but courageously proclaim the gospel in spite of apparent limitations imposed by social distancing and quarantine measures.

On 4th April 2020, the Woodlands Conference Evangelism Committee held its first Zoom meeting in which a spectrum of ideas were put together. It has become necessary to craft all the strategies into one document. Therefore, the leadership of Woodlands Conference in consultation with the Southern Zambia Union Conference is providing guidelines to its pastors, elders, church leaders and members on Evangelism and discipleship Strategies to be employed during the COVID 19 pandemic. There is need

to be innovative and electronically enlightened to enhance evangelism programs during COVID-19. The lockdown of economies, whether partial or full, has restricted interaction with people for evangelism. There is no doubt that electronic communication is unavoidable. Thus, most of the strategies herein border on media and technology. A few of them are conventional methods that can be employed anywhere and especially in rural settings where access to telecommunication and the internet may be a challenge.

1. Livestreaming via Facebook: Live Streaming literally signifies airing content simultaneously with recording it in real time. Facebook may have its own challenges but it has proven to be an effective platform for reaching out to masses in record time. Through Facebook churches in the city can maintain some form of virtual contact and worship. Funeral services, evangelistic campaigns and trainings can be conducted quite easily.

2. Television: This involves soliciting for air space or paying for time on various television platforms beginning with our own Hope Channel Zambia as well as other TV stations such as CBC, Prime, and ZNBC. This calls for church boards and business meetings to agree on budgets as well as frequency of recordings.

3. Radio: This is an old-tested method that affords live airing or pre-recorded content via radio waves. In Luangwa, Chongwe and Lusaka, this method has proven effective already.

4. Telephone/Cellular Phone & SMS: Calling target individuals as well as using short messages to reach members and would-be members alike is yet another cost efficient and easy method. Fortunately, mobile phones are a dominant phenomenon in Zambia and our local Conference even among children and youth.

5. WhatsApp: This technology affords the broadcasting of bulk text, voice notes and or videos to masses within the shortest possible time. Since WhatsApp is available on Android and iOS devices through their respective platforms i.e. play-store and Appstore, all that is required is the downloading of the App in order to send and receive messages.

6. Tweeting: A Tweet is a message sent via Tweeter. This platform is good for communicating short and to the point messages from the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy or any other spiritual nugget. Though Tweeter is not as popular as Facebook or WhatsApp, it is a very efficient avenue of reaching influential clusters of people locally and globally.

7. Digital Canvassing: You can share spiritual content on your social media profiles or through messaging and email. It can be anything (picture, text, video, blog, sermon, etc.) - just be sure to include with it a personalised message about how it impacted you. Your friends and followers can scroll past it or choose to engage when it’s convenient for them. For people stuck at home with time on their hands, social media may be their main source of entertainment and connection. This creates opportunities

EVANGELISM STRATEGIESIN THE WAKE OFCOVID-19

for us to share and reach people everywhere.

8. YouTube: YouTube is one of the most powerful educational influences of our time. It is relatively easy for individuals, ministries, and churches to create a channel and upload relevant information in form of Bible studies, sermons and musical performances.

9. Zoom Meetings: The Zoom platform provides videotelephony and online chat services through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software and is used for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education, and social relations. Through zoom, sermons, music, seminars, and other educational endeavors may be met remotely. Through Zoom, administrators, pastors, elders etc. can keep in touch with layers beneath them.

10. Blogging: A blog (shortening of “weblog”) is an online journal or informational website displaying information in the reverse chronological order, with the latest posts appearing first. It is a platform where a writer or even a group of writers share their views on an individual subject. This method is ideal for Bible Studies.

11. Compact Discs (CD’s): May convey music, sermons, and text-based information that lead individuals closer to God. In the event that sermons are shared via CD, it is advisable to insert a decision card with contact details to the coordinating congregation.

12. Digital Video Disc (DVD’s): May equally convey music, sermons, and text-based information that lead individuals closer to God. DVD’s can accommodate volumes of information in all kinds of formats.

13. Road Side Banners & Digital Bill Boards: Often these are platforms that are paid for to municipalities. Unless erected inside church grounds along busy highways, you would have to obtain authorization to do so. Through digital billboards messages of hope can be floated e.g. “God is still

in control” or “God watches over our city”

14. Announcement Vans and Trucks: These facilities are available through the local councils or privately but authorised by the departments of government concerned.

15.Literature: Literature evangelism or Canvassing as it is commonly called is a viable method of reaching multitudes. Since evangelists do not have to worry about developing content, the focus is on finding interests and supplying the literature.

16. Discover Bible School: Though this falls under literature, for purposes of this document, the VOP lessons can be seen separately as a lucrative strategy during COVID-19. The fulfilment of this strategy calls for operationalising the department of VOP at the local church where markers and distributors are clearly outlined.

17. Personal Witnessing: This is the best form of evangelism. Physical distancing does not mean that we have to grow apart. The idea of OMOS – “One member one soul” or “each one reach one” finds fulfilment here. It is not always that personal witnessing has to involve crossing one’s street. It may have to do with reaching out to your maid, teacher, worker, work-mate, supplier etc.

18. Community Service Outreach: This is all about having eyes and ears – being able to hear and to see what is going on in our community. Needs abound in the community. Such matters as nakedness, hunger, thirst, lack of shelter, destitution etc. require a church that is attentive and disinterested in self-serving.

19. Small Groups: A small group is a group of people ranging from 3-15 who have a common goal. The objectives of small groups should be evangelism, nurture, community service and fellowship. Small groups allow for distancing while achieving its purpose in soul winning and discipleship.

20. Health Expositions: These have

proved effective overtime. In the wake of COVID 19, it is advisable to cooperate or collaborate with government or private health institutions in a given local area and to seek clearance from authorities before embarkation.

CONCLUSIONWe hope that these guidelines will be a starting point or continuing point in the proclamation of the saving message. Decisions made as a result of combined effort, may not be seen now but will be revealed in the course of time. We implore all to carefully go through this document and implement as many strategies as possible.

Highten HamweeneWC Personal Ministries Director

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The date of 20th June, 2020 will forever be remarkable in the ministry of Woodlands Conference Youth Director, Pastor Joed Shangala. Amid the wake of the scourge which has taken many a precious soul across

the globe, Pastor Shangala heeded the highest calling and convened a spectacular army of gospel front liners at Lusaka’s Mulungushi International Conference Centre. Following the guidelines provided by the World Health Organisation, all attendants were masked up and had their hands sanitised.

The ceremony was witnessed by Woodlands Conference President, Dr. Daniel Chuunga, among other leaders of the Church. In the morning service, Dr. Chuunga presented five nuggets which cemented the Senior Youth Leader training which had began on 6th March, 2020 at Kings Palace, where intensive training and mentorship was conducted. Some of these nuggets included self-management; that the call to leadership required leaders to amass all the knowledge, and to keep learning. He urged the audience to practice the Golden Rule as amplified in Matthew 7:12. Leaders were also urged to stand for the truth, drawing lessons from the Hebrew boys, and that each leader’s uniqueness should be appreciated. In closing, Dr Chuunga encouraged leaders to leave a mark, reminiscing on the recent memory of Brother Chris

Chisankama, who had earlier embarked on the SLY training, but had suddenly passed away before he could complete the work.

The Southern Zambia Union Conference Executive Secretary, Dr. Vanny Munyumbwe, charmed the youthful audience with his charisma as he spoke vehemently, at Main Service. His message was drawn from Luke 1:34-38. He considered The Highest Calling (Woodlands Conference’s running theme), formulating a subtitle, “How Can This Be?” He narrowed down on the times and variations of the Master Guide training in past and recent times, drawing parallels; the training in recent times has taken up a sophisticated turn, yet amid, all that had been covered in the curricula, there remained work to do. The work of soul winning.

Dr Munyumbwe touched on ringing reminders; all of us are the children of God, He has a plan and purpose for our lives, and He provides everything to accomplish His will for His Church in His time as He works in partnership with human agents. In closing, he said, that accepting the Lordship of Jesus Christ begins the adventure and partnership

First EverSenior Youth Leader

INVESTITURE SERVICE

Imate Bruno NyambeWoodlands Conference Youth

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with Him. Dr. Chuunga, then, offered a dedicatory prayer. Elder Nchimunya S. Chikuni bore the heavy responsibility of presenting the candidates before the Youth Director to be charged to duty.

In presenting the candidates, Elder Chikuni gave a brief background of the SYL training, stating it was launched mid-year of 2018 in Germany and later adopted by the SID in 2019 at a Youth Congress in East Africa - Baraton University. They were assessed by a committee amid the Covid-19

pandemic, and this was a testimony to the candidates’ love for youth ministry. Our Highest Calling is their anchor and drive. The young and old, differently abled, were presented for a charge. First in the order of command was the Woodlands Conference Youth Executive Committee, followed by the multitudes gathered from across the conference. Among the notables was a throng of Jubilees mostly from Kabulonga Mission District, they were glamorously clad in their uniforms, gloriously marching to receive the

charge. One notable graduate is James Mambo Mufalari, he appeared before the Director for the charge even, as he struggled to make his way to the podium on clutches. His devotion and dedication to ministry left the audience in awe. Midlands East Zambia Conference, was represented by select executive members who were instrumental throughout the investiture ceremony.

The Promise and Davis Mulaya mesmerized the audience with music.

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An Indebted Generation

Out of six people I randomly asked the question ‘Do you have any debt?’ only one said they had no debt. When

I further on tried to probe what they had gotten that debt for and if they had developed a money making investment off of it, none answered in the affirmative. In their defence, one had wanted to build a rental but the money was exhausted before it finished and two said they had bought land which they thought will bring returns in the future. One of the respondents,

a single mom soon to retire, had two debts - the first was gotten a

few years ago and had amounted to K18,000. This was a loan that would last 60 months at K1,700 per month. Eighteen thousand Kwacha looks like a small amount but a quick calculation made me realise that in 5 years she will have coughed up an entire K102 000 which is 5.7 times her initial amount. Imagine that. So, you see how in today’s world it is so easy to become indebted, with all these credit companies following

salaried employees into their offices. However, when the chickens come home to roost indeed every pay day becomes a nightmare one doesn’t wake from.

What Is Debt?Someone said that debt is

living today on money we expect to earn tomorrow. The bible says

that ‘The rich rule over the poor and the borrower is slave to the lender.’

Proverbs 22:7. In other words when you wake up in the morning to go to your K10 000 per month job and you

are servicing a K4000 per month loan, know that 8 of your 20 working days per month you are waking up to pay back that loan. And it adds up - imagine doing that for five years, or ten. In Zambia today money is very expensive, bank interest rates and other unseen charges soon become unbearable. Many live pay check to pay check with no hope for a better future. Young marriages are on the rocks today because of financial problems. Many have gone to an early grave because their hearts failed them with problems related to debt. Relationships have been destroyed irrevocably because one fails to repay a debt they owe to a friend or a cousin.

So, does this mean all debt is bad? You decide. With a little bit of planning and forethought, many things that we traditionally purchase on credit can be bought for cash. Especially if an item is a depreciating asset. Saving up K5,000 monthly for a year or a year and half to be able to afford a dotcom car is wiser than going for a showroom car that will set you back for almost a third of your salary for the next 5 years. Yes, you will get a few ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ the first two weeks and then once the brand new smell wears off, reality hits. When a child is born in a home for example, putting away a little amount every month may mean one may never have to worry about school fees.

It has been rationalized that when one is purchasing or building a home, credit money is a necessity. Also, sometimes businesses require huge lines of capital injection and that may mean one resorts to loans “As long as the business is profitable and it can pay for itself and you make a plan to pay back quicker than your allowed time, indebtedness may actually grow you.”

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Not everyone who wants a mortgage should get it. Homeownership comes with serious responsibilities. The prices of houses and plots in the prime areas of Lusaka are through the roof and home ownership may mean you buy in the outskirts which will mean a long daily commute to work. When you are set on homeownership though, ensure that you put in a large down payment or if you are building ensure that a good portion of the land purchase and house building is done with your own funds and obtain a loan that will allow you to quickly finish the house. It is not wise to continue paying rent while servicing a building loan.

Mrs. White, in her counsel about the tyranny of debt says that many borrow and borrow again and again and become overwhelmed with debt when they could have easily managed by learning to live within their means and practicing economy and self denial.

The Bible neither expressly forbids nor condones the borrowing of money. The wisdom of the Bible teaches us that it is usually not a good idea to go into debt. (Romans 13 vs 7,8; Hebrews 13 vs 5; Psalm 37 vs 21).

The Value of Time and Compound InterestIt is important to pay attention to the way banks make their money (they lend out money at a cost higher than the value of that money). The longer the repayment time, the higher the interest one pays back. You can actually turn the equation back and be the bank. Do you know that if you plan ahead for a large purchase, you could actually save up in a high yielding account and then withdraw both your principal and your interest at the right time? In fact, there is a growing trend among millennials in the developed world these days who save large amounts of money and make it grow exponentially to amounts that can allow them to retire early. In Zambia today some low risk investments that will help grow your money include the government paper (treasury bills and bonds) and investments with money lending companies such as Bayport and Finca. Having additional income from a part time job or investment are also great ways to help you achieve your dream without becoming indebted to anyone. For you who has just left college and

are in your twenties and thirties, study diligently how time and compound interest can make you grow. How they can change your family tree forever.

But I am Already in Debt, How Do I Get Out?Know that your life is going to be uncomfortable if you should make any progress. You can wander into debt but you cannot wander out. Like the gazelle of Proverbs 6 verse 5, you have to be very deliberate about it, muster all you have and run.

1. Do not accummulate anymore debt. Do spend wisely. You can’t get out of a hole if you continue digging the bottom of it. You cannot fill up a bucket if it has holes in it. Once you make that decision that you want to eliminate your debt, you ought to realise that your lifestyle needs to change. You can no longer get handbags for two months to pay from a colleague at work. This is not the time to plan a five star wedding. No fancy vacations or selfies at the international airport. No eating out and fancy black tie events that cost a thousand kwacha per ticket. In any case, many of the things we buy are unneeded; we end up hoarding them. Do not spend more than you earn. The deeper you sacrifice, the faster you will get out.

2. Establish a budget and record where all your money goes - this may sound like a cliche, and is easier said than done. However, it is extremely important. A budget means that you will be able to avoid what is unnecessary and it will eventually help you to only buy what you really need. With a budget you are able to tell your money what it must do instead of wondering where it went.

3. The diligent prosper - God is our provider. He has provided us with a brain and hands so that we work. Dave Ramsey, in his usual humorous manner says: ‘What is a great place to go when you are broke? Work!’ Counsels on Stewardship page 250 says ‘It is as wrong for you to fail to use your strength to the best advantage as it is for a rich man to retain his wealth selfishly.’ In this era of joblessness there are many things one can do self employed and still get good income. We have wrongly believed that the definition of resources is money. ‘I cannot do anything because I have no money.’ Are you sure?

4. The debt snowball - list all your debts from the largest to the smallest. Pay the minimum requirement on all of them but attack the smallest one regardless of the interest. Then attack the next smallest and so forth. This is about behaviour modification. Every time you achieve a milestone you will become more motivated. Until you can finally scream that you are debt free! The idea of repaying more money than the minimum monthly requirement is wisdom because it means in the long run less interest is paid. Whatever you pay extra above the minimum usually goes to the principal - it means that you have offset that part at that particular time without the interest required.

5. Sell your stuff - that showroom car, the unnecessary furniture, boxes of old clothes can all be sold and help you get out of debt quicker.

6. Do as God says. After all He is the owner of the cattle upon a thousand hills. And of the wisdom surrounding how we must handle money. He says we are to be stewards. This will ensure that we have our priorities right and our perspective clear. He says we are to return a faithful tithe. Nine tenths with God will always beat a full ten without Him any day. Treasures stored up in heaven will not rust, be stolen or eaten by moths. Do you remember the six people I talked about at the beginning of this article? Well they are all Christians. Only two of them said they returned a faithful tithe and it was so obvious how God had blessed them. These are great truths that should not be slighted. When we have understood this type of economics and thinking the Lord will prosper us. The promise in Malachi where He says He will keep the devourer away will be ours to claim and enjoy. So indeed, debt will no longer ensnare us when we have known how to align our priorities. May God help us.

Resources used: Our own experience (Japhet and I), Counsels on Stewardship, the Bible, Elder Ed G Reid and Dave Ramsey. I thank Dr V Samwinga for the guidance.

Lweendo N. Hamuyuni

PATHFINDERDAY WHERE DO I BELONG?

LUKE 15:22 | SEPT•20•2020 YOUTH.ADVENTIST.ORG