Come, Let Us Build LCCA!
Nehemiah once rode around the walls of Jerusalem to carefully evaluate their condition. (Nehemiah 2:11-20) He verified what he had heard: It’s time to rebuild. The leadership in the Lutheran Church of Central Africa in Malawi (LCCA-M) looked at the condition of the Synod and concluded the same:
It’s time to rebuild.
And so the news was sent out across the country of Malawi to the LCCA membership: “Come, let us build LCCA!” The theme of the Synod Convention hovers and waves overhead like a banner. It speaks of a vision and an action plan. Open doors and open hearts. Harvest fields of Malawi!
Determination.
Commitment.
Resolve.
But please don’t take the words wrongly. It could sound like another attempt at a modern day Tower of Babel. “Come let us make our name great!” (Genesis 11: 4) It’s not that. This isn’t a prideful attempt to build up the LCCA name. (We all know what happened the first time around in the plain in Shinar in Genesis 11:1-9).
The effort to build the LCCA is not about towers and walls but about men and women and children and ministry. It is not meant to rebel against God but to honor Him. This is the LCCA effort to raise the name, not of the LCCA, but that of Jesus Christ!
Out-going LCCA-M President Pastor R. Matope said it well and set the tone of the 2018 Convention with his opening remarks of his report to the Synod: “I thank Almighty God for his never ending love. Sometimes we became tired of serving God but God never stopped loving us. He has kept us for the past two years. He forgives our sins and assures us about our eternal home where we will enjoy eternal rest. He gave us the church so that through it his name should be known and our faith can be strengthened. He promised us to be with us always and this should give us zeal to forge ahead with the ministry.”
Ah, yes, zeal to forge ahead. Not so much with our own determination, commitment and resolve (we all know how well that works, huh!?) but with God’s. Look to the Lord and His strength! (Psalm 105: 4) The PROMISES and STRENGTH of God encouraged Nehemiah in his task and those same Twin Towers are encouraging us in ours.
So what’s the first thing Nehemiah did? Rally the men? Enlist the builders? Hand out shovels? Raise a hammer? Move a stone? Mark the boundaries?Even before he got on his horse, he got on his knees! “O, Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God…let your ear be attentive and your eyes open…I confess the sins we…including myself…have committed against you…we have not obeyed the commands…you gave…give your servant success today…”
A humble appeal to a mighty God.
An honest confession of sin.
Confidence that it is God who grants success.
And so with humility, repentance and confidence, the delegates met in Convention for two full days (25th and 26th September 2018). Before anything else came worship and prayer, confession and absolution, Word and Communion. Ah yes, God-given zeal to forge ahead! And forge ahead we did.
A new Constitution was engaged,1
New leaders were elected,2
Essays presented,3
Reports given and plans made.
In it all,
One was honored. (God!)
A name was raised. (Christ’s!)
Rebuilding begun (LCCA-M!)
You may not see the sign, but it’s there: “LCCA-M is Under Construction.”
Come, Let Us Build LCCA!
Missionary John Holtz
Your Malawi Mission Partner
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- The New Constitution had been previously prepared and presented at the Synod Convention in 2016 for approval; at that time it was voted that the Synod would officially begin to use it at the 2018 Synod Convention.
- Elected LCCA-M leaders:
- Chairman: Rev. Enock Mkowasenga.
- Secretary: Mr. Tendai Lusio.
- Treasurer: Mr. Stephen Baloyi.
- Appointed by the Synodical Council:
- Vice Chairman: Rev. Bright Pembeleka
- Essays:
- What is the Role of the Church and its members? (by Rev. Msowoya)
- The Role of Pastors in the LCCA. (by Rev. Jeffrey)
- Building the Body of Christ: The Role of WELS Missionaries in the LCCA-Malawi today. (By Missionary Roebke).