“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10)
I heard my pastor say those words many times, specifically after he blessed a new confirmand. A good reminder of the confirmands promise to stay faithful to the word of God, even to the point of death.
“Faithful”….that is a word that comes of mind to describe Pastor George Mpule, who was my pastor for 11 years in Ndola, Zambia. During times of growth, prosperity and joy in his church, he was faithful. During times of difficulty, suffering and struggle, he was faithful then too. His life is proof of that…
Pastor Mpule was not raised in a believing home, but when he was 24 years old he was invited to the Lutheran Church and heard the preaching of Missionary Mark Wendland. The Spirit was at work and George recognized that this preaching was different than the preaching he had heard before. What he was now hearing was the pure gospel, based on the Scriptures alone. Not long after he became a member of the Lutheran Church of Central Africa.
After serving as a faithful member for several years, in 1977 he was recommended by Pastor Mbulo to train for public ministry at the Lutheran Bible Institute. It was during this time that he met his wife Rose and they married in 1979. Their faithfulness to one another has been an example to countless young people in the last 40 years.
In 1980 Pastor Mpule was assigned as an Evangelist at Mwiimba and Sibbaba Congregation in Monze District. His quiet faithfulness caught the attention of Pastor Jeff Gunn, who in 1985 recommended Pastor Mpule for studies at the Lutheran Seminary. After studying for 3 years he was sent to Shabasonje Congregation, followed by the congregation at Seven, where he served as a Vicar for two years.
In 1990 Pastor Mpule saw the rewards of his hard work and faithful dedication, when he graduated from the Lutheran Seminary and was assigned to the congregation at Seven, where he had vicared. In 1992 Pastor Mpule accepted a call to Mt. Sinai in Ndola, where he served until 2003 when he accepted a call to Matero Congregation in Lusaka District.
Faithfully every Sunday, Pastor Mpule would literally point to the cross during the sermon and remind us that our sins are forgiven through faith in Jesus. It’s been 16 years since I was a member of Pastor Mpule’s congregation, but my husband and I recently had the opportunity to attend his church for his farewell/retirement from the public ministry, after faithfully serving his Lord for 39 years. Faithful…that is the word that sums up Pastor George Mpule. Blessings on your retirement, Pastor.
Karen Kroll and her husband Dan serve as missionaries to West Africa and are currently based in Malawi.
Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news and receive updates. Go to this link to learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/africa
