By Mike Holloway
WEST MONROE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist congregations get to celebrate being part of some wonderful ministries around the world. By giving through the Cooperative Program, we are part of God’s work around the globe.
But sometimes smaller congregations also wish they could do overseas missions “on their own,” too. However, it’s often difficult to do because of modest resources. Still, we learned at Ouachita Baptist Church that even with our moderately sized membership we could make a direct impact to the ends of the earth.
Three years ago, we were contacted on Facebook by an interpreter in Zambia who had assisted me during a week of evangelism there nearly two decades earlier. Edward Mulenga was now the pastor of “Word of Truth Ministries,” but the congregation had no building. Still, he simply asked us to partner with his church in prayer.
And we did.
Through that commitment, God began to move us to help these fellow believers, half a world away.
It was a step of faith for several reasons.
About 200 worshipers regularly gather each week in our West Monroe facilities. But 2020 was punctuated with COVID stay-at-home mandates. Also, we were engaged in a focused effort to pay off our debt.
But we moved forward purposely.
First, we made sure there were no doctrinal conflicts between our two congregations, in accordance with Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” When we confirmed our theological alignment, it spurred both congregations to even greater commitment in prayer.
Then, in 2022, Ouachita Baptist completed a six-year effort to gain financial freedom.
Even though our people had just finished an extended time of financial sacrifice to retire our debt, many came to me to give toward the $15,000 cost to build a worship center for our Zambian friends. Moreover, Randy Harper, pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier City, reached out to me on behalf of his congregation to provide funds to furnish chairs and dry erase boards for the project.
The miracle of giving and cooperation has continued with our congregation contributing half the money raised from an annual sportsmen banquet (previously used to pay toward our mortgage) to dig a well in Zambia. Likewise, the generosity of our congregation and the work by the Zambian church inspired their village elders to donate land for a school. Bellaire Baptist Church was so moved by the vision of educating 50 village children that they have already given $5,000 toward the $15,000 building fund goal.
Meanwhile, our members have been faithful to give toward projects at home (needed renovations which had been delayed for six years) while still supporting the Cooperative Program and other funding efforts in our commitment to joint ministries and missions with Louisiana Baptists.
My point is this – although we are a small congregation, we were able to meet a God-sized challenge.
We prayed to make sure the Holy Spirit was leading us in the vision, and we trusted He would provide the resources if we were faithful to His call to serve.
We learned that a big faith is all God needs to use small congregations like ours in big Kingdom tasks for His glory.
Mike Holloway is pastor of Ouachita Baptist Church, West Monroe. For information about the Zambia school project, contact Holloway via (318) 278-2712 or mike@ouachitabaptist.org.
