It is with great honor and appreciation that we report on the ways in which together we were able to impact the lives of 137 men and women who were actively involved in the study of God’s word in the pursuit of a BA in Theology, or a MA in Biblical Studies at our Bible College located in Zambia.
This year there were twenty-six students who graduated in October. Some will be entering focused church planting initiatives in their countries through Gospelink, and others will go on to serve in their local villages and other pursuits that God has laid on their hearts. This was our 12th graduating class and we now have 250 that have graduated. This year we also had our first master’s program graduates with a total of six. Many of these are now lecturing at the college.
Gospelink works in partnership with over 1,100 national preachers, many of which are in Zambia or the surrounding countries. Each quarter we receive reports of new areas evangelized, reports of people who made professions of faith in Christ and reports of new groups of people meeting to study God’s Word which eventually may become planted churches. Most of the students at AIU come out of the ministries of these national preachers.
One of the ways Gospelink accomplishes evangelism and discipleship is through Ambassador International University (AIU), located in Zambia, Africa. Students currently attend the university from four nations: Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. In each of these developing sub-Saharan nations, the people are extremely poor. Most families can barely afford food and clean water. Sending their children to college is only a dream for them, but such education is critical to the advance of the Gospel and the maturing and maintenance of the local churches.
How were the funds used? The funds received were put to effective use to support the training of 137 students during 2023. There were fifteen freshmen who began their Theological studies in 2023 in resident at the college. All students received Biblical training from both Zambian lecturers as well as from professors from the USA.
What continuing impact was made? The freshmen will continue their biblical studies at AIU, and the seniors who graduated will be returning to their nations/regions to serve as church planters, pastors, chaplains, teachers, humanitarian workers, and in other positions of community leadership. A few have been hired to stay on at AIU and assist with the mission of training Africa’s next generation of spiritual leaders. The impact of these emerging leaders will be exponential. Some were selected to serve at the college and others are being church planters under Gospelink’s Church Planting Initiative.
What was the immediate impact made? Three immediate impacts were made during the year of funding:
- Discipleship. While at AIU, every student is mentored by the university staff and visiting teachers, fulfilling Christ’s mandate to make disciples and to teach them God’s truth. They begin the school year in January with a Bible Conference. Then when school is in session, there are chapel services twice per week where staff, national preachers, upper classmen, and USA lecturers bring a practical message from the Bible to the students and staff.
- Practical Ministry. During the year students are involved in practical ministry in the surrounding area as well as in Lusaka, the capital city. The upper classmen are encouraged to serve in the local churches alongside the local pastors. They serve in 13 local churches surrounding the campus.
- Evangelism. The students participate in outreach at regional government schools and through the AIU clinic. During the year, the students were able to present the Gospel to students in six government schools and held discipleship training with 713 students. There is the potential of doubling the program in 2023 if extra funding is provided. The AIU students also participated in medical outreaches in which the Gospel was presented to over 1,541 with following made to 169. New this year was a outreach to one of the major hospitals in Lusaka where the students offered biblical counselling services to patients. A prison ministry outreach was also begun this year with the students.
Gospelink is a faithful partner of The Bolick Foundation.