Our Heritage

Church History

God’s faithfulness from the 1920s to today — worship, ministry, and mission.

From humble beginnings in home meetings to becoming the first English-speaking Baptist church in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), Ndola Baptist Church has experienced God's providential care and guidance through every season — including times without a serving pastor and seasons of crisis.

"Ebenezer" — Thus far have we come!

1920s

Early Beginnings

  • Believers of European origin met in homes, then later at the Mercantile Printers building on Chimwemwe/President Avenue junction.
  • Key figure: the late Rev. Arthur J. Cross, Baptist Union of South Africa (BUSA) missionary — Cross Crescent is named after him.
1930

First Meeting Hall

  • A small meeting hall was erected at the current NBC premises (150 pounds sterling donation from BUSA).
  • Oversight under Rev. Cross (1930–1937). The work was designated "Ndola Free Church".
1933–1945

Growth & Transition

  • 1933: A bigger hall was erected, remaining the property of BUSA.
  • 1937: Rev. John Gartry and Mrs. Gartry arrived in Ndola to spearhead the work. Sunday School and morning services were held; evening gospel services commenced (attendance around 30–40).
  • 1938: The Gartrys left Ndola for South Africa due to poor support.
  • 1939–1943: The work continued as "Ndola Free Church" under the Ndola Free Church Council.
  • 1943: Mr. C. T. Binns, then Ndola Town Clerk and an ex-Presbyterian minister, became acting pastor.
  • 1944: Evening services discontinued due to poor attendance.
  • 1945: The work was constituted as "Independent Free Church" with spiritual oversight by Mr. A. H. Johnson.
1946–1951

Toward a Baptist Church

  • 1946: Three deacons were elected: Messrs. R. Cathro, C. G. Kidwell, and A. H. Johnson (chairman).
  • 1947: The church unanimously decided to call a Baptist minister.
1952

Ndola Baptist Church Constituted

  • February: Rev. E. Maurice Darrell became church pastor.
  • 17 May: The work was constituted as "Ndola Baptist Church" — the first English-speaking Baptist church in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).
  • 19 founding members, all Caucasian. Pastor: Rev. E. Maurice Darrell. Deacons: Messrs. W. F. Rendell, G. Smith, and A. H. Johnson.
  • Some individuals of non-Baptist background moved away and started other works including the Salvation Army, Kansenshi Chapel (CMML), and what is now St. Andrews United Church of Zambia.
1953–1954

Pastoral Transition

  • 1953: Average attendance at NBC towards the end of the year was between 40 and 50.
  • May 1954: Rev. Darrell left Ndola for Durban, sensing he had fulfilled God's call to establish a Baptist church at Ndola.
  • June 1954: Rev. Basil Medgett assumed the pastorate with his wife Katie until June 1960. The church was stable and growing steadily.
1958–1960

Church Planting & Lusaka

  • During Rev. Medgett's ministry, initiatives to start new works in Luanshya, Kitwe, and Lusaka got underway.
  • April 1958: The first service for the new work in Lusaka was held at Lusaka Boys School.
  • 2 July 1960: Lusaka Baptist Church was constituted with 42 founding members (40 from NBC and 2 from Central Baptist Church Salisbury, now Harare).
  • June 1960: Rev. Basil A. Medgett left NBC pastorate to become Principal of Fiwale Bible School.
1961–1967

Difficult Years

  • 1961: Rev. Walter Maasch moved from Cape Town and was inducted as pastor on 2 September. His ministry lasted four years; membership stood at 46 by August 1963 (from the inaugural 19 in 1952).
  • 1964: Rev. & Mrs. Maasch left NBC. With independence, many people of European origin began leaving the country.
  • 1960–1967 was one of the most difficult periods in NBC's pastorate history — many contacted ministers declined the call.
  • 1967: Mr. George Smith was appointed Moderator. He had been BUCA full-time Field Secretary since April 1961, spearheading church planting in Copperbelt townships (Chamboli, Kitwe 1956; Luanshya, Roan 1958).
1968–1970

Rev. Terry Smith

  • 1968: Rev. Terry Smith, son of Mr. George Smith, was inducted on 17 March. Membership was around 44, dropping to 33 by year end, later rising to about 50.
  • The church was still "all white" and Rev. Smith desired to see a multi-racial congregation. Racial integration was first seen in the children's ministry.
  • The first indigenous Zambian member was Mr. John Kazembe.
  • 1969–1971: Membership dropped to 28, then 25, then 24.
  • September 1970: Rev. Terry Smith left the NBC pastorate.
1971–1978

Rev. Howard Worth — Transformation

  • 28 February 1971: Rev. Howard Worth took up the pastorate, inducted by Rev. Graham Ingram and Rev. George Smith. A graduate of Spurgeon's College, London.
  • He was greatly used of the Lord to transform NBC from a "whites only" church to a multi-racial church through thriving evangelistic outreach and an active youth ministry (Chiwala Sec. School, Nortech).
  • The church building was extended in 1974 and again in 1977.
  • 1976: Membership grew to about 200, 80% being African, mainly young people. The first Board of Elders was established, including Zambians: Messrs. Ken Suckling, Harold Holmgren, Hudson Zimba, Saul Mwailenge, Laban Nyachikanda, Percy Chisenga, and Masauso Ndhlovu.
  • 1978: Due to ill-health, Rev. Worth relinquished the pastorate and returned to the UK.
1979–1985

Pastor Harold Holmgren

  • 1979: Mr. Harold Holmgren, one of the elders, took up the pastorate.
  • An outreach centre was established at YMCA which later became People's Church (PAOG). Prison Fellowship Zambia was formed during this time.
  • Mushili, Ndeke, and Hillcrest Baptist Churches were planted. Towards the end of his pastorate, some brethren left and began work that later became New Life Ministries International.
  • End of 1985: Pastor Holmgren left the pastorate of NBC.
1985–1990

Rev. Joe Kapolyo — First Zambian Pastor

  • 1 November 1985: Rev. Joe Kapolyo took up the NBC pastorate after working with Scripture Union Zambia — the first indigenous Zambian pastor.
  • His ministry focused on preaching and teaching, home groups, preachers' training, and marriage and family life.
  • November 1986: The first ordination of ministers of the gospel took place — Pastors Saul Mwailenge, Michael Bwembya, and Victor Kanyense.
  • December 1990: Rev. Kapolyo and family left NBC to take up the pastorate at Harare Central Baptist Church in Zimbabwe.
1990s

Transitions & New Leadership

  • 1993: 12 members who felt the church was becoming charismatic and departing from Baptist practices left and founded Grace Reformed Baptist Church.
  • 1994: Due to serious differences among the elders, the entire eldership board stepped down. The late Mr. Rodney Pell of TCCA (now Evangelical University) served as church moderator until a new board was constituted.
  • 1995: Pastor Wilbroad Chanda accepted the call — the 2nd Zambian pastor. Focus on brotherly love, unity, doctrinal preaching, cell groups, and missions. Two morning services were introduced as attendance increased.
  • 1999: Pastor Chanda left for postgraduate studies at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS), USA.
2003–2015

Return, Departure & Search

  • 2003: Pastor Chanda was re-invited and commenced his second contract on 1 February. He served until July 2009 when he left to start Christ Christian Community (CCC).
  • The church was led by part-time elders assisted by deacons. A pastor's search committee was constituted.
  • 2012: Pastor/Dr. Grave Singogo was engaged on 1 March following a special members' meeting. His ministry lasted until 2015.
2018–Present

Pastor Lawrence Lama

  • 25 May 2018: A special general meeting resolved to invite Pastor Lawrence Lama to the pastorate.
  • 1 November 2018: Pastor Lama was officially engaged and inducted on 11 November 2018.
  • Ministry focus: expository preaching/teaching and missions. He clocked five years on 31 October 2023 and was re-engaged for a three-year renewable contract effective 1 November 2023.
Leadership Through the Years

Pastors & Moderators

1930–1937

Rev. Arthur J. Cross

BUSA missionary

1937–1938

Rev. John Gartry

Ndola Free Church

1943

Mr. C. T. Binns

Acting pastor

1952–1954

Rev. E. Maurice Darrell

First NBC pastor

1954–1960

Rev. Basil Medgett

Church planting era

1961–1964

Rev. Walter Maasch

Youth ministry growth

1968–1970

Rev. Terry Smith

Multi-racial vision

1971–1978

Rev. Howard Worth

Church transformation

1979–1985

Pastor Harold Holmgren

Outreach & planting

1985–1990

Rev. Joe Kapolyo

First Zambian pastor

1995–2009

Pastor Wilbroad Chanda

Two terms of service

2012–2015

Pastor/Dr. Grave Singogo

2018–Present

Pastor Lawrence Lama

Current pastor

Formulated in 2019

Vision & Mission

Our Vision

"To be a dynamic community of believers that progressively demonstrates Christ-likeness; serving God, one another and the world around us with vibrancy through a Christ-centred and Bible-anchored ministry under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit."

Our Mission

To glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31) by:

  • Promoting the worship of God in ways authorized by the Bible
  • Edifying Christians through preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God
  • Promoting spiritual fellowship among believers
  • Administering baptism and the Lord's Supper
  • Providing biblical ministries of service and aid to those in need
  • Being a praying community
  • Preparing Christians to obey and participate in the Great Commission

Reflections

Since its early beginnings in the 1920s and its establishment as Ndola Baptist Church in 1952, the church has experienced God's faithfulness in diverse ways through His providential care and guidance — particularly during those times when the church had no serving pastor, and during seasons of crisis.

Indeed, God has demonstrated His goodness all the way through. Praise be to His glorious name!

Compiled by Sepiso Lungwebungu — Ndola Baptist Church, December 2024