VISION
Our vision is to be an organization that intentionally proclaims the gospel to the communities in Malawi in contextually relevant and meaningful ways.
Our mission is to share the gospel with biblical clarity and depth. 2 Corinthians 4:7 reads; “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”
Today many people claim to share the gospel in our country. However, it doesn’t take long before one realizes that the gospel which is being preached is no gospel at all.
Many people have been heart-broken to realize that they ended up in churches which don’t preach the gospel at all. Our goal is to restore what has been broken by sharing the true gospel.
As believers, we are called to reach out to the lost and help those in need.
Matthew 9:35-38 reads; And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
We are also committed to instructing believers on what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:19-20 reads; Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
We are persuaded that planting churches committed to the historic Reformed confessions as summarized in the Westminster Standards and the Three Forms of Unity provides an environment for the appropriate thriving of believers. At this time when churches in Malawi are being ‘tossed back and forth with every wind of doctrine,’ we need churches which will stand their ground and declare with the saints of old: “We must obey God rather than men.” (Act 5:29).
To plant churches committed to the Word of God, we need properly trained pastors in a holistic and academically excellent Bible-based training program.
Paul instructs Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2; “and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”
We also provide leadership training to lay leaders so that they can know how to conduct themselves in a manner that glorifies the Lord.
Paul writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:1-7; “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”
For a long time the Reformed faith has not penetrated into
our local communities because it has largely remained in the elites circles and
has not reached the local person in the local language.
Our current translation work is a book by Rev. Daniel R.
Hyde titled: “Jesus Loves the Little Children: Why We Baptize Children.”
- Ministry Coordinator
After finishing his secondary education in 2007, J. J. Matandika worked as a volunteer with Joy to the World Ministries teaching Bible knowledge for primary school and distributing gospel tracts to villagers. He attended the African Bible College in Uganda to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies with a Minor in Business and graduated in 2012. He returned to Malawi where he worked with Joy to the World Ministries and managed a Christian resource center and library.
In 2013 J.J. became National Director for Joy to the World Ministries. In March of 2014 his brother Fletcher’s request to start the Associated Presbyterian Church in Malawi was approved and J.J. became the main preacher and leader for the new church plant in Dzuwa. In 2015 the name of the church was changed to Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. In 2016 J.J. began his Master of Divinity studies at Westminster Seminary in California. He studied there for two years and returned to Malawi in 2018 before finishing the program due to financial challenges. He still hopes to complete the program when the Lord provides the needed resources.
Upon his return to Malawi he was ordained as a minister at another church plant that had been started at Bwemba. The same year J.J. took an initiative to launch a sponsorship program for needy secondary school students in the central region of Malawi serving as the first National Field Director with Pace Academy Foundation. The program now supports over 800 needy students spread across all regions of Malawi.
A fourth church plan was launched in October 2019 at Mponela where J.J. continues serving as senior pastor with two other pastors under his oversight. He is also running a training program with the other two pastors, administers the sacraments in all the four churches, and as the moderator for the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Malawi, the development of the church still remains his responsibility.
Upon his return from California, he was put in touch with Dr. Jumbe and Rev. N.K. Banda to help complete his Master of Divinity through Miami International Theological Seminary. That is when he came to know about the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Malawi (RPCM).
J.J. preached at several RPCM local churches in Kasungu and Lilongwe. In June, 2020 after two years of discussions, the RPC and ARPC leaders met in Zomba to sign an intention to unite at the end of the year after general assemblies from both sides vote yes.
This year J.J. started working with Stephanos Foundation. His goal is still to focus on church ministry and putting a plan in place to help him raise the necessary support to be fully engaged in church ministry. His current job is a 5-hour drive from Mponela, which is his primary area of pastoral ministry. The sooner he can find ways and means to move back to Mponela after raising the necessary funds, the better. His prayer is to see more and more Reformed Presbyterian churches planted in the central region of Malawi.
- Area Representatives
Within the next year JJ will identify people to help organizing activities in the following areas.
Dowa Representative
Organizing ministry activities in Dowa.
Kasungu Representative
Organizing ministry activities in Kasungu.
Lilongwe Representative
Organizing ministry activities in Lilongwe.
Mchinji Representative
Organizing ministry activities in Mchinji.
Salima Representative
Organizing ministry activities in Salima.
