Zambia Hunt

Context

Kitwe Church was born from a desire to reach people in our city from diverse ethnic backgrounds who were effectively unreached by any intentional gospel outreach. The city of Kitwe has a history of being transitory due to two primary factors. First, the copper mining industry, which dominates the local economy, draws expatriates on contract with the mines and related businesses. Second, the area’s economic volatility—reliant on mining and copper prices—means local residents may suddenly find employment elsewhere in the country and leave within weeks. This creates a constant coming and going of both local and international people. Kitwe Church arose from a burden to reach this broad demographic in the city—to use the trade language of English to draw diverse people together, teach them the gospel, and help them grow in faith, prepared to serve wherever God may take them.

Small Beginnings

In 2014, Philip & Lori Hunt and Nathan & Rachel Washer, with the blessings of Faith Baptist Church of Riverside, banded together to begin an evangelistic Bible study outreach in Kitwe. Kitwe Bible Study Fellowship held its first meeting on February 23, 2014, at the Polo Club Hall next to the Agricultural Showgrounds. A small handful of unchurched people attended that first study.

The Bible study took an apologetic approach for the first three months, answering questions and arguments about Christianity. For the remainder of 2014, the studies were drawn from the Gospel of John, explaining Christ’s deity and the need to submit to Him for salvation.

A variety of people, many non-Christians, began attending and inviting friends. Visitors came from Kitwe, Chingola, Mufulira, and Chililabombwe. Attendance grew that first year from a handful to 40–50 people each Sunday.

In December 2014, the executive committee from the M.O.T.H.S. Club in Parklands invited our Bible Study Fellowship to use their hall at no charge. This venue change coincided with a spike in attendance. That same month, God led Jamie & Mandy Smith to join the Bible study leadership team.

The ministry was planned to transition from Bible Study Fellowship to a church plant, Kitwe Church (www.kitwechurch.com). In early 2015, it shifted from an informal study to a structured service format. A music team was organized, and congregational singing was incorporated. Attendance grew throughout the year, peaking at 135. In mid-2015, Kitwe Church opened a bank account, began collecting offerings, instituted small group Bible studies, and started a monthly teen meeting.

This growth continued in the second half of 2015 with a series of messages on the local church, covering membership, structure, leadership, and duties. During the last quarter, the elders completed a doctrinal statement, a church covenant, a mission statement, core values, and a church constitution. In December, the first baptism service was held; nine people followed Christ in believer’s baptism.

Church Formally Organized

The first Membership Orientation Class was conducted in March 2016. On Sunday, April 3, 2016, nineteen people signed the charter to organize Kitwe Baptist Church of Parklands—Kitwe Church—and became the founding members. Three elders served this new congregation: Philip Hunt, Nathan Washer, and Jamie Smith.

Deacons

The newly formed congregation selected and ordained Douw Prins, Jaco Horne, and Derick van Staden as deacons on May 28, 2017. In August that year, Kitwe Church launched a Bible study in Chingola.

By 2019, the church had called Gerrie Botha, Ben Bokwa, Chris Hawthorne, and Tawanda Ndhlovu to serve. Tawanda served a three-year term; Gerrie, Ben, and Chris later moved away from Kitwe Church. In 2021, four deacons were added: Emmanuel Njoroge, Simon Chilongoshi, Adrian Acs, and Joao Domingos. Eventually, two of these men would be appointed as pastors.

In 2024, Kitwe Church appointed Romie Das, Innocent Chungu, and Gershom Chilufya. In 2026, Jitto Sobiana, Chando Mbao, and Kezala Jere were added; at the same time, God moved Romie to Lusaka to serve there.

We have sought biblically qualified men to serve as deacons (1 Timothy 3:8–13). God has removed some, moved others to serve the Lord elsewhere, but in each case, He has raised up replacements. The ministry of deacons at Kitwe Church assigns each man a specific task, holding him responsible as a steward in humble service to the congregation. This approach disciples and raises up leaders.

Church Growth

The congregation grew in depth and breadth. The Lord opened the rental of the former Metro 2 movie theatre at Lubambe Centre. After nine months of renovation, we moved into this new gathering place in September 2019. In May 2023, God miraculously provided for the purchase of property along Freedom Avenue in Kitwe as a future church home. Building plans were developed to provide space for outreaches and seat 450 for worship. In 2025, work began on Kalemba #3, and the foundation was constructed.

Early in the ministry, we began ministering to children, followed by a monthly teen outreach. We’ve seen children grow through the church, pass through the teen group, and join the young adult group. The ladies’ Bible study has faithfully met on Tuesdays since the second year of the ministry. Several years later, a monthly men’s Bible study formed. All these serve fellowship and spiritual growth.

In 2022, Celebrate Recovery began as a discipleship and leadership training program within the church. This ministry has steadily grown; a leadership team formed, and weekly Friday studies are open to members and the community.

Pastors

In the years after Kitwe Church started, God moved two original elders elsewhere: Nathan Washer to the USA, and later Jamie Smith to the presidency of IBMGlobal in the USA. Yet God faithfully builds His church. In 2018, the church appointed Hector Garcia and Tim Murdoch as elders. Tim stepped down three years later to focus on Central Africa Baptist University but served faithfully as a member until departing Zambia in 2025. Hector served through March 2026, when he moved to Mexico to plant a church. The congregation called Simon Chilongoshi, Gideon Mpeni, and Joao Domingos to serve as pastors in March 2024, and Sunday Phiri in March 2026. Gideon and Joao would both be sent for missionary work later that year.

Pastoral Interns

Seth Dianga was the first intern through the pastoral internship program in 2018. He then moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he pastors Resurrection Church. Isaac Illunga followed in 2021 and moved the next year to Nairobi for continuing studies.

Joao Domingos was a pastoral intern in 2023 and was appointed by the congregation as a pastor in March 2024. He served until sent to Angola to plant a church in April 2026.

Alan Nyoni completed his pastoral internship in 2024 and continued for another year in our first missions internship, preparing for church planting in Zimbabwe.

In 2025, Sunday Phiri served as a pastoral intern. In March 2026, the congregation appointed him as one of the church’s pastors.

Missionaries

In December 2021, Kitwe Church sent its first missionaries, Emmanuel & Regina Juma, to Juba, South Sudan. A year later, Alfred Yokoju joined to complete the church-planting team for Community Bible Church of Lemon Gaba.

In August 2023, the church sent Ryan and Samantha Shiel to Nairobi, Kenya, to reach the Somali community. In August 2024, Lazarus and Phoebe Chanda went to Kasama in Zambia’s Northern Province to plant a church among the Bemba-speaking people.

In December 2025, Kitwe Church commissioned Gideon and Chiletso Mpeni to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for church revitalization at Oasis Baptist Church. In April 2026, Joao and Belle Domingos went to Cuito, Angola, to plant a church in this strategic city.

Looking Ahead

God has been faithful to Kitwe Church. On this tenth anniversary, we pause to thank Him for the many who have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior, have grown in faith and understanding of Scripture, and have been equipped to serve Christ and His church. As we look to the next decade in Kitwe, as Christ tarries in His coming, we eagerly anticipate God providing us with a permanent church home and redoubling our efforts to reach the city with the glorious good news of Jesus. Our purpose is to help people know the truth, love God, and serve others.