The August, 2025 Update!

God measures the health of His church differently than we often do. It’s easy to look at a full building and assume it must be a healthy church. Numbers and attendance can be a blessing, but they do not automatically mean spiritual maturity. God’s measure is deeper. He is looking for lives that are being transformed, for disciples who not only profess faith but consistently walk with Him in their everyday lives…

That is what we are aiming for at Hope Bible Baptist Church of Chipata. From the very beginning, we have built on the foundation of God’s Word. Our study through the book of Romans has kept us anchored to the truth of the gospel, and over the last couple of months in chapters 10 and 11, we have been reminded that our standing before God is not because we are better than anyone else, but only because of His grace. This has been a central theme for our church this year and a guiding principle for all that we do.

This past month, we celebrated our third anniversary at Hope Chipata. It was a really encouraging service that united our church family around the faithfulness of God. Testimonies were shared about the past year and about the changes people have noticed since trusting Christ. The atmosphere was full of gratitude, and Christ received the glory. In just three years, we have seen new believers grow in their faith, families strengthened through God’s Word, and members taking the initiative to invest in others. One recent highlight has been the launch of our youth ministry, led by our new teammates Isaiah and Alicen Carr. It’s been exciting to see the young people actively learning God’s Word and singing together in church as a group. This is the kind of growth that lasts.

Looking ahead, we are continuing to prepare for the next chapter in our church’s development — securing a permanent location in the city. The purchase process has required patience, but one thing we’ve learned is that everything of value that truly matters takes time and hard work. A permanent home will allow us to expand our ministries, serve the community more effectively, and provide a stable base for future growth.

We’re grateful for the prayers and support of God’s people, both here in Zambia and around the world, who are standing with us in this work. Please continue to pray for wisdom in the land process, for spiritual growth for God’s people, and for open doors to reach more with the gospel. The foundation is strong, the direction is clear, and we are excited for what lies ahead.

A Little Letter From Lisa!

I needed to pick up an order from a small local shop, but I could tell the alleyway to the front door was too full of parked cars and unloading box trucks for my vehicle to pass and turn around. Instead, I dropped my oldest two girls off to make the trip on foot, and I drove around the block. In my circling to get the girls, I was had a car park where I thought we were driving, went through a vibrant market that had wares right up onto the side of the road that still had two lanes of traffic AND up to four lanes of bikes, had pedestrians power-walk out from between trucks stopping inches from the side of my car, and motorbikes beeping their squeaky horns because I couldn’t drive as fast as they liked. 

When the girls were back in the car, I was in Obstacle Course Driving Mode and looking forward to getting to a less congested street! Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man waving a paper and excitedly pointing toward it. Thinking it was part of the chaos, I barely noticed, until I recognized he was holding a gospel track that Damon designed! This happy man must have received it through evangelism that morning, and he recognized us. I waved back before putting both hands on the wheel, thankful that God’s name was still uplifted in all the craziness. Literally!

The Let’s Talk Missions Podcast!

All 10 episodes of our latest series on Let’s Talk Missions are now online and ready to stream! That’s 10 hours of engaging, down-to-earth conversations with Damon Matacchiera and Robert Chirwa, diving into what sustainable missions looks like in real life. From inspiring stories to practical insights, each episode is packed with encouragement and truth from the frontlines of ministry. If you’ve ever wanted to understand missions that last and truly make an impact, this is a journey worth tuning in to!