More than 1,300 Zambians attended Sharing Hope in Crisis training, eager to support those facing tragedy by pointing them to the comfort found in Jesus Christ.

Last month, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) hosted two training events in Zambia, preparing believers to boldly share the hope of Jesus Christ and offer emotional support to those who are hurting.

Over 1,300 church leaders and church members attended the first Sharing Hope in Crisis (SHIC) training. A second, invitation-only seminar included more than 60 government officials, military personnel, and national police members.

People gathered at the United Church of Zambia St. Matthews to learn how to best minister to others experiencing crisis.

The Rev. Aaron Mboma Simukonda, who opened up his church to host these events, shared how vital this course was in preparing Christians to minister to those who are suffering.

“Sometimes, we trivialize how people feel when they are in a crisis,” he said, “but the training brought home the counselling perspective to us.”

Josh Holland, international director of the BG-RRT, helped teach the seminar. “I sensed a spiritual hunger there,” he said, describing the audience as excited and engaged.

As a steady stream of people arrived, more chairs were brought in to accommodate the overflow.

Josh Holland, international director of the BG-RRT, explained the importance of being equipped to come alongside people at their lowest moments and reassure them that there’s hope in Jesus Christ.

Zambia is open to the Gospel, and pastors want to train their congregations on how to share the hope of Jesus Christ with others. People from over 50 denominations attended the event, which was the largest one-day Sharing Hope in Crisis seminar that has taken place since the training began in 2008.

Marc Randall is a BG-RRT chaplain from Canada who has lived in Zambia as a missionary since 2015. He’s grateful that so many pastors, leaders, and church members were able to come.

“All I have been getting are positive responses from people,” Randall said. “People were just very, very happy to be there.”

One Zambian pastor asked for more SHIC training materials so he can teach his entire church what he learned.

Bishop Andrew Mwenda, executive director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, was also greatly encouraged.

“I have been in the ministry since 1986. … However, I had not encountered the Word of God in the way it was shared on how to handle trauma,” Mwenda explained. “The [teaching] opened my eyes to see the need not fully met in the church.”

The Rev. Rodwell Chinyakasa, president of the Baptist Union of Zambia, drove six hours with more than 20 other pastors to attend the seminar.

“Many people before the training thought that when you are going through grief and suffering, God has abandoned you,” he said. “We were encouraged to know that the Lord does not abandon you when you go through pain and suffering, and that has helped a lot of people.”

Please pray for open hearts as Christians in Zambia grow deeper in their faith and boldly share the Good News with others.

Register for a Sharing Hope in Crisis course.