Bible Colleges Worth Attending In Zambia—The Copperbelt Ministerial College

Below is my second last instalment on Bible colleges in Zambia worth attending. I had chosen eight colleges and this is the seventh. It is about the Copperbelt Ministerial College. This college is headed by one of my closest friends on the planet, and probably the best mind that we have in Reformed Baptist circles in Zambia. I am, therefore, not surprised that the college is beginning to have an impact on the spiritual landscape of Zambia. I will allow the academic dean, Kabwe Maybin Kabwe, to give us a bird's-eye-view of this college.

Kabwe Kabwe (left) and Choolwe Mwetwa (right) standing with the
Jim Savastio (USA) and Austin Walker (UK) when the college opened in 2007

The Copperbelt Ministerial College (CMC) is a ministry of the Reformed Baptist Churches of the Copperbelt. The college was established in 2007 and had its first module in July 2007. The college offers a 4 year Bachelors’ degree program for theological study.  The Bachelors’ degree is certified by Reformed Baptist Seminary in the USA.  The primary focus of the college is to equip men for pastoral ministry; the curriculum has been developed specifically to fulfill that very purpose. The College offers intensive courses in all areas of study necessary for the men to be competent and well prepared for every good work in ministry.

The Method of Training

We follow a modular approach of teaching where two courses are taught in one week consisting of 12-15 lectures each. A module is conducted once per quarter, totaling eight courses per year. This flexible method, allows students to remain in their full time employment and still profit from live lectures. The college is hosted at Grace Reformed Baptist church in Ndola. During the one week students are hosted by members of Grace Reformed Baptist Church. A students’ guest house is currently under construction.

CMC students busy in class during a lecture session

We recognize that no school can or should take the primary role of ministerial training, which is the responsibility of the local church through experienced pastors.  Therefore, the college demands that students participate in supervised ministerial work during their training. An internship and mentorship program is integrated in the training. Students are assigned to church leaders for this very purpose.

All courses taught consists of  12 - 15 hours of lecture, 300-500 pages of reading, 10-20 pages of writing assignment(s), and a final exam. The assignments are taken home after each module and completed in between modules.

 

 Admission Requirements

 CMC is a college only for men committed to pursue pastoral ministry.  The following are the admission requirements:

·       Grade 12 or evidence of equivalent educational level.

·       Letter of request from the student explaining his interest in and desire for training at CMC and expressing an awareness of and willingness to abide under the doctrinal framework of the college.

·       A letter of recommendation and confidential reference from a church officer approving the student’s desire to study at CMC.

·       Completion of the college application form and submit a spiritual autobiography

We have a rolling admission, students can register at any time of the year

Joe Simfukwe lecturing on the subject of death and dying

Courses offered

There are four major areas of study: Biblical and Exegetical Theology, Systematic Theology, Practical and Pastoral Theology, and Historical Theology.  A minimum of 30 courses from these four field areas of study must be completed in order to graduate from the college.  A completion of 130 credit hours is required in order for a student to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree and each course completed earns 3 credit hours.

Details of the courses covered:

Exegetical Theology

Hermeneutics

The Pentateuch

Old Testament Biblical theology 1

Old Testament Biblical theology 2

New Testament Biblical theology - Gospels and Acts

New Testament Biblical theology - General Epistles

Biblical Languages- Greek and introduction to Hebrew

Systematic Theology

Introduction to Systematic Theology

Doctrine of God

Doctrine of Christ

Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

Doctrine of man

Doctrine of the Church

Doctrine of Salvation

Doctrine of the last things

The Covenants

Mark Chanski, a pastor from the USA, lecturing

Practical and pastoral Theology

The call and character of the man of God

Biblical Counseling and Visitation

Evangelism and Missions

Christian Ethics

Apologetics and Polemics

Spiritual Disciplines

Biblical Government and Administration of the Church

Historical Theology

Church history – Early and medieval

Church history – Reformation

Church History – Early American Christianity and modern missions

African Church history

Other courses

Death and Dying

Cultural redemption

The Kayombo brothers, who are both students and pastors, with Sam Waldron (USA)

Graduation requirements

·       Passing a comprehensive exam at the end of the full program, which covers everything the student, has studied.

·       Presenting a thesis paper consisting of 20,000-30,000 words.  The topics are approved by the Academics dean and the principal before the student proceeds with his paper and should be written according to the outlined standards of the college. 

CMC Administration

Faculty

We believe that the men providing theological education should be the men Christ has gifted to be pastors/teachers with pastoral experience. (Eph 4:11; 2 Tim 2:2)

The lecturers are pastors with vast rich experience, published authors, and men with advanced theological degrees. The following are some of the current faculty members and past lecturers. They include Sam Waldron, Austin Walker, Rich Barcellos, Ronald Kalifungwa, Mark Chanski, Choolwe Mweetwa, Jim Savastio, Stephen Gambil, James Williamson, Robert Elliot, Conrad Mbewe, Gordon Taylor, Ronald Baines, Dave Merck, Brian Borgman, Jeremy Walker, Alan Dunn, Lou Sloger, Joe Simfunkwe, Lazarus Phiri, Victor Kanyense, Salvador Gomez, Kabwe Kabwe and others

The CMC student guest house under construction

Administrative Structure

Principal - Choolwe Mwetwa - Pastor of Central Baptist church - Chingola

Academic Dean - Kabwe Kabwe – Pastor of Grace Reformed Baptist - Ndola

Assistant Academic dean – Mondesters Hakanyanga - Pastor of Luanshya Central Baptist Church

Mentorship Dean –  Ndonji Kayombo - Pastor of Trinity Baptist church – Kitwe

Internship Dean  – Emmanuel Sakala – Pastor of Fairview Reformed Baptist – Mufulira

International Coordinator – James Williamson of Kabwata Baptist church

Administrator – K Katongo Kafuko of Grace Reformed Baptist Church - Ndola

Graduation

After 4 years of intensive work the first group of students will graduate on 28^th April 2012.

The graduating students are:

Emmanuel Sakala, pastor, Fairview Reformed Baptist of Mufulira

Dr Grave Singogo, pastor, Ndola Baptist church

Ndonji Kayombo, pastor, Trinity Baptist of Kitwe

Mondesters Hakanyanga, pastor, Luanshya Central Baptist of Luanshya

Albert Ngoma, pastor, Calvary Baptist of Chipata

Marshal Kasongo, pastor, Mapalo Reformed Baptist of Ndola

Francis Nyati, pastor, Lubuto Central Baptist Church, Ndola

Jacob Mwila, pastor, Solwezi Reformed Baptist Church Solwezi

Nickson Chipozo, pastor, Mine ECZ  of Chililabombwe

Cephas Phiri, Bethel Apolistic Church, Ndola

Kasango kayombo,  Pastor of Ibex Hill Reformed Baptist Lusaka

Mr Peter Mukalula, a deacon at Kalulushi Baptist Church  

Mr Cosmas Simaunda of Fairview Reformed Baptist Church,

Mr Dennis Phiri of Anglican church of Ndola

How you can contact us

K Katongo Kafuko - Administrator            

(cmcndola@gmail.com)                 097 7 872994  or 0212 611612     www.copperbeltcollege.org