I think that a lot of people have the perspective that it’s easier to lead people to the Lord in other nations than it is in the United States. In some aspects, I guess that I understand why that would make sense. Some people tend to think that since individuals in other countries don’t necessarily have the opportunity to hear the Gospel as much as Americans do, when they finally do hear it they will readily and automatically accept it. But this isn’t usually the case.
Although Americans pretty much have all-the-time access to the Bible and people in other countries don’t always have this luxury, people are people no matter where they are. They are hard to the Gospel, and the salvation process works the same for Zambians as it does for Americans. In my experience, people aren’t always open to hearing the Word of God and accepting the fact they have to repent and ask for forgiveness in order to go to Heaven when they die.
Serving the Lord In Zambia
My parents have worked with the Zambians for nearly 25 years now. They have witnessed to many people, leading to successful conversions. But in reality, God has to work in an individual’s heart before he or she is able to receive the Gospel. My parents have merely been planting the seed in these people that they have been working with through various ministries throughout the years.
My mom often worked with the kids and the youths through teaching Sunday School, playing the piano, and conducting special music programs, Christmas plays and choirs. My dad preached and went door-to-door inviting people to church, sharing the gospel, and encouraging members each week by visiting them. My parents were a team in the ministry, and it was really amazing to see the fruit of their labor throughout the years. For the past several years, my parents started up a youth camp that was very successful. The kids always had fun, and many of them made good decisions, following God’s will and dedicating their lives to the Lord.
But there were also challenges in working in Zambia that I know my parents faced. One of the biggest problems is how people often use witch doctors to heal their illnesses, whether or not they claim to be a Christian. Not only this, but we have also seen an increased number of Muslims entering the country each year. Zambia is open and ready to receive the Gospel, but the door is slowly closing as new religions are coming into the country. Another problem is that Zambians, although hospitable and usually willing to take your tract and invite you into their home to hear about Jesus, are often very willing to accept multiple religions at once which obviously isn't possible for Christianity. Despite this, God continues to be faithful in allowing my parents to keep ministering to the Zambians.
Meet My Dad, Andrew Schultz
Today I have a special guest with me who has kindly agreed to answer some questions about the mission field in Zambia. I wanted to share a better perspective on what being a missionary is like, and I think I chose the right person for this topic even though he's currently over 8,000 miles away from me. I’d like to welcome my dad to this episode, and I’d also like to thank him for taking the time to talk with us about Zambian Religion, and what it's like to live in Zambia as a missionary.
I hope the following podcast interview entitled "Zambian Religion" will be able to broaden your perspective on what its like to serve on a mission field!