What it means to start a church in Malawi, Africa

Over the last few weeks since my return from Malawi; many have asked what it takes to start a church like I did. Well there are several steps that must be taken and I will be glad to outline them with little comment. Make sure that terminology is the same, words have meaning especially in Malawi and working with the nationals who do this type of work will cut down confusion. Decide what it is you want to do, plant a church or build a church. Planting or building are two different things and need clarity of understanding in the beginning. In all cases planting a church will come first and can lead to building as follows. Whatever the decision you will need to:
1. Select an area or village that has had or will have one on one soul winning. Depending on the response will determine the next steps. If the response is good and the village Chief or Elder wishes a church in the village check with interpreter and sponsoring agency (Victory World Outreach Ministries) for directions in the next phase.
2. If all responses are in the affirmative pick an evening that you will show the “Jesus Film” and make plans to spend a few days informing the village and surrounding area of the upcoming event. Depending on the circumstances this can be done with the help of the Chief or his/her designated representative and is also a good time for more soul winning.
3. It is very possible that attendance will reach in the many hundreds of villagers and hundreds will accept the Lord as their personal saviour, this is where you will be planting a church. If this is all you can do you have done a good work but it is only the beginning. Someone must follow up and come back repeated times to help the new Christians to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. This is where many of the hundreds of churches are right now in Malawi. They met in a makeshift hut or in a home or in the great outdoors and learn more of Jesus and discipleship.
4. If the Chief wants a building in his village then a whole lot of things must take place in order for it to be accomplished such as where do we get the land to build on? Is it to be a gift or must it be paid for? If a gift, all is well and the trip to the district Chief will go easy, if it must be paid for then deciding on a fair price with the knowledge that Americans cannot own land in Malawi needs to be recognized and dealt with.
5. Most churches start with a very basic design of a pole hut with a grass roof (see pictures) and this will do till funds can be raised for a permanent brick structure of a size to accommodate the needs of the village
6. The cost of a building will vary according to the size and what will be needed. A good rule of thumb is that a basic building with brick walls and cement floors with steel roof cost around $2000/2500, a larger building with raised platform for pulpit area with finished walls and cement pews and a baptistery will bring the cost over $3000.00 (see pictures) and if you want water and electricity then the price is what it is. Most of the work can be done in a very short time using local workers and members of the church but this should be worked out well in advance of starting construction and will in all likelihood be done in the absence of who ever started the project.

It is sometimes asked why the sponsoring church or individual would or should pay for the construction of a church building, isn’t it enough to start a church and then turn it over to the congregation to pay for the building. That is a fair question but can be answered and will be answered your first time in country. The people who live in the villages live day to day by subsistence farming and have NO money period. If you were to have a church of 300 members there would be no way for them to come up with $2000-3000 ever. The best you can hope for is that after teaching they understand tithing and that enough could be raised to feed and care for a Pastor. That is why after years of planting and building churches many still have only a pole hut building to meet in. Some others have brick walls and straw roofs but lack the funds to put on a steel roof or cement floor, when you have no money and no way of getting any then someone outside the village has to help if a church is to be planted and/or built.

For further information on this topic and what you can do to help please contact Dr. Gardiner Gentry Or W. Charles Miller by sending a comment to the email: victoryworldoutreach@yahoo.com

Saturday September 27th

PRAISE GOD! Prayers have been answered. Ms. Alice Gentry is feeling better and Thank you all for your prayers. To God Be the Glory. The kidney stone has passed. Dr. and Ms. Alice Gentry thank you for the prayers and know it is because of the prayers that she is better. Thank You all!

September 26th

Special Prayers are needed!
Ms. Alice Gentry has not been feeling well. She felt it could be a kidney stone.



Thandie and her family will be having a funeral tomorrow for her 96 year old beautiful Grandmother. Grandmother was not feeling well earlier in the week and the family took her to the Queens Hospital. It appeared to be her heart. The family took Grandmother home and she was eating and comfortable. On Friday Thandie felt the need to go see Grandmother. She was able to visit with her and asked her if she could pray with her. We are not sure if she has accepted the Lord, but we know Peace has been witnessing to her. Grandmother smiled her beautiful smile and as Thandie prayed the Lord took her in his arms.

September 22nd

Whether you stop at the side of the rode or shop in the Central Market or the Shoprite Grocery Store or at the village market, you can find all kinds of vegetables. Most vegetables from the selected markets, with proper cleaning are safe to eat. The Open Air Market meat is not something we are use to so it is not recommended. The groceries purchased at the Shop Rite Grocery store is pretty safe.

This weeks news!

Bro. Mark Logan with the children after receiving their gifts!

We have seen an exciting week at the Orphanage and College in Mapangua.
Thandie and the children were organizing the container now that the children have received clothes, shoes and blankets. The smiles are so wonderful to see! The container costs are so worth it when the children receive what they need from all those generous donations from Churches in the States.

Lusungu has been visiting the orphanage and sharing with the girls what her difficulties aren't and what she has to look forward to. They have been having a great bonding sessions while knitting. Lusungu teases Aunt Thandie that she will be finished with her blanket before Aunt Thandie is finished with her Poncho.

Friday there were visitors from the Secondary school. The Director of the school and 2 teachers. It was great, the Director had brought food to Ida when she was in the hospital this year. They show alot of interest in the children and gave an encouraging talk to all the children. The children were excited to show the Director and the teachers the garden. They could not believe the abundance of the garden and how green the greens were. Aunt Thandie gave them some vegetables under the Directors protest, Aunt Thandie explained God would Bless them abundantly when they give. Once again the Garden is a testimony of God's Love.

Hot off the Press today!

We have been watching the news about the garden and just received a picture of the results of the treddle pump and the hard work of the children! How exciting this is!!!!!

Here is Thandie, Henry and Andrew!

September 10th

Please pray for those heading to Malawi. Dr. Gentry will be heading to Malawi tomorrow with a group. Dr. Gentry and Ms. Alice were purchasing shoes for the children at the Goodwill store yesterday. The children are from 5 years old to 16 year olds. A Nurse from Georgia will be joining the group this trip and Mike Shanaberger will be working on three more wells.


This is a rare picture of Mike sitting still. We have the living water and Mike will be supplying Water for living.

"You can't give the message of living water to people who are dying of thirst for the lack of real water." quote by Mike Shanaberger




October brings people from Countryside Baptist Church in West Virginia

and Bobby Singleton will put his shoes on for the soul winning. You won't see him at the house much but to rest up for an early morning start for soul winning.