In Zambia, Even Non-Members Are Returning Tithes by ‘Giving in Kind’

Under the theme “Giving in Kind,” the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID) recently conducted a stewardship benchmarking symposium on tithe and offerings at Rusangu University, in the Southern Zambia Union Conference (SZUC). Dozens of church members from all over the 13 SID unions regions and one attached field attended the event, which was marked with practical field trips to the area’s farming community.

SID president Harrington Simui Akombwa gave the keynote address and challenged church leaders to play a leading role in being good stewards of God’s resources.

Steady Faithfulness

Church members in Zambia are passionate about the mission of the church, as evidenced by the faithfulness among the farmers. Having been a victim of so many cattle thefts, Yacobus Nel, from North Farm, and his family remained returning a percentage of their livestock to God as their tithes and offerings despite the many negative events and the disease that affected their livestock. Their faithfulness was eventually rewarded, he said. “For us as a family it came as no surprise that the Lord blessed us with more cows,” Nel said. “Some of our livestock began to reproduce twins and the deaths in our livestock has reduced drastically.”

Delegates toured the farming community in the region over the course of two days and were humbled by the level of faithfulness God’s people demonstrated in consistently returning tithes and offerings. Rusangu Conference treasurer Clement Hantimba, who is also a farmer and owns more than 100 heads of cattle, leads by example in returning God’s tithe and offerings. “For me, returning God’s tithe is automatic,” Hantimba said. “I don’t even think about it because everything I own belongs to God.”

This is indeed good stewardship, Akombwa said. “What we are seeing here today, is worth emulating. We are encouraged by church members who are leading by example in returning God’s faithful tithes and offerings. We want this benchmarking program to be replicated throughout our division,” he said.

A Tangible Influence

Rusangu Adventist Secondary School is also returning their tithe in kind, regional church leaders said. “Even some students from other faiths now believe in returning God’s tithes and offerings,” they said.

“I believe in returning God’s tithe because here at school, I have learned that, as the Bible says, it’s more blessed to give than to receive,” student Mongoro Kaura said.

Area chief Hamusonde, who is an Adventist member, gave a practical demonstration by inviting church leaders to collect God’s tithe on his homestead. “Everything I own belongs to God,” Hamusonde said.

SZUC president Vanny Munyumbwe said he was deeply impressed by Hamusonde’s faithfulness. “As a church, we are grateful for such a good example.”

Hamusonde and other members’ testimony is influencing others, including non-members. “I am emulating what Adventists are doing,” Himagayi Mundi, who is not a church member, said. “I have witnessed the blessings resulting from being faithful.”

Replicating the Model

SID leaders are excited about this case study and are now trying to replicate it in other union regions, such as in the North Botswana Conference (NBC). “In Botswana, we have four million cattle heads in a population of just over two million,” NBC president Bosenakitso Chabale said. “Going back home, I will make sure I inspire our church members, especially those who are into farming and agriculture, to return their tithes and offerings in kind.”

“I am very humbled about what we are seeing here in Zambia today,” SID treasuer Hopekings Ngomba said. “It is encouraging to see leaders taking a center-stage role as good stewards of God’s resources by giving healthy livestock to the Lord.”

SID stewardship director Mundia Lywalii added that faithfulness in returning God’s tithes and offerings is a sign of spiritual maturity. “I am very encouraged by what I saw today,” Lywalii said. “If even non-members can give so much to the Lord, what about us who believe in God and that all we have belongs to Him? We should do better.”