Joshua Banda - A Leader with National Impact

While virtually all CISF supported leaders make a significant impact on the church in their home countries and continents, some of these gifted men and woman have a direct impact on nations themselves.  One such leader is current CISF scholar Bishop Joshua Banda from Zambia.  Joshua regularly meets with senior government officials, including the President of the nation.  He is not only on committees re-writing Zambia's constitution and formulating a national strategy around HIV/AIDS, he chairs both of these groups.   

Joshua currently serves as senior pastor of Northmead Assembly of God, a thriving church of 2,000 near the capital city of Lusaka.  In addition to preaching and teaching, his ministry also includes a weekly television broadcast seen throughout the nation.  Previously, he served as the President of Trans-Africa Theological College, a school he once attended as a young pastor, seeking more training.  He became a teacher even before graduating and eventually served as the school's president before stepping down to take on his current pastorate. 

Joshua's theology has always made a practical impact as he leads a number of grass roots ministries.  The Lazarus Project, co-founded with his wife, Gladys, helps rehabilitate street children in the capital city of Zambia.  He also founded Expanded Church Response, in an effort to help the church take a lead role in addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis in Zambia.  Through his church, he founded Circle of Hope, a ministry offering free anti-retroviral treatment to over 1900 AIDS patients monthly. 

The impact of these ministries has led to positions of national influence.  Joshua currently chairs the General Constitutional Principles Committee, a group established by the government to examine the national constitution of Zambia.  His work on HIV/AIDS has also led to his leadership of the National AIDS Council of Zambia.  He is now in the middle of a four year term of this group, which has responsibilities to both the nation of Zambia and the UN in its work to curtail HIV/AIDS.  In these roles, Joshua regularly meets with top cabinet officials and is bringing Christian influence and Kingdom values to the national strategies of his homeland.

In the midst of all of these, Joshua is also working on his PhD through the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.  Always bringing a practical approach to his theology, Joshua's research looks at the impact of congregational-based HIV/AIDS programs in Zambia.  He hopes his research will provide empirical evidence to the success of the work of the church in the face of the defining challenge facing Africa in our generation.

Please join us prayer for Joshua and his family as they spread hope and light in Zambia.