In April 2025, a significant milestone was reached in LMI’s Global Ministry work. For the very first time, a team from LMI travelled to Malawi to visit our longstanding Global Partner, Pastor Brino Kumwenda. Having worked closely with Brino since 2015, it was a
joy to meet with him in person and witness firsthand the remarkable work he is doing.
A key emphasis of our partnership with Brino has been the sponsorship of Bible conferences and church leadership events. As a local pastor based in Malawi’s northern region, Brino is wholeheartedly committed to gospel work and building up the local church. He has worked hard to build strong relationships with fellow church leaders and is passionate about equipping them with biblical teaching that promotes
healthy leadership and healthy churches. This shared vision for discipleship and leadership development formed the foundation of the two-week ministry programme around which this trip was centred.
Joining me on this ministry trip was my colleague, Philip Orr. In collaboration with our Global Partner, we worked to deliver a ministry programme for local leaders, shaped by Brino’s unique cultural insights. The primary focus of this programme was a series of
leadership conferences held in the cities of Mzimba and Mzuzu, around six hours north of Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe. Between the two events, we were blessed to welcome around 170 leaders representing 148 different church fellowships. The sheer diversity of church backgrounds and the collective hunger for biblical truth among the participants was both humbling and inspiring. These conferences were the fruit of Brino’s faithful relational ministry over the years, through which he has built such a strong network of local church leaders. Getting to gather all of these leaders in one place for rich Bible teaching and fellowship was such a joy!
Philip began each day with a devotional reflection from 2 Timothy, which offered great encouragement. These devotionals also positioned us well for my later teaching sessions, looking at the ministry and leadership of the Apostle Paul. My aim was to inspire and equip local leaders to apply biblical principles in their own contexts, and the response was deeply encouraging. Participants engaged actively in discussion times, reflecting on how the teachings applied to their personal ministries. Discussions
continued over lunch and break times, where existing friendships were strengthened and new connections formed. We found that giving leaders space to talk and pray together was crucial for fellowship, morale and motivation. There is, of course, a practical cost associated with the sponsorship of such activities. However, the benefits far outweigh the challenges associated with funding the required provisions.
We witnessed many impactful moments throughout our trip. One young leader felt challenged to return to the religious community where he was raised to share his faith in Christ. Others noted how reflections upon Paul’s ministry had stimulated them to think more strategically about their own missional endeavours. Another pastor, convicted by the message on integrity, felt prompted to return home to apologise and address relational shortcomings in his own family. He felt inspired to model confession amongst his own children – a major counter-cultural step in the given context!
Upon completion of the leadership conferences, a third day of Bible teaching was opened up for all in both locations, looking at the nature of the Church. Philip and I explored the New Testament descriptions of the Church, looking at its identity as the family of God, the body of Christ, the temple of God and the bride of Christ.
Reflecting on the conferences, Pastor Brino shared:
“I think that’s what Africa needs right now, as the movement of Christianity is going towards Africa. I think Africa is the biggest in terms of the Christian faith, but there isn’t much depth”.
Taking the time to dig into crucial aspects of what it means to be a follower of the Lord Jesus and part of the people of God proved to be a helpful focus for all. Beyond the conferences, we joined Brino’s church to share at two Sunday worship services and spent time with the men’s fellowship group, looking at messages from Philippians and the life of King Saul’s eldest son, Jonathan. We even managed to meet with a current LMI Bible Teaching student, collecting his completed work to bring back to the office for marking – a meaningful reminder of the breadth of our partnership work. Overall, the trip was such a blessing. We were deeply inspired by Brino’s commitment to ministry work and the hunger for biblical truth among the leaders in Malawi. We left with grateful hearts and hopeful anticipation in the Lord for future partnership opportunities.
