Ndola Baptist Church (NBC) traces its roots back to the 1920s, when a group of European believers began meeting in homes before moving to a small hall built with support from the Baptist Union of South Africa. Under the leadership of pioneers like Rev. Arthur J. Cross and later Rev. John Gartry, the church grew steadily and became known as the Ndola Free Church.
In 1952, the church was formally constituted as Ndola Baptist Church, becoming the first English-speaking Baptist Church in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). The founding members were committed to sharing the Gospel and growing a local community of believers.
Throughout the decades, NBC has experienced both challenges and growth. Notable milestones include the planting of new churches in Lusaka, Kitwe, Luanshya, and other parts of Zambia, as well as the transformation from an all-white congregation into a truly multi-racial, Christ-centered community.
The church has been shepherded by several faithful pastors, including Rev. Basil Medgett, Rev. Howard Worth, Rev. Joe Kapolyo (NBC’s first indigenous Zambian pastor), and most recently, Pastor Lawrence Lama, who currently leads the church in expository preaching and missions.
Despite seasons without a full-time pastor and various internal and external challenges, NBC has consistently witnessed God’s faithfulness and providence. Today, we continue to pursue our mission: glorifying God, edifying believers, and reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“Ebenezer — thus far the Lord has helped us.”
Our vision is to be a dynamic community of believers that progressively demonstrates Christlikeness; serving God, one another and the world around us with vibrancy through a Christ-centred and Bible-anchored ministry under the superintendence of the Holy Spirit.
