Kabwata Baptist Church was planted by Lusaka Baptist Church (LBC), in the year 1981. The pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church at that time was Joe Simfukwe. He was working with Cephas Yandila, Gabriel Mutale, and Joshua Kekana as elders. The first church service took place in Kabwata Community Hall on 8th March 1981. This was preceded by an aggressive door-to-door outreach in the Kabwata area. The work took longer to get established. At one time, LBC wanted to withdraw and consider the effort unsuccessful, except for some individuals who vowed to continue the work until it stabilised. When Alfred Nyirenda returned from England after his theological studies, he provided leadership for a short time. Door-to-door work remained the main form of evangelistic work. By January 1986, the new church had covenanted together into Kabwata Baptist Church.
After its constitution, the church almost immediately began to search for a man to take up the pastoral office and in September 1987, Conrad Mbewe answered the call of God, abandoning his engineering career with the Zambian copper mines. LBC committed to paying the new pastor’s salary from their Baptist Urban Outreach Fund.
One of the first projects the church embarked upon was the compilation of 99 hymns into ‘Grace Supplement’ to be used hand in hand with Grace Hymns. During the same period, a reformation started in the church by the visit of Pastor Achille Blaize.
Hence, in 1990 the first Reformed conference was held at KBC with Pastor Achille Blaize himself returning as a speaker. He preached together with Pastor Alfred Nyirenda. The best outcome of this conference was the general appreciation by the KBC membership on having confessions in the life of the church. In September 1990, the church voted in favour of the adoption of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.
During the period between 1991 and 1995, the offices of elders and deacons were properly defined. The church acquired a piece of land in Libala, Lusaka. The first structure to be built was the pastor’s house, then the church auditorium. Finally, in 1997, the church moved into the new building for worship. Since then, a ministry center has been added.
During the period between 1991 and 1995, the offices of elders and deacons were properly defined. The church acquired a piece of land in Libala, Lusaka. The first structure to be built was the pastor’s house, then the church auditorium. Finally, in 1997, the church moved into the new building for worship. Since then, a ministry center has been added.
In the meantime, the church had also introduced church-based ministries and Pastor Mbewe had become deeply involved in international ministry. The church began to produce various publications as a means of spreading the Reformed Faith and helping members appreciate how Christianity made progress in the past. Other attempts were made to spread the gospel through radio ministry and the commencement of a part-time preachers' class.
Thereafter there was a cry from Central Baptist Church of Choma to help them with preachers. That was the beginning of KBC’s involvement in missions. The church adopted a new constitution and sent out more missionaries. The church also started a school on its premises, the Eagles Nest School. KBC opened a site on the Internet and exhibited at the Lusaka Agricultural and Commercial Show.
1993 to 1995 was a period of mixed blessing. There was trouble in the eldership, which eventually led to the disintegration of the eldership. Pastor Mbewe remained working with the deacons in the church. After about one year, the eldership began to be built up again until they reached six in total in 2008. There was unprecedented growth during this period. Around the same time, the church adopted a playground in the Libala area, close to the main church building, where more outreach activities are done. More missionaries have since been sent out. Church attendance has since grown in leaps and bounds.
