THE BOYS’ BRIGADE OF ZAMBIA

Spiritual and Religious Committee

2023 BB WEEK OF PRAYERS PROGRAM

Monday 23rd October to Sunday 29th October, 2023.

THEME OF THE YEAR

“I realized another thing that in this world fast runners do not always win the races, and the brave do
not always earn a living, intelligent people do not always get rich, and capable people do not always
rise to high positions. Bad luck happens to everyone.” – Ecclesiastes 9 vs 11

“Preparedness for Every Opportunity”

SURE AND STEDFAST – FIRST FOR BOYS

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 BB WEEK OF PRAYERS TIME TABLE

Prayer Line
Day/Date Reading Theme Preacher
(Point)

Where there is
Monday Making actions
poverty, God
23rd October Mathew louder than our Company
raises people
2023 14:13-21 words. Chaplain
who can
provide food

Tuesday
All those who
24th October 2 Kings You are there for Company
are sick, they
2023 4:8-17 the reason Captain
find healing

Where there is
Wednesday Luke Do not be loneliness,
25th October 1: 5 – 23; Discouraged Youth Leader God provides
2023 57 - 66 friendship

Mathew God raises

Thursday 12:34-37, Boys and
Power of the
26th October Proverbs Choir Leader Officers who
Tongue
2023 18:21, are drug free
James 3:5-6

God sustains
Friday all new and
th Psalms Giving thanks at
27 October Church Elder old members
103: 1 - 10 all the times
2023 and gives them
hope of grace

Being faithful
Saturday and a
28th October Community work community of
2023 influence as
one family

Battalion
Sunday A Call to Serve a We remember
Luke Chaplain or
29th October God the Global
5: 1 - 11 Invited
2023 Family
Preacher

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INTRODUCTION

We are living in times when Boys’ Brigade seem to be preoccupied with so many
things which have kept our lives so busy and entangled at every side. Our minds
and efforts have been subjected to making our lives better such that we have little
time to work for God. Urge for other things has surpassed the hunger and thirsty
for God’s word. This year’s Boys’ Brigade Week of Prayers will remind us to be
Prepared for Every Opportunity (Ecclesiastes 9:11) and the topics for BB week
of prayer are as follows:

1. Making actions louder than our words.

2. You are there for the reason.
3. Do not be discouraged
4. Power of the tongue.
5. Giving thanks at all the times.
6. Community work
7. A call to serve a God

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Monday 23rd October 2023

Theme : Making actions louder than our words.

Readings : Mathew 14:13-21
Prayer Line: Where there is poverty, God raises people who can
provide food

Introduction
We are facing a lot of competition as Boys’ Brigade from other faiths especially
now that the standard of living is very bad. Many people are impoverished and
surviving hardly on arms given to them such that any help given to them will
sway them from their original faith and start following that hand which helped to
lessen their burden, in turn we may lose some of our members to such faiths. As
Boys’ Brigade it’s our duty not only to preach the word of faith but also to show
actions by helping those in need just like our master Jesus used to do.

Questions
1. Verse 16 “But Jesus said, they need to go away you give them something to
eat” What does this statement imply to our organization (Boys’ Brigade)
today in regard to the people we preach to?
2. Should prayers always be accompanied by physical help for it to be a
complete supplication to God? if yes or no state your reasons supported by
scripture.
3. What practical actions are supposed to do in our generation to win more
souls to Christ?

Conclusion
Indeed, prayer must be accompanied by actions at all times. We are challenged as
Boys’ Brigade today not only to look for the spiritual needs of our company and
battalion but approach our Ministry holistically were even the physical needs
must be looked into. This requires everyone to be involved and contribute
towards meeting other people’s need especially those who are in critical need of
our help. This will attract masses to our faith and eventually end up bringing
many to the serving knowledge of our savior Jesus Christ.
Amen!

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Tuesday 24th October, 2023

Theme : You are there for a reason

Readings : 2 Kings 4:8-17
Prayer Line : All those who are sick, they find healing

Text
In the course of his prophetic ministry, Elisha visited the town of Shunem where
a wealthy woman with her husband lived. She asked Elisha to come to her house
for a meal. But after discovering that Elisha often visited Shunem she requests
her husband that she builds a room for Elisha so that, he would lodge there
whenever he came for Ministry work in that area. She told her husband that she
perceived Elisha to be the man of God, and hence built a small room on the top
for him, put in a bed, a table, a chair and a lamp. In this generous and sacrificial
efforts, Elisha asked her if she needed any help from him, either to talk to the
king on her behalf or the king of the army but she objected and asserted the
Elisha’s servant Gehazi, noticed that she had no child and that her husband was
well advanced in age. Elisha prophesized that about that same time the next year,
she would nurse her own child and it came to pass.

Questions

1. Why should we support servants of God?

2. What lessons can we draw from the rich woman in the passage?

3. What did she notice about Elisha for her to affirm, he was a man God?

4. How can you distinguish between manipulation and genuine act of Biblical
giving to help God’s servants and God’s Ministry?

Conclusion
We need to understand that we exist for a reason and we have been placed where
we are for a reason. We are all Boys’ Brigade of God in our own right; however,
the geography of our assignment and our unique call and mandate is what
differentiates the ordained Ministry and the laity. The Boys’ Brigade believes in
the work of God. We must therefore serve God in our different capacities but all
to His Glory and Honour. It is those capacities and unique gifts that should
propel us to support God’s mission and his servants.

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Wednesday 25th October, 2023

Theme : Do not be Discouraged

Reading : Luke 1:5-23, 57- 66
Prayer Line: Where there is loneliness, God provides friendship

Introduction
Discouragement comes when we have delay in God answering our prayers. Let us
continue to press on.

Text
Zachariah and Elizabeth were blameless but barren. Their bareness did not deter
them from serving the Lord. They never complained. Zechariah was a priest, a
man of God who could pray people to have children and intercede for their sins
and they could conceive yet he was barren. He could be burning incense to God
in the temple and people would be praying outside so that the aroma of the
burning incense would rise with the people’s prayers to God and God would hear
their prayers.

Problems will always come regardless that you are in the Boys’ Brigade or you are
upright.

Job with all his righteousness and uprightness before God, he got into a very
troubling time that even his friend suggested to him to confess his sins yet there
was no sin at all to confess.

Look at yourself, sometimes when you feel very upright and blameless that is
when the problems become even more stressing and more threatening to you.
Zechariah’s answer then came from God but he thought that the angel of Lord
had come late. God sent angel to prove to Zechariah that it is God who makes
everything possible. That is the reason why the same angel went to Mary after
meeting Zechariah to work on another miracle where a virgin conceived without a
man.

Remember, Zechariah’s mouth was shut, verse 12 says, he was troubled by that
he was and fear came upon him. He didn’t believe in the prayers he prayed.

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Questions

1. What is our take away?

2. If God answers all your prayers and fulfill all your desires, will you still hold
on to service until your appointed time?

3. Why God delay our prayers?

4. What is the difference between stressing and problems?

5. What have you leant from this passage? and list four points of
discouragement.

Conclusion

Let us pray to God in this revival that, God gives us a new heart and to enable us
handle our blessings. After being blessed and receiving our answers, we should
remain at service, must show gratitude like the leper, who out of the ten went
back to thank Jesus. Let us have sure relationship with the blesser and not with
the blessing. Amen.

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Thursday 26th October, 2023

Theme : Power of the tongue.

Readings : Mathew 12:34-37, Proverbs 18:21, James 3:5-6
Prayer Line: God raises Boys and Officers who are drug free

Text
A tongue is one of the smallest parts of our body, innocent has it may look, it may
be disastrous due to what comes out of it. The tongue can bring a blessing or a
curse depending on how we use it.
It is therefore, important as children of God to mind what comes from our mouths
which may destroy families and communities. It is important to term our tongues
as children of God so that we are a blessing to the society. People are going
through mental, physical and emotional stress. The tongue can build and
destroy. The tongue is toxic if we do not mind how we make use of it. The tongue
according to James is a small part of the body, but can enlarge from a small fire
to burn the entire bush. The tongue can build and destroy the entire family and
the nation as a whole. Many marriages have been broken due to abusive and bad
language. Let our tongue be a blessing to everyone we come across with. Let us
speak love to our spouse, families and friends.

Questions

1. Describe what the writer meant when he said a tongue is a small part of
the body can cause bush fire?

2. How do we term our tongues as Christians?

3. How can a tongue build or destroy organization (Boys’ Brigade)? State

examples in your context.

4. As Boys’ Brigade members how do you react to some situations that are
happening as at now?

Conclusion

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Let us pray to our self-control, as individuals, families, the church, leaders,
Political leaders and Boys’ Brigade members to use our tongues to build and not
to destroy. Pray for unity. We have only one country. One Zambia one Nation!

Friday 27th October, 2023

Theme : Giving thanks at all the times

Readings : Psalms 103:1-10
Prayer Line: God sustains all new and old members and gives them
hope of grace.

Text
The writer speaks of God’s blessing personally and on the entire nation. The
writer begins by calling himself to praise the Lord” and end by inviting Heaven
and Earth to join the praise of might and loving God. The writer or psalmist is
saying to himself.

Remember how often you have sinned and God has forgiven you. Remember how
often you have been sick and God has healed you. Remember how often you have
been near to death and the pit and God has restored you to life and health. Think
of the way that God’s love and mercy have been like a crown on your head. How
God has brought satisfaction and joy to your life. But those who trust in the Lord
will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like Eagles (Isaiah 40:31). No
wonder it is important not to forget all his benefits. Not only individuals but the
whole nation had reasons to bless the Lord God, God had shown himself a God of
justice who delivered them when they were oppressed. The people had known this
from the time Moses when they had set free from slavery and oppression in
Egypt. They, and we like them do not deserve God’s goodness and Salvation. If
God had to punish us our sins deserve or repay us as according to our iniquities.
Instead of His righteous anger we find his pardon and love.

Questions

1. Why do you think it is important to be grateful?

2. What are we supposed to be grateful for?

3. How do we show our gratefulness to God?

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 4. Are we only supposed to be grateful in good times only? What is your
comment?

5. In our group how do we show our gratefulness to God practically?

Conclusion

We need to appreciate God for everything that we have in our lives. Let us thank
God for the good and had situations we have gone through and what we are going
through. “In all circumstances let us thank God.”

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 Saturday 28th October, 2023

Prayer Line: Being faithful as a community of influence to all as one

family.

COMMUNITY WORK

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 THE BOYS’ BRIGADE OF ZAMBIA

BB FOUNDER’S DAY ORDER OF SERVICE

Sunday 29th October, 2023

 Call to Worship

 Marching in BB Colours (where possible)

 Prayer of Adoration, Thanksgiving and Confession

 Band / Choir

 Notices

 Offering / Prayer

 Founder’s Day Remembered

 Twin Pillar and BB Object
 The Founder and his Vision
 BBZ memory lane (Leaders of yesterday and today)

 Bible Reading
 Luke 5 vs 1 – 11

 Band Choir

 Homely

 BB Prayer and Vesper (All Members)

 Benediction

 Marching off the Colours (where possible)

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Sunday 29th October, 2023

Sub Theme : A call to serve God

Readings : Luke 5:1-11
Prayer Line: We remember the Global Family

Introduction

Most of us familiar with the cell phones which we use to make calls in order to
communicate with one another; this is done between two or more people, from
one source to another. Normally in this arrangement, one is a sender and another
one is a receiver. A call can even be made verbally or by signs and in this case the
one calling always has something to tell or say to the one answering. There is
always a purpose for a person to make a call. Same applies to our God; He can’t
just call us without any agenda or purpose. For him to create us and give us
different gifts and talents He knew why He did that and He expects us to put it in
use to the glory of His name. When he calls and assigns us with a certain task,
he expects us to respond to his call without fail for Him alone is our creator. He
calls us anytime he wants and sends us to perform any task He wants from us.
Therefore, whenever He calls, we must, obey and do the task He is calling us for
without any excuse.

Biblical Explanation / Exegesis

Luke 5:1-11 records a period when Jesus was calling his first disciple during his
early days of Ministry. In verse 1 to 3, Jesus saw Simon’s boat empty and decided
to use it as platform for peaching the word of God. The question is that why
didn’t he call the people to the land or elect a podium where he could have stood
to preach the word of God but decided to use Simon’s boat? The possible
explanation could be that he used Simon’s boat because he had an agenda with
the owner of the boat. He knew that even if the boat was mainly used to carry
fishermen as they go to fish, he can still use the same boat to preach the word of
God to masses. In verse 4 to 11, just after Jesus finished preaching, he
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commanded Simon, Simon Peter, James and John to put out into the deep and
catch some fish and most surprisingly this time they had even washed their nets
and ready to go home after toiling the whole night without fish. This is very
surprising, why calling people to start working after their time to knock off has
come? And again, why did Simon and his friends also obey the instructions to try
again despite being fully aware that they had tried all their means and still came
out empty handed on the day? These people decided to obey Jesus for they had
respect for Him and some were even saying in their hearts that ‘let us just try if it
will work’ to their surprise they had an enormous catch and from that day they
abandoned their nets and followed Jesus. We shall look at the following points for
us to digest fully our scripture under consideration.

1. Being available to be used by God

Simon Peter and the three others where available to be used by Jesus
Christ. They never refused or make excuses, they allowed their boats to be
used as a podium to preach the word of God, and this made Jesus to even
command them to try again and caught a lot of fish thereafter. Most of us
are absent when God wants to use us. We normally give excuses of our
busy schedules at work our own business. Some even refuse to be
appointed into some leadership positions citing their personal
commitments to their personal or private commitment, what we forget is
that whatever we have, comes from God. When God calls us, we simply
have to obey as Boys Brigade. Some of us were very committed Christians
but the moment God gave us some of the wealth we have even closed our
ears to any voice that may call us toward God. Today God is reminding us
that he is still calling us to serve Him. We may not know how long or how
many days we still have here on Earth, the only time to work for Him is
now when we still have life. Therefore, let us be available to be used by
Him.

2. Obeying the Greater Call

Simon and his friends were professional fishermen, experts in the finishing
industry yet they obeyed instructions which what other circle may call ‘a
civilian,’ an amateur, inexperienced person who knew nothing about fishing
but carpentry. Jesus’ voice surprises all human or Earthly voices, He is the
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 Lord of the Lords, King of Kings, when he calls us, we simply have to trust
and obey. God expects us to obey his voice and serve Him in whatever field
we are in. some of us are farmers, business persons, formal or informal
employment, the voice is just one and when he calls, they shouldn’t be any
excuse.

Conclusion

As we celebrate this year’s Boys’ Brigade Week and Founder’s Day let us be
reminded to always obey his greater call which is to serve Him. Let us utilize the
talents and everything that God has deposited in us Boys’ Brigade to work for
Him while it’s still day.

Amen!

Our Vision
“To be a youth Organisation of choice which will attract, empower and groom
youths into God fearing responsible and disciplined Christians, ready for service
within and outside their communities.”
Our Mission
“To transform, empower, equip and nature youths and to enable them into God
fearing, productive, self-reliant and useful members of the society.”

Wishing you a successful 2023 BB Week of Prayers.

All queries to be addressed to :

The Executive Secretary

bbzambia@yahoo.co.uk
Cell: 0967 739 464 / 0760 449 711

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 BBWKOP/PRM/BBZ/2023

THE BOYS’ BRIGADE OF ZAMBIA

BB WEEK OF PRAYERS FEEDBACK FORM

2023 Theme
“Preparedness for Every Opportunity” – Ecclesiastes 9: 11

Company ________________________________ Battalion ______________________________

Number of Number of Total

Name of
Day / Date BB Non-BB Attendanc Offering
Preacher
Members Members e
Monday
23rd October
2023
Tuesday
24th October
2023
Wednesday
25th October
2023
Thursday
26th October
2023
Friday
27th October
2023
Saturday
28th October
2023
Sunday
29th October
2023

General Comments _______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Company Captain __________________________________________

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Official Use
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

NB: Offering collected during BB Week of Prayers to be sent to Headquarters.

Executive Secretary ________________________________

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