Pastor Francis Kaunda’s sermon from Mark 1:14–20 focused on “The Call to Follow Christ,” emphasising that Jesus calls ordinary people to follow Him and that the kingdom of God demands repentance and faith. He stressed that before talking about Christianity, one must first be a Christian, as there are non-negotiables to following Christ, beginning with knowing Jesus personally and having a real relationship with Him.

The sermon reminded us of who Jesus is and His saving purpose, showing that His coming fulfills what was spoken in Luke 4 and reveals God’s clear agenda for humanity, which is salvation through knowing Christ. Because Jesus is King, the proper response is to repent and believe, turning away from sin and stopping reliance on oneself. Christ’s call is deeply personal, and it is impossible to follow Him without knowing Him; when He calls, He also promises to make His followers fishers of people, sending them out as seen in John 20:21.

Pastor Kaunda noted that keeping Christ central may not result in a large church, but it will produce true followers of Jesus Christ. The call of the gospel is not an invitation to improve one’s life, but a call to submit fully to Christ and follow Him, recognising that discipleship begins with grace and is never cheap, and that Christ continues to call ordinary people today.