Malawi is a landlocked country located in southeastern Africa. Lilongwe is the capital city of Malawi. It is here that Chris and Jamie Schilt and their five children serve through the International Mission Board (IMB).
Chris teaches at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Malawi, and Jamie manages the guest house where volunteers stay and disciples Malawian women. Chris and Jamie together disciple men and women on their front porch each week and conduct discipleship trainings. They also seek to facilitate healthy partnerships between U.S. churches and the Baptist Convention of Malawi.
Though the Schilts have strong Oklahoma roots, Malawi is home, and their heart is to see all Malawians find faith and hope in Jesus.
Jamie said, “It is incredibly rewarding when God uses you to call a person to salvation and gives him or her the faith to believe right before your eyes. It is also incredible to see and hear your disciples catch the vision of reaching the nations with the Gospel and partnering with you to engage the lost around them and pray for those beyond their borders.”
Though Malawi is half a world away from Oklahoma, many of the same roadblocks exist when it comes to people believing and accepting the Gospel of Christ.
“Many Malawians think because they were born into a Christian family or because Malawi is a Christian nation or because they read their Bible, attend church each week and tithe, they are Christians,” Jamie said. “There is also an enormous prosperity gospel influence on the entire continent. Most of our work is convincing people of their need for the Gospel and what salvation really is.”
Currently, the Schilts are the only IMB missionaries serving in Malawi, so they are stretched very thin.
Jamie said, “Right now, our greatest struggle is time. God is at work, and there are so many areas of possible ministry. We are praying that God would send more laborers into the harvest field of Malawi.”
Oklahoma Baptists can help by giving generously to the Cooperative Program and by praying for the Schilts. Pray more laborers would see the need and be called to serve in Malawi. Pray the Malawian Baptist Church would be healthy and strong and engaged in making disciples and planting healthy churches in Malawi and beyond.
Because of the generous giving of Oklahoma Baptists through the Cooperative Program, an amazing array of ministries are supported. This unified giving encourages fellowship with other believers all over the world. Collectively, Oklahoma Baptists are advancing the Gospel together.
Chris and Jamie Schilt are featured in the 2023 Missionary Prayer Guide for Oklahoma Baptists. For more information about the Cooperative Program, visit oklahomabaptists.org/cp.
