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Biographical Sketch of Basil Medgett

Introduction

Basil Arthur Medgett was the second pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church from 1961 to 1967. He was instrumental in the establishment of Baptist Churches in Luanshya, Ndola and Lusaka. He was also involved in the establishment of Fiwale Hill Bible College. Basil Medgett was born on 1 January 1924 in Whitstable, Kent, England and went to be with the Lord after a short illness in May 1983 in Canada.

Medgett attended Faversham Grammar School. He served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in World War Two and was stationed in England and then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Medgett was born in a Christian home where the example of Christian parents meant a lot to him. His father, Cyril, was a Lay Preacher in the Church of England and Parochial Church Secretary of a large parish in the south of England. Basil's mother was Lillian-Turnbull and his sister Gwen.

Basil Medgett married Katrina (Katie) Kroeker on 22nd May 1954 at Rusitu mission station in what was then Southern Rhodesia. At the time Medgett had just finished training to be a Baptist minister. After the marriage, they immediately moved to Ndola in what was then Northern Rhodesia to pastor Ndola Baptist Church. The Lord blessed them with two children Kathleen and Dayle who are both settled in Canada. Dayle served as senior pastor of Westview Baptist Church in Canada until his retirement. Dayle is married to Dawn who was in charge of the children’s ministry.

Conversion

Medgett learnt of the gospel from his parents. He became a Christian at the age of fifteen during a series of special services held in his hometown. Medgett talks about his conversion in this way: “It was from him (Basil’s father) and from my mother, that first I learned the Good Tidings of Jesus and His love”. A year after his conversion he followed the Lord in Believer’s Baptism.

His parents hoped he would become a Minister of the Church of England, however the Lord had other plans. Medgett was posted to Southern Rhodesia while serving in the Royal Air Force in World War Two and joined the Bulawayo Baptist Church. He did this after coming to see the Scriptural pattern for the Church. After leaving the RAF, he studied for the Baptist Ministry, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Africa in Pretoria and a Bachelor of Divinity from the University of London in England.

Call to Ministry

The parents of Basil Medgett hoped he would become a Minister of the Church of England, however the Lord had other plans. Medgett was posted to Southern Rhodesia while serving in the Royal Air Force in World War Two and joined the Bulawayo Baptist Church. He did this after coming to see the Scriptural pattern for the Church. After leaving the RAF, he studied for the Baptist Ministry, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Africa in Pretoria and a Bachelor of Divinity from the University of London in England.

For some time, Medgett was convinced that the Lord wanted him to serve in business life, however with time the Lord led him to the pastoral ministry. Medgett records: “Now after some happy years of service in European causes, the Lord has led my wife and myself to Lambaland”. He later was a member of Ndola Baptist Church, where he was the second pastor, in the late 1950’s.

Pastorate of Lusaka Baptist Church

Medgett became pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church in 1961. This was after Derek Harris was called to a church in Stirling, East London, and left in May 1961. Basil Medgett and his wife and family accepted the call to the pastorate and arrived in Lusaka later that year. At the time he was being called, the church was struggling financially with the income being less than the budget, yet Medgett still accepted the call! Such was his commitment to the cause of Christ and the gospel! The membership of the church at the time he was being called was 41 which had a potential to grow as the city was growing.

Basil and Katie Medgett at the LBC manse

Basil Medgett contributed greatly to raising funds for the construction projects at Lusaka Baptist Church by writing and printing a short history of the Early Church and these were sold to the congregation and anyone interested for ten shillings each and quite a substantial amount of money was raised through the sale of this booklet. It is also worth noting according to Charles Kidwell that when Lusaka Baptist Church was being established and they needed to provide pews for the church, Medgett contacted the Chief of the Lamba people, who had known him when he ran the Bible School at Fiwale Hill. The Chief donated tree trunks from trees of the forest and these were cut for us by a timber merchant in Lusaka. Members of the congregation used the planks to make pews on site.

 

 

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