Joe Simfukwe: A Biographical Sketch

Joe Simfukwe was the sixth pastor and first Zambian pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church. He is also one of the longest serving pastors of Lusaka Baptist. He was pastor from 1979-1990. Simfukwe was instrumental in popularising expository preaching in Evangelical and Baptist Churches. He played a leading role in establishing Baptist churches in Zambian urban towns. He also officiated and preached at a number of weddings and wrote many booklets. 

Joe Simfukwe was born in 1950 in Jombo Village in then Northern Province, now Muchinga Province where he did his primary and secondary schooling. He later went to do his secondary school education in Scotland. He later studied at Glasgow University in Scotland from 1969-1973. He became a Christian in 1970 at university. He studied theology at Spurgeon’s College in London from 1976-1979. He later did postgraduate theological studies in Australia from 1990-1993. Before his call to be pastor in 1979, Simfukwe worked as an Agricultural research Officer in the mid 70s. The elders at Lusaka Baptist Church guided him into considering the pastoral ministry. 

He preached consecutive expository sermons through various books of the Bible. Some of the notable series that he preached on were the Ten Commandments, Romans, Ephesians, Minor Prophets, Song of Solomon. He also preached on subjects such as The Promise of the Father, Evangelistic messages at Family Guest services during Easter and Christmas and other special occasions. Some sermons preached during Christmas Guest Services include "Love is Willing to be Misunderstood"and "Saving Sinners is a Messy Business". He also officiated and preached several weddings of a number of church members. Simfukwe’s preaching also extended to other churches and para-church organisations such as Scripture Union, Zambia Fellowship of Evangelical Students, and Nurses Christian Fellowship. He has also preached sermons on radio and television. 

Simfukwe has written a number of publications. These include: The Ten Commandments, Courtship Notes, The Promise of the Father etc. He also used to write pastoral letters every month in the Lusaka Baptist Church newsletter. Simfukwe was also assistant pastor of Herne Hill Baptist in 1976, student pator at Croham Road Baptist Church for six months in 1977, and in pastoral ministry at Monks Orchard Baptist church for six months, pastor of Priory Street Baptist Church in the United Kingdom and Gymea Baptist in Australia. He obtained a Masters degree in Theology in Australia in 1990. 

Simfukwe played a leading role in establishing Baptist Churches in urban towns in Zambia. These proved useful for Christians that got jobs outside Lusaka. Simfukwe was Theological College of Central Africa (TCCA) now callled Evangelical University in Ndola from 1994 to 2013 where he taught biblical studies and pastoral theology. He was Principal at the then TCCA from 2001 to 2012. He married Alice in 1975 and has two sons: Gome and Kondo, and three daughters: Sibo, Tamira and Charity Suwilo. Gome is an accountant turned counsellor like his father. Kondo is a lead pastor of Mission Point Community Church in Indiana, USA.  Sibo is a computer programmer in Ohio, USA. Tamira is a nurse in Texas, USA and Suwilo is a psychotherapist in Kalumbila.