Lusaka Baptist Church
Alfred Nyirenda was the seventh pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church from 1993 to 1997. He was a passionate preacher of the gospel and a seasoned marriage counsellor. Alfred was born in Lundazi district of Zambia. He did his primary education in the Eastern province and secondary school at David Kaunda Technical School from 1967 to 1971. Alfred became a Christian in 1969. He started attending church at Lusaka Baptist Church and studied at the University of Zambia. While at university he embraced Reformed doctrine after reading Reformed literature. He sensed the call to the pastoral ministry while studying at university. Before becoming a pastor, he was a secondary school teacher. Alfred married Tina in 1975 and the Lord blessed their marriage with three children. He went to Spurgeon’s College for ministerial training which he completed in 1984. Alfred’s ministry at Lusaka Baptist Church was characterised by a strong evangelistic emphasis which the Lord used to save some from sin. He preached a series “Lessons from Questions” during his pastorate at LBC with some notable sermons being: “Will a Man Rob God?” and “What Will Profit a Man if he Gains the Whole World?” Alfred was also a regular preacher at Scripture Union and Zambia Fellowship of Evangelical Students meetings and also a regular preacher at the Elbycites (a group that met annually to consider Reformed doctrines) in the 1980s.
Nigel Lacey was the eighth pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church from 1999 to 2004. He was a gifted expositor of the word and writer and preached at Church conferences in Africa and in Europe. Nigel was born in England in 1942 and went to be with the Lord in 2007 in England. He became a believer in Christ in 1954 and worked as an engineer for fifteen years before he became a pastor. Nigel was married to Margaret until the Lord called him home to glory. Their marriage was blessed with two daughters. Nigel accepted the call to become pastor at Lusaka Baptist Church in 1998 and took up office in 1999. He previously had been pastor for 18 years at Bethesda Baptist Church in England. He had also conducted pastoral training at Trinity Baptist Church in Kenya. After leaving Zambia Nigel became pastor of Hope Baptist Church in England until his home call. Nigel preached preached regularly on a thirty-minute television programme called “Opening the Book”. Through this programme, Nigel’s ministry extended to the whole of Zambia. His preaching was passionately evangelistic and warmly devotional. He was also a prolific writer. Notable publications include Pastors and Elders as Physician of Souls, The Latest Moves in Evangelical Unity, God’s Plan for the Local Church and Apostles and Prophets. Nigel was also a lecturer at the Reformed Baptist Preacher’s College where he also served as Principal. Nigel’s warmth and intensity in his public prayers is something one cannot easily forget.
Ronald Kalifungwa is the ninth pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church. He has been pastor since 2006. Ronald has been instrumental in ensuring that the church has a strong missionary thrust and also playing key roles in inter-church projects such as the Annual Reformed Conference and the African Christian University. Ronald was born in 1962 and was brought up as a Roman Catholic. For a long time he believed that he was a Christian. While sitting in a service at LBC in early 1981, he was made to see that he was a sinner in need of salvation. Later that day he confessed his sin and pleaded with the Lord for mercy. He developed a love for reading after conversion. This with a combination of listening to a message tape on the five points of Calvinism confirmed him in the Calvinistic faith. The Lord began to impress upon Ronald’s heart a desire to preach the gospel while he was studying at the Northern Technical College. In 1986, he got a job with the then Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM). He preached in colleges, universities and churches. He preached almost every week at the Riverside Chapel youth fellowship. Ronald got married to Sarah in 1991 at Lusaka Baptist Church with Alfred Nyirenda officiating at the wedding. This marriage has been blessed with three sons. Ronald received a call from Central Baptist Church (later renamed Fairview Reformed Baptist Church) which he pastored for ten years. Ronald was also pastor of Lynwood Baptist Church in Pretoria for 8 years from 1998. Ronald accepted a call to become pastor of Lusaka Baptist Church in 2006. Ronald has preached on television and has also lectured at the Reformed Baptist Preachers College, the Lusaka Ministerial College and the African Christian University.
Conclusion
Having looked briefly at the nine pastors that God has been pleased to call and use in the 60 years of existence of Lusaka Baptist Church, I provide a few points of reflection as I conclude.
Firstly, we have seen that some pastorates were quite short (that of Derek Harris, Michael Eaton, John Symons and Alfred Nyirenda), yet we cannot help but see how God mightly used these men. They were faithful to God with the time and gifts that God them and that was enough. May we imitate them by giving ourselves fully to the Lord and serve him faithfully with our gifts and time.
Secondly, we see a connection of faithful preaching of God’s word by these men that have served as pastors at Lusaka Baptist Church. We also see a pattern of promoting church based ministries e.g. Youth ministries and Sunday School Ministry. Our churches need to ensure that God’s people continue to serve Him and his people through committing themselves to church ministries.
Thirdly, we see in the pastors that have served and are still serving at Lusaka Baptist Church, a commitment to service for the Lord, before and after leaving the pastorate at Lusaka Baptist Church. May we imitate them in being men and women whose service of the Lord continues to flourish until the Lord of glory calls us to himself or until he returns!
Fourthly, we see how the pastor’s developed leaders within the church who later became deacons and elders and pastors at Lusaka Baptist Church and leaders and missionaries elsewhere. Our churches need to ensure that leaders are being groomed from within its’ ranks so that the church of God does not lack those who can lead his work.
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