Share this
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” – 2 Timothy 4:7
There are men who pass through ministry. And then there are men like Reverend Nicholas Chirwa—men who carry ministry, year after year, generation after generation.
His journey began in 1965 at Chilenje Church of the Nazarene, where a young man stepped into the fellowship of believers not yet knowing how far God would take him. In 1971, he answered the call to full-time ministry, and by 1973, he had graduated from Bible College in Malawi.
One year later, in 1974, he was appointed to Chikumbi Church, and by 1975, he had returned to pastor his home congregation in Chilenje—this time, not as a member, but as a shepherd.
But his legacy wouldn’t stop there.In 1976, Rev. Chirwa was entrusted with a historic assignment: he became the first indigenous District Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene in Zambia. At the time, Zambia was not yet divided into the four districts we know today—it was one unified district, and the weight of national leadership fell on his shoulders.
He served faithfully in that role for 10 years—leading, building, and mentoring others who would later shape the Nazarene church across the nation.In 1990, he founded Kalimansenga Church of the Nazarene, a congregation that would become a lasting home for many, and where he would minister as senior pastor until his retirement in December 2020, capping off 55 years of uninterrupted service.
Leadership That Teaches by Living
Here’s what every leader should learn from Rev. Chirwa:
- Ministry is not seasonal—it’s a lifelong calling.
- Leadership is not measured by visibility, but by endurance.
- The most impactful leaders are not always known widely—but they are deeply felt where it matters.
Rev. Chirwa wasn’t building a name—he was building people. Churches. Systems. Leaders. He led not with dominance, but with dependability. He didn’t chase platforms; he stood faithfully on one until the next generation was ready to rise.And though his name may not be known in every corner of the church world, the fruit of his leadership absolutely is.To every pastor, every district leader, every young minister starting out:
Your legacy is not built in your highlights; it’s built in your consistency.
No Leader Walks Alone
Rev. Chirwa’s journey was supported by others—leaders who stood with him, elders who encouraged him, fellow ministers who shared the burden of building the church when it was still small, young, and unfamiliar in Zambia.We honor all those who walked with him, prayed with him, and helped shape the early days of the Nazarene Church in Zambia.This legacy belongs not to one man alone—but to a generation of leaders who believed in the church and in one another.
Still With Us, Still Teaching Us
Today, Rev. Chirwa lives quietly on his farm in Kalimansenga, the very place where he pastored for decades. Though he is currently battling diabetes, his presence
