INTRODUCTION 

This short history of Blantyre Baptist Church has some gaps that need filling because there is no written record that I (Vincent Chirwa) can rely upon. What I have written below is mainly from what I am able to recollect since I became a regular attendee and later on in 1985 when I became a member. As such this is not a final document with regards to historicity. I pray that I and other people will in due course fill in the gaps so that this history is made more complete.

 BEGINNINGS 

Blantyre Baptist Church started as Limbe Baptist Church and was started by Southern Baptist missionaries from the United States of America in the early sixties. The church started meeting in Limbe in Mercury House where a shop and bakery is situated. The church moved to Chichiri, near the Kamuzu Stadium along Lali Lubani road which was a mission station of the Southern Baptist missionaries but locally known as Baptist Mission in Malawi.

 PASTORS - WORCHIP EXPERIENCE 

Its first pastor was Rev Davidson. The second pastor was Rev Carl Houston together with his wife, Doris. He was assisted by Christopher Nkhoma together with his wife, Winnie both Malawians. The third pastor was Rev Ronnie Quillen together with his wife, Patricia, both Americans. During the pastorate of Rev Ronnie Quillen, he managed to find a scholarship for Christopher to study at South Western Baptist Seminary in the United States of America. He also convinced the church to have plans drawn so we could start erecting a church building on the property we had acquired near the Independence Arch. Worship services were conducted in English.

There were morning and Evening services. There were predominantly white people with a small Malawian number in their midst. Among them were the following families: Mr Douglas Banda, Mr Harry Jonga, Mr Pat Banda. The latter was instrumental in the planting of Ndirande Baptist Church. Until this time the worship experience was American (Southern Baptist) with the Baptist traditional hymnal singing accompanied by a piano. The fourth pastor was Rev Paul Cameron together with his wife Penelope both, South Africans. He was assisted by Vincent Chirwa who started ministry on 1 December, 1995 together with his wife Rosemary, both Malawians. By this time the worship experience musically included British, South African and Malawian songs. The accompaniment broadened and included guitars. The congregation was about half expatriate and half Malawian. The church had a healing service that reflected a charismatic movement that the pastor encouraged.

 MOVE FROM MISSION PREMISES (OLD PREMISES) TO NEW PREMISES 

Earlier in the same year the church moved to Plot CC964 situated near the independence Arch on the corner of Masauko Chipembere Highway and Kasungu Crescent to occupy a building comprising of a kindergarten, two offices, kitchen and toilet which was phase 1 of construction of a church complex before the sanctuary was built. Rosemary passed away in 1998. When Vincent Chirwa went to seminary in Cape Town to study, the church called Rev Victor Covington an African American from UBIA (United Brethren in Action) as interim pastor. The church opened its new sanctuary in 1999. Vincent Chirwa returned to Malawi from seminary in Cape Town upon completion of his studies and pastored alongside Covington who later returned to the United States of America in 2003. Among the earlier members of the church who are still here today serving are Mr Binnie Banda and family and Mr John Kawamba and family. Pastor Chirwa introduced Chichewa service in 2004.

Currently, the church is led by Rev Vincent Chirwa together with his wife Ellen. He is assisted by Pastor Dairi and his wife Donata, Pastor Kenneth Mpemba together with his wife Avisha. Two youthful pastors joined the pastoral team in December 2018. Their names are Synord Mweziwina and Umodzi Mizere. The church is now (2019) predominantly Malawian with a few expatriates from Africa and a few White people.

Rev Ronnie Quillen died in 1999 in the USA. Dr Christopher Nkhoma died in the USA in December, 2008 while he was at Dallas Baptist Seminary.

 CONCLUDING REMARKS 

We are thankful to God for those who sacrificed, gave their time and resources so that the church would continue to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ. We also are grateful to know that there are many to whom credit is due to the glory of our Lord but cannot be included in this record for reasons beyond the author. I sincerely apologise to anyone who deserves mention but has been left out inadvertently.