Milson Ndlovu, a Zimbabwean, recently made history by becoming the first Black, non-American pastor at Silverdale Brethren in Christ (BIC) Church.
His installation service was held on Sunday, December 1, with a fellowship service following the next day. Ndlovu, along with his wife Rejoice, relocated to Silverdale last month for this significant role.
“The service was so great,” Ndlovu reflected. “The music and the preaching of the word were life-transforming. It was wonderful to connect with brothers and sisters—some familiar faces and some new.”
The church’s bishop, Brian Hawk, welcomed Ndlovu and inquired about their experiences since arriving, noting with amusement how the couple encountered snow for the first time.
Northpennnow News has it that Ndlovu first visited the United States in the summer of 2015 for the Mennonite World Conference in Minneapolis, staying with a cousin in Minnesota. Several years later, his son, Chrysostom, enrolled at Montgomery County Community College. While there, Chrysostom learned about a vacant pastor position at Silverdale BIC Church, prompting Ndlovu to apply.
“The Silverdale church has been able to reach out to many troubled people,” Ndlovu stated. “It has touched a number of lives.”
Ndlovu’s transformation began at the age of 15 during a regular church service in Zimbabwe. He was profoundly impacted by a sermon on the Prodigal Son from Luke 16. “I experienced what I would call a new birth,” he said. Although he had grown up attending church in Chivu, where he was born on his family’s kitchen floor, he acknowledged he was “living in sin” until that pivotal moment.
“It struck me that many young people are lost without Christ,” Ndlovu explained. “There is a missing vacuum when one is not in Christ. It is this conviction that led me to become a pastor.” He became an active participant in fellowships and gospel outreach teams, ultimately leading a church that, at its peak, had over 12,000 congregants.
The Brethren in Christ Church, which Ndlovu now serves, has rich historical roots. Founded in the late 1700s by European settlers east of the Susquehanna River, it falls within the Anabaptist tradition of Christianity and is deeply connected to the Mennonite Church. Established in 1863, the Silverdale BIC Church is dedicated to being a community that seeks healing and reconciliation, describing its congregation as “people looking wholeheartedly to Jesus as Savior and Lord.”
Following a thorough recruitment process, Ndlovu was chosen to lead the church, recognized for his “wealth of experience, passion for spreading the gospel, and a heart for serving the community.” The church expressed confidence that his leadership and unique perspective would greatly enrich their congregation.
“I’m excited about it, but at the same time, I feel a lot of responsibility,” Ndlovu acknowledged regarding his new role. “I need to excel in this position so that the opportunity the Lord has afforded me remains open for others called to similar paths.”
In his ministry, Ndlovu looks forward to reaching out to both believers and non-believers, eager to grow the church’s congregation. “I want to reach out to those who have not heard about the love of God, who are lost in sin, who are sick, who need compassion, healing, and reconciliation,” he said.
As his journey unfolds, Ndlovu emphasizes the importance of community within the church. “This is more than a church building. We are a family. We love and care for all people that God sends to us,” he concluded. “The dynamic of this wonderful community of believers is palpable each time we gather. May we all experience God’s love, God’s power, and God’s grace.”
