Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Zimpapers Entertainment Editor
Writing has never been the exclusive preserve of professional authors, academics and literary scholars, and Dr Sacrifice Madenyika Chirisa, who is an apostle, believes the pulpit should also be a source of knowledge, wisdom and written literature.
Having spent years preaching, teaching and guiding people through different stages of life, the clergyman is now preparing to leave a different kind of legacy 30 books written over three years, which he intends to release together this Sunday to coincide with his 50th birthday.
For Chirisa, the milestone is not simply about the number of books produced, but the responsibility of documenting wisdom and making it accessible to generations beyond the church walls.
“I believe literacy should not be limited to people who are professional writers, academics or scholars. Even those of us in the pulpit have a responsibility to write, to document what we know and to leave something that the next generation can learn from,” he said.
The ambitious collection draws inspiration from life itself, personal experiences, challenges, observations and principles that have helped shape his journey.
“I have been through a lot in this life so far, and what made me go through was the principle,” he said.
Rather than writing fictional stories, Chirisa describes the 30 publications as practical guides built around principles of life, success, relationships, money, mental health and ministry.
He believes many of the challenges people encounter are not necessarily caused by a shortage of information, but by an inability to apply wisdom when making decisions.
“Most of the problems people have are a wisdom deficit,” he said.
Among his standout titles is 201 Wisdom Nuggets, which he describes as his personal favourite. The book presents short, practical life lessons intended to influence everyday thinking and decision-making.
Other titles include Marriage, which explores the principles behind building lasting relationships, Heart and the Money, which examines the connection between wealth, character and values, and Mental Health, which addresses the importance of protecting one’s mind.
There is also Wise Minister, a publication directed at pastors, particularly those who may feel disillusioned or struggle to achieve meaningful results in ministry.
The inspiration behind the collection also comes from his desire to leave something tangible for his children and anyone willing to learn from his experiences.
“I am writing these books for my children and for anybody who cares to read. I want to hand them keys that can help them survive, rise and succeed in life,” he said.
He believes the greatest value of literature is its ability to change how people perceive situations and, ultimately, influence the decisions they make.
“My style is to change one’s thinking. When you change the way a person sees life and situations, you give them an opportunity to make better decisions. Anybody can learn from these books and become a winner,” he said.
However, producing 30 books while juggling pastoral responsibilities and fatherhood was no small undertaking.
Chirisa said the project took three years, involving extensive research, personal reflection and what he described as auditing his own life before putting his experiences into writing.
“The toughest part was finding the time to write. Life is happening so fast, with so many competing ideas and issues, so staying focused was not easy,” he said.
He also acknowledged that the project required collaboration, crediting Munashe Gurupira of Immerse for playing a leading role in bringing the collection together.
“It takes a tribe to get one book out,” he said, acknowledging everyone who contributed to making the project a reality.
His literary journey has also been influenced by established Christian authors and ministers whose written works have continued to inspire people beyond their lifetimes.
He identifies Bishop Tudor Bismark as his living role model, while the late Dr Myles Munroe and Dr Ephiel Mukamuri are among those he admires.
“They wrote books, and we should too. They left wisdom in written form for the next generation, and I want to do the same,” he said.
