Dr. Paul D Chinchen

The Chinchen Family is saddened to announce the passing of Dr. Paul D. Chinchen, President of African Bible Colleges (ABC), who suddenly left earth for heaven from his home in Jackson, Mississippi on Wednesday the 6th of July, 2022.

The Church around the world and the ABC Mission and family has lost a great leader and champion for Christ and Christian education. Paul devoted his life to the development of devout Christian leaders for the church, missions, education, government, media, non-profits, business, social work, community development, health care, and sports.

Paul grew up in the Liberian rainforest with his identical twin brother Palmer, where their parents Jack and Nell founded the first African Bible College. After graduating from ACS (the US Embassy’s High School) in Monrovia, Liberia Paul and Palmer enrolled at Biola University —where he met Laura, “The only one who stole my heart away,” he would say. After college in 1989, as young marrieds with newborn Ashley-Marie, Paul and Laura moved to Lilongwe to build African Bible College, Malawi.

Paul lived his father’s famous slogan, Faith in Action – God in Motion. Paul was a tireless visionary and master African builder. After building the college in Malawi he continued to expand the campus, next founding and building the ABC Christian Academy in 1998, with more than 300 students from 30 countries today. Then he established and built the ABC Mission Hospital complex in 1999, one of Malawi’s leading medical facilities; with the country’s first Neonatal Crisis Ward, Audiology Clinic, and Eye Clinic – Paul built 77 buildings on the ABC Malawi campus. Paul also moved his family to Kampala in 2004 to build the ABC Uganda campus. And he worked with his brother Del to rebuild the ABC Liberia campus in Yekepa in 2008 – now, “better than before.” He also founded the African Business Institute (ABI) and recently launched ABC’s Online Bachelors and MBA Program. Paul was also an environmentalist, launching Malawi’s first briquette project to help end deforestation – turning maize stalk waste into briquettes for fuel. Paul passed while raising funds for his passion project - ABC STEM High School, “the largest project DonorSee has helped ABC fundraise for but also the most exciting project I have ever been a part of!” - Gret Glyer.

Paul was a true visionary, dreamer, epic storyteller, passionate about sustainability, and advocate for Africa. He was a dynamic preacher, and loved the text: "The harvest is plentiful, but those willing to stand up, move out, and actually do something are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his field" (Paul's paraphrase from Matthew 9). As Paul would say, "Do something you love, do something engaging, and do something NOW." He encouraged everyone around him to do "FANTASTIC" things. Paul also deeply loved his Mississippi family, the Robertsons, and his church family at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS. They put wind in his sail.

Paul lived and served God in Africa for more than 50 years where he left his footprint across the continent. Paul was an American citizen, but his heart was African. He knew Africa and loved Africa and the people of Africa maybe more than any missionary of our generation. This modern-day David Livingstone had just returned from Malawi, where he was presenting degrees to graduates of ABC at a ceremony presided by the President of the Republic of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, who knew Paul through his many years in Malawi building and leading African Bible Colleges. As Providence would have it, Paul died at the age of 58 on the very day Malawi was marking 58 years of Independence.

Dr. Paul Chinchen leaves behind his wife Laura and children Ashley-Marie, Cozz, Annabelle, Levi, Bess and Vanndel, and granddaughter Verona Rae. He loved the Lord with all his heart and always put family first. Paul was a hero to his family. They were the pride and joy of his life. Over the final weeks of Paul’s life he was able to watch his children shine more than ever: He saw Levi graduate from the United States Military Academy (West Point), Bess finish her first year at Point Loma on a full scholarship, Vanndel become student body president at his high school, see Annabelle his “right hand woman” help launch ABC’s Online Program and ABC STEM High School, proudly toured Fox News Channel’s new DC bureau where Ashley works as an Assignment Editor - and held Ashley and Cozz’s newborn Verona Rae for the first and last time – his first grandbaby. Just days before his passing he helped Vanndel and Bess lead a Project Juembo mission trip with Madison Ridgeland Academy students through Malawi. The trip ended with Paul baptizing his two youngest children in Lake Malawi… after the crocodiles were chased away.

At the same time, just two weeks ago, Paul was also hosting his twin brother Palmer’s team of 60 from The Grove in Arizona; which included Palmer’s Justice College basketball team. Paul loved sports; he always saw it as an effective medium for sharing the name of Christ. From his days in Yekepa starting the Wildcats with his friends Joel, Timmy, Mark, Gary and Palmer, to building Malawi’s first gymnasium, to coaching the Malawian National team - Paul spread the name of Christ through sports. Paul’s final game he coached two weeks ago was his ABC Lions vs Palmer’s Justice College Lions. Paul left with a win.

His memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM on Monday, July 18 at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, 1390 N State Street, Jackson, Mississippi. A reception will follow immediately in Miller Hall. The graveside service will be held at 4:00 PM at Lakewood Memorial Park, 6000 Clinton Blvd., Jackson, Mississippi 39209.

Please continue to keep his family in your prayers. And we invite you to support Paul's vision to raise up Christian ChangeMakers for the continent of Africa by giving a gift toward the President Paul Chinchen Memorial Fund: africanbiblecolleges.com/ourpresidentsoffice.

You can also give to the family and support funeral costs through donorsee.com/paul

"There is only one life. It will soon pass. Only what is done for Christ will last." - Jim Elliot (written in the back of Dr. Chinchen's Bible)

From Paul's twin brother Palmer and the Chinchen Tribe