ABSTRACT THE SUDAN INTERIOR MISSION’S CHURCH GROWTH APPROACH IN SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA: THE FORMATION OF A NEW AMAGNYOCH COMMUNITY Anteneh Taye Aberra, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2017 Chair: Dr. John Mark Terry The term amagnyoch is used for distinguishing these ecclesial communities from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. This dissertation addresses the Sudan Interior Mission’s church-planting ideology to establish an independent congregation in the Kembatta, Wolitta, and Siddma Triangle. Chapter 1 demonstrates the new ecclesiastical approach of the SIM church-growth movement in the process of establishing a new amagnyoch community. Chapter 2 presents Ethiopia’s historical background. It includes the overview of the history of Christianity in Ethiopia, starting with Judaism. That overview is followed by the conversion paradigm of the book of Acts; then by the Ethiopian Orthodox faith; and, finally, by modern Christianity. Chapter 3 introduces church-planting-methodology components. It also studies the genesis of SIM’s mission work, the intervention of the Holy Spirit, the triangular vision, and evangelism among animists. Chapter 4 delves more deeply into the biblical and theological evaluation of the SIM church-planting methodology. This chapter evaluates the biblical foundations, kingdom mind-set, word-centered teaching, and gospel-saturated commitment of SIM’s church- planting methodology. Chapter 5 examines the SIM’s understanding of missiology. Furthermore, it describes SIM’s mission philosophy and strategies of church-growth methodology, along with the model of relational stages of SIM’s church-growth methodology. Chapter 6 is a critical analysis of SIM’s church-growth methodology, and it additionally suggests applications for the contemporary Ethiopian church-growth methodology. Chapter 7 will conclude the dissertation by summarizing perceptions of SIM’s new ecclesiastical approach to church-growth methodology for the formation of new churches in southern Ethiopia. It is currently estimated that there are 8,600 churches, with more than eight million members.

This research examines the topic of the Christian mission to Muslims in Ethiopia. The Insider Movement paradigm is examined with respect to the meaning of conversion and identity and how these concepts may best be understood in support of Muslim outreach. The study area of Ethiopia is not a Muslim majority nation but rather is pluralistic society and political system. Thus the most specific application is other sub-­‐ Saharan, non-­‐Muslim majority nations in Africa. The cultural and historical context of Ethiopia is first explored with special reference to factors arising from or focusing upon religion. Literature is reviewed regarding evangelization, church planting, and outreach to Muslims. The concept of conversion is discussed at length from both social science and Christian theological paradigms. The topic of identity is explored including identity theory as used among sociology, psychology, anthropology, and philosophy. The research was conducted and analyzed using concepts from the philosophical orientation of critical hermeneutics with specific use of the communication theory of Jurgen Habermas and narrative theory of Paul Ricoeur. The narrative identity theory of Ricoeur was found to be appropriate to a mission to Muslims. An understanding of conversion as being a process of transformation into Christ-­‐likeness through the power of the Holy Spirit was found to be most compatible with Muslim outreach. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

This research examines the topic of the Christian mission to Muslims in Ethiopia. The Insider Movement paradigm is examined with respect to the meaning of conversion and identity and how these concepts may best be understood in support of Muslim outreach. The study area of Ethiopia is not a Muslim majority nation but rather is pluralistic society and political system. Thus the most specific application is other subSaharan, non-Muslim majority nations in Africa. The cultural and historical context of Ethiopia is first explored with special reference to factors arising from or focusing upon religion. Literature is reviewed regarding evangelization, church planting, and outreach to Muslims. The concept of conversion is discussed at length from both social science and Christian theological paradigms. The topic of identity is explored including identity theory as used among sociology, psychology, anthropology, and philosophy. The research was conducted and analyzed using concepts from the philosophical orientation of critical hermeneutics with specific use of the communication theory of Jurgen Habermas and narrative theory of Paul Ricoeur. The narrative identity theory of Ricoeur was found to be appropriate to a mission to Muslims. An understanding of conversion as being a process of transformation into Christ-likeness through the power of the Holy Spirit was found to be most compatible with Muslim outreach. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)