Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2001 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study and dissertation examines the mission methodologies of the Protestant
church in Africa -- focusing on the country of Malawi as a case study. A historical study of
early mission methods and an empirical study of current practices point to the need for a new
approach to mission, a new approach that can best be described as a reformation of mission.
This reformation requires the reversal of the five conventional trends that mission work in
Africa has traced. At the crux of this reformation is the need to take the methodological phase
of leadership development, a phase traditionally withheld until last, and make it paramount.
In the process of making this assessment of mission in Africa it was necessary to first
carry out historical research relevant to early mission work in Malawi. Historical research
focused on the first five missions to initiate work in the country, all of which eventually
established a permanent presence in Malawi. Three of these early churches were reformed or
Presbyterian -- the Established Church of Scotland, the Free Church of Scotland, and the Dutch
Reformed Church in South Africa. The other two missions were the Universities' Mission to
Central Africa (Anglican) and the Zambezi Industrial Mission (independent/Baptist). These
original missions to Malawi were directed and influenced by a vanguard of some of Africa's
greatest pioneer mission workers -- David Livingstone, Robert Laws, A.c. Murray, William
Murray, and David Scott. Details from this historical research assisted in determining what
mission methodologies were being utilized at various points in time.
The second segment of research pertinent to this dissertation is an empirical study of
current mission and church work in Malawi. Over 100 denominations, missions, and parachurch
organizations were studied. The findings from 83 of these organizations are analyzed in
this paper. An exposition of data from this research is outlined in Chapter 4, but the most
troubling discovery resulting from these findings was the absence of adequately trained
Christian leadership and localized facilities to equip such leaders. This problem is
compounded by a lack of vision for leadership development and a reluctance to commit the
necessary resources.
By combining this empirical research with the historical data cited above it was
determined that mission in Malawi has proceeded through four paradigms of methodology: 1) pioneer mission work, 2) vocational (elementary education and vocational training),
3) church planting, and 4) pastor training. At present the church in Africa is entering a fifth
dimension of mission methodology -- leadership development. Leadership training not in the
traditional sense of preparing clergymen for the ministry, but a wholistic education that equips
dedicated Christians for leadership in any spectrum -- religious, public or private.
In order for this dissertation to present a comprehensive and effective model for mission
it was also necessary to conduct a third investigation -- an analysis of what defines mission.
Three important conclusions relevant to this paper can be drawn: 1) Every dimension of
mission is equally valid. Whether it is ecclesiastical in its nature, proclamational, contextual,
theological or liberational -- every aspect of mission is as vital as the next. 2) Mission is not
mission if its central and ultimate purpose is not to reveal the grace of God made available
through Christ. 3) The purpose of the church is mission -- not vise versa.
These three elements of research -- historical, empirical and missiological -- form the
foundation of the model for mission in Africa outlined in the final chapter of this dissertation.
This model necessitates a reformation of mission that reverses the historic pattern of mission
work and makes leadership development a priority. The significance of such a reformation is
two-fold: 1) It will substantially increase the ability of national Christian leaders to effectively
propagate the church and manage the affairs of mission in Africa. 2) It will enable expatriate
mission personnel to be utilized at a point of contact where they can be most effective -- at the
leadership development level.
The church in Africa today is at a critical juncture. As mission enters the 21st century a
reexamination of its methodology is imperative. Expatriate assistance is in decline, paralleled
by swelling anti-Western sentiment that makes it progressively difficult for the foreign mission
worker to maintain traditional footholds. As a result it is becoming increasingly pertinent that
mission in Africa, and the church in the West, adopt a new model for mission that adequately
equips the African for this inevitable transition. This new approach to mission offers a new
hope to the continent. Africa's problems, as many believe, are not a result of poverty, civil
unrest, or power-hungry potentates. At the root of Africa's problem is an absence of dedicated,
wholistically equipped Christian leaders. Leaders with Christian morals, ethics and values --
equipped to serve the church and lead their country. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie en verhandeling ondersoek die sendingmetodologiee van die Protestantse
Kerk in Afrika - en fokus op die land van Malawi, as 'n gevallestudie. 'n Historiese studie van
vroee sendingmetodes en 'n empiriese studie van huidige praktyke dui op die behoefte aan 'n
nuwe benadering tot sending, 'n nuwe benadering wat ten beste beskryf kan word as 'n
hervorming van sending. Hierdie hervorming benodig die ommekeer van die vyf konvensionele
tendense wat sendingwerk in Afrika gevolg het. Die kern van hierdie hervorming is die behoefte
om die metodologiese fase van leierskapontwikkeling as van opperste belang te ago Hierdie fase
is vroeer tradisioneel tot die laaste uitgestel en as van minder belang beskou.
In die evanlueringsproses van sending in Afrika, moes daar eers 'n historiese ondersoek
ten opsigte van vroee sending werk in Malawi gedoen word. Hierdie navorsing fokus op die
eerste vyf sending ins tansies wat sendingwerk in Malawi gedoen word. Hierdie navorsing
Fokus op die eerste vyf sending ins tansies wat sendingwerk in die land begin het. Hulle is al vyf
uiteindelik permanent in Malawi gevestig. Drie van hierdie vroee Kerke was Gereformeerd of
Presbiteriaans - die Church of Scotland, die Free Church of Scotland, en die Universities'
Mission to Central Africa (Anglikaans) en die Zambezi Industrial Mission (onafhanklik
Baptiste). Hierdie oorspronklike sendinge na Malawi is gerig en beinvloed deur voorlopers
bestaande uit sommige van Afrika se grootste pionier sendingwerkers - David Livingstone,
Robert Laws, AC Murray, William Murray en David Scott. Inligting ten opsigte van hierdie
historiese navorsing het gehelp om vas te stel watter sendingmetodologieEr toegepas is tydens
verskillende tydperke.
Die tweede dee! van die navorsing van belang vir hierdie stud ie, is 'n empiriese studie
van huidige sending - en kerklike werk in Malawi. Meer as 100 denominasies, sendinge, en
para-kerklike organisasies is ondersoek. Die bevindinge van 83 van hiedie organisasies is
ontleed in hierdie dokument. Hoofstuk bied 'n uiteensetting van data oor hierdie navorsing,
maar die mees ontstellende bevinding wat hieruit gespruit het, was die afwesigheid van
voldoende-opgeleide Christen leierskap asook plaaslike fasiliteite om sulke leiers toe te rus.
Hierdie probleem is vererger deur 'n gebrek aan visie vir leierskapontwikkeling en 'n onwilligheid
om die nodige bronne aan te wend.
Deur hierdie empiriese navorsing to kombineer met bogenoemde historiese data, is daar vasgestel dat sending in Malawi deur vier paradigmas van metodologie beweeg het: 1) pioniersendingwerk,
2) beroepsopleiding (elementere sowel as beroepsopleiding, 3) kerkplanting, en 4)
opleiding van leraars. Tans betree die kerk in Afrika 'n vyfde dimensie van
sendingmetodologie, naarnlik leierskapontwikkeling -- nie in die tradisionele begrip van
voorbereiding van predikante vir die bediening nie, maar 'n holistiese opleiding wat toegewyde
Christene toerus vir leierskap in enige sfeer -- hetsy die godsdienstige, openbare of private
sektor.
Sodat hierdie verhandeling 'n algehele en effektiewe model vir sending kon bied, was dit
ook nodig om 'n derde ondersoek te looks - 'n ontleding van wat sending beteken. Drie
belangrike gevolgtrekkings tel' sake tot hierdie dokument, kan gemaak work: 1) Alle dimensies
van sending is ewe geldig. Of dit kerklik, verkondigend, teologies kontekstueel of bevrydend
van aard is -- alle aspekte van sending is ewe belangrik. 2) Sending is nie sending as sy sentrale
en uiteindelike doe! nie is om God se genade, soos in Christus aangebied, te openbaar nie. 3)
Die doel van die kerk is sending - nie omgekeerd nie.
Hierdie drie elemente van navorsing - histories, empiries en missiologies - vorm die
grondslag van die model vir sending in Afrika, S005 in die laaste hoofstuk van hierdie tesis
geskets. Hierdie model benodig n hervorming van sending wat die historiese patroon van
sendingwerk omkeer, en maak leierskapsontwikkeling n prioriteit. Die belangrikheid van so n
hervorning is tweeledig: 1) Dit sal die verrnoe van nasionale Christen leiers subsansieel verhoog
om die kerk te ontwikkel en sending sake in Afrika te bestuur. 2) Dit sal buitelandse
sendingpersoneel in staat stel om benut te word by die mees effektiewe kontakpunt - die vlak
van leierskapsontwikkeling.
Die kerk in Afrika verkeer vandag in n kritieke tydsgewrig. Terwyl sending die 21 ste eeu
be tree, is n herondersoek van sy metodologie gebiedend noodsaaklik. Buitelandse hulp neem af,
terwyl groeiende anti-Westerse sentiment dit al moeiliker maak vir die buitelandse werker om
tradisionele posisies te behou. Gevolglik word dit al meer belangrik dat sending in Afrika, en die
kerk in die weste, n nuwe model aanvaar vir sending wat die Afrikaan voldoende sal toerus vir
hierdie onafwendbare oorgang. Hierdie nuwe benadering tot sending bied nuwe hoop vir die
vasteland. Daar word algemeen geglo dat Afrika so probleme nie die gevolg is van arrnoede,
burgerlike onrus, of maghonger heersers nie. Baie glo dat die wortel van Afrika se probleem setel in n afwesigheid van toegewyde, holisties-toegeruste Christen leiers. Leiers met Christelike sedes
en waardes - toegerus om die kerk te dien en hulland te lei.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52128 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Chinchen, Paul David |
| Contributors | Pauw, C. M., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology & Missiology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 314pages |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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