scholarly journals A missional study of Ghanaian Pentecostal churches’ leadership and leadership formation

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter White
Keyword(s):  
Theological Education ◽  
Church Leadership ◽  
System Structure ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Leadership Formation ◽  
Pentecostal Churches ◽  
Missional Communities ◽  
Ultimate Purpose

Church leadership plays an important and irreplaceable role in the planting and the configuration of the missional congregation. The key to the formation of missional communities is their leadership. In that regard, this article explores Classical Ghanaian Pentecostal Churches’ leadership and leadership formation from a missiological perspective. This was done through an exposition on their leadership system (structure). It was argued that Classical Ghanaian Pentecostal Churches’ leadership is based on the Fivefold Ministry (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher). These leadership functions were therefore discussed in the light of their missiological implication. The conclusion arrived at is that it is not enough to discover one’s spiritual gift or calling; these gifts should be developed and nurtured through mentoring and proper theological education, with the ultimate purpose being to participate in the Missio Dei.

scholarly journals Planning and management in the Missional agenda of the 21st Century Church: A study of Lighthouse Chapel International

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter White ◽  
Benjamin O. Acheampong
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Church Leadership ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Planning And Management ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
Pentecostal Churches ◽  
Central Argument ◽  
Interdisciplinary Study ◽  
The Church

Planning and management is an important aspect of every successful organisation. In a similar way as the church participates in the missio Dei, it is essential that we consider planning and management as part of the missional tools for the management of the various resources God has given the church. Doing this, church leadership must join in with the Father (God) and the Holy Spirit to know what he wants to accomplish in their context as they plan and manage God�s resources for missional purposes. In the light of this understanding, the article discusses the role of �planning and management in the missional agenda of the 21st century church� by using one of the fastest growing Neo-Pentecostal churches in Ghana, the Lighthouse Chapel International, as a case study. The central argument in this paper is that although leadership has a major role to play in missional planning, it is however a holistic and all-inclusive agenda. Missional planning includes the involvement of the Holy Spirit, congregational leadership, the entire congregation and the various resources the church is being endowed with by God.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The study is an interdisciplinary study between Missiology, Planning, and Management. The result from the study will enhance the Ecclesiastical Community to appreciate the importance of management and planning as they participate in the missio Dei.

Intercultural Formation and the Leadership Practicum: Competencies in Doctor of Ministry Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 27-40
Author(s):  
Marsha Snulligan Haney
Keyword(s):  
African American ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Theological Education ◽  
Educational Equity ◽  
Human Diversity ◽  
Leadership Formation ◽  
Doctor Of Ministry ◽  
Intercultural Competencies ◽  
Intercultural Engagement ◽  
Personal Formation

This essay affirms the value of experientially based leadership formation in Doctor of Ministry theological education as a hallmark of developing religious leadership for the African American context. It suggests envisioning leadership practicum goals so students gain intercultural competencies for all ministry contexts. The essay argues it is possible to increase cultural and ethnic literacy, personal formation and development, attitude and values clarification, multiethnic and multicultural social competence, basic ministry skills proficiency, educational equity and excellence, and empowerment for intercultural engagement through focused competency goals. It encourages experiences of cultural disorientation as the context in which students best learn the need to affirm ethnic identity, to be inclusive, to appreciate diversity, and to overcome fear of human diversity. Stated differently, through intentional comprehension of commonalities of human community, DMin students journey more rapidly toward intercultural competence. Keywords: Doctor of Ministry, Intercultural Competencies, Ministry Context, Leadership Formation

scholarly journals The Effect of Church Conflict on the Growth of Pentecostal Churches in Kenya: A Case Study of Selected Churches in Nairobi

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Miatu Thiga ◽  
Gyang D. Pam ◽  
James Nkansah-Obrempong
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Church Leadership ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
National Level ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Church Conflict ◽  
Pentecostal Churches ◽  
The Church

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of church conflict on the growth of Pentecostal churches in Kenya with focus on selected churches in Nairobi which are struggling with growth. The objectives of the study were to investigate the nature of conflicts in the Pentecostal churches in Kenya, determine the effect of conflict on the growth of Pentecostal churches in Kenya, and to assess the conflict resolution mechanisms employed to solve the conflict in Pentecostal churches in Kenya. The study was carried out in branches of four churches which experienced growth challenges, namely: Full Gospel Churches of Kenya, Kenya Assemblies of God, Pentecostal Evangelism Fellowship of Africa, and Worldwide Gospel Church of Kenya. The study used qualitative research approach as it intended to collect data based on participants’ subjective experience, and its ability to uncover unexpected and exploring new avenues. The target population was church leaders who have been in the church for at least two years. The study used purposive sampling method to select the church leaders in influential positions (i.e., leaders that direct and/or lead a church ministry) of the selected churches according to the church leadership structure espoused by each of the four selected churches. Proportionate stratified sampling was used where equal number of units was selected from each stratum. Data was collected using face-to-face individual interview schedule. The data was analyzed thematically using content analysis method. The researcher came up with the vital themes, recurring ideas, and patterns of belief, which assisted with the integration of the results. The study found that there were conflicts in all the churches under study. The study established that there were top leadership wrangles at the national level seeking to control the church. There were also local church leadership wrangles pitting pastors and other leaders and conflict among other leaders within the church. The study established that conflict negatively affected the growth of the church as the churches lost members to other churches around. Among the conflict resolution mechanism used were prayer and fasting, dialogues, and courts. The study recommends that the Pentecostal churches should adopt conflict resolution methods and avoid conflicts by practicing inclusivity.

scholarly journals A voice from the margins: Investigating the African Adventist rationale on the quest for female ordination

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca J. Lagat
Keyword(s):  
Church Leadership ◽  
Cultural Theory ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Cultural Bias ◽  
African Women ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
Biblical Hermeneutics ◽  
Research Committee ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Church Structures

Discussions surrounding women�s ordination reached a peak with the 60th General Conference Session (GCS 2015) of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church. A report compiled by a section of delegates from the East-Central Africa Division � Biblical Research Committee indicated that this continent was not yet ready to ordain women as pastors. In light of the report, this article aims to investigate the rationale of such a stark decision. Firstly, the report shows that African Adventist women theologians were omitted from the discussions � a lack of good will from the church leadership towards the females as the majority of the membership. Secondly, the decision against ordination of women is suspect and biblically inconclusive. Through an overview of literature on a biblical missional design, the article postulates: Contextualisation and theologising are necessary for Africa, but the SDA Church must remember that globally both theology and culture are subject to the biblical guidelines, and thus to God�s missio Dei as well.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article balances cultural contextualism and gender relations � challenging a cultural bias through a missional hermeneutic. This can lead to fairer representation of African women in Adventist church structures and reroute the equality discourse in light of the missio Dei. The study intersects with cultural theory, social analysis and biblical hermeneutics.�

scholarly journals A reformed perspective on taking mission and missiology to the heart of theological training

2012 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thinandavha D. Mashau
Keyword(s):  
Theological Education ◽  
Missio Dei ◽  
The World ◽  
Creative Tension ◽  
Theological Institutions ◽  
The Church ◽  
Theological Training

Mission and missiology have been driven to the periphery of the life of both the church and theological institutions. Missiology has, in many theological institutions in the world, struggled to find a home. It has in some instances been regarded as an intruder, in some as an interloper and in others as irrelevant. Missiology is without a doubt a voice from the margins. This article seeks to go beyond the exercise to identify reasons for such a marginalisation by looking at ways in which mission and missiology can be restored to the heart of theological education. This article reminds us that the definition and practice of missiology should be firmly grounded in the missio Dei; hence all theological disciplines should intentionally have a missionary dimension. This will in essence allow missiology to exist as an independent subject but at the same time exercise its multidimensionality. It is, therefore, critical to maintain a dynamic and creative tension between intention and dimension to understand the place of missiology in the theological encyclopaedia.'n Gereformeerde perspektief op die neem van sending en sendingwetenskap na die hart van teologiese opleiding. Sending en sendingwetenskap is na die periferie van die lewe van sowel die kerk as teologiese instellings verdryf. Sendingwetenskap het by baie teologiese instellings gesukkel om 'n tuiste te vind. In sommige gevalle is dit as ‘n indringer beskou, in ander as 'n tussenganger, en in sommige gevalle as irrelevant. Sendingwetenskap is sonder twyfel 'n stem vanuit die buiterante. Hierdie navorsing poog om die redes vir so 'n marginalisasie te ontdek deur te kyk na maniere waarop sending en sendingwetenskap herstel kan word tot die hart van teologiese opleiding. Die artikel herinner ons dat die definisie en praktyk van sendingwetenskap stewig gegrond behoort te wees in die missio Dei, en daarom behoort alle teologiese dissiplines doelbewus 'n sendingdimensie te hê. Dit sal sendingwetenskap toelaat om  as 'n onafhanklike vak te bestaan en  om terselfdertyd multidimensionaliteit uit te oefen. Dit is gevolglik krities om 'n dinamiese en kreatiewe spanning tussen intensie en dimensie te behou om sodoende te verstaan wat die plek van sendingwetenskap in die teologiese ensiklopedie is.

scholarly journals Latinos’ Informational Needs in Attaining Accredited Theological Education

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-25
Author(s):  
Filomena Saxton
Keyword(s):  
Theological Education ◽  
Church Leadership ◽  
Demographic Changes ◽  
Educational Standards ◽  
Informational Needs ◽  
Theological Schools ◽  
Latino Community ◽  
Bible Institutes ◽  
Commission Report

This paper explores published articles that report on theological education in the Hispanic/Latino community. It looks at U.S. demographic changes and the needs of the Latino community to provide civic and church leadership within their communities. The article reports on past efforts, and challenges, to increase Latino enrollment in graduate theological education. It looks at current strategies by Asociación para la Educación Teológica Hispana (AETH) to collaborate with American Theological Schools (ATS) and the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) to certify unaccredited Bible Institutes so that the educational standards will be strengthened and create a clearer pathway for Latinas/os to enter ATS accredited member schools. The purpose of the paper is to present the AETH commission report and discuss ways to help strengthen ways to meet the informational needs of students in Bible Institutes as well as provide more resources that will meet the needs of the Latino community.  

A Clash Between Paideia and Pneuma? Ecstatic Women Prophets and Theological Education in the Second-century Church

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 32-53
Author(s):  
Josef Lössl
Keyword(s):  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Theological Education ◽  
Church Leadership ◽  
Second Century ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Christian Leadership ◽  
Theological Discourse ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
Women Prophets

The second half of the second century saw the development of a more hierarchical institutionalized church and of a theology of the Holy Spirit (Pneuma) reflecting this development. A driver of this development was a higher educational level among church leaders and Christians participating in theological discourse. In fact, ‘higher education’ (paideia) became a guiding value of Christian living, including for the study and interpretation of Scripture and for theology and church leadership. Yet the same period also saw a new wave of ‘inspired’, ‘pneumatic prophecy’, later known as ‘Montanism’, which was perceived as a threat in an increasingly institutionalized church and attacked and suppressed. This article sees a paradox here, and asks how Pneuma could be promoted as a source of Christian leadership under the banner of paideia, when the Spirit (Pneuma) at work in the ‘New Prophecy’ was perceived as such a threat. One area of investigation which may provide answers to this question is the controversial role women played both as educated participants in theological discourse and leading figures in the Montanist movement.

scholarly journals Integrating African Pentecostalism into the theological education of South African Universities: An urgent task

2018 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mookgo S. Kgatle
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Theological Education ◽  
High Rate ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Urgent Task ◽  
The World ◽  
South African Universities ◽  
African Context ◽  
Pentecostal Churches ◽  
Very High

African Pentecostalism continues to be a growing part of Christianity both in Africa and the rest of the world. Pentecostal churches in Africa are on the rise at a very high rate. However, theological education in South African universities does not reflect this reality, but continues to be of a western orientation. Therefore, there is an urgent need and demand for a theological education that will be relevant to Africa. It is an urgent need for African Pentecostalism to be integrated into the theological education of South African universities. This can be achieved by integrating African Pentecostalism into the curriculum, by decolonising Pentecostal research and by the emergence of critical African scholars that can address cutting-edge issues in a South African context. Thus, theological education in South African universities shall be a contextual and relevant one.

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