• Directories
    • Business Directory
    • Church Directory
    • Organization Directory
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Help
  • Log In

MENUMENU
  • Learning
        • Leader’s Edge
          • Author Interviews
          • Book Summaries
        • Book Reviews
          • Book Look
          • EMQ Book Reviews
        • Publications
          • Anthology
          • Evangelical Missions Quarterly (EMQ)
          • Missiographics
        • Podcasts
          • The Mission Matters
          • Members Only Feed
          • Missions Podcast DirectoryNew
        • Topics
          • COVID-19 Resources
          • Diaspora Missions
          • Global Issues Updates
          • Member Highlights
          • Mobilization
          • Muslim Missions
          • Support Raising
          • UkraineNew
        • Media Library
          • Conferences
          • Global Issue Updates
          • On Mission
          • Thought Leader Briefings
          • Webinars
          • Workshop
          • View All
  • Programs
    • Accreditation
    • Bible Certificate
    • Church Missions Coaching
    • Cohorts
    • Cybersecurity
    • ImproveNew
    • Mission Jobs
    • Missions DataNew
    • Publish
    • RightNow Media
    • The Mission App
    • Women’s Development
  • Events
          • Calendar
          • In-Person Events
          • Virtual Events
          • Event Recordings
          • Awards
        • Premier Events
          • Mission Leaders Conference
          • On Mission
        • Upcoming Events

          • Evangelical Views on Women in Ministry & Marriage: Differences in Interpretation, Not Inspiration
            Fri May 20, 2022, 04:00 PM PDT
          • Webinar: An Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Cross-Cultural Risk
            Thu May 26 2022, 12:00pm EDT
          • Pocket Guide to Being a Missions Pastor: 5 Things Every Missions Pastor Needs to Know
            Wed Jun 1 2022, 01:00pm EDT
        • View All Events
  • Research
          • Missions DataNew
          • Missiographics
          • Research Reports
        • Popular Research
          • Compensation Reports
          • COVID-19 Resources
          • Field Attrition Report
          • View All Reports
        • Contribute
          • Current Research Projects
          • Volunteer
  • About Us
        • Who We Are
          • Our Contribution
          • Meet the Team
          • Board Members
          • History (1917–present)
        • Our Beliefs
          • Statement of Faith
          • Community Standards
        • Awards
        • Partner with Us
          • Advertise
          • Donate
          • Sponsorships
          • Volunteer
        • Help
          • Contact Us
          • Advertising Specs
          • Branding Guidelines
  • Join
        • Learn
        • Learn what you cannot learn anywhere else.

        • Meet
        • Meet people you otherwise won’t meet.

        • Engage
        • Engage in a community like none other.

          • Benefits
          • Benefits for Churches
          • Pricing

Sponsored Content

Upcoming Events

  • Evangelical Views on Women in Ministry & Marriage: Differences in Interpretation, Not Inspiration
    Fri May 20, 2022, 04:00 PM PDT
  • Webinar: An Introduction to the Theology and Practice of Cross-Cultural Risk
    Thu May 26 2022, 12:00pm EDT
  • Pocket Guide to Being a Missions Pastor: 5 Things Every Missions Pastor Needs to Know
    Wed Jun 1 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • From Harlem to the World - the Local Church Mobilized for Global Missions
    Wed Aug 3 2022, 01:00pm EDT
  • Innovation Leaders Discussion
    Mon Aug 8 2022, 01:00pm EDT

View all events »

Topics

author interview CEO Church Church Missions Church Mission Team Church Planting COVID-19 Cross Cultural Skills Diaspora Disciple Making Discipleship Focus Future Innovation Islam Justin Long Leadership Management Member Care Missiology Missionaries Mission Finance and Administration MLC2019 MLC2020 MLC2021 Mobilization muslim Muslim Diaspora Networks Partnership Podcast Presenter Pursuing Partnerships Series Research Risk Short-Term Missions Spirituality support raising Training Trends Unengaged Unreached Weekly Roundup Women Women in Leadership

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Editorial: Missions Must Commit Themselves to Graduate Training in Africa

Posted on October 1, 1973 by Ted EslerOctober 1, 1973

by Wade T. Coggins

If degree-level training is needed in Africa, how can it be developed?

Theological education by extension (TEE) has shaken educational institutions throughout the evangelical community in a phenomenal way. The experts have been astounded that a fresh concept as drastic as TEE could penetrate so deeply and spread so rapidly. It is timely and appropriate that theological education thus broaden its base.

While broadening the base we need also to upgrade the training of emerging potential leaders. A breakthrough of the dimensions of the TEE movement needs to be unleashed in the development of higher training.

In my travel earlier this year in Africa I sensed the need of training leaders for positions such as professors for Bible schools, leadership for denominations, national fellowships, other interdenominational efforts, and leaders in the TEE programs. For properly trained men, there are also opportunities in the departments of religion at national universities.

Missionaries and church leaders are now filling some of these vital leadership positions and the church in Africa has grown in spite of the limited number of trained theologians. Yet, the time has come when the need for theologians demands the development of graduate theological training in Africa.

Speaking of this problem at the General Assembly February, 1973) of the Association of Evangelicals of Africa and Madagascar (AEAM), Byang Kato, General Secretary, stated that the "prevailing trend in our universities (in Africa) is that Christianity is only one of the many ways of salvation, though it may be viewed as the fulfillment of all religions." Kato believes that some African theologians use "sources other than the Scriptures as in equal standing with the revealed Word of God."

As theology built on that feeble foundation grows in Africa, it will make inroads into the evangelical churches unless African men are trained who can with authority develop and promote biblical theology.

If degree-level training is needed in Africa, how can it be developed? The AEAM at its 1973 General Assembly formed a Commission on Theological Education which has among its goals the development of two degree-level seminaries (English and French) to train Africans on their own continent. "The most ideal place for any training is the environment where the student will work," Byang Kato said in discussing the project. Considering the numbers of wellprepared leaders now needed to lead the African church, it seems impractical to send all of them outside the continent for training.

AEAM is exploring the best ways of cooperatively developing these schools to serve the English-speaking and French-speaking sections of Africa. Evangelical leaders should help find the most suitable locations and then commit themselves to the development of substantial programs in degree-level training.

The Union Biblical Seminary at Yeotmal, India is an example. Several groups committed themselves to an existing school, promising money and personnel. These resources upgraded the school and developed its degree program. It took high-level decisions and solid commitment of resources to bring this to pass. I believe that once this type of solid cooperation and commitment have been evidenced in Africa, effective appeals can be made for backing from other sources, such as foundations.

I would like to encourage the educators in Africa who will develop these seminaries to consider also the feasibility of developing concurrently with theological training, effective departments in administration and communication. The African church needs trained administrators for many aspects of its work.

Modern communications concepts are needed to spread the gospel as well as good theologians to keep the church sound. By developing this combination, the African seminaries could break new ground.

——-

Copyright © 1973 Evangelism and Missions Information Service (EMIS). All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from EMIS.

GoToOlder PostNewer PostAll PostsArticlesEMQSectionVolume 09 - Issue 4

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Keep up to date with our community.

Menu

  • Home
  • Directories
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Contact Us

Join

  • Join
  • Benefits
  • Learn
  • Meet
  • Engage

Help

  • Contact Us
  • Terms
  • Cookies Policy

About Us

  • Who We Are
  • Statement of Faith
  • Awards
  • Resources
Missio Nexus Logo

© Missio Nexus. All rights reserved.
As an Amazon Associate Missio Nexus earns from qualifying purchases.


PO Box 398
Wheaton, IL 60187-0398

Phone: 770.457.6677
678.392.4577

Annual Sponsors

ECFA Logo Brotherhood Mutual Logo

Subscribe to our Mailing List

Membership website powered by MembershipWorks