Missional Encounters of Churches in Sub-Saharan Africa through Grassroots Stories

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Johannes J. Knoetze, Paul N. Mwangi and Michael Biehl (eds)

2025 | 214pp pb | ISBN: 978-1-917059-59-6

This volume presents a compilation of studies developed for the International Study Process, marking the centenary of the founding of the International Missionary Council (IMC), 1921 to 2021. Although Africa lacked formal representation in the IMC’s inception and early periods – with the exception of South Africa – today, Africa is a major player in global Christianity. The contributing scholars from South Africa and Eastern Africa, organised in two study centres, examine their regions’ and churches’ involvement with the ecumenical mission movement that shaped the IMC and later the Commission for World Mission and Evangelism. This volume collects their papers in three sections, each reflecting a focus of the study process: first, on the IMC’s direct influence or activities, such as in Southern Africa; second, grassroots stories from African churches of mission activities and movements in Eastern Africa driven by indigenous churches; and third, on challenges to and from African churches, tackled both within and beyond the IMC and the CWME, such as mission theology, gender, social services, theological education and the challenges from virtual and digital developments.

CONTENTS

Introduction 1

IMPACT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MISSIONARY COUNCIL IN AFRICA

Max Warren and Africa: A Life-Long Encounter
P.G.J (Piet) Meiring 11

Ecumenism in the Dutch Reformed Church: The Relationship with the IMC and WCC on the Issue of Race Relations
Johannes J. Knoetze 23

GRASSROOTS STORIES FROM AFRICAN CHURCHES

The Stories of Unsung Heroines of Faith in Nigeria: Shedding Light on the Experiences of Lesser-Known Females that Serve as Indirect Missionaries
Moses Iliya Ogidis 39

John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress as a Missiological Methodology in Juxtaposition with African Communality
Mary Wanjiku Kihuha and Paul N. Mwangi 51

The Mission of Deliverance Church in Busoga, Uganda, 1962–2021
Moses S. Isabirye and Zacharia W. Samita 61

Pentecostalism and Mission in Kenya: A Case Study of Christ Is the Answer Ministries (CITAM)
Paul N. Mwangi 75

Urbanisation and Mission History with Special Reference to Burundi
Thierry Bahizi 87

Exploring Peacebuilding Activities of Local Church Leaders in Burundi Following the 2015 Crisis
Theodore Mbazumutima 99

African Leadership Initiatives and Innovations in Mission: A Case Study of the African Divine Church
Kenneth A. Buluku 107

CHALLENGES FROM AFRICAN CHURCHES

Reflections in Intersections between Mission Theology and Praxis
E. Okelloh Ogera 121

Evangelism and Social Responsibility in the Changing African Socio-Economic Landscape: A Case of Kenya
Fancy Cheronoh 131

Social Action in Acts of Compassion: An Exegetical Theological Approach of James 1:27 for Successful Mission Work
Makhanu Elijah 145

Fruitful Ground: Points of Connection between African Christian Theology and Contemporary Ecumenical Missiology
James N. Amanze and Kenneth R. Ross 155

Some Challenges of Theological Education in Southern Africa and How to Address Them
Jaco Beyers 169

Luke 4:18-19 through the African Women’s Hermeneutic Lens: Lessons for Liberative and Transformative Mission
Lydia Chemei 183

Virtuality And Social Change: Implications for Future Practice of Mission
Telesia K. Musili 193

Contributors 205

About the Author

EDITORS:

Johannes J. Knoetze is Professor in the Department of Practical Theology and Mission Studies at the Faculty of Theology and Religion in the University of Pretoria, in Pretoria, South Africa.

Paul N. Mwangi is a lecturer in Church History and Christian Ethics at South Eastern Kenya University and also at St Paul’s University in Kenya.

Michael Biehl, retired, Research Associate at the Faculty of Theology and Religion in the University of Pretoria, in Pretoria, South Africa.

CONTRIBUTORS:

James N. Amanze is a Malawian national working in Botswana as principal of St Augustine Theological School of the Anglican Church Diocese of Botswana. He worked for many years at the University of Botswana as professor in systematic theology and head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. He has served as secretary of the World Conference of Theological Institutions (WOCATI), secretary of the Association of Theological Institutions in Southern and Central Africa (ATISCA) and as an active member of Societas Oecumenica.

Thierry Bahizi is an assistant professor of missiology at International Leadership University and dean of theology at the same university. He is an ordained minister in the Anglican Church in Burundi.

Jaco Beyers, Department of Religion Studies, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria.

Kenneth Ambani Buluku is a local partner with CMS-Africa attached to OAIC and he trains pastors and church leaders for ministry at St Jacob’s Bible lnstitute. He is a PhD student at St Paul’s University and a commissioned pastor in the Holy Spirit Church of East Africa.

Lydia Chemei is an adjunct lecturer of biblical studies and theologies from gender and disability perspectives at St. Paul’s University, Kenya. She is an ordained minister in the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA).

Fancy Cheronoh is a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Kenya in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. She is a member of the Africa Gospel Church in Kenya.

Makhanu Elijah is a research and resource mobilisation officer at the Adventist Development and Relief Agency Kenya. He is a research advisor for graduate and post-graduate students at the Adventist University of Africa (AUA) Kenya and an ordained minister in the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Moses Stephen Isabirye heads Doctrine, Ethics and History and lectures at Bishop Tucker School of Divinity and Theology – Uganda Christian University. He is an ordained minister in the Anglican Church of Uganda.

Mary Wanjiku Kihuha is a lecturer of World Christianity at Pan-Africa Christian University, Nairobi, Kenya. She is currently hosted by the Nagel Institute, working on a project on African women’s spiritual formation and leadership development.

Theodore Mbazumutima is a director of a peacebuilding Burundian NGO, Rema Burundi, and an affiliated researcher of the Centre for Non-Violence at the Durban University of Technology. He is currently the lay president of the United Methodist Church in Burundi.

P.G.J. (Piet) Meiring is an emeritus professor of missiology at the University of Pretoria.

Telesia K. Musili is a lecturer in religious studies at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and a research fellow at the University of South Africa.

E. Okelloh Ogera is a lecturer of church history and heads the Bishop Okullu School of Theology at Great Lakes University of Kisumu. He is also an adjunct lecturer in theology at St. Paul’s University in addition to being an ordained priest in the Anglican Church of Kenya.

Moses Iliya Ogidis is a lecturer with ECWA Theological Seminary Karu, Abuja and a minister with Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA).

Kenneth R. Ross is professor of theology and dean of postgraduate studies at Zomba Theological University, extraordinary professor at the University of Pretoria and honorary professorial fellow at the University of Edinburgh.

Zacharia W. Samita is a senior lecturer in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Kenyatta University, Kenya. He is a pastor with the Restoration International Churches in Kenya.