Edwin Mihigo, Tanzania
Africa International University, Nairobi, Kenya Master’s in Theology
“The most important courses for me this year were Africa Christian Theology, Hebrew Exegesis and Working with Boards and Committees. I have learned about new and contemporary approaches that were found by some African Theologians in order to make the gospel more relevant to African people.
Hebrew Exegesis helped me to learn that each word in Hebrew has meaning even names that if not cared for during the interpretation, may result in the meaning of the text being affected. Hebrew has many words that came in Kiswahili through Arabic, something that made it easy to capture Hebrew vocabulary.
Although I have been working in the church for a long time, I came to realize that I did not know many things about management. The course on Working with Boards and Committees has helped to now know how boards work, how policies of organizations are made and applied, how to run committees, the nature of committees, and how leaders relate to each.
While I was studying, I was also involved in a church where I was serving as a student pastor. I was dealing mostly with the ministry of counselling and evangelistic meetings. People I counselled were facing marital issues, families with fear of witchcraft, need to be married, the lack of jobs and sicknesses. I preached at different evangelistic meetings that were being conducted in slums and suburb areas. We also had classes for disciples that aim to prepare the new converts to be the true followers of Jesus Christ. They also aimed to teach them to depend on Christ, the importance of prayer, reading the Word of God, and addressing of the issues that many Africans face such as African beliefs about witchcrafts, African taboos, worship, and the fear of ancestors. Whenever these issues are not well addressed it makes many African people to take Christianity as the second religion to African traditional religions.
The course on Africa Christian Theology has totally changed and challenged my approaches that I was formerly using while preaching to African people. Now I know how I can use African context to reach out to African people without compromising the scripture. I now know ‘how to wear their shoes’ and show them the truth without making compromise of the Word of God.
Lastly, I am planning to conduct church seminars about administration. Many churches, especially in local settings, are not aware of administrative issues. As a result, many conflicts take place among them. Knowing that the church is also an organization, administrative issues cannot be left out as we lead the church. After graduation, my church will send me to teach in one of our Bible Colleges.”
“I thank God for His grace. I would like to share with you some of the blessings I have experienced since beginning the Masters program here.
I am very happy with the different courses that we are studying. The English course has been very helpful as much of our reading has been in English although teaching and discussion take place in French.
The course on Christian Theology of Religions presented us with the different theological tendencies and their main defenders. The discussions helped me to find answers to the various arguments and to root me more in my evangelical position.
The course on Bible and Mission changed the way I read the Bible through its emphasis on missional hermeneutics and the idea that the indicative must always precede the imperative. In a lot of churches here, the imperative precedes the indicative, which is one of the factors that contribute to nominal Christianity. Meanwhile the course on the Methodology of Scientific Research has equipped me well for ethnographic research and the writing of a thesis.
I lead the early meditation at Radio Tangazeni Kristo (RTK) one week per month from 6: 30 to 6: 45. I also preach occasionally at Sunday morning services if I am not too busy with my studies during the week.
I have come to realize that humility is always necessary, because our understanding is always limited. We are learning all through our lives.
As a former teacher my future preference would be to transmit to others what I have learned. I would like to be involved in seminars and conferences and provide churches with written materials which would help the leaders in their own teaching.”
Author: David Rondeau
Gifts to the Advanced Training Fund
Gifts can be given towards this fund to support students training for leadership.
Contact Robbyn Lesleighter, adminfinance.aus@aimint.net, 02 4322 4777, to arrange direct debit, internet banking, or credit card payments. Cheques can be made out to Africa Inland Mission International (Aust.) Inc. and posted to PO Box 328 Gosford NSW 2250. You can also use the “Give” tab on this website to donate online.
Please quote Project Number IO-135 to indicate it is a gift to the Advanced training fund.
January 2014
