Ministry to Internationals
We strive to equip African leaders to strengthen the African church
We believe that the growth of the African Church from 10 to 400 million over the 20th century indicates that the future of Christianity will be shaped by African Christianity.
1) We did this for twelve years by teaching Theology and Bible at a Bible College in Malawi.
2) We expanded our vision to train leaders through International Student Ministry in South Africa.
About four years ago we felt God leading us into International student ministry (RUF-like) among students attending the University of Stellenbosch through a local Church, Christ Church Stellenbosch in South Africa. Now we work among the 4000 International students who are attending the University from all across Africa and around the world. These students are leaders in their countries who are doing graduate and post-graduate studies in various fields from engineering and sciences to drama and journalism as well as theology.
Goal: We seek to connect students with the local church, with one another and with Christ
1) Connect to the Local Church/one another (Community through Hospitality):
We seek to connect students to the local church, Christ Church Stellenbosch where I serve on the Pastor staff. These students are trying to adapt to life in a foreign culture and land and their need for community is our opportunity to befriend them and welcome them to the local church. We open our home by sharing meals and inviting local South Africans to join us.
2) We show hospitality and share God’s Story (International Story Group):
Those coming from traditional cultures, even the highly educated, learn their identity, history and values through stories. God has given us a book of stories but if we give them ‘bits and pieces’ of the gospel striped from its story then they’ll remain defined by their cultural stories.
We teach a Kingdom Biblical theology using the Bible’s own stories and in a way that is easily reproducible. We do this in our ‘International Story Group’ which meets weekly on the Stellenbosch campus. We tell and learn to tell Biblical stories in the context of the over-arching Biblical story. We seek to empower students to discover Biblical truth and discern God’s will through creative question asking and facilitated group discussion.
Telling the Biblical story using the Bible’s own stories and facilitating group discussion using creative question asking enables others to discover God’s truth and discern God’s will. We can train people to do this without using notes and in a way that is easily reproducible.
In our International ‘Story Group’ that meets weekly on the campus of the University of Stellenbosch we have had students from a dozen different countries and from four different continents. We believe that this depicts the multi-ethnic nature of God’s kingdom and reflects the missionary heart of God.
After fifteen years in Africa we share
Appreciation for African life.
An understanding of the challenges associated with cultural transition.
Realization of the value provided by communicating and studying with these students in English.