JSM Scholars: Working Together in Central Africa
Amidst civil war, poverty and religious division, JSM-Langham Scholars, Moussa Bongoyok and Johnson Okoroafor, are working in partnership to bring hope to Central Africa.
Although Moussa was raised in a Muslim family, he attended Christian grammar school in his home country, Cameroon. At the age of thirteen, Moussa accepted Christ, and developed an immediate hunger for prayer, evangelism and bible study. While still in his late teens, he realized his call to become a pastor and a teacher. As Moussa’s call began to deepen, the direction of his ministry became increasingly clear. He recognized that although Central African Republic harbors the highest percentage of evangelicals in Africa, very few of these evangelicals are trained to serve and preach within the Muslim culture of Central Africa.
Since 2001, Moussa has been pursuing a PhD in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary as a JSM-Langham Scholar. Under the mentorship of Dr. Dudley Woodbury, Moussa is writing his dissertation on Contextual Theological Responses to Islamism. This year Moussa has established a friendship and partnership with colleague and fellow JSM-Langham Scholar, Johnson Okoroafor.
Johnson grew up in Nigeria and became a Christian in his early teens. In 1995, Johnson sensed God’s call to a teaching ministry and began to commit himself fully to the discipleship of others. From 1991-2004 he completed both a Bachelors and a Masters degree of theology while serving as an administrator, a pastor and a teacher in Nigeria and Cameroon. In 2004, Johnson began his Ph.D. studies in the school of Intercultural Studies at Fuller.
Like Moussa, Johnson is committed to teaching and training pastors in Central Africa. His vision is to equip pastors with the tools to reach both Christians and Muslims, specifically in Western Cameroon. Through his growing friendship with Moussa, and under the guidance of Dr. Woodbury, Johnson has decided to expand upon and develop Moussa’s research in an effort to engage both English and French speaking people in Central Africa. Dr Woodbury, energized by this collaboration, states, “Since the cultural and colonial background is different in the French-speaking part area of Cameroon where Moussa Bongoyok is researching, Johnson’s research should bring out some helpful contrasts.”
Moussa will graduate in June 2006 and return to teach and to develop an Islamic Studies department at Bangui Evangelical School of Theology (BEST). While his studies are coming to a close, the impact of his vision will continue to develop both through his ministry of training pastors in Bangui and through his partnership with Johnson. Moussa states with tremendous gratitude, “Without John Stott Ministries, my education would not have been possible…I have seen the sacrifice that JSM has made for me, and I will go home and do the same.”
Johnson and Moussa share the vision of John Stott Ministries, desiring to equip generations of evangelical pastors and teachers in Central Africa. Together, they have the unique opportunity to make a significant, enduring and cross-cultural impact both within and beyond the African evangelical communities. The JSM family celebrates God’s continued work and potential of the partnership of Moussa Bongoyok and Johnson Okoroafor for the cause of Christ in Central Africa.