Langham Scholar Susan Mathew and family

Congratulations to Susan Mathew, (India), a Langham Scholar who was the regional winner of the British Council’s International Student awards for 2010. The awards are designed to give public recognition to international students for their contribution to their institutions and local communities. Susan has combined PhD study at Durham University with care for her family, including her youngest son Jyothish who suffers from cerebral palsy. The needs of Jyothish inspired her to start the Deepthi Centre, in Kerala, India, where children with cerebral palsy will receive care, education and physiotherapy.

Susan has also established a partnership with a local special school near Durham. The British Council judges were inspired by her commitment not only to theological study, but also to the wider transformation of society. Susan is returning to India this summer to teach in a theological seminary in Kerala.

For more information on the Langham Scholar program, please visit www.langhampartnership,org/scholars.

As some of you know, I am married to Elizabeth and we have three boys, Tevita (9), Freddie (4) and Albert born this April. We’ve been here in Sydney four years now, studying for a PhD – thanks to the generosity of Langham Partnership Australia and the Sydney Anglican Diocese.

I praise God that the thesis has now been officially submitted! I am grateful for the insights and encouragements of my supervisors, Dr Brian Rosner of Moore College and Dr Chris Fleming of University of Western Sydney. Awaiting the results can be a nail-biting experience; nevertheless, it feels as if a load has been lifted off my shoulders. In hindsight undergoing a PhD had always been a stepping stone, a means to an end. I believe that I will always be first and foremost a servant of Christ, burdened with love for the Tongans and feel that I can do nothing else but preach and teach them the love of Christ, the love that he had shown me whilst I was still a sinner. Therefore, the PhD had always been a means to qualify myself in worldly terms so that I can not only better equip myself for ministering to the Tongans but also to proclaim the gospel in any possible way that I can, whether it be in preaching or writing (as is Langham’s vision). I am forever grateful for the part that Langham has played in enabling me to reach this point.

Now as my family and I approach the end of our stay here in Sydney we are saddened and encouraged at the same time. Saddened to leave behind true friends, but encouraged that we will be putting into good use the newly acquired knowledge that we have gained here in Sydney.

At times it can be daunting to not be so sure of where we will be posted upon our return to Tonga but at the same time it is comforting to know that God is sovereign and He is in control of our future and wherever we will be placed he will use us to further his Kingdom. As an ordained minister of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, I will be told what the Bishop wants me to do in June this year, during the Annual Synod of the Methodist church.

Before we came to Sydney for the PhD, we worked in the Tongan Methodist Church Bible College for four years. That was quite a tough experience for us. A lot of opposition was encountered simply for teaching students that the Bible is true and that Jesus is still relevant for us today. However, with the PhD, we hope that things will be somewhat better for us. There are only three other ministers with PhDs in the Methodist Church of Tonga at the time being – all of whom occupy positions of leadership in the church. We don’t expect a position of leadership in the more immediate future but must be ready to convince our church leaders of our progress in the faith. Please pray that we will trust in God’s sovereignty at all times especially when things are tough for us.

Last fall, I spent a significant amount of time in Latin America. For most of this time, I was part of a teaching team, working under the umbrella of the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education (ICETE) and its Latin American partner AETAL (Associação Evangélica de Educação Teológica na América Latina). ICETE offers a series of weeklong professional training seminars for academic deans. It has been my experience that many of those who are asked to give leadership to Bible schools and seminaries have minimal practical experience or training in areas of academic administration.

I was working with Dr. Fritz Deininger, the former dean of the Bangkok Bible College and Seminary, Dr. Pablo Sywulka, the former director of the Seminário Teológico Centro-Americano in Guatemala and Dr. Orbelina Equizabel, now a professor at Biola University, but the former academic dean at SETECA. We met from November 10-13 in João Pessoa, the most easterly point in Brazil with just over 20 leaders from 12 different training institutions, and then from November 17-21 at SETECA in Guatemala with another 22 people for 13 training institutions Almost all of the participants were academic deans, though we also had several school directors. We looked at the nature of a dean’s role, focusing specifically on issues of administrating, time-usage, and team-development. We also spent time examining the personal qualities needed for this position. The plan is to hold these training workshops over a period of three years. In 2009 we will look at the role of the dean in curriculum development and in creating a learning community. In 2010, we will then look at the role of the dean in human resource development, i.e. knowing how to select, encourage, manage and train both teachers and staff. It struck me that this was time well spent, and I’m wondering the extent to which these professional training workshops could serve many of our former Langham scholars.

LPRC FOR SPANISH-SPEAKING LATIN AMERICA – QUITO, ECUADOR (15-17 November 2009)
In between the two academic dean’s training workshops, I enjoyed being able to be a part of this gathering of key people (under the joint leadership of Milton Acosta and Ruth Padilla De Borst) who enthusiastically share their time and wisdom to help Langham be more effective in what it tries to do at the Langham Partnership Regional Council. Representatives came from all corners of the continent, from Mexico to Argentina, and built upon the work of previous meetings. Although my greatest joy was simply to be with some incredibly good people, I was also encouraged by enthusiastic reports on the many Langham-related ministries going on throughout the region. One of those includes the speedy development of a Latin American Bible Commentary.

Langham Scholar Juan-Jose Barreda is just about to complete his Ph.D. in Theology from ISEDET University Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His dissertation is on the “Messianic Expectation in the Qumran Writings and a Comparison with the New Testament.” While Juan-Jose’s dissertation is certainly an impressive reflection of his deep, biblical knowledge, it’s in the streets of Argentina where Juan-Jose seeks and discovers a different kind of wisdom.

On my recent trip to South America, I met Juan-Jose at ISEDET; later that evening we visited his church, where he was hosting a movie night for some local street kids. I quickly learned from him that one of his passions is working with the homeless on the streets of Buenos Aires. He feels that he learns a lot about himself and the Bible by getting to know them.

Originally from Lima, Peru, Juan-Jose moved to Argentina some 20 years ago and has been a Baptist pastor there for 15 years.  “I love to teach the Bible,” he says, “and I think that the pastor has to have a deep studies in Bible, because … [teaching] grassroots leaders is difficult when you don’t have the preparation and study of the Bible yourself.” Juan-Jose says that leaders want their teachings to be more biblically sound, but with little or no programs for formal training, it becomes crucial to pass on scholarship as much as possible.

Juan-Jose is also concerned that the homeless in his area live in a culture where receiving help is uncomfortable to people, so he has been working to change the mindset of his church to reach out to them in a spirit of partnership and not in the typical patriarchal way of providing help. Weekly his church members go and sleep with them in the streets, and then homeless families come to the church and stay overnight there. It gives Juan-Jose and his church members a chance to eat with them and have Bible study together.

“It is interesting how God can teach me through them,” he says. “I help them to understand the world of the Bible and some methods reading the Bible, but they teach me about the street and how to live – to grow – and there is a moment when I understand that we cannot separate the academic from the pastoral care and the wisdom is not just in the seminary or the library, but also in the streets.”

This combination of “street” studies and formal education is a way Juan-Jose is able to meet with people who have a heart for the Word so he can spark in them the need to grow stronger in their growth with God.

After completing his studies, Juan-Jose will be teaching with the Kairos Foundation, which seeks to teach the Bible to churches and different ministries with an integral mission view. There he will help to train other area pastors and church leaders. He also plans to start some Bible education projects in the neighborhoods.

To learn more about Juan Jose, his comments on society, and how to pray for him read his comments below:

When you think about issues that you see happening in the society, what is one that the church can help most?

Juan-Jose: Well as a church, we are talking about solidarity right now. Here we live with a lot of individuality. And there is a problem because, everybody looks for himself, and our problems in society is that it is very difficult to find someone to help you, to take care of you. Also, it is difficult to get somebody to love. It is interesting because many people are asking for somebody to help them, but when somebody tries to, we have a culture where it is difficult to receive love from the other. We don’t know how to be loved. Our church tries to help men from 55 years, and we have serious problems. They say they want to be helped, but when we try, they feel very bad. So, as a church we have been transformed by the Holy Spirit to learn how to love somebody, to make space where everybody wants to be together and help each other and make a difference in our society.

In Argentina, 10 years ago we never saw people sleeping in the streets, but today, there are many families living in the streets and the society is not attending to their problems. They see them as part of a building and they just walk by and leave them there.

How can the churches in the West and America best pray for you?

Juan-Jose: First of all, it’s important to meet us. One from the other. When I talk about theology, I talk about the body. The body is important. We all need to meet to talk about things like what we all are doing. There is a lot of ways to help, but there are many that think we can help you to learn about the world and life in Christ. But when somebody feels that it is important to get to know the other it helps him or her to grow as well. I think that the first thing we need to learn together is to become friends, to have partnership and to love each other and take time together. When you think you have everything and you are the leader, you sometime forget that you need to love the other, and be loved in return.

Also, my father is very sick right now – he has Alzheimer’s and has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

If you could say something to the people that have made your scholarship possible, what would it be?

Juan-Jose: First of all – Thanks! I really appreciate the help that I receive. I started my doctoral studies in 1996, but I could not finish because of my work and my economic situation here – it wasn’t possible. And I think those who support me are part of my ministry right now. I feel that we are together in ministry that God has given to me. I want them to know that I will be working for God and I am thankful for them.

About 1.4 million people make up the contingent of the Chinese Filipinos in the Philippines, a group that is primarily strong in its Christian faith. Interestingly enough, many of the churches in that community are self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propogating, getting little help from foreign missions. It is this indigenous strength that’s key for the growth of the church in China itself. And it is why building a biblically sound study program for local pastors is a crucial strategy for the Biblical Seminary of the Philippines (BSOP), led by Seminary President Joseph Shao. BSOP’s commitment to deeply rooted biblical training has helped grow congregations from hundreds to thousands.

Established in 1957, BSOP has always strived for wholistic Christian

BSOP students on a mission trip in the Philippines

training to develop students in spiritual growth, biblical knowledge, and ministerial skill. BSOP serves primarily Chinese-Filipino students and is an anchor for training leaders in the church. And with recent growth of Christians in the Chinese-Filipino community, BSOP feels the need more than ever to strengthen the indigenous leaders.

Most important is the outreach that serving those communities has had created for the church in China. BSOP has many Chinese students who return to establish the church in their regions. Acting as a lifeline for the church in mainland China is crucial to the seminary’s role in God’s kingdom.

“It is only by God’s grace that we are able to draw a strong contingent,” says Joseph. “We have partners who introduce key students to us. We have some key pastors who endorse our ministry and send important leaders to us. Our alumni are endorsing students. We have focused on the basics in our training ministry, in the proper interpretation of the Word, correct doctrines, Christian education, and caring counseling methods.”

The church in China today is comprised primarily of these four churches:
•    Open Church (recognized and sanctioned by the authorities)
•    Registered Church (registered but not controlled by the open church)
•    House Church (not official; congregations meet in houses and offices)
•    Returnees Church (comprised mainly of believers who return from overseas)

BSOP has served participants in all four churches and continues to see God at work and alive in China. “We have learned that churches are growing, due to the faithful teaching of the Word of God. One church grew from 300 members to 1,000 attendees, while another grew from 400 to 1,000 attendees,” says Joseph. “One particular alumnus was asked to lead a revival meeting upon his return to his hometown, and 2,000 believers gather to hear him. One couple in the northeast region is in charge of 500 cell groups. Outreach ministries flourish due to the involvement of some of our alumni.”

The high standard of biblical education and focus on indigenous church leaders is why up-and-coming professors such as Langham Scholar Samson Uytanlet are key to the future of the impact BSOP has on the the Chinese-Filipino church.

“Even in the past, the Chinese Christian community had this desire to reach our kinsmen who live in the mainland. What happened several years ago, with the opening of Chinese department in BSOP, was really a breakthrough,” Samson says. “[Now], locals can remain in the Philippines to serve in the Chinese churches there, yet at the same time we are not neglecting mission work to China because the Chinese from the mainland are going to BSOP to be trained so that they can serve there.”

Samson is currently completing his doctorate at Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla., and will return to teach at BSOP in a few years. He represents the hope that the ministry of BSOP will continue as it strengthens the Chinese and Filipino Christian communities to grow in numbers.

About 1.4 million people make up the contingent of the Chinese Filipinos in the Philippines, a group that is primarily strong in its Christian faith. Interestingly enough, many of the churches in that community are self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propogating, getting little help from foreign missions. It is this indigenous strength that’s key for the growth of the church in China itself. And it is why building a biblically sound study program for local pastors is a crucial strategy for the Biblical Seminary of the Philippines (BSOP), led by Seminary President Joseph Shao. BSOP’s commitment to deeply rooted biblical training has helped grow congregations from hundreds to thousands.

Established in 1957, BSOP has always strived for wholistic Christian

BSOP students on a mission trip in the Philippines

training to develop students in spiritual growth, biblical knowledge, and ministerial skill. BSOP serves primarily Chinese-Filipino students and is an anchor for training leaders in the church. And with recent growth of Christians in the Chinese-Filipino community, BSOP feels the need more than ever to strengthen the indigenous leaders.

Most important is the outreach that serving those communities has had created for the church in China. BSOP has many Chinese students who return to establish the church in their regions. Acting as a lifeline for the church in mainland China is crucial to the seminary’s role in God’s kingdom.

“It is only by God’s grace that we are able to draw a strong contingent,” says Joseph. “We have partners who introduce key students to us. We have some key pastors who endorse our ministry and send important leaders to us. Our alumni are endorsing students. We have focused on the basics in our training ministry, in the proper interpretation of the Word, correct doctrines, Christian education, and caring counseling methods.”

The church in China today is comprised primarily of these four churches:
•    Open Church (recognized and sanctioned by the authorities)
•    Registered Church (registered but not controlled by the open church)
•    House Church (not official; congregations meet in houses and offices)
•    Returnees Church (comprised mainly of believers who return from overseas)

BSOP has served participants in all four churches and continues to see God at work and alive in China. “We have learned that churches are growing, due to the faithful teaching of the Word of God. One church grew from 300 members to 1,000 attendees, while another grew from 400 to 1,000 attendees,” says Joseph. “One particular alumnus was asked to lead a revival meeting upon his return to his hometown, and 2,000 believers gather to hear him. One couple in the northeast region is in charge of 500 cell groups. Outreach ministries flourish due to the involvement of some of our alumni.”

The high standard of biblical education and focus on indigenous church leaders is why up-and-coming professors such as Langham Scholar Samson Uytanlet are key to the future of the impact BSOP has on the the Chinese-Filipino church.

“Even in the past, the Chinese Christian community had this desire to reach our kinsmen who live in the mainland. What happened several years ago, with the opening of Chinese department in BSOP, was really a breakthrough,” Samson says. “[Now], locals can remain in the Philippines to serve in the Chinese churches there, yet at the same time we are not neglecting mission work to China because the Chinese from the mainland are going to BSOP to be trained so that they can serve there.”

Samson is currently completing his doctorate at Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando, Fla., and will return to teach at BSOP in a few years. He represents the hope that the ministry of BSOP will continue as it strengthens the Chinese and Filipino Christian communities to grow in numbers.

Kwame Bediako passed away this week. Langham Literature Director Pieter Kwant and I had the opportunity to visit him at the Global Church Tour in Grand Rapids in April, where he and his wife were spending some sabbatical time at Calvin College. Mark Hunt, Langham Partnership International’s board chair, had also met with him earlier in the year when he was among the speakers at the National Pastors Convention in San Diego.

Kwame was one of the most remarkable senior African leaders I have ever met. He had a surpassing level of scholarship (two doctorates – one in English and one in French). He had a range of knowledge of the history of the church in Africa (and Europe) that could keep us spellbound for hours just listening to his stories. And he had a most profound understanding of the relationship between the gospel and African culture. He also had a huge passion to bring African Christians together to affirm their Christian identity in authentic ways that would overcome some of the worst legacies of the colonial era. And yet he wore all this learning with such a light touch. His twinkling eyes and sparkling humour and laughter were a constant tonic. It has been such a joy and privilege to know him for many years.

The Akrofi Christaller Memorial Centre for Mission Studies, that he established at Akropong, Ghana, has a fine record of research and publication in African Christianity and contextual theology, and just recently got its charter from the government of Ghana for the awarding ofKwame Bediako degrees including doctorates.

Kwame also had a deep love for John Stott, and the whole work and ethos of the Langham Partnership. He was not himself a Langham scholar, but he knew many of them, and was regarded as a mentor and father figure by many. Though a man under incredible pressures of work and leadership, Kwame stepped up immediately when I asked him, to arrange and chair the first Regional Council for West Africa (Anglophone) in Ghana 2006 , and to co-chair the first meeting of the Regional Council for Francophone Africa in Cameroon in 2007. When I last spoke to him, he was full of enthusiastic plans for the next meeting of both combined, to be held in Ghana in October 2008.

So we shall miss him greatly. He is a sad loss to Ghana, to Africa, and indeed to the world church.

Please pray for his wife (known to some as Gillian and to others as Mary), who has been totally involved in all the work that Kwame did, and is herself a writer and editor of immense experience.

It is hard at a time like this to understand the ways of the Lord. But the legacy that Kwame Bediako leaves is simply enormous, and we pray that his ministry and contribution will now be multiplied even further through those whom he has mentored and inspired over the years.at Kwame Bediako leaves is simply enormous, and we pray that his ministry and contribution will now be multiplied even further through those whom he has mentored and inspired over the years.

Listen to Kwame Bediako at the Global Church Tour, Grand Rapids, Mich., April 2008

The objective of the SABC, according to the editors and advisors, is to “equip Christian leaders at the grassroots level – pastors, students and lay leaders – who under the guidance of the Holy Spirit can be instrumental in the establishment and nurture of a vibrant church in this region.”

Project Editor Jessica Richard
“The only commentaries that an untrained pastor, lay person or a theological student, without access to a good library would go to…are dated and not contextual,” said Jessica Richards, the SABC project editor. “They tend to concentrate more on the technicalities of the text and contentious academic questions on authorship and dating rather than on contextual application to realities and issues in the South Asian context.”

Jessica worked on several long-term projects such as the Dictionary of South Asian Christianity (DSAC) before joining the SABC team. Her experience with the editorial process, combined with her work on social issues in India, has primed her with the ability to take on the large project:

“My theological involvement and articulation are grounded in my multiple identities as an Indian/Asian Christian woman living in a gloriously pluralist fabric; a fabric which is also permeated by discrimination on the basis of caste, class, creed and gender,” she shares. “[I am] also constantly informed and influenced by the fact that I theologize from and in a context of globalization that has widened gaps – economically, socially and in religious terms.”

Jessica is working with several contributors and six general/theological editors, all from the South Asia region. “The opportunity that such a project affords to work with some of the best biblical scholars and theologians in this region is something that cannot be quantified. I know I will gain immensely in working with all of the contributors to the SABC,” Jessica says.

Langham Scholars as Theological Editors
Of the six theological editors, five are Langham scholars: Jacob Cherian, Finny Philip, J. Jesudason Jeyaraj, Havilah Dharamraj, and Paul Swarup. These scholars know firsthand the importance of getting an affordable Bible commentary distributed in this area of the world.

The general editors and developers of the South Asia Bible Commentary

“The one-volume SABC is a critical tool much needed for the numerous grass roots level pastors and evangelists who have had little or no formal theological education,” says Paul Swarup. “It can be likened to giving a huge number of assembly-line workers in a car manufacturing plant, the appropriate tools to put the parts together to bring out a beautiful and powerful car!”

“I am excited to think about the significance and impact this commentary will have for the church in South Asia,” says Jacob Cherian. “With the Indian subcontinent as the birthplace of key religious faiths of our world (especially Hinduism and Buddhism), and with India having the second largest population of Muslims in the world, topics such as “Jesus among other gods” and the legal and social (not to mention theological and communal) implications of ‘religious conversion’ are bound to serve the Church in a major capacity.”

The SABC is projected to sell 10,000 copies in the first year, with the Hindi edition expected to have similar sales goals. It is the latest in a series of Bible commentaries co-sponsored by John Stott Ministries-Langham Partnership International, beginning with the award-winning Africa Bible Commentary which has sold more than 75,000 copies to date and is in the process of several translations.

Look for more details about this exciting project in JSM’s upcoming newsletter, In the Gap.

Help partner with LPI to sponsor the SABC and other much needed projects…Visit the Get Involved page for more information.

Matthew began his ministry as a missionary church planter with ECWA in the mid-1990s. He took his first degree in missiology, and his zeal is still very apparent. Even during his Ph.D. studies, he engages in student ministry, taking some of his fellow students to the campus of the University of Jos and relating to village students there every Saturday and Sunday.

Matthew’s other main passion is the Bible. He has been specializing in the Christological intepretation of the Old Testament, but with the particular goal of reaching the new generation of Africans with biblical teaching about Christ that is culturally rooted and relevant. “I have a great dream for biblical Christianity in Africa,” he told me when we met in Jos in January 2008, while I was leading a Langham Preaching seminar there. “I want to see African Christological reconstruction that will go beyond the standard pictures of the past and really speak to ordinary Christians.”

For four years before starting his doctoral studies, Matthew had already been teaching several courses at JETS, on Hebrew and Old Testament studies. He is also on the faculty of another ECWA seminary at Kagoro and will probably move to that faculty after his PhD. He is a highly valued member of the upcoming ECWA leadership, and finished both his BA and MA studies with top grades in all classes. He is working equally hard at his PhD now, and will finish his course-work in May, and then move into two years of dissertation work, hoping to complete some time in 2010.

I was so impressed with Matthew and the way his enthusiasm for his studies just fizzed out of him as he talked about the topics he is researching and writing on. But then I discovered another reason for the joy in his voice and the sparkle in his eye. He got married just a couple of months ago, in December! His new wife, Juliana, is doing a postgraduate degree in Law at the University of Jos.

Matthew is one of a growing number of scholars that JSM-Langham is supporting to do their Ph.D.s in Majority World contexts.

Read more about Langham Preaching training in Nigeria
View the LPI  Nigeria photo gallery

Most Langham scholars’ eyes light up when they talk about their doctoral studies supported by a Langham Partnership International (LPI) grant. But Andrea Zaki Stephanous positively sparkles as he describes the difference it has made in his life. Andrea did his Ph.D. in Manchester, England, in the field of religion and politics. LPI International Director Chris Wright met him recently in his home country Egypt and asked him about it.

“My Ph.D. programme absolutely transformed my life,” Andrea began. “It was a paradigm shift for me. First it gave me a deep appreciation of the importance of education and adapting a proper scientific approach to problems. Secondly it equipped me with the skills I need in my role now. By the grace of God I serve in a top position in my church and country, and in that role I have to deal with intellectuals, with officials. I would not know how to do so without the experience and skills of the Ph.D. Thirdly it has empowered me in my job, as a professor, publisher, writer, speaker. I am invited both by the state and other organizations to give papers and presentations on a range of social and political issues as well as theological ones. Being academically equipped gives my church as a whole respect, in a culture where religious leaders are often despised as people of slogans only. Absolutely all my work as a leader in church, seminary, and society, has been transformed by the academic skills and challenges of the Ph.D. work.

“And yet at the same time, as you go through the Ph.D. you always affirm to yourself that you are a child in the world of learning. And even afterwards, I never feel that I am a ‘scholar’ – when you know how much there is that you don’t know! I don’t feel worthy of that title. There is still a very long way to go.”

So what exactly does Andrea do? Prepare to be astonished. He carries an amazing portfolio of responsibility. He described six of them.

• Director of Communications at The Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Service (CEOSS). Andrea was involved with CEOSS, working among the poor in squatter camps, since the 1980s. He now directs its publishing department, Dar El Thaqafa, producing books and multi-media resources not only for Egypt but the whole Arabic speaking world. In this role he is also involved as a resource person for inter-faith dialogue and peace-building and conflict resolution programmes for church leaders. This is Andrea’s main (and only salaried) job.

(shown: Two of the recently launched publications of Dar El Thaqafa: “The Arabic Contemporary Theology” (left), and “Salvation,” the sixth volume in the Global Christian Library.

• Professor at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Cairo. Andrea teaches at both undergraduate and graduate level on Religion and Politics, Theological Foundations for Social Change, and Inter-Faith Dialogue in the Middle East.

• TV Presenter: Andrea both writes and presents a weekly programme for SAT 7, which goes out across the Middle East, called, Without Embarrassment. Each programme features two guests – Christian and Muslim, discussing all issues imaginable, from religious violence to the resurrection of Jesus.

• Chair of the Council for Service and Development for the Synod of the Nile (the main Presbyterian church in Egypt). This works to empower local churches to be salt and yeast in society. He oversees the work of 10 staff, 500 volunteers and several major health, education and economic projects.

• Vice President of the Protestant Council of Egypt. There are 1,200 Protestant churches within this alliance, and its council functions not only as a forum for working together, and an authority structure, but also as a combined voice to the government. So Andrea needs great political wisdom as well as ecclesiastical diplomacy.

• International Deputy Director for the Middle East, for the Lausanne movement.

“And yet,” says Andrea, “I like to keep up my first love as a researcher and writer. This is a crucial part of what I do. I set aside time weekly for that. I have a nice office in my home where I do that. All of my children are at school or university, so everybody is studying and I am studying with my family around me!”

It would be hard to think of a better example of a rounded ministry of head, heart and hands, than the work of Langham Scholar, Andrea Zaki, in Egypt.

“I would not be as I am now without God’s grace and the support of Langham,” he concluded. “That is from my heart.”

Read more about Langham scholar Andrea’s work with the production of “Arabic Contemporary Theology”

View the LPI photo gallery of the January 2008 Egypt gatherings

Langham Partnership International was one of the primary funders of a landmark consultation for faculty development and doctoral training in Africa held this August. Held by Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST), it was hosted by the leadership of NEGST, the Faculté de Théologie Évangélique de Bangui (FATEB) and the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA). This upbeat, collegial consultation was conceived, planned, and delivered almost exclusively by Africans. It was by Africans for Africa. Whereas many “muzungu” (a.k.a. expatriate; ghostlike) expressed their forceful desires to participate, the consultation leadership doggedly limited the number to 40 with one westerner from each funding organization. Therefore, I was one of only six muzungu and the only woman. I was proud to represent Langham when Douglas Carew of NEGST challenged the participants of the female leadership void!

Langham scholars were well represented in this select group: Douglas Carew, Tewoldmedhin Habtu, Edison Kalengyo, Henry Mutua, Moussa Bongoyok, Zac Niringiye, and Jehu Hanciles. Of particular note was the plenary speaker, Dr. Andrew Walls. The discussion around his two deliveries was worth the price of the ticket alone.

Statement of Need

As the growth of African Christianity outpaces that of many other geographical areas of the world, the theological and educational needs within the African church are rising. Furthermore as the church grows, African church leaders are increasingly thrust into greater leadership roles. Leaders in African theological institutions must plan, in a concerted and collaborative manner, how to meet burgeoning educational needs. Theological institutions in Africa face significant obstacles in providing quality education and learning opportunities. One such problem is the “brain drain” as many of the best scholars and leaders in Africa are trained at great cost but attracted to service outside the continent. In addition, theological institutions have been forced to operate in relative isolation and independence due to the difficulty of communication and travel. Limited resources have also prevented adequate execution. But the development of travel and the internet have created opportunities for theological institutions and funding ministries to create networks for collaboration and consider innovative solutions.

This Consultation was convened in light of this new day for theological education and provided a forum for representatives of leading evangelical theological institutions in Africa, prominent church leaders, scholars, and key supporting agencies to collaborate by defining the needs for faculty development and evangelical training at doctoral levels in Africa. Participants strategized together on ways to meet these needs within Africa. As result, a Blueprint for Evangelical Doctoral Education in Africa was produced.

The goals were:

1) to create an ongoing collaborative network of theological institutions offering or hoping to offer doctoral level training.

2) to spearhead a plan for providing faculty development and doctoral level training in Africa.

3) to create the Blueprint for Evangelical Doctoral Training in Africa.

The discussion topics were:

1. The underlying philosophy of missiologically-based doctoral level theological education and the rationale for developing these doctoral programs in Africa.

2. The challenges and solutions found for developing distinctive programs that are sensitive to African social realities.

3. The need for collaboration, rather than competition, between African theological educational institutions.

4. Program delivery options, including modular courses and distance learning, dissertation only/course work and dissertation, etc.

5. Options for theological education in national universities in Africa (Stellenbosch, Potchefstroom, University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria, UNISA, universities in Kenya or Nigeria).

6. Evaluating the value of linking with Western institutions.

7. Positions, assumptions, ethos, and outcomes in defining curriculum of relevance to the African Church.

8. Opportunities for presenting each participating institutions’ dreams, program, and plans.

Blueprint for Evangelical Doctoral Training in Africa

The Blueprint for Evangelical Doctoral Training in Africa will serve as the starting point for future meetings and collaborations ahead. This is the good news. This Consultation was not perceived as an end-game. It was heralded as a prompt to launch, even provoke, collaborative efforts. Let us pray this will be the beginning of the end for independent competitive ventures for theological education in Africa. Let us pray this will be a witness to the Church. Let us pray the western theological institutions will be willing to provide complementary service which will further inspire teamwork for the gospel. Let us also pray this venture will serve as a model for doctoral education on other continents. It was a privilege to participate in this Consultation.

Participants:
Institutions represented were:
Africa Nazarene University (Nigeria)
Akrofi-Christaller (Ghana)
EGST (Ethiopia)
FATEB (Central African Republic)
FATEAC (Côte d’Ivoire)
George Whitfield College (South Africa)
JETS (Nigeria)
NEGST (Kenya)
Nigerian Baptist Seminary (Nigeria)
South Africa Theological Seminary (South Africa)
Scott Theological College (Kenya)
TCCA (Zambia)
Uganda Christian University (Uganda)

How the Father Brings Near the Ones Who Are Far

On my first outreach to women in prostitution, I was forced to confront humanity. This is a humanity completely hidden from daylight and regular life, a humanity that has no point of contact with me, a humanity so separate and foreign that if it ceased to exist, I would not be affected nor would they be affected had I not existed. But these two worlds were somehow brought together in a city, a certain street, in the night, forced to decide what to do with each other. This humanity stood before me in an anorexic body, a short skirt, and a forced smile. If I may equate this experience with something, it is like walking in a forest and you are confronted with a wild creature that you’ve never seen before. You are then faced with three options: to run away from it, to conquer it, or to befriend it. After that first encounter, I was no longer the same.

Identifying with Strangers
I had studied biblical anthropology but I was never forced to look at it, literally, in the eye. These women embody a variety of categories found in Scripture: the stranger, the poor, the orphan, the slave. It is this strangeness which forces you to act out your biblical anthropology. It is this reaction before the absolute foreigner that reveals your own identity. The ultimate test is to identify your story with the stranger’s, to re-read your past and search your own story until you find this stranger somewhere in there. See him or her in you. Your identity is revealed in your encounter with the stranger; that is the moment that you know where you come from: whether you come from a Father who brings near the ones who are far off or not.

“Human traffic” is another way of saying “slavery.” There is the master/trafficker who moves his/her slaves around, locks them in houses, and lets them go out only for work. We get glimpses of them in the streets; every minute we get is precious, every hug we give them is eternal, every smile will last them through that night.

How much truth can you speak in a minute to displace the lies of a lifetime? How long did it take for God to phrase, “Let there be light?” How long can you hug a person to outweigh the abusive grasp that will follow? How can you love this world that maintains such corruption? How do you wrestle with your own inability, inadequacy, and incomprehension of this Goliath standing before you and mocking this invisible kingdom you profess? These are some of the daily tensions.

Love for the “Fallen Leaves”
In this ministry I discovered the “biased” love. This love must search out and find the ones who cannot love back, who can never repay what is given to them, who offer no visible or tangible ground for deserving it, who are not or do not look lovable or huggable or easy to sit down with, be seen with, converse with. This love finds no ground in its object but the ground is in itself. This love is often turned down and rejected, but it is still there raining over the “just” and the “unjust” alike. And since the person is unable to offer you some ground for your love then whatever you do unto them you are necessarily doing it to Him. Christ substitutes the undeserving, the poor, the stranger, the prostitute, the slave, thus always giving you ground in His person to love the least without restraint.

A State social worker has said: “Many women are aware of what they are getting into; they were not tricked, so we cannot help them.” This could be true for a tiny minority but, even then, what factors were there pushing a person’s “free will” into a corner? Intense poverty? Child abuse? Rape that has shaped their self-esteem? Single mothers abandoned by everyone now obliged to sacrifice their bodies so that their children could live, get medical help, food and clothing? How can these women run to a shelter for protection? How can they place charges against their traffickers when the policemen they run to are their regular customers? Why would their interests be protected over their traffickers’ who bribe their way through the system? A poet has said that no leaf falls to the ground without the silent consent of the whole tree. But we look at the fallen leaves, we blame them, we avoid them, and we label them as the sinners who brought about their own downfall. These women become the scapegoats for the sins of the entire community.

The Driving Force
This ministry is a public declaration to the earthly and heavenly realms. It is a declaration of the infinite value of God’s creation, of all His creatures. Incarnation is proclaimed when those who get no benefit from these women decide to go down simply to find them, simply to love them, simply to give and relate to them, to hear their pain and to cry with them. Even when we willingly choose sin, even when we are deserving of our state, even if we reject His offer, incarnation still takes place despite of us. This ministry is a puzzle to the local community, and journalists from local newspapers have many times sought to understand the driving force behind it. We are dealing with a national sin so the resistance is great and the healing extremely slow. However, the transformation we witness in the church is remarkable. Volunteers from all denominations unite in prayer and offerings, and work against a single enemy creating an admirable testimony to the watching world.

Myrto (second from right) with mentors and fellow JSM-Langham Scholars at Wheaton College in illnois

The support I receive from Langham Scholarships as well as their vision of impacting communities through God’s Word is a tremendous help for my doctoral studies in the Old Testament and for my future vision. This ministry has inspired me to get deeper into Scripture and plan to give a theological framework for social works in what I write in the future with the hope to inspire more people; “for the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you saying, ‘you shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land’,” (Deut. 15:11).

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Myrto is a graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois, currently studying at Cambridge, England, with plans to graduate in 2010. For more information on the Langham Scholars program, visit the Scholars section of the John Stott Ministries Web site.

The land of Mother Teresa. Hand-drawn rickshaws. Vivid multicolored saris. A sea full of humanity. I find myself in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a gathering of the Fellowship of Langham Scholars for South Asia. Today we have gathered to consider the impact of theological education on the church. Langham Scholar Dr. Paul Swarup reminds me that India places a high value on religious leaders and gurus. Unlike in the U.S., the religious leaders are highly esteemed and the role of religion is integral to the society. I find myself envious of a society which integrates a god into everyday moments. Isn’t this the goal of our faith in Jesus Christ? To see our faith, our theology played out in context. This is the reality in India!

But reality? 400 million poor people are looking to pastors for answers. What does theological education have to do with this reality? Why should we care about theological education when the rickshaw drivers are selling their blood to feed their children? When the kids are dependent on garbage heaps for “recycled food.” Why would we invest in theological education?

As Americans we must consider theological education and the training of indigenous leaders and pastors. Of course we would much rather invest in the quick-fix programs. We would prefer to see the child fed that day. I would – I would prefer to respond to the immediate need. And that can be a good thing. But this is not a lasting solution. It is only when our church leaders are trained on the authentic Word of God will there be a real answer for these people. These leaders will, in community, offer the solid solutions which will be the foundation for the church. And it is through the support of these leaders that we can provide long-term solutions, not quick fixes.

It may seem best to simply distribute food or money to those in need. But what the people of Kolkata really need is Jesus integrated into their lives. A pastor with training can reach people on the spiritual level and help them to see an otherwise meaningless existence as having eternal purpose in service to God.

India is a society which is open to spiritual leaders. Millions of people are calling for this leadership. Please pray that the leaders who will give that foundation to this society will be that of Jesus Christ.

“We have finally returned to the mission field after spending some time in Cameroon. It was a great joy to reconnect with our family members and local church. We had enough time to experience the reverse culture shock, to sing loudly, to rejoice, to cry, to dance and to enjoy the fresh air or the special beauty of the rural context … Although we are very grateful for the joy we experience in our teaching ministry, we would also like to share with you a concern regarding the sociopolitical situation in which we live. Recently, the rebels have taken control of one city the North East part of C.A.R. and they are moving towards the capital where we are. Their goal is to take over the political leadership of the country. We do not know what may happen in the following days or weeks but please pray for God’s mercy on this nation. The population is still suffering from the consequences of the previous civil wars and this nation desperately needs peace.”

Please keep Moussa in your prayers, as well as our many other JSM-Langham Scholars that are living in uncertain circumstances.

Two Scholars Add Their Third Child

Two of our scholars have recently added new members to their families. Prem Williams and his wife celebrated the birth of Prathana Hanna Williams, and Yohanna Katanacho saw the arrival of their third child, Christopher John Katanacho.

Yohanna writes, “It is our joy to announce that on Friday 13, 2006, we welcomed our third child. Christopher John Katanacho was born at 5:35 a.m. He is a handsome boy with a curly dark hair, and long eyelashes. He is 7.65 pounds and is 20 inches tall.”

Prem writes, “Prathana Hannah Williams was born Wed, Oct 11, 2006! She is a reminder to us of the Lord’s faithfulness in answering prayer, and a challenge for us to seek his face and his honor in everything we do. My wife, Preethi was looking quite big and we were (I was) getting a little worried. But she walked into St. John’s Medical Hospital Wednesday morning at 11:30 a.m., started labor at 2 p.m. and delivered Prathana at 2:17 p.m…a model patient, the doctor said. Taran was a little sad because he wanted a brother, but he’s great now (can’t keep him away from her side).”

The first week of November, people involved in Scholar teams came together for an Open House at Meritt Sawyer’s home, Our International Director for Scholars. This gathering saw 6 of the current Fuller Scholars and two graduated scholars spending the evening with over 50 people that have been involved in Scholar Teams over the years.

But what exactly is a scholar team. These are groups of individuals, and church missions teams, that come together to provide financial and spritual support for scholars that are completing their PhD programs. These teams interact with the scholar they are partnered with to get to know them, providing prayer support and inviting them to participate in their churches.

Doug Lee, from Grace Fellowship Community Church in San Fransisco, recently wrote about an upcoming trip to visit the scholar they have supported over the last few years. Sunday Agang was home in Nigeria and Doug wrote:

“This trip comes at an important time as the folks surrounding Sunday (including the widows and orphans) have been praying for us in the aftermath of the death of Bob Appleby, our senior pastor, in early May. Sunday has played a huge role in praying with and for us and came up for the funeral services we held in San Francisco. We have learned so much from him as one so steeped in theology and in the heartbreak of the Church in Africa.”

Meritt Sawyer says “This is one reason why the JSM Care Team concept has been so important. It is about reciprocity of learning.”

Upon returning from this trip Doug wrote again:

We are back from our adventure in Nigeria, and it was everything that we had hoped it would be and far, far more. We had a very high view of Sunday Agang before we left for Nigeria, and our appreciation for him and those he is connected to only increased as we ate virtually every meal in his home and were shown the dramatic reconciling work that he and others are doing to bridge the religious, economic, and social divides in northern Nigeria. We also gained insight into the JETS (Jos Evangelical Theological Seminary) and the ECWA denomination as we spent much time with local pastors and worshiped in three local congregations.

‘They Know We Are Christians’

Lebanese Christian compassion impresses Muslims during bloody conflict.

The work of JSM Langham Scholars Riad Kasis and Nabil Costa and Elie Haddad during the recent Lebanese Crisis in the Middle East was recently featured in Christianity Today. The impact of JSM-Langham Scholars and the institutions they lead have a extreme impact during times such as these.

To read the story click here ->>

John Stott Ministries,

Calvary greetings! I am writing to express my profoundest appreciation to you for what you have done for me. By giving me your generous scholarship to study for my Ph.D. at Westminster, I have come a long way into my studies with great stability and with the hope of finishing in year 2009. Your prayers have been greatly appreciated, for they strengthen me. I feel I belong to a family that truly cares and desires to develop leaders for the gospel of Christ around the world. My family is deeply grateful for your kindness. I was home last summer with my family. My family is doing great spiritually and morally. My children are doing well in their school. I went to my sending institution, TCNN [Theological College of Northern Nigeria], and had a good time with my colleagues and administrators. This semester I have been working on my required languages, namely Latin and French. I am also translating John Calvin’s The Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life into Tiv, my ethnic language group in Nigeria, which I hope to publish next year. May the good Lord continue to bless your ministry and bless also the church around the world.

Graciously in His Service,
Philip Tachin.

Douglas Carew, John Stott and Chris Wright with the Kato Award

The Byang Kato Award is given during the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST) annual Recognition and Awards Ceremony held in June. It is awarded to an individual and to a group who best champions the vision of the founder of NEGST, Dr. Byang Kato. This year, John Stott and Chris Wright accepted the award for JSM-Langham.

Kato was concerned about the quality of African Christianity at a time when the evangelical churches in Africa saw little or no need to provide training for their pastors beyond the certificate or diploma level. He often spoke of what he saw as a coming crisis of “Christopaganism.” He was convinced of the need for African biblical theologians with advanced training who would provide leadership to combat this trend. It was Kato’s vision that drove the birth of NEGST.

Langham Partnership International (John Stott Ministries in the U.S.) has been a strategic partner and a key supporter of the NEGST mission to promote excellence in African Christianity. Through this long-term support and partnership, including the John Stott Foundation scholarships, many have graduated from NEGST and taken positions of leadership and influence across Africa.

Over the years JSM-Langham (and the Foundation for Advanced Christian Training, or FACT, which merged with JSM) have supported the scholarships of nine faculty members (including Emily Choge who is moving over from Moi and the two current scholars Abiola Mbamalu and Andy Alo) and has provided tremendous support to the library through the programs of Langham Literature, formerly the Evangelical Literature Trust (ELT). JSM has been with them from the beginning; John Stott and other Langham Staff members have made regular visits to NEGST, even before its inception.

Langham Colleagues for the Scholar Program,

Greetings from Narita airport where I am marooned for eight hours. I have just left Chris Wright (International Minis

This “spare time” allows me to kick off a quarterly newsletter to you. This summer yielded two significant events in the life of the Langham Scholar Program (LSP). First was the scholar consultation in June. Another “first” tied to this was our first global staff meeting for the LSP. The second event was the recent ICETE conference.

I hope the following report will be of service to you. It is my hope and prayer that I provide you information and dialogue which will keep you connected to the scholar program and as it enables Christian leaders throughout the world. Together we can continue to stay current and s

Thank you for all you do for the Kingdom through your support of the JSM-Langham Scholars Program.

Blessings!

Meritt

Meritt Lohr Sawyer
International Program Director, Scholars

Howard Peskett
First and foremost I want to officially welcome Howard Peskett to the team. Howard will be serving as Scholars Director for Langham Partnership UK and Ireland (LPUKI), but he is certainly not new to us. He has been on the LPUKI Scholar Committee since he was born, I believe. He has also produced the Fellowship of Langham Scholars (FLS) newsletter for LPUKI. Before this he served over twenty years with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) in Singapore and China.

I have enjoyed getting to know Howard, and I look forward to working with him. He has already bought me one lunch, so this is looking good!

Welcome aboard, Howard!

Langham Global Staff Meeting for Langham Scholars Program
June 2006

Langham staff and Scholarship Committee Chairs from Langham member movements met for a day in London to discuss the scholarship program. Topics included areas of cooperation and standardization, who we are as a global entity, issues of concern, building capacity for Majority World (MW) seminaries, and considerations for our unified and internal communication needs. The very good meeting was attended by: Howard Peskett (LPUKI), Stephen Travis (LPUKI), Tim Stafford (JSM), Herrick Liu (LP-East Asia), Yasi Philippos (LPI), and Meritt Sawyer (LPI).

Langham Scholar Consultation, London, UK
June 29 – July 1, 2006

Significant changes have taken place in the world and in theological education since JSM-Langham was birthed 35 years ago. With this in mind, sixteen MW academicians and six Langham scholar staff were invited to London to reflect on this history, the scholars program, and current global Trends and strategy. In preparation, scholar committee members from the UK, US, and East Asia submitted questions for consideration. By consultation end, we produced a document to be submitted to the Langham member movements. The document consists of a series of affirmations and recommendations for the program.

The Majority World participants were:

The consultation was significant, positive and possibly prophetic. The Langham Scholars Program (LSP) was affirmed in many ways including the life of John Stott, the history of LSP and the preparation of MW scholars through doctoral education These advisors also affirmed JSM-Langham’s emphasis on scholarship and on contextualization to equip and foster the maturity and growth of the church. “From our perspective, there is no doubt that John Stotts’ vision and Langham Partnershp (LP) have succeeded remarkably. The missionary movements and growth of the church has contributed a lot indirectly to the recovery of Scripture and the academic repspectability of evangelcial positions. Ivan Satyavrata says, “LP has connected with the historic Christian impulses”

The consulation participants also took this opportunity to challenge Langham:

This fall the LPUKI and JSM Scholar Committees (and the JSM board) will receive full oral reports. A written report will be distributed to the broader LPI body.

ICETE Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand
August 2006

Approximately 200 Majority World seminary presidents, Bible college presidents and academic deans descended on Chiang Mai for this highly respected and worthwhile conference. We were fed by the likes of Andrew Walls, Lamin Sanneh, and Doug Birdsall. But the highlight was the plenary session given by our very own Chris Wright. Seriously. He spoke to north-south kingdom partnerships. Many called his presentation brilliant.. We were very proud of Chris that day and hope we can find a way for you to hear or read the content of this presentation.

Otherwise my week was packed with meetings with a wonderful cadre of seminary professionals. I met with the following personnel for updates on their institutions. All of the following warrant our support for their faculty development needs. Many are launching Ph.D. programs, and many have several JSM-Langham Scholars already on staff.

Jamaica Theological Seminary: Dameon Black, President

Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology: 2 Langham Scholars; Steve Bryan, Academic Dean

Asia Theological Seminary (ATS): 3 Langham Scholars; David Cheung, Principal; Larry Caldwell, Academic Dean; Ph.D. to launch in 2008

Nairobi Graduate School of Theology (NEGST): 7 Langham Scholars; Douglas Carew, Vice-Chancellor; Jim Miller, Head of Ph.D. program

China Graduate School of Theology (CGST): 5 students including 2 from Mainland China; Wilson Chow, Principal; Carver Yu, Academic Dean; Ph.D. launched 2005

South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS): 2 Langham scholars; Ashish Chrispal, Principal; Ph.D. running for 7 years

Middle East Association for Theological Education (MEATE): Dick Hart, Director. Has organized Ph.D. consortium utilizing 7 Middle East schools

Jos Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS): 2 Langham Scholars; Sam Kunhiyop, Principal; Ph.D. in theology launched 2005

Asia Graduate School of Theology (AGST) Philippines: Theresa Lua, Dean; Ph.D. consortium of 9 Manila schools;

FATEB/BEST: 3 Langham Scholars; Abel Ndjerareou, Principal; launched Ph.D. 2005. Split program with Vaux-sur-Seine (Paris)

Israel College of the Bible: William Raccah, President; Jerusalem; partners with Bethlehem Bible College

Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS): 2 Langham Scholars; Paul Sanders, faculty

Singapore Bible College (SBC): 3 Langham Scholars; Al Ting, NEW Principal

Langham Scholar Rev. Sunday Agang has seen firsthand the destruction of religious persecution as a pastor in Nigeria. He, along with other leaders, felt called by Scripture (James 1:27) to reach out to families whose husbands and fathers were executed because of their Christian faith. The result is the GAWON Foundation, an organization driven by evangelism and social transformation, launched in 2001, to aid widows, orphans, and needy who suffer as a result of persecution (www.gawonfoundation.org). Agang’s calling has particular relevance for the world, as it reflects on the five-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. His words that follow offer a contemplative look at the relationship of faith and democracy.

9/11 and The Dialectical Connection between Faith and Democracy(Freedom)

A Perspective by Sunday B. Agang
Reprinted from the Semi, Winter Week 8, Feb 21-25, 2005, Fuller Seminary

9/11 has impacted the political and religious landscape of America and perhaps the other nations of the world. For instance, a 2004 Fourth National Survey of Religion and Politics has demonstrated that there are settled connections between faith and the ballot box than just the usual identification of religious conservatives with Republican Party and the corresponding affinity of many mainline Protestants, minorities and secularists with the Democratic Party. The question really is what will happen if our form of government failed? Would God cease to be God when Christianity or our form of government failed?

More often than not, we act as if everything depends upon us to usher in the Kingdom of God either through democracy or religion. But why is it so? I suspect, it is because of the difficulty involved in grasping the dialectical connection between faith and democracy. This difficulty, to some extent, is not unconnected with the way Christians have treated Jesus’ statement, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” as if Caesar has his separate domain and God has his. That is, as if the two are independent powers. We tend to forget what Christ says to Pilate, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” By this statement, Jesus clearly shows that God is the one in charge of the affairs of wicked men and women in either the democratic or the religious community. Christ’s statement here confirms that human affairs or government are not absolutely independent of God’s sovereignty. The whole universe is under the controlling power of the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So in short, the dialectical connection of faith and democracy are really faith in the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus’ life and attitude, during his earthly ministry, profoundly demonstrated that God rules in the kingdom of humankind. He shows that our allegiance to Christianity or democracy should really emanate from the realization that God rules in spite of what any individual or institution does.

It seems to me that the real confession stems from where we put our confidence. There are two things that seem to be at stake: faith and freedom. Alan Wolfe recently pointed out, “Americans believe in God and they also believe in freedom.” Many Americans try to take both faith and freedom seriously. Yet finding the right balance between faith and freedom has been a bit of challenge to them because of the assumption that faith and freedom, or Caesar and God, are two different spheres.

How can we see the dialectical connection between faith and democracy? R.H. Niebuhr suggests that we must start with our attitudes toward both faith and democracy. We often tend to love one to the detriment of the other. I would say that we tend to sacrifice our faith for what we think we can do to bring about “freedom.” So it starts with our attitude toward faith and freedom. Does faith have anything to do with our understanding of freedom? Yes! God is the giver of freedom not human beings. It is our faith in God that helps us to appreciate the fact that all human beings are finite beings. And so also are the systems or institutions we create. That is, no human being is either less-than-human or infinite. As such all human beings must, can and ought to treat one another with respect and dignity.

H. R. Niebuhr has suggested three basic ways of looking at the interrelatedness of faith and democracy. First, look at politics as God’s initiative rather than human initiative. In H. R. Niebuhr’s words: “While Christians live, they live in the Kingdom of God; and this depends for its existence no more on democracy than on monarchy or aristocracy. If democracy fails, God does not cease to rule but even that fall is evidence of his justice and goodness, for this kind of government is also of sin as well as of grace.”

Second, we need to understand that the realization of the Kingdom of God on earth does not depend on what form of politics we practice. As Niebuhr points out, “Government by the people is not a stage on the way to the Kingdom of God, but realization of the actuality of divine rule does lead to government by the people. Democracy is a gift which is added to men who seek first theKingdom of God and all its righteousness.”

Third, faith in Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father and Creator of the galaxies, contributes to genuine democracy. R. H. Niebuhr sees the positive dialectical connection between faith and democracy from the standpoint of morality rather than from intellectual perspective. He aptly points out that faith calls democracy to “an ultimate court of justice, to an ultimate law, and an overruling executive.” Faith creates an atmosphere in which political as well as religious liberty may flourish.

Sometimes, the role of religion in politics gets stressed to the extent that politicians, for their own political agenda, take advantage of Christians. But there are committed politicians who know that their faith in God is not to be used as a ticket to political platform or as an instrument of oppression of other people who hold differing views. Such people realize, as James Gustafson puts it, that “inner freedom of spirit is part of their bearing toward one another, part of the manner of life that is worthy of the gospel. Freedom to give oneself in love for the neighbor, to seek the other’s good rather than one’s owns, to identify with oppressed and the anxious, to participate in causes that seek justice and peace in spite of their ambiguities, to make judgments that are particular and relative to complex and confused situation.” This is the freedom to which faith gives rise and that is consistent with a faith that puts confidence in God’s love and goodness. This faith and freedom will resist any attempt to be manipulated or denied. This is perhaps what Mark Souder means when he says, “To ask me to check my Christian beliefs at the public door is to ask me to expel the Holy Spirit from my life when I serve as a congressman, and that I will not do. Either I am a Christian or I am not. Either I reflect His glory or I do not.” I think, the love of democracy or religion should not become an instrument of intruding into others people’s spaces. Just a thought!

Sunday B. Agang (SOT, PhD in Christian Ethics) is even more knowledgeable in class than he is on pape

Herrick Liu is a JSM Scholar that graduated from Fuller Seminary in 1998 and has returned home to Hong Kong. This interview is a repring of an interview first published in the Langham Foundation East Asia Spring 2006 newsletter.

Question: Tell me about yourself, your background and family.

My parents came from Mainland China to Hong Kong during the World War II. I was born in Hong Kong and grew up in a public housing estate. Although my parents followed the traditional practices of ancestry worship and folk religion, they were not committed believers. I studied in the primary and secondary schools run by the Catholic church. My first encounter with the Gospel was during the summer holidays before my last year of high school when I was brought to a Protestant church. I felt it was God who took the initiative in saving me. Being an introvert without many friends, it was the only friend outside of my classroom who took me to church. Moreover I went simply out of curiosity not being interested in religion at all. Yet the warmth and sincerity of the Christian friends there attracted me. After several months I tried praying by myself, and was astounded when I received a definite answer from God. You can say I was shocked into believing Him.

Question: When did you receive your calling?

At first, I was neither an active nor a serious Christian after conversion. As a private student, I sat for the entrance exam at the university without much hope of being accepted. Yet not only obtained a pass grade, I was even admitted into the Social Work Department which was my first choice. God was so good to me, such a lukewarm believer, that I felt so undeserving of His favor. From then on, I became serious about my faith and calling. After graduation, I worked for some time as a school social worker. I have found out that man’s problem is so deep-rooted that mere counseling is not the solution. A real transformation in one’s distorted values and habitual bent to vices can only take place through God’s grace and the fellowship of the supporting church community. In 1988, I dedicated myself to the Lord to serve Him as a ‘spiritual’ rather than a social worker, and got admitted into the Alliance Bible Seminary to receive my theological training. Before graduation, the Dean approached me with the invitation to be a faculty-in-preparation.

Question: Where did you study for your doctorate? What was your research topic? Why was that of interest to you?

In 1994, I was admitted to Fuller Theological Seminary as a Ph.D. student. My research interest was the Puritans’ spiritual tradition within Protestantism. My dissertation was ‘Towards an Evangelical Spirituality: A Practical-Theological Study of Richard Baxter’s Teaching and Practice of Spiritual Disciplines with Special Reference to the Chinese Cultural Context’. I wanted to be able to enrich Evangelicalism by bringing in classical spiritual traditions, and also to evaluate critically those classical spiritual disciplines from the standpoint of our present-day Evangelical theology. I pray that my contribution in this area will help the church to be better prepared in responding to the quest for spirituality among postmodern people.

Question: Tell me how you came to be associated with Langham or John Stott Ministries in the United States.

Although I had received some support for my theological training abroad, the financial position of my family of four was quite challenging. I was grateful to the Lord that during my third year in Fuller, I came to know the ‘Foundation for Advanced Christian Training’ (FACT) and was granted a full scholarship. This Foundation later merged with John Stott Ministries and became part of the Langham Partnership International. At that time, I came to realize that LPI was founded by Uncle John and my scholarship was given through the vision and generosity of many of his beloved colleagues and supporters. With my whole heart, I feel that it is an honor to be a member of the Langham family and have always wanted to play a part in this worthy ministry. When I was invited to join the council of Langham Foundation (East Asia), I accepted quickly despite my inexperience in public relations and fund-raising work. I pray that the Lord will raise up more people to share in Uncle John’s vision and to continue the ministry in equipping the church leaders of the Majority World, so that God’s name will be glorified through

Question: When did you come back to Hong Kong, what are you teaching at the moment?

I returned to Hong Kong in 1998 after finishing my Ph. D. studies. I am an assistant professor in Systematic Theology and Spiritual Theology. I am also the Dean of Students and Director of Spiritual Formation. My research interest is about the dialogue and integration between classical spiritual traditions and Evangelicalism, including the Pentecostal & Charismatic Movement. I have written many articles in these areas. I am currently working on a textbook in Spiritual Theology.

Question: What about your Church life as a member of the North Point Alliance Church?

I am a regular worshipper at the North Point Alliance Church. At the same time I assist in pastoring a Dedication Fellowship and teaching a Sunday school class.

Question: What do you enjoy most in your leisure?

I like playing badminton and watching movies. My family and I enjoy sightseeing in other countries and learning about their different cultures. My favorite pastime is touring China especially the numerous scenic spots and historic sites around the country.

Question: Could you tell us a bit about your family

My wife, Carol, is a part-time minister looking after the kindergarten kids and their parents. My son Colin is studying first year in the High School and my daughter Winnie is in Primary 4. This picture is taken recently during our family vacation in Japan.

David Zac Nirigiye was recently featured in an interview in Christianity Today.   The article is titled “Experiencing Life at the Margins, an African bishop tells North American christens the most helpful gospel-thing they can do.”

Read this article in CT >>

“This morning Elie Haddad, ABTS’ Provost called Sheikh Jaradeh to stand upon his situation following the vicious bombing of the Southern Suburb of Beirut where he resides. Sheikh Shafic was quite overwhelmed that both ABTS and BBS were lending a hand to displaced Sheite families saying to Elie “You are Different!”

Praise God! We’ve been praying that we be able to make a difference through being salt and light in our community, and the events of the day have been little touches of encouragement to each and every one of us. Lets keep praying!!!”

Beirut Baptist School building as it is today – with the laundry of the displaced families hanging from the windows

We also shared with you earlier this month a plea for prayer from one of those scholars, Riad Kassis, . Here are some updates on what Riad and others have been doing at the Arabic Baptist Theological Seminary in Lebanon during this time. We received these updates from JSM-Langham Scholar, Nabil Costa.

• July 14th
• July 15th
• July 16th
• July 17th
• July 18th
• July 20th

Along with your prayers for all our scholars in the area, please include Martin Accad, as he was teaching at Fuller Seminary when these events occurred and has not been able to return home.

I have just returned from Nairobi where I attended a Bible Expositors Conference organized by John Stott Ministries/Langham Partnership in cooperation with St Paul’s Theological College and the Kenyan Philip Project. It is one of the most useful conferences I know. In one week you see people learn new skills in Bible handling and you hear amazing testimonies of lives and congregations impacted. I spent a fair amount of time chatting with the delegates; many of whom have no theological training. The time I spent with them took me back to the time I returned to Kenya after my studies at Warwick University in 1990.

Although I had done a fair amount of preaching before Warwick, offers to preach increased considerably on my return. It troubled me that I could only preach a very limited number of sermons memorised from my favourite speakers. I knew good Bible teaching, but I also knew I couldn’t do faithful Bible teaching. Chatting with the delegates I heard the same story again and again

“I would love to preach well, but I have never been shown how. I have been making do with what I know and I am sure it is not good enough.”

To which I would ask, “How have you been managing?”

The answer: “For the most part I have been telling stories. The temptation to entertain is very strong, otherwise you lose people.”

I empathised. I too used to “tell stories” to hide my difficulties with Bible texts, and so I felt right at home with the youthful pastors as they began their journey to become better at handling the Word of Truth.

“How did you hear about the conference?” I would ask.

Most had heard about it by word of mouth. However there were others who had come to the conference via a more interesting route. On the opening night they got a chance to speak.

“I heard about the conference from the church secretary in our (church) region,” said one. “He called all the preachers in our region and shared what he had learned in last year’s conference and then he asked us to take turns in preaching from a passage from the Bible. We all knew we had not preached well, so when he showed us how to preach from it, we were convinced we needed help. That is why there are six of us in this conference now.” He continued, “After that first meeting the church secretary organised, a day conference in Kakamega where he taught us how to preach more faithfully, it was just what we had been looking for and I have not turned back since then. I find that the Bible is opening itself to me and my people also appreciate my sermons-not only are they shorter, but they have more content than before.”

Another delegate had come from Eastern Kenya; from the Diocese of Mt Kenya East. His story:

“I attended last year’s conference and learned about faithful Bible teaching. I was in my last of Theological Education then. When I went to my first posting I knew I had to share what I had learned with the parish even before I got there. I soon called another Philip Project alumnus of these preaching seminars and asked her if she would be willing to help train my lay preachers. She agreed and we held our first meeting in February this year, on a Saturday.”

‘How was it received?’ I asked.

The facilitator responded, “Well, I don’t want to speak on behalf of the delegates, so I will ask one of them to speak on behalf of the others.” At this time a pastor stood up, “That single day changed my preaching.” He began. “I saw for the first time that I can understand the Bible and that I don’t have to invent things to say. There is plenty in the Bible already and the Bible says it better than I ever could. I stand before you today to say that before the training day, we were losing people from our church, especially the young. Today they are coming back and staying simply because they are hearing the Bible taught. That is why I have come to this conference.”

All this happened on the opening day, Monday, 22nd May.

In my view, things got better and better after that high note. The conference is a mixture of modelling Bible teaching from upfront followed by instruction on how to access the message in the passage. These sessions are followed by practical workshops in which groups exegete a passage using the skills already taught. They then put together a sermon outline which is presented to peers in a supportive environment. They receive feedback and then try a different passage. By the time they have completed the second sermon outline, their improvement is obvious and quite astounding.

The lynchpin in the whole process is the work done in the workshops. Good workshop leaders help the groups to bring together all the theory they have been learning. It has been the privilege of the Philip Project Alumni to lead workshops in Kenyan conference. I dream of the day when Kenyans will run the conferences themselves and even cross the borders to take the vision of faithful Bible teaching to more countries in Africa and beyond.

Come to think of it, that day is not far away. I have just this week received confirmation that two Kenyan Philip Project Alumni will be travelling to Cameroon in July to help another alumnus run a Bible teaching conference. All praise to the Lord!

Wanyeki

Wanyeki Mahiaini runs the Philip Project (to which he refers), which is a training program for African post-graduate students who are studying in the UK. Langham Preaching is a partner with the Philip Project.

After receiving their Ph.D.’s, JSM-Langham Scholars are now on faculties and serving as principals of key institutions in the Majority World. As a result, several of these seminaries are now able to offer Ph.D. programs with high academic standards. For example, the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology (NEGST) in Kenya is offering a Ph.D. program. Five of the faculty members at NEGST were recipients of JSM-Langham scholarships. One of these is Douglas Carew, the Vice Chancellor of NEGST, who describes the new Ph.D. program at NEGST as unique in the following way: “…the first 18 months will take the form of a research colloquium. The integrating seminar for the first cohort will explore the topic of ‘ethnicity’.

This is a live issue for every African. What Christian faith has to say to the reality needs African scholars to give the matter careful attention and profound reflection. As far as I know, no other institution has built its PhD around a research colloquium, with its student and faculty members working together on a topic of such immense importance for the future of the continent.” The JSM-Langham scholars who have contributed to the building of this program are bearing fruit that will impact the continent of Africa.

Two of our new JSM-Langham scholars for 2005-2006 are among the first Ph.D. students at NEGST:

Abiola Mbamalu, from Nigeria, is a teaching assistant at NEGST. She will be doing her Ph.D. in the area of Biblical Studies, and will remain on the faculty at NEGST.

Andy Alo, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be obtaining a Ph.D. in Translation Studies. He will become a member of the faculty at NEGST and will also teach at Bunia Theological Seminary in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Imagine that a $15 monthly sponsorship o

Imagine that a $15 monthly sponsorship of one Langham scholar leads to outreach that affects hundreds of lives in that scholar’s country. Multiply that outreach by 200, and it’s easy to see that one scholar can touch more than 20,000 lives in the course of a few months. That’s what’s happened with graduating Ph.D. scholar Daniel Santos, who has returned to his home country of Brazil to be a teacher for the teachers.

Name: Daniel Santos

Hometown: Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil

Graduate Work: Ph.D., Old Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Thesis: “The Role of Moses’ Intercession in Exodus 32″

His Life Growing Up

“I grew up in an Evangelical Presbyterian denomination. Three generations before me, and we were taught by American missionaries here. It is a very rural area of Brazil. My father was an elder; he used to preach sometimes in the churches. Then I went to seminary at the age of 18, in Goiânia. After graduating I started to teach at the seminary where I was from. I taught Hebrew and Old Testament, and I was pastor in a church. All my ministry prior to going to U.S. was in the rural areas.”

Current Studies

“I am finishing my dissertation on the repentance of God in Exodus 32-34. There is a lot going on with the Open Theism movement in Brazil. You can hear conversation among people about this … I have seen many of my colleagues who have not spent time studying the Bible and formulating a biblical perspective on these issues … They are trying to say a lot on that passage in particular, so that’s the reason why I chose it.”

His Work in Brazil

“I am working in three different seminaries … One of them is in Sao Paulo, the third largest city in the world [with] 15 million people. I teach a Master’s course in one university- Mackenzie Presbyterian University (www.mackenzie.com.br). I teach modular courses for professors and leaders. This is a graduate school that receives professors and leaders from [universities and seminaries] in other regions. But in Brazil, a professor has to do some pastoring as well-you cannot live on teaching only unless you work for a very large university. For every student that I am in contact with, those students will easily be in contact with 100 students each at their seminaries. Since they are also involved in their church environments, you can add to that another 200 people in their churches.”

How His Education Will Impact Brazil

“It is my hope that I’m reaching the leaders and professors from other institutions. They have already asked me to teach twice more in 2006. In August I am teaching a module on Open Theism. [My education at Trinity] has prepared me to deal with issues in Brazil from a very broad perspective. I have in mind many other professors that I have been with in Chicago and other places when I’m teaching something and answering questions. You have many other ways of dealing with the same issue. I want to rather emphasize how we can have a biblical perspective on these issues. If you have the chance to say something and make a contribution here in our context, you have to have a good way to handle the biblical text.

“My work with JSM has helped me to be open here in Brazil, and also to be willing to help a variety of different denominational seminaries. They know I’m open to work and engage in a variety of contexts.”

His Future

“If you are trying to start [a ministry] on your own, it could take a long time, because you are not in context with the seminary and the church. In my case it is happening at a rather quick pace because I am involved in Sao Paulo. And in January, I will be the auxiliary pastor in a church to help with the teaching assignments there.

“Yes, the church is growing … like beans here. They are teaching all kinds of things … There’s a common saying around here: ‘Preach from the heart,’ not the Bible … as if you couldn’t preach from the heart expounding the Bible. It’s a very common misconception here. They think that if you preach from the heart, you will have a bigger impact on the church.

“The one branch of JSM [that I really like] is the preaching seminars. I am amazed to see how people are looking forward to seeing someone just preaching the Bible. People are responding in a very positive way to the simple exposition of the biblical text.

Prayer Requests

“I wrote an article last year for my university and there is a great need here for writing commentaries and biblical studies. This is something I would need some help praying about, because it would take a lot of time thinking and reflecting on certain issues. I’m really looking forward to helping my country through writing because by writing you can reach a variety of different denominations faster: Books-they can go anywhere. I’d really like JSM to pray about which area I should dedicate more time in my life and my ministry. I’m going to have to decide next year on whether my ministry is in teaching or pastoring or writing. Next year, I will have to make a decision that will shape my ministry for the next ten years.”

A.K. Lama ministers to leaders in Dibrugarh

What does a JSM Scholar do when they are not taking classes or working on their dissertation for their Ph.D.? Many are very involved with ministry in their home countries and A.K. Lama, JSM Scholar from India, just completed a ministry tour of India to conduct training programs for the pastors and lay leaders in the northeast regions.

A.K. is attending Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is planning on completing his studies in June of 2007. He says, “. I come from Northeast India, the state called Arunachal Pradesh, where Christianity is still prohibited… The Church in my region is growing and the need of training leaders who can exegete the Word of God correctly is evermore increasing.” Because of this A.K. took a break from writing his dissertation to hold training in three cities in Northern India. These took place Jan 7-8 in Guwahati, Jan 9-13 in Dibrugarh and Jan 16-20 in Shillong.

This is but one example of the impact that JSM-Langham Scholars are having around the world. A.K. explains:

“India is strategically very important for the missions in 10/40 windows. I believe that the coming of a large number of protestant missionaries to India in the early part of 18th & 19th centuries was especially designated by God for this very purpose. The highest concentration of the Churches is in North-east and the south, where the western missionaries sacrificially served. This is supposed to become the epicenter of the impact that should touch the entire 10/40 windows. I believe this can happen if we fill, by the grace of God, every pulpit of the Churches in India with godly men and women who exegete the Word of God correctly. We need transformation of the leaders in India. Leaders with Christ like character and passion for the righteousness and for the hastening of the coming of the Kingdom of God. “

Speaking to the leaders of Guwahati

Having returned, he says that, “Now I look forward to dedicate my times fully for the writing of my dissertation. With your blessing I desire to do it well and complete as early as possible. I will appreciate your prayers.

Upon accepting Christ, Ambroise continued in dialogue with this priest, learning more about the Gospel and of the state of Christianity and the church in China. Over the years, Ambroise continued to strengthen his faith, and to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. However, in 1989, upon completing his studies in Western literature, he decided to be baptized in St Paul’s Church, an Anglican Church in Nanjing. After his baptism, he felt a call to become a pastor and teacher.

In 1993, Ambroise began his M.A. in Religious Hermeneutics at Universite de Neuchatel in Switzerland. During and upon completion of his masters, Ambroise was provided with several key opportunities to share his vision for the church in China. In 1995, he was invited as a guest to the Vatican on Christmas Eve. In the spring of 2000, he was ordained in Nanjing’s Saint Paul’s Church by Bishop K.H. Ting. In 2001, he was invited by the U.S. State Department to visit Washington DC as a consultant concerning human rights and religious freedom in China.

Now a doctoral student of Theological Ethics of Systematic Theology at the University of Basel, Ambroise is studying and envisioning ways to build the church in China on biblically and theologically sound principles. He notes that twenty years ago theological education in China was nearly non-existent. Although great strides have been made, Ambroise observes that “there have always been Christians in China, but there is not a unified doctrinal church based on the Bible.”

In 2008, Ambroise will receive his Ph.D. and return with his wife, Penny, and son, Albert, to Nanjing Union Theological Seminary as Dean and Vice President. He attributes the fulfillment of his call to the church in China to God’s work through John Stott Ministries, and wishes to express his gratitude to the entire JSM family. Ambroise asks for continued prayer for Christians in China, for the rebuilding of the church on biblical doctrine and for awareness of the difficult issues facing the people of China. Pray for Ambroise that his doctoral studies may deepen his own biblical faith and his passion to unleash the next generation of Bible-preaching pastors.

To conclude, Ambroise states with hope and confidence, “The Chinese Christian will soon discover that when the church becomes the social conscience of the Chinese society, she will have grown out of childhood and into a flourishing youth.”

Samuel Mathew first contacted John Stott Ministries in May of 2003 from the Gospel for Asia Biblical Seminary in Kerala, India. Already enrolled at Fuller Theological Seminary, Samuel sought funds to pursue his doctoral studies in the school of Intercultural Studies. He expressed to JSM: “The vision and deep yearning that I have is to write on spiritual formation and practical spirituality, which I believe should be the foundation for any biblical training and education.” In 2004, JSM awarded Samuel a four year scholarship intended to provide financial support through the completion of his degree in June 2008. Unlike many of his peers, Samuel is completing the majority of his studies in India. He believes it is vital for him, his family and his ministry to maintain a cultural context while utilizing the incredible resources provided to him by Fuller. Samuel frequently expresses his deep gratitude to JSM. We celebrate his life as he continues to glorify God and impact others through his studies and his ministry.

The following article was published on the Fuller Theological Seminary website in May 2005 by the Office of Alumni/ae and Church Relations. You can view the original article online.

Nurturing New Leaders

In addition to his responsibilities as principal of the Gospel for Asia Biblical Seminary (GFABS) in Southern India, Samuel Mathew (ThM, Mis ’89) takes seriously the task of nurturing students. Since 1993, when he helped found the school, students all over India have attended GFABS to get an education and train to fulfill the Great Commission.

The student body is diverse, hailing from all over India and representing 31 denominational backgrounds. As often occurs in India because of extreme poverty and religious zeal, many Christian students overcome intense family pressure in order to commit their lives to Christ and go to school. Alone, they come to GFABS for training to be future leaders of the church in India and the subcontinent.

“More than two thirds of our students face these kinds of challenges,” Mathew says. “The main pressure comes from parents–even Christian parents. They have many dreams and expectations for their children,” he explains. “But when their child decides to devote their entire life to the Lord, it creates insecurity about their future. Most parents do not understand the need for full-time evangelism or ministry, so they discourage the student from following his call. And those who are not from Christian backgrounds place severe pressure on their child,” Mathew goes on. “These students are ostracized from their families and their respective villages. Some parents even take legal action against their child so they are no longer allowed to enter their home.”

Mathew tells of one such student, Arjun, the eldest son of a staunch Hindu family in a North Indian state. “A few years ago his younger brother became ill and God miraculously healed him. As a result, Arjun wanted to fully commit his life to the Lord, and he applied to GFABS. His pastor and relatives discouraged him and some of his friends called him a traitor. His father was furious about his decision to follow the Lord, because as the eldest he was expected to take care of the family,” Mathew says. “He enrolled at GFABS wrestling with financial problems. We helped by waiving the entire fee for his studies. He is now in his final year of the BTh program.”

Mathew has many responsibilities–including currently completing a PhD long distance in the School of Intercultural Studies–but is never too busy to spend time getting to know GFABS students, the most meaningful part of his job. “I enjoy meeting with young people and providing them with an impetus for the future by imparting vision, counsel, and building them up in the word of God,” he says.

He recounts another story that is particularly poignant for him. “Several years ago, while cleaning plates after lunch, I met a student and began to ask him about his personal life,” Mathew says. “He told me that he recently went to the washing area and found a small, leftover piece of soap. He took it to use while bathing. As he was telling me about it, tears rolled down his cheek. He had been taking baths without soap for the previous six months.”

“Our goal is to meet the need for trained pastors, leaders, and church planters in the most unreached regions of Asia,” Mathew says, “and we do not use the criteria of financial security for a candidate’s admission. If he or she is eligible academically, we enroll the student. We then raise funds, as best we can, from our donors and prayer partners around the world, to ensure that basic needs are met and training is accomplished.”

]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/03/28/overcoming-pressures-to-train-new-leaders-in-southern-india/feed/ 0 http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/03/28/thanks-for-your-prayers-for-uganda/ http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/03/28/thanks-for-your-prayers-for-uganda/#comments Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:23:45 +0000 admin http://lpi.dreamhosters.com/2006/08/24/thanks-for-your-prayers-for-uganda/ In February, David Zac Niringiye, Bishop for Uganda and JSM-Langham Scholar, emailed us asking for our prayers for the upcoming Ugandan elections and his preaching the following Sunday. This prayer request was sent out to our Langham Partners on February 21, and here is the response we received on February 27. Dear friends, Thank you so much for praying. The elections were calm with only a few isolated areas where there was some violence. As the results were announced, they were also received with calm. Praise the Lord!!! There is still some tension. What we can expect in the next few days are court challenges. Unfortunately the results clearly show a cleavage, with Northern Uganda voting opposition and the South voting status quo. Pray that the violence in the North will not escalate, as there are threats now from LRA, now that Museveni is back as President. The Lord gave me a message yesterday, in the three services at the Kampala Cathedral. I thank the Lord. In one of the services, Dr Kizza Besigye, the main opposition presidential candidate, was present. From what I hear from friends, he is seeking to know Jesus. Some of his key political colleagues in his party are godly people. Some of his siblings are committed Christians. So he is surrounded by a credible witness. Pray for the watering of the seed of the gospel. Please keep praying. Zac ]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/03/28/thanks-for-your-prayers-for-uganda/feed/ 0 http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/02/28/a-visit-to-china/ http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/02/28/a-visit-to-china/#comments Tue, 28 Feb 2006 20:28:58 +0000 admin http://lpi.dreamhosters.com/2006/02/28/a-visit-to-china/ John Stott led a delegation of 6 representatives from Langham Partnership International on a official visit to China and Hong Kong from 5 to 14 January 2006. The delegation consisted of Chris Wright, David Cansdale, Mark Hunt, Philemon Choi, Abigail Lim and Victor Sun. The purpose of the visit was to build upon the working relationship established during John Stott’s previous visits in 1996 and 1999. As a renowned and respected international Christian leader, John Stott is well-respected by the Chinese churches. Cooperation with the church leaders in China has resulted in at least four of his books, including three commentaries in the Bible Speaks Today series, have been translated,and published by the Chinese Christian Council and are currently distributed through the official church network. This visit demonstrated John Stott’s continuing love and concern for the church in China. Apart from a much cherished time of fellowship with the church leaders in the national as well as the municipal level Committee of Three-Self Patriotic Movement and China Christian Council, John Stott introduced Chris Wright as his successor and explained the three-pronged ministries of Langham Partnership International. John Stott’s wish to explore further cooperation with the Chinese churches was well-received. On Sunday 8th of January, we attended Grace Church, a local Chinese church in Shanghai for morning service. John Stott was invited to bring a five-minute greetings and encouragement to the congregation. In the afternoon, both John Stott and Chris Wright preached in the foreign community church at the 2pm and 4pm services. It was surprising to see more than 1,000 expatriate Christians joining the three English language services in Shanghai today. Victor Sun who was a resident in Shanghai for five years between 1992 to 1997 remembered that there were only 40 foreigners worshipping in a hotel room 15 years ago. The next stop for our visit was the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary, Amity Press and Amity Foundation. The delegation learned much about the needs of the seminary and was impressed by the dedication of the students in pursuing their theological studies. Amity Press is a joint venture between United Bible Society and the Amity Foundation. Since inception, the printing house has produced more than 37 million copies of Chinese Bibles besides other theological books. It is a successful enterprise serving the churches in China and in good relationship with the government authorities. On 11th January, the delegation flew down to Hong Kong. Chris Wright was the main speaker at a lecture organized jointly by Lawyers Christian Fellowship and Langham Foundation East Asia (LFEA). More than 100 legal professionals turned up for the two-hour lecture entitled “What has Old Testament Law to say in today’s Society.” As a reflection of their appreciation of Chris Wright’s Biblical insight, his 500-page Old Testament Ethics for the People of God was sold out that evening. As can be expected for visitors from afar, LFEA organized a reception on 12th January for 180 supporters and donors at the YMCA. John Stott spoke that evening on “A Call to Christian Maturity”, expounding from Colossians 1:28-29, addressing the meaning of Christian maturity and how to obtain it. He emphasized in the end that Christian maturity is meant for all Christians. After sharing the message, Chris Wright followed through with an introduction of the Langham Partnership International’s ministries. The rationale for a PhD degree was explained by way of real-life examples. A number of Langham scholars who have become respective Christian leaders in their own countries after receiving their doctorate degrees in Theology were mentioned. The evening ended with Dr Choi, the Chairman of LFEA making an appeal for support as well as successfully launching the Langham Partners’ program in Hong Kong. The high point of John Stott’s visit to Hong Kong took place on 13th January at the Wing Kwong Pentecostal Holiness Church in Lok Fu. More than 1,500 attendees turned out for an evening of thanksgiving to God and honouring John Stott for his 60 years of faithful service. We began by singing John Stott’s favourite hymn, ‘Jesus, The Name High over All’. A number of community leaders representing the Anglican Church (Archbishop Kwong), the China Graduate School of Theology (Dr Wilson Chow), Student work (Rev Chan Hay Him), Academics (Dr Lee Kam-hon and Dr Choong Chee Pang), Missions (Dr Patrick Fung) and the Langham scholars (Dr Kwan Kai Man) paid tribute to John Stott as a Bible expositor, Christian leader and evangelical statesman. This was followed by John Stott’s special message on “A Call to Radical Discipleship” – how a Christian should respond to the three major challenges of pluralism, materialism and ethical relativism. A special Chinese calligraphy scroll containing the words from Philippians 2:9 – 11 was presented to John Stott as a token of our appreciation amidst thunderous applause from the congregation. At the end, Dr Choi gave the final appeal to the Hong Kong churches to support the Langham ministries. Many responded to the call by a becoming Langham Partners that evening. On the whole, we were overwhelmed by the warmth and enthusiasm wherever we went. Throughout the trip, John Stott was accompanied by his medical advisor and we are indeed thankful to God that He has enabled John Stott to cope with the rigours of the journey and to stay healthy and strong for all the meetings and speaking engagements. We rejoiced to see the evident popularity of his books in both English and the Chinese language, as well as the high esteem and personal honour in which he is held in East Asia. We believe God is opening a door for Langham Partnership to find ways of sharing in what He is so marvelously doing in China through offering the resources entrusted to us. During the course of the visit, it was evident to us that John Stott’s vision and inspiration for equipping Christian leaders in the Majority World and the objectives of the three Langham programmes of scholarship, preaching and literature, are well-suited to the needs of the Chinese churches which are experiencing an unprecedented growth in numbers at the moment. Langham Foundation East Asia will follow-up with the visit by continuing our discussions with the Chinese Christian leaders on how best to cooperate in the delivery of the programmes for the churches in China. ]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/02/28/a-visit-to-china/feed/ 0 http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/01/26/jsm-langham-scholars-program-it%e2%80%99s-working/ http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/01/26/jsm-langham-scholars-program-it%e2%80%99s-working/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2006 20:31:46 +0000 admin http://lpi.dreamhosters.com/2006/01/26/jsm-langham-scholars-program-it%e2%80%99s-working/ NEGST (Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology) has enrolled its first PhD class. This is a major accomplishment for this institution and a great example of what investing in the faculty development of theological institutions like NEGST can do to create local leadership to train local pastors. JSM-Langham currently has six JSM-Langham Scholars on the staff of NEGST, and this photo shows the first two scholars that have been supported by JSM-Langham to receive PhD degrees at NEGST — without having to come to the US or the UK for their studies. These two scholars are Abiola Mbamalu (Nigeria) and Andy Alo (Congo). Back row: Andy Alo; George Huttar; Nelson Makanda; Ramadan Chan; Samy Tioye; Ben Byerly; Mark Mercer; Ronnie Sim Middle row: Arthur Kaana; Karita Mbagara; Richard Mutura Bariu; Abiola Mbamalu; Phoebe Muthami; Daniel Hankore; Jackie Othoro; Nathan Joshua; Howard Marshall; Front row: Margaret Sim; Sam Ngewa; Jim Miller; Tewolde-medhin Habtu; James Nkansah; Mary Huttar; Bob Carlson. Meritt Sawyer, International Program Director for Scholars says: “This is an inspiring photo, one that should encourage us to “press on”. JSM-Langham has invested in faculty for NEGST for over twenty years. Today we see NEGST carrying the torch to elevate scholarship and train pastors. Take encouragement as we continue to come alongside institutions in the Majority World to help build capacity for theological education! ]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/01/26/jsm-langham-scholars-program-it%e2%80%99s-working/feed/ 0 http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/01/26/jsm-scholars-working-together-in-central-africa/ http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/01/26/jsm-scholars-working-together-in-central-africa/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2006 20:30:19 +0000 admin http://lpi.dreamhosters.com/2006/01/26/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. ]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2006/01/26/jsm-scholars-working-together-in-central-africa/feed/ 0 http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/08/29/one-scholar-reaches-thousands/ http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/08/29/one-scholar-reaches-thousands/#comments Mon, 29 Aug 2005 20:34:40 +0000 admin http://lpi.dreamhosters.com/2005/08/29/one-scholar-reaches-thousands/ ”The Langham Scholarship program exposes church leaders from the Majority World to the highest standards of Biblical and theological scholarships, and in doing so strengthens the foundations of the church in the developing world” –Ivan Satyavrata, India JSM/Langham Scholar, Ivan Satyavrta is an excellent example of Langham Scholars bearing fruit. He completed his Ph.D. in 2001 and is currently serving as a principal of the Southern Asia Bible College (SABC) in Bangalore, India. In this position, he has a major impact training the next generation of preachers and teachers in India, while equipping and strengthening the church. Each year, many students complete their studies at SABC and begin to serve in church planting, frontier mission, compassion ministry and pastoral work in South Asia. Ivan spent the early years of his ministry as a pioneer pastor in downtown Bombay, in street evangelism and outreach in the city slums. He has served on the teaching faculty and in various administrative capacities at Southern Asia Bible College since 1985. Even as principal of the school, Ivan continues to be faithful to his first love – teaching Theology and Mission, and his chief interest has been in issues relating to the Christian witness to people of other faiths. After receiving his Th.M. degree from Regent College, Vancouver, Canada, Ivan was supported by John Stott Ministries and the Langham Partnership for his Ph.D. through the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, Oxford, U.K. He has published a number of articles, is working on a book, and his Ph.D. thesis on the Christian understanding of other religions, is due for publication. Ivan plays an active role in evangelical theological education in India as Chairman of the Asia Theological Association (India), consisting of over 75 member institutions. He also serves on the Governing or Executive bodies of Union Biblical Seminary, SAIACS, TAFTEE, ATA and the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. He is a committed churchman and has a part-time ministry role in a 7,000-member congregation of the Assemblies of God in Bangalore. Ivan and his wife are deeply engaged in a variety of compassion and development ministries, most closely with Bombay Teen Challenge, a Christian NGO involved in the rehabilitation of street children, drug addicts and commercial sex workers in the city of Bombay. Ivan credits his Ph.D. training, made possible by the JSM/Langham scholarship: “My doctorate has greatly enhanced my contribution to the leadership roles within which I function here at the college, as well as my wider responsibilities in national theological education.” This is the aim of the Lanham Scholars program. Because of support provided by JSM and the Langham Partnership for three to five years, a single scholar is able to obtain his Ph.D. and return home to train a new generation of preachers and teachers for the church, who, in turn, go on to impact thousands. ]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/08/29/one-scholar-reaches-thousands/feed/ 0 http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/07/12/toward-african-christian-leadership/ http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/07/12/toward-african-christian-leadership/#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2005 20:37:03 +0000 admin http://lpi.dreamhosters.com/2005/07/12/toward-african-christian-leadership/ There is no better example of the impact of JSM-Langham Scholars, than the Rt Rev. Dr. David Zac Niringiye. Zac has helped to launch the careers of many African pastors, church and para-church leaders, and was a founder of Kampala Evangelical School of Theology (KEST) a major seminary in Uganda. Zac, one of the first JSM-Langham Scholars to study in the USA, has degrees from both Wheaton in Illinois and Edinburgh in Scotland. Zac is from a rural background and his faith journey started at a young age. Recently he wrote: My particular journey of faith begins with that of my parents who, at the time I was born, were serving as ministers in the Church of Uganda. I am truly a rural boy. I grew up in rural Uganda in the mountains and hills of Bufumbira, in south-western Uganda. Let me share a little bit of my rural-ness. In rural Bufumbira, electricity was a novelty. For me at the age of fifteen, I switched on an electric bulb for the very first time when I went to secondary school. When I got to school, the older students recognised how rural I was; the only way I knew how to turn off a light was to blow it! So these little naughty boys teased me. One of them went by the wall and the other went close by the bulb and to my real amazement he could blow and it just went off. So they asked me to blow out the light and I worked at it! As you can imagine to their joy!! Only later did I actually discover that there were other ways of turning out the light. But I am proud of that rural heritage! David Zac Niringiye became the first John Stott Ministries Scholar in the US after meeting Dr Stott along his journey. He received his undergrad training at Wheaton College and then completed his PhD studies at Edinburgh in the UK. After completing his studies he returned home to Uganda and through his leadership the Kampala Evangelical School of Theology (KEST) was founded. Today, Zac is an ordained minister in the Church of Uganda, and Assistant Bishop Designate for Kampala. He is a theologian, pastor, Bible teacher, marriage and family life counselor, trainer, and organizational development consultant. His impact throughout Africa has been both broad and deep. David Zac has also presented Phillip Wandawa to John Stott Ministries and he is now studying for his PhD at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He will be returning to Kampala as the director of KEST upon the completion of his studies. Zac’s multicultural ministry, leadership and mission experience has made him a sought-after speaker at mission and leadership conferences globally. He speaks regularly at conferences and churches in Europe, Africa and North America, including serving as keynote speaker at the most recent Urbana Missions conference. He has served as Africa Regional Director of the Church Mission Society, Co-Director of the Global South Institute at Uganda Christian University and Missioner-at-Large Honorary Curate at Christ Church in Beckenham, Diocese of Rochester. He is a regular presenter at KEST/ JSM-Langham Preaching Seminars and a trusted counsellor to John Stott Ministries. Working with John Stott Ministries, Zac has implemented preaching seminars that are now well established in Uganda and attracting preachers from nearby countries such as the Sudan, Rwanda and Tanzania. This had lead to the spreading of preaching seminars to these nearby countries. When choosing a JSM-Langham Scholar, our selection committee and our Board members look for people of great integrity, commitment, and potential; we agonize over these decisions, seeking God’s leading for several months. In Dr. Niringiye we see the fulfillment of our calling to train top leaders who will help unleash the next generation of pastors and church leaders. We thank God for this calling…as we thank God for Zac. ]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/07/12/toward-african-christian-leadership/feed/ 0 http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/03/14/gladys-mwiti-kenya-serving-in-the-tough-places-in-africa/ http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/03/14/gladys-mwiti-kenya-serving-in-the-tough-places-in-africa/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2005 20:46:58 +0000 admin http://lpi.dreamhosters.com/2005/03/14/gladys-mwiti-kenya-serving-in-the-tough-places-in-africa/ Gladys Mwiti is an international leader committed to excellence in holistic behavioral health for Africa. Co-founder of Oasis Africa with her husband Dr. Gershon Mwiti, they direct this leadership and counselling ministry together. Gladys is also a recent Ph.D. graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary, where she was a JSM-Langham Scholar. What motivated Gladys and her husband Gershon to start this ministry in Africa? The growth in Africa has left “a values vacuum there… (T)he values of the smaller communities are being disintegrated,” says Gladys, leaving a broken community with resilience so compromised that it is difficult to care for the needy. “Africa bleeds and Africa weeps. Children’s laughter by the fireside has been replaced with wailing at the grave side. AIDS has made orphans of so many. I have asked God for the healing of the wounds of my people with my skills as my offering of five loaves and two fish. After all, He calls things that are not as if they were. I have also asked Him for health and wisdom. Then, I seek partnership from all who would join hands with us at Oasis Africa. Holding hands with each other we can begin to wipe away the tears of our people, telling them: The Comforter has come” Since 1990, Oasis Africa has equipped over 5,000 people to counsel and train others in 16 African nations. Gladys eagerly looks forward to growing the impact of this ministry. She and Gershon will put the knowledge and experience gained at Fuller to work serving Africa. “At Oasis Africa, we continue our work: professional care for those who struggle with emotional problems; supervision for psychology and counseling students; training leaders, counselors and trainers; HIV and AIDS care and prevention; children at risk projects; trauma counseling; research and publishing. My husband and I desire to invest our remaining years in Africa fully convinced that our land will not die. Africa will bloom again.” For more information on Oasis Africa, please see the website at www.oasisafrica.org . ]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/03/14/gladys-mwiti-kenya-serving-in-the-tough-places-in-africa/feed/ 0 http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/03/14/what-are-jsm-langham-scholars-doing-these-days/ http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/03/14/what-are-jsm-langham-scholars-doing-these-days/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2005 20:45:33 +0000 admin http://lpi.dreamhosters.com/2005/03/14/what-are-jsm-langham-scholars-doing-these-days/ Sang Hwan Lee, South Korea: Serving a school with a new name and new accreditation The name of my school was changed this year from Gospel Theological Seminary to Asia Life University. My university was accredited by the Korean government this year to offer a PhD. degree. There are 10 PhD students at the moment. The university runs an international program under a strong belief that “Asia mission has to be done with the hands of Asians.” We selectively recruit graduate students from third-world countries, train them under the MDiv and ThM courses, and send them to their own counties to promote Christian mission there when they finish their course. We do not charge any expenses for their tuition fees and accommodation; in some cases we even offer their living expenses. You may recommend good graduate student to me. Pavel Cerny, Czech Republic: Unleashing new pastors in old Europe I have experienced a busy September and October as our academic year 2004-05 started. It has been a great joy to interview new candidates for Pastor’s ordination helping them to start their internship and further Theological education and spiritual formation. I am to prepare a special workshop for them in the area of Homiletics and Pastoral Ministry. In public I got engaged in serious discussions with various Parliament members regarding proposal of homosexual marriages. Sometimes it is difficult and painful discussion as various politicians don’t appreciate family values very much and are typical products of postmodern era. My responsibility in last month was also to publish several articles in various Christian magazines and one also for the Theological Revue of the University. In November I am invited to lecture at the Synod of the Lutheran Church on the subject: Christian witness in the time of Post modernity. You can see that different churches seek new ways how to address our fellow countrymen by the Gospel. Samuel Jayakumar: Principal and author in India I continue to serve as the Principal of Madras Theological Seminary, a premier theological institution of the Evangelical Church of India, one of the largest indigenous church planting movements of this century. We are serving in the midst of severe opposition by movements that continue to undermine the ethos of our pluralistic society. My recent book: Mission Reader: Historical Models for Wholistic Mission, with a foreword by Canon Dr. Chris Sugden, has been published by the Indian SPCK and Regnum, Oxford. Randee Olu Ijatuyi-Morphe, Nigeria: New Ministry Leadership I am currently directing Hokma House—Centre for Biblical Research and Preaching in Plateau State, Nigeria. Starting with its (non-residential) second major component, the Hokma Forum (i.e., Society of Biblical Scholars [SBS]). Hokma House organized a two-day congress seminar on 29-30 October, 2004 on the theme: “Biblical Scholarship and Preaching in Africa: Past, Present and Future Contributions and Challenges.” A second and final Congress Seminar/Consultation on the same time will be held next year, 28-30 October 2005 (tentative). Selected papers from these meetings will be revised for publication as a monograph. Hokma House, as a private Christian centre for biblical research and preaching, seeks to promote constructive research into all dimensions of the Bible, and its faithful exposition, through a critical engagement with the Bible, theology and culture, and thereby equip the corporate church and individual Christians for holistic ministry and discipleship. ]]> http://www.langhampartnership.org/2005/03/14/what-are-jsm-langham-scholars-doing-these-days/feed/ 0