To Work for the Lord You Need to Know Him  After working for the Lord in ministry for almost two decades (1985 to 2003), Pastor Paul Mahlangu came to realise that he didn’t properly understand the Bible, hence the work he was doing for the Lord was not properly done. He then started his theological studies at Mukhanyo. Today he’s one of Mukhanyo’s fulltime lecturers.
The great turning point in Pastor Paul’s life was when he got the opportunity to study reformed theology. That was after having been involved in ministry for so many years – without a proper understanding of the work of the ministry. Born in Bethal, he moved to what was then called the KwaNdebele homeland where he matriculated at the Mandlethu High School. He had been brought up in the Zion Apostolic Church, a syncretistic church. “That church never preaches salvation”, he says. Upon Paul’s arrival in KwaNdebele, he came across people who were preaching salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. By God’s grace, he was converted, became a child of God and became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ. That’s where he became involved in his church’s ministry, preaching through tent meetings all across South Africa all these years. Today he’s also pastor of this church in KwaMhlanga. While doing this ministry, he came to realise that he had been working for the Lord but without proper understanding. He needed to study. In 2004 he heard about Mukhanyo and decided to register. He completed his BTh degree in 2007 and then his Honours degree in 2009. At present, Pastor Paul lectures mostly Homiletics modules with the diploma-level classes. He’s also involved in the new Focus programme and distance Higher Certificate classes. In addition, he’s busy with Zulu-language Bible study classes in three nearby villages. At times, he has also lectured Ecclesiology, African Spirituality and Old Testament. What are his future plans? Pastor Paul answers, “To reduce my workload so that I can further my studies and do a Masters in Theology”. It may be that he becomes one of the first students to do the Master’s Degree of the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary that will soon be facilitated at Mukhanyo starting in July 2021.
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A Success and Much Potential  A success, yes! But always room for improvement, growth, and huge potential to train church leaders to preach the Bible and be equipped to plant and run churches. That, in a nutshell, is what Mukhanyo Theological College is increasingly doing, not only in South Africa but also in six other African countries.
Gone are the days when Mukhanyo was only a college in KwaMhlanga, a semi-rural area some 65km northeast of Pretoria. Today it also has some 80 distance groups all over the country and beyond, as well as full-time study centres in Johannesburg, Rustenburg, Pretoria and Durban. The five campuses/centres together have some 300 active students and growing. But the fastest-growing area of Mukhanyo’s activities is its distance programme. At present, the 80 centres have over 700 active students and 151 registered tutors. Pastor Glyn Williams, Lecturer and Distance Manager, reports that seven new centres were registered in the last year (despite the pandemic), and enquiries were recently received for eight potential centres in four countries, three of them outside South Africa where no Mukhanyo centres currently exist. In 2019, 76 students completed their Diploma in Theology. Some have continued their studies and started their BTh degree, while others want to start their own distance groups. Glyn has visited many centres and is impressed with the high level of dedication by both the tutors and students. But he’s also recognises the need for more tutor support and training. At the annual Distance Forum in September, the improvement of material delivery, the provision of quality material (study guides and DVDs), as well as further empowering group leaders, was discussed. This is already a high priority, with the implementation of a tutor training programme, tutor self-assessment and student support. This year the Distance Forum took place at Mukhanyo’s Johannesburg Campus, where most group leaders attended online through Zoom. Not without technical hitches, of course, but proving that the future servicing of distance groups through technology is viable. The distance programme is substantially subsidised by donors, something for which Mukhanyo is very thankful, especially now, in that even through the COVID-19 pandemic, donors have shown to be able and willing to continue their contributions. This enabled the Mukhanyo staff to continue developing and improving programmes, and serving the distance groups. Many groups were able to continue meeting during the lock-down, either physically or online using various platforms. For some this proved more difficult due to distance and limited facilities. But the pandemic also proved that distance study is viable, and that academic quality can be maintained without ignoring the importance of dedicated and equipped tutors.  Registration is open for studies in 2021. Mukhanyo has a complete range of quality programmes for Bible education, including these accredited qualifications offered in various locations across South Africa:
These qualifications and others are offered across Mukhanyo’s five main regional centres and its growing network of distance locations:
* National Senior Certificate (for detail see prospectus)
** The international ThM will be facilitated on behalf of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and is expected to start in July 2021. To register for study, phone or email the coordinator at one of the following Mukhanyo centres:
For information about Mukhanyo’s accredited theological qualifications, see https://www.mukhanyo.ac.za/programmes.html. Information about each learning centre is explained at https://www.mukhanyo.ac.za/learningcentres.html.  It’s with great pleasure that I express my sincere gratitude to MTC for giving me an opportunity to be equipped with the Word of God and to serve properly in the Christian community.
I must say the study has given me a deeper, wider and true knowledge of the Christian faith and worship of Jesus Christ. Since I started studying with MTC, my knowledge of Scripture, the interpretation and the application thereof, has tremendously improved and I can now face any situation with confidence and ease. This has also made my relationship with God to be much deeper and closer. I also want to thank the Mukhanyo Theological College leadership and staff for their obedience and commitment to God’s call to dedicate themselves in educating the nation in understanding and applying the word of God as presented in the holy Scriptures. I must also commend MTC for its well-structured program with in-depth resource material and experienced teaching staff, thus enabling one to progress with ease. I’m now more equipped than before graduating to share the Word of God in His Great Commission which is to the ends of the world. I can do that with confidence, knowledge and with all humbleness. Further, my graduation with MTC Diploma in Theology has been an excellent training field for me, I have recently taken a senior leadership role in my church. The qualification assists me in leading the flock of God with confidence and understanding the perfect will of God for all saints. Once more thank you MTC for your great contribution to my life of Christian faith and development. God mightily bless you, and may the great Lord continue using the college to help others. Pastor Michael Mndawe (Class of 2019, Mamelodi distance group under Rev. K.T. Mogale)  Mukhanyo now provides a way for future school teachers to begin their studies with a foundational qualification in theology. This new education track will also help church leaders and other Christian workers to grow in their teaching ability.
Mukhanyo’s accredited Higher Certificate in Bible Teaching has been expanded with an education track. This track will prepare students to become Christian teachers and will also be a valuable tool in their daily life. These extra modules were developed by Dr Gerrit Heino, an education specialist serving at Mukhanyo. Students can now choose to add a maximum of four education modules to this diploma-level Higher Certificate. These four modules, “Becoming a Christian Teacher” (CE01 to CE04), introduce a student to a variety of topics in the field of Christian pedagogy and didactics with the following themes:
The lessons in the study guide for each module correspond with two education books, The Teacher’s Handbook and The Essence of Christian Teaching. These books, along with the user-friendly study guides, give the student a comprehensive introduction to Christian teaching. To graduate with this NQF level 5 accredited qualification, students must complete the eight core modules in the programme along with these four education modules. They will then graduate with a “Higher Certificate in Bible Teaching for Christian Education” – an excellent foundation for further study at the degree-level or a teaching ministry within the church.  Thank the Lord with us for Mukhanyo’s gifted team! But more people are needed for 2021 to serve within this growing ministry:
Senior Lecturers: Two additional full-time lecturers are needed by January 2021 to serve Mukhanyo’s growing student body. All applicants must confess Mukhanyo’s Statement of Faith in teaching and practice. We welcome applicants to apply if they meet the criteria outlined in the job advert. Mukhanyo also welcomes partnerships with local and international churches/agencies who can send and support a Senior Lecturer to serve at one of Mukhanyo’s locations. Programme Manager: This new position will coordinate the ThM programme to be facilitated at our Pretoria Centre as from next year. The ideal candidate will also serve as a Senior Lecturer. The applicant must affirm Mukhanyo’s statement of faith and share Mukhanyo’s organisational values. Johannesburg Campus Manager: This gifted person will be responsible for the management and development of Mukhanyo’s growing Johannesburg Campus. The ideal candidate will also serve as a Senior Lecturer. The applicant must affirm Mukhanyo’s statement of faith and share Mukhanyo’s organisational values. Lecturers in various areas: Additional part-time and full-time lecturers are needed by January 2021 to serve Mukhanyo’s growing student body. All Mukhanyo lecturers must affirm Mukhanyo’s statement of faith and share our organisational values. Please only apply if you meet the criteria outlined in the job advert. Distance Site Tutors: Mukhanyo welcomes applications for new Distance Learning Support Centres across southern Africa. Experienced church leaders are encouraged to submit an application to become a volunteer tutor and establish a local centre. For more detailed information on each of these positions, please visit https://www.mukhanyo.ac.za/vacancies.html.  Prospective students are welcome to register for studies in 2021. Mukhanyo has a complete range of quality programmes for Bible education, including these accredited qualifications offered in various locations across Southern Africa:
To apply, phone or email the coordinator at one of the following Mukhanyo centres:
For information about Mukhanyo accredited theological qualifications, see https://www.mukhanyo.ac.za/programmes.html. Information about each learning centre is explained at https://www.mukhanyo.ac.za/learningcentres.html. Mukhanyo trains church leaders for faithful ministry. Did you know that after completing Mukhanyo’s Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree, a student will:
Did you also know . . .
  France Mookisi is Reformed, has planted a number of churches, wants to plant more churches, and has realised that a high qualification is very important because people are ready to listen and follow someone who is properly trained and recognised. That is why he is one of Mukhanyo’s promising BTh Honours students.
France is now completing his first of two Honours academic years. In some 30 years of pastoring he has concluded that proper training is important, not only to be credible, but even more so to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, thus able to preach with authority. From 1982 to 1983 he was sent to train for the ministry by a church which was a part of the London Missionary Society. He completed a two-year theological diploma with Southern Africa Theological College. That was when he surrendered his life to the Lord Jesus. He joined the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) to preach Christ and plant churches. Now follows a list of church planting and preaching the Gospel: three churches in North West Province; studying at the AFM’s Central Bible College in Soshanguve; planting and ministering a church in Krugersdorp; a church plant in Magaliesburg, pastoring a church in Soweto and Freedom Park. In 1996, France met a young pastor of the AFM who had studied at a Reformed Theological College. They instantly clicked, and this started a new journey for France to be introduced to Reformed theology. He enrolled for the BTh at John Wycliffe Theological College and studied there for four years (1996-1999). In 1998 he resigned from the AFM. Subsequently the Curatorium of the Potchefstroom Theological School of the Reformed Churches offered him a candidacy in 2001. He wanted to study at the Potchefstroom University for MTh (New Testament) but did not have the finances to do so. With the American missionary, Dr Ed Gross, he started a multicultural church in Pretoria – Hope Community Church. From this church, six pastors were raised; two of them studied with Mukhanyo. A hospice, home schooling program, skills training courses and an orphanage were started by this church. During this time France was sponsored by some Reformed Churches around Centurion and Pretoria. But funds dried up and France joined the Department of Correctional Services as a chairperson of the parole board. That contract ended in 2019. During these years, however, France mentored several young men in the East Rand who were involved in church planting but had no theological training. France then decided to continue his studies. He is now enrolled for BTh Honours at Mukhanyo. His immediate plan is to plant a church – a Reformed church – around Centurion and run an orphanage again. He is presently helping out at the Magaliesburg AFM and community on Sundays. But this is an informal, unofficial sacrifice they are doing for the Lord. He and his wife Maggy are not members of AFM and he does not hold the status as pastor, but he wants to help them out because he has a vested interest in the church he planted years ago. “My heart’s desire is to continue to plant churches where the Lord would open up opportunities. I also want to serve rural communities, informal settlements and poor places where pastors don’t want to serve because there is no means of sustaining them financially”. “I also realise that the Reformed church needs to experience new strategies and methods relevant to the context of ministry; to try new things they have never tried before. The Reformed church needs to look afresh at context, liturgy and strategy for harvest relevant to the context”.  Mukhanyo will begin facilitating an international Master of Theology (ThM) degree programme as from July 2021 – or perhaps even earlier. We are thankful to announce this exciting news after much planning.
This major development was approved by Mukhanyo’s Board in September after years of preparation and discussions with the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (PRTS) in America. This seminary (www.prts.edu) is an established Reformed theological education institution based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in North America. Mukhanyo desires to see a new generation of scholars in Africa who are thoroughly biblical and who thoroughly understand the challenges of God’s church in Africa. This new partnership is the next step in seeing this vision realized. Mukhanyo’s principal, Dr Brian de Vries, comments: “Our hope with this partnership is that, by God’s grace and for His glory, we will be able to further equip the church leaders He is raising up in Africa. We hope to foster a new generation of pastors and teachers, masters and pastors who will faithfully serve the church in Southern Africa and defend it against false teaching”. The Master of Theology degree is a 2-year programme that will be recognized by the South Africa Qualifications Authority (SAQA) at NQF level 9. The programme requires 30 credits in two formats, either 10 modules (coursework only) or 8 modules plus a research thesis. Themes to be chosen from are biblical studies, historical studies or systematic theology. Each of these themes build on themes in Mukhanyo’s BTh Honours qualification. Qualifying students from other institutions will, of course, also be welcome. This international qualification will be facilitated at Mukhanyo’s Pretoria Centre in Wonderboom South. Half of the modules will be taught onsite by visiting PRTS faculty, and the other half by Mukhanyo’s faculty, including a Senior Lecturer still to be appointed. Present projections predict about seven students starting in 2021, some from the current 17 students in Mukhanyo’s BTh Honours programme. It is expected that this number will continue to grow over the next few years. Classes will be facilitated in a block/modular format. This approach will also serve students from various areas of South Africa and from across southern Africa. Tuition fees for 2021 have been set at R2 450 per module. Enrolled students may be eligible for a partial Mukhanyo bursary. The Master of Theology degree of PRTS expands and deepens a student’s abilities in ministry. It is a rigorous research qualification designed for students with previous theological studies to help them take their learning to a higher level. It can be used as a terminal degree or as a transitional degree to additional graduate studies, particularly a PhD programme in religion or theology. More information about the ThM curriculum can be found at https://prts.edu/curriculum/master-of-theology/. The Mukhanyo and PRTS communities are excited about this new partnership and the opportunities it provides for faithful churches in southern Africa. Church leaders in Africa can now pursue advanced-level theological education without leaving their families and ministries. Mukhanyo now joins the PRTS global network of faithful theological institutions around the world. Also see PRTS's press-release at https://prts.edu/about/news/. |
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