There is a saying that church is just one generation from extinction. Therefore the next generation of leaders for Christ’s church must be equipped.
 
The South Coast Bible School (SCBS), located in Marina Beach KZN, started a Mukhanyo distance group in January and now has twelve students enrolled for the Diploma in Theology programme.

Although the semester was heavy going, everyone left smiling and all have been revising for their exams.
 
The SCBS is not just about academics. Their prayer is that God will do a deep spiritual work
of revival in the life of each student. The tutors are very committed and excited to see how God the Holy Spirit is changing lives.
 
Thomas Sikobi is an example of God’s working in lives. He arrived there two years ago being under the deception of the evil one, mixing ancestral worship with the gospel. While in training the tutors saw a great change in Thomas’ life and as they remarked, a light is now shining through his eyes. Jesus delivered him and he now preaches Jesus as the only way of salvation. To God be the glory!
 
Please pray for this distance group. The greatest need in Africa today is not only more evangelism or churches, but especially mature disciples of Jesus. This is the express desire of this group. Pray that the transforming work of Christ in each student will filter through to their churches.
 
In Africa, leaders are often reluctant to share what they have learnt as they feel they might lose their position to younger leaders. Pray that these students will delight when younger leaders rise up and exceed them in growing disciples for the Lord Jesus.

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First Distance Tutor Workshop
Faculty Forum: investing in good practices 
Why become a pastor/and or teacher?

When asked, students often reply that the Bible is there to tell you how to live, how to behave and what is right and what is wrong.

Wrong! The Bible is far more than that. If you believe you love Jesus Christ, you surely want to know who He is and what He stands for. Because He orders his disciples to teach all people to “observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). To follow Jesus is to serve Him. “If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him” (John 12:26).
 
The Bible is God’s Word to enable his followers to follow, praise, respect, know and serve Him in the way He wants to be served.  Therefore He tells us:

• His greatness and almightiness: that He created the universe and is still fully in charge;
• The history of His relation with his people, the covenant: his promises and expectations; how He wants his people to serve Him and how time and again they disappoint Him;
• His laws and wisdom as the way not only to serve Him as He wants to be served, but also so that it will benefit his people;
• How He has saved us from eternal damnation through the teachings, life, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension;
• How since Christ lived on earth the church, his Body, was established and directed;
• His battle with Satan in which Satan and his devils try to win over mankind, but have been fighting a losing battle ever since Christ’s crucifixion.

If the whole Bible – Old and New Testament – is not preached comprehensively and in its full depth, according to God’s will, his children will not be able to serve Him and please Him. And He wants to be pleased. That is the reason why He created us!

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Johannesburg campus- right and ready
Tutor workshop
Seminar: How to prepare a sermon

If you leave the Johannesburg central train station or the Gautrain terminal on the north side, you will see a huge banner on one of the buildings. It informs you about Mukhanyo Theological College, stating “Quality Bible Education” and “Equipping pastors and Christians for ministry”.
 
This banner of 8m x 2,4m on the former Reformed Church building in Braamfontein announces the unique Johannesburg Campus of Mukhanyo’s Theological College. It is one of the initiatives to inform Johannesburg about the new campus and is an attempt to
tap the enormous potential with its hundreds of churches and its thousands of potential Christian workers in the metropolitan area.
 
The new Johannesburg Campus has grown rapidly and now has around 20 theological students, but has the capacity to accommodate many more with ease. Dr Japie Malan, the local campus manager, and his eight lecturers offer an accredited theological qualification to the Christians of the Johannesburg metropolitan area. Dr Malan lists a number of factors which make the campus a preferred option:

• To present a Bible-centred curriculum for those who have the calling to become pastors.
• To train current church leaders and assist them in leading and teaching their congregations in Bible-centred truths.
• To train all other Christians for their specific ministries in God's kingdom.

 
Lectures are during the week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, which is ideal for students to be able to participate in their church programmes. Two accredited qualifications are currently offered: the Diploma in Theology and the Bachelor of Theology. The campus is at 121 Juta Street East (off Rissik Street) within 5 minutes’ walking distance of the Johannesburg Park Central Station, as well as the Gautrain Terminal.  The street is secured and parking is available under the building.
 
The College may be visited at any time to appreciate the facilities and receive information. The secretary is available from Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 16:00 to assist visitors. Dr Malan prays that God will keep the momentum of growth in the number of students to be trained. "The world is in need for the Word of God to be studied and preached in truth."

Many of the numerous sermons and messages at churches can be greatly improved by better, wiser and more biblical preparation. Part of the problem is inadequate theological training.
Helping church leaders to prepare their sermons and messages is part of the vision of Mukhanyo. In fact, that is how Mukhanyo started – equipping untrained church leaders and pastors.
On Saturday, 4 March, just over 50 guests, mainly church leaders, gathered to attend a seminar at Mukhanyo’s KwaMhlanga campus on How to Prepare a Sermon. Aspects of this important subject were covered by three of the College’s lecturers, and the teaching was very well received.
     Some of the main points made again and again were:

• The preacher has to spend much time on the text and the context of the subject of his sermon.
• It has to be done in humble prayer, asking God to give wisdom and insight.
• A sermon has a structure: building an outline and adding elaboration, explanations and applications.

As one attendee said: “It is very good; they put the Diploma in Theology and BTh lectures together in this teaching!” Of course, that can’t be literally true, but it is clear that people were encouraged and helped. Other attendees were surprised to hear that sermon preparation actually involves hard work!
Part of the seminar was a practical exercise in which the attendees worked on some Bible texts. Good Christian books on preaching and other topics were available. Attendees had the opportunity to invest in good material to help them in preparing their sermons.
On Saturday 6 May a follow-up seminar will be held with the theme: “How to Deliver a Sermon or Bible Study”. May the Lord use these events to build His church.

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Introducing one of our students
Tutor workshop
Johannesburg campus: right and ready

Generally known as Dr Duncan, a medical practitioner at the Jubilee Hospital in Hammanskraal, he also became a BTh student at Mukhanyo this year. He tells us why.
“When still young, I was told to do ministry. I resisted and did not listen to God and the elders in the Reformed Baptist Church in Amanzimtoti. I rather took up medicine and became a doctor. But as I became older, I was able to listen to the Holy Spirit.
 “In 2015 my family and I moved to Pretoria and joined the Hillsong community close to where I had bought a house, and I love their programmes. Early this year Mukhanyo Theological College was introduced to us. I was attracted by Mukhanyo’s curriculum and the interaction between lecturers and students, as well as the availability of study material and course work. Also, the tuition fees are very affordable.
   “My desire is to exegetically analyse the scriptures and expositorily preach. To do that, I need deeper understanding and guidance from theologians who are Christ-centred. I have been helping to teach the youth in a Bible school and I am willing to help anywhere I am asked. I also hope to study further, up to a doctorate in theology – to teach pastors who are unable to attend colleges.
  “My background will always be Baptist, but I do not have problems with Reformation principles. I have been exposed to them and am abiding with them. My primary focus is to wisely proclaim Jesus Christ so that people can grow into maturity in Him.”

Note: Dr Duncan continues to work at Jubilee Hospital. Mukhanyo prays that he will be able to continue to do so and also become an instrument to teach and spread the Word of God and His grace.

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Guest lecturers visiting Mukhanyo
Tutor workshop
Johannesburg campus: right and ready

 Mukhanyo is thankful for a regular stream of highly qualified guest lecturers visiting the campus to lecture some modules. In February there were Rev David Kawango of the Zomba Theological College in Malawi and Dr Piet Houtman of the Free Reformed Church in the Netherlands. And now, in March, we had Prof (emeritus) Paul Krűger of the Theological School of Potchefstroom of the Reformed Churches in SA (left in the pictur) (Old Testament), and Rev Johannes Klapprodt of the Evangelical Seminary of SA in Pietermaritzburg (Christian Missions).

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Tutor workshop
Mentorship initiative implemented
Johannesburg campus: right and ready

 “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold” (Proverbs 3:13, 14).
 
A dissertation for a doctorate in theology by Dr Gerrit Heino on the wisdom of Proverbs for guidance, was completed at Unisa last year.
    
Dr Heino is joining Mukhanyo on 18 April and will be involved mainly on the educational side. In his doctorate he contributed to a Christian point of view on guidance based on Old Testament wisdom literature in general and the book of Proverbs in particular. Some of the main topics discussed are:

• A conceptual framework about guidance in ancient Israel is developed in order to gain insight into the wisdom teachers and their students.
• The mutual influence of wisdom and theology and how wisdom theology relates to the theology of the Old Testament.
• The image of God and the image of human wisdom that teachers have.
• Solomon and the men of Hezekiah, Agur and Lemuel are the collectors of proverbs in the book of Proverbs. This wisdom initiated a social change in ancient Israel.
• For whom and with what purpose Proverbs was written.
• Texts in Chapters 6 and 7 shed light on guidance, including the ‘fear of JHWH’ texts, ‘life’ texts, verbs that characterise the process that leads to a ‘living life’ and also assignments for the father/teacher (and as such the guide).

(His dissertation can be made available by e-mail.)

• Dr Heino and his wife José are from Holland and worked in North West province from 1986 to 1991 where he was headmaster of the Boitha High School in Kraaipan. After his return to Holland he lectured in a number of fields, including mathematics, education (teacher training), pastoral work and theology. His wife is a medical doctor and they hope to do voluntary work for a number of years in SA before they retire. Their three adult sons hope to be able to visit them every now and then.
  

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Tutor workshop
Mentorship initiative implemented
Johannesburg campus: right and ready

Students can have all types of problems, including personal ones. Mukhanyo therefore decided to start with a mentorship programme this year. Rev Isaac Maleke, Dean of Students explains how it works: “The idea is that students receive spiritual guidance. In the first place, students are divided into groups and a lecturer is assigned to each group. They meet weekly to discuss spiritual matters such as their walk with the Lord. Other challenges that they face also come up and these are dealt with. The Bible forms the central part of the discussions.  
    
“Discussions per class are also promoted. In addition, one-on-one private sessions take place to enable a student to talk about his/her personal problems and challenges.
 
“The idea of the mentorship programme is to promote spiritual growth by encouraging the use of all the means of grace God has given us. The by-product of that must be godly character. “We hope to be able to deal with potentially serious issues of importance with students as early as possible and not wait until their problems get out of control. Prevention is always better than cure.”

What type of problems do students have? “A wide variety. It could be on dating and marriage, financial difficulty or academic.” The programme started in February. Rev Isaac has high expectations that it will help students not only in as far as their studies are concerned, but also in respect of their personal lives.

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Tutor workshop
Johannesburg campus: right and ready