Mukhanyo hosted its first 3-day tutor workshop on 3-5 April at the KwaMhlanga campus. The purpose of this event was two-fold. Firstly to provide in-depth training in the effective running of a distance group, especially the administration involved. In the second place, to provide guidance in becoming a better tutor and mentor for the students.
It was a free event and included lodging and meals. Attendees, 23 in total, came from all over South Africa, as well as Malawi and Zimbabwe. The first session was an explanation of the vision and mission of Mukhanyo given by Dr Brian deVries. This laid the foundation for all the rest of the talks to follow. Workshop topics focused on the role of the tutor in different areas such as, the classroom, financial matters, writing of assignments, administration, invigilating and examinations and as motivator. Other sessions included assessment, exam marks and compliance matters. Delegates were not shy to ask questions and expressed that the topics were relevant to their needs. Tutors were divided into groups to discuss the challenges they experience. They also shared good practices that work for them and made suggestions on how we can improve in supporting them. They were eager to participate and used more than the allocated time for the breakout session. The overall experience, sessions and hospitality were received favorably and delegates asked for a second workshop. The workshop was a valuable time of discussion and feedback, as Mukhanyo strives to improve in the delivery of a quality service. Read more: Study group in Kenya Why become a pastor/and or teacher? To become a Christian school ![]() “God has blessed Mukhanyo and by His grace we can say that we believe that this college is now one of the best Reformed training colleges in and for South Africa. Major progress was made in 2016 and is still in the making.” This was the testimony of Dr Brian DeVries at Mukhanyo’s AGM that was held in Pretoria during March. He presented the annual report and highlighted a number of salient features, including the following:
Read more: Faculty Forum: investing in good practices Why become a pastor/and or teacher? To become a Christian school Bumula Distance College in Kenya facilitates the Mukhanyo Diploma in Theology. This distance group has 17 pastors taking on serious theological study, according to Pastor Eric Ngala.
On 8 April an open day was held and students showed visitors around the Bumalo library, ICT and material, including Mukhanyo’s study material. The college is also involved in the training of teachers and farmers. The main speech by Pastor Kefa Nyenda inspired students and visitors. It is claimed that approx. 80% of preachers in Kenya have not had any theological training. This is not likely to be much different in most African countries. Mukhanyo hopes, God willing, to be able to contribute in changing this by providing distance appropriate and contextualised study. Pastor Ngala hopes to be able to attend the Bible College Consultation on 20-22 June in Pretoria. The theme will be “Christian ethics for biblical teaching in Africa.” Read more: Faculty Forum: investing in good practices Why become a pastor/and or teacher? To become a Christian school Mukhanyo held its second faculty forum of the year for all its lecturers on 27 March at its Pretoria Learning Support Centre.
After all the attendees signed Mukhanyo’s statement of faith, aspects such as the benefits of research and the preparation, setting and moderation of examination papers were discussed. Other aspects receiving attention included the use of Bloom’s taxonomy to assist in composing questions on different levels of thinking, ranging from lower to higher levels of cognitive thinking, and the writing of assignments. Read more: First Distance Tutor Workshop Why become a pastor/and or teacher? To become a Christian school ![]() Why it is so essential
Read, study and live the Bible. It is God’s will and command. Read more: Study group in Kenya First Distance Tutor Workshop To become a Christian school What are the most important jobs in the world, given that all work is important? Politician? Doctor? Engineer? Farmer? Businessman?
Ever considered pastors and teachers? They teach the Bible and advise, help, encourage and lead people to God, our Almighty Father. They teach us to love His Son, Jesus Christ, about our belief in Him, about grace, forgiveness, eternal life. Also about His love and our obedience. All part of our religion, the most important aspect of our life. Mukhanyo has been training pastors and church leaders for many years. In the past few years also teachers. We believe these “jobs” are important callings and of the utmost importance. That is why we pray to grow the number of our students, lecturers and facilities. Because we believe that these people are essential prerequisites, firstly to please and honour God, and secondly to make peace and prosperity in South Africa. Read more: Study group in Kenya Why become a pastor/and or teacher? To become a Christian school To start and end a school day with Bible reading and prayer is only the start of a school becoming a Christian school. Bible classes are the next step, but much more is needed to being a fully-fledged Christian school.
What also is required, became clear during a Christian education course that was held on Mukhanyo’s KwaMhlanga campus on 22 April, attended by some 60 teachers and teacher students. They were addressed by Mukhanyo’s Dean of Students, Rev Isaac Maleke, two ex-headmasters, Pieter Bisschoff and Jackie Tredoux, and a Reformed education expert from The Netherlands, Dr Gerrit Heino. Here are a few of the critical points made at the seminar:
Read more: First Distance Tutor Workshop Why become a pastor/and or teacher? Faculty Forum: investing in good practices ![]() isOver some 25 years hundreds of students completed their studies at Mukhanyo. One of them is Rev George Mnisi, minister of the Free Reformed Church Nelmapius in the eastern part of Pretoria. We asked him about his years and experiences at Mukhanyo. Rev Mnisi studied at Mukhanyo from 2001 to 2005 and finished his studies at the Universities of Pretoria and Potchefstroom. He was called to Nelmapius in 2009 where today he is the pastor of a congregation with some 80 members. He strongly believes in the priority of spiritual growth. Growth in numbers will follow. Thinking back to Mukhanyo he is thankful of the Reformed academic training he received. The fact that there were students from other Christian denominations such as pentacostal and charismatic churches, enabled him to really understand what it was to be Reformed, to be critical and to be able to answer arguments and thoughts from other convictions. He keeps in touch with Mukhanyo and the students with whom he studied. And today he is thankful for the work Mukhanyo continues to do. His message to Mukhanyo is: Firstly, be thankful for growth but don’t grow too fast, so as to be able to take good care of everything which has to be done. Secondly: The addition of teacher training at Mukhanyo in KwaMhlanga and in Pretoria is a very positive development. Many ministers will have to be tentmakers to enable them to support their families because many congregations are not able to do so financially. And teaching and preaching is an ideal combination. Rev Mnisi thinks it a good idea to formally study to be a teacher – also for himself. But with a wife and three schoolboys in the home, it is a question if he will have the time! Read more: Study group in Kenya First Distance Tutor Workshop Faculty Forum: investing in good practices ![]() The Bible truth is so important, so essential for the conversion of the unsaved and for the spiritual building up, instruction and guidance of Christians, that it simply must be delivered well. How dare we present such priceless gold in a boring way? No, but we must deliver it with great care and much earnest prayer. That is why Mukhanyo held a course on this topic on 6 May. Preparing the sermon is the groundwork which must be done before you can deliver the sermon. If you don’t prepare the sermon, you will have nothing to deliver. If your preparation is poor and your delivery is good, you will be a good deliverer of bad goods, a good salesman of bad products, and maybe a very impressive false teacher. That is not our goal! Rather, we would like good messages from God to be delivered very well and very effectively to the glory of God. For the sake of having the right perspective, a few words need to be said about the preparation of the sermon. It involves two main parts.
Never underestimate the importance of good preparation. It is the foundation for any sermon or Bible study. The main issues in delivering a sermon are as follows.
Read more: Study group in Kenya Faculty Forum: investing in good practices Why become a pastor/and or teacher? |
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