One of Mukhanyo’s annual highlights is the Bible College Consultation, which this year took place from 19 to 21 June in Pretoria. It was attended by some hundred delegates from more than thirty evangelical and reformed Bible colleges, as well as other Christian missionary institutions, from twelve countries all over Africa. All together they represented many thousands of theological students.

The theme was “Theological education for God’s mission in Africa.” In total, eighteen sessions were held in addition to a number of discussions, and of course plenty of time for fellowship and networking. The purpose was to discuss what the Bible teaches us about the preparation for ministry. To serve the church to equip all believers and to spread the Word.

​What did all these Bible colleges in general – and Mukhanyo in particular – learn from this consultation? A few important points are:

• The worldview of students must be drastically shaped and reshaped according to Scripture.
  
• In the light of the enormous spread of false teachings in Africa, it is essential to know and understand God’s Word and be able to argue and defend it (apologetics). Students must be made aware of the long list of false teaching such as humanism in curricula, aspects of cultures negatively effecting the right understanding of the Bible, attempts to fuse Biblical values with idols such as traditional animism and the modern prosperity gospel.
  
• The Islam is growing thick and fast in Africa, with mosques being built everywhere. Do we know how to bring Jesus and His gospel to them in a way as effective as possible? How to build bridges but also ask the right questions such as what a Muslim thinks about “through grace alone”?
  
• In addition there is an emergence of other false religions such as Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other common cults, as well as a number of upcoming African sects and false prophets.
  
• But students must be convinced that Christianity is the only religion which saves one out of grace alone. God gives you faith and his grace. You can’t earn eternal life by doing good deeds such as is required by all other religions.
  
• Plant churches, yes. But promote their viability by biblical preaching and pastoring, and getting church members involved and taking responsibility, also training elders and deacons. 
  
• Identify promising men and assist them to get trained as pastors.

What is the purpose of theological education? Theological education serves the Church by training church leadership, to equip the saints for ministry work, to prepare believers to fulfil their mission. Theological education is more than an educational exercise. It must get the student to understand God’s spiritual visions and mission, thinking God’s thoughts and doings God’s deeds. It must touch the student’s heart, head and hands.

Academic training is only a tool that the church uses to prepare its members for ministry. Bible colleges have a higher calling than academic training: revival, reformation, spiritual transformation; to understand and know God, to look after God’s flock.
Although the accreditation of courses with the authorities has its place, it is not the main priority. Much can be done by local churches, for example training elders and deacons and also pastors. And one church can do it for others. Colleges can do it for many churches.  The priority should be to be faithful to the Word of God and get well-trained and qualified church leaders.

Some cautions for theological education
Words of warnings were sounded in many of the presentations at the Bible College Consultation this year. To name a few:

• Most Bible colleges, all over Africa, are financially dependent, something which is not sustainable, seen from a human point of view. But is this so from God’s point of view? God looks after the Bible colleges if they take responsibility and teach according to His Word. Ora et Labora! 
  
• Africa is facing a very long list of social and economic issues according to research by a number of international organisations. Do we understand the issues and circumstances in which we have to minister? Or did Paul rather preach the gospel regardless of the circumstances?
  
• People don’t read the Bible. There is a lack of knowledge of God’s will, something the Bible teaches is fatal. 
  
• Don’t try to evangelise people if there is no trust between you and the others. You need time to build trust, respect, love and acceptance. Learn to listen and to ask questions. Don’t say you disagree. Learn how Christ did it. 
  
• Be warned that in times of universal deceit, the Gospel truth will be seen by the world as revolutionary (Joshua 24, Romans 2:2)

Facing the clash of cultures
The Book of Daniel can be seen as a case-study on how to handle a clash of the Christian culture against a secular culture, while you know there is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ. Or how to remain a faithful African Christian and still under Western influential multilateral organisations with their own worldviews.

Daniel and his friends were forcefully removed from their own culture and brainwashed. How did they react?

• They submitted to the providence of God and still excelled where they were in a foreign culture.
  
• They refused to be morally, theologically and spiritually compromised.
  
• They confessed their own inadequateness, only finding their strength in God.
  
• They bend to the superiority of God above the local religion.

How did they do that? By praying for the people and culture around them – their enemies. By telling them the shortcomings of their culture. By telling the king that they will only listen to and believe in God.

The challenge of the Prosperity Gospel was addressed during several presentations and workshops at the Bible College Consultation. It is not a gospel at all. It teaches a false religion that God wants all his children to experience health, wealth and happiness. And if this does not happen to you, you are told that you lack faith. But the Bible teaches something completely different.
​
Bible texts used to preach the promise of prosperity include Deuteronomy 15:4 and 28:1, Job 36:11, Psalms 23:1 and 91, Proverbs 18:21, Luke 6:38,  Philippians 4:13 and John 1:2. But these texts are read out of context. The Bible is misused to enable the preacher to say what he wants to say for selfish reasons. He (or she) distorts the Biblical view of God, of man and of the Scripture. It gives the impression that God needs us. It leads to disappointment and disillusionment. It is a lie.
How should we respond to and confront these heresies?  With Scripture: texts such as Matthew 6:19 and 24, Luke 12:15, 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Ephesians 5:5-7, 1 Timothy 3:3 and 2 Timothy 3:12. Keep Jude in mind. Also the history of God’s church through ages of hardship and persecution.

​Satan greatest weapon
Our homes, churches and schools have become battlefields of the mind. Therefore, people should study the Bible to be armed against Satan’s attacks. Christian education is to tell God’s grand story which is the story of the whole world. It is the only true story. We need to equip our children for this battle by giving them knowledge of God and his Word.
Remember, the greatest weapon of Satan is ignorance of the Word of God. And if God’s children reject knowledge of Him, He will reject them (Hosea 4:6, Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:4).

Shaping the Christian worldview
Your worldview determines how you see reality, how you see who is man, what is right and wrong, the answers you give to questions such as the purpose of your existence, how you should live, why there is suffering and evil, what happens to you after death, etc.
There are many different worldviews. To name a few: liberalism, post-modernism, humanism, materialism, African traditional beliefs, socialism, capitalism and communism, each one with its own answers to the above questions. All are wrong and lead nowhere but to immorality, inequality, idolism, chaos, destruction, power struggles, war and bloodshed. See Galatians 6:7. History proves it again and again.
The Christian worldview is the only way to be able to give the right answers. It is primarily formed when everything we learn is framed within the context of God’s truth is found in the Bible, and formed through Christian training, teaching, time and practice. 
The whole Bible is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness – so that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16). Look also at Psalm 36:9, Luke 24:44-45, Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 2:14-16, 2 Corinthians 3:14, 4:4, 10:4 and 11:3. 

The church must reclaim all the Bible’s important doctrines. Pastors and other church leaders must be motivated to go and teach these doctrines to their congregations.
This was done by a pastor’s conference hosted by Mukhanyo’s Johannesburg campus in June. Over 80 pastors, church leaders and students gathered to speakers elucidating the theme, rediscovering the doctrines that shook the world since the Reformation started in 1517.
A video DVD of the conference’s proceedings will be made available soon. The following topics will be on the DVD:

• The historical context behind the Reformation and the foundations of what is more commonly referred to as the Five Solas of the Reformation, by Pastor Dilip Chetty.
• The practical reasons why the church needs to return to the Word of God and for it to be the sole source of knowledge on how to live in the right relationship with God and so build ministries upon it, by Dr Japie Malan, Johannesburg’s campus manager.
• Christ alone means that salvation comes through Christ alone, by Dr Brian de Vries, principal of Mukhanyo. We must all be warned not to succumb to the many false doctrines that are rampant in many modern churches.
• Pastor Jeff Gage spoke on the pillar Grace Alone and highlighted that what Christ has done on the cross is a free gift for us. There is nothing anyone can do to earn it.
• All things are to the glory of God alone. Pastor Chetty used real-life examples to illustrate that one of the problems in modern churches and also with many individual Christians is the desire and tendency to try and steal the glory of God for themselves.
• The topic on faith alone was not covered because the speaker fell ill, but will also be included in the DVD.

One of Mukhanyo’s annual highlights is the Bible College Consultation, which this year took place from 19 to 21 June in Pretoria. It was attended by some hundred delegates from more than thirty evangelical and reformed Bible colleges, as well as other Christian missionary institutions, from twelve countries all over Africa. All together they represented many thousands of theological students.

The theme was “Theological education for God’s mission in Africa.” In total, eighteen sessions were held in addition to a number of discussions, and of course plenty of time for fellowship and networking. The purpose was to discuss what the Bible teaches us about the preparation for ministry. To serve the church to equip all believers and to spread the Word.
What did all these Bible colleges in general – and Mukhanyo in particular – learn from this consultation? A few important points are:

• The worldview of students must be drastically shaped and reshaped according to Scripture.
  
• In the light of the enormous spread of false teachings in Africa, it is essential to know and understand God’s Word and be able to argue and defend it (apologetics). Students must be made aware of the long list of false teaching such as humanism in curricula, aspects of cultures negatively effecting the right understanding of the Bible, attempts to fuse Biblical values with idols such as traditional animism and the modern prosperity gospel.
  
• The Islam is growing thick and fast in Africa, with mosques being built everywhere. Do we know how to bring Jesus and His gospel to them in a way as effective as possible? How to build bridges but also ask the right questions such as what a Muslim thinks about “through grace alone”?
  
• In addition there is an emergence of other false religions such as Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other common cults, as well as a number of upcoming African sects and false prophets.
  
• But students must be convinced that Christianity is the only religion which saves one out of grace alone. God gives you faith and his grace. You can’t earn eternal life by doing good deeds such as is required by all other religions.
  
• Plant churches, yes. But promote their viability by biblical preaching and pastoring, and getting church members involved and taking responsibility, also training elders and deacons. 
  
• Identify promising men and assist them to get trained as pastors.