Why does TMAI operate the way it does? Why is one of its ministry distinctives focused on equipping indigenous leadership? What has occurred in its history that has solidified these convictions?
To answer these questions, one must go to back in time to the Bush of South Africa.
Out in the Bush Country
“We flew to South Africa, we met with the leadership of the church, and we went out into the bush country,” Jack* began.
The bush country was renowned for pagan influence, but thanks to outreach efforts from a church in the city, people there were getting saved, and the bush country was becoming home for a growing community of converts. The South African church had sent travel teams into this region to evangelize at large, crusade-style gatherings. These meetings attracted hundreds of people to hear the word of God, and in time, many of them were saved.
But since these new believers lived in such isolation, the question became how to care for them.
That’s why Jack was invited. He and two prospective American missionaries were brought in to see if there was enough infrastructure to start a seminary, train pastors, and give shape to this newfound community.
The year was 1996.
Into a Mess
When Jack and the others arrived on site, they noticed a large tent in which the community held church services. But when he stepped inside to join a service, he was appalled at what he saw.
In God’s grace and sovereignty, many TMAI training centers now operate under indigenous leadership, protecting the ministries and providing longevity in the cases of political upheaval, volatility, and persecution.
“It was awful,” he said. “There was heretical teaching, bad music, bad dancing—there was practically everything going on in that tent.”
They made up their minds: It was time to leave this alone and go somewhere else.
“The three of us—thinking we knew everything because we’re Americans—the next morning, we told the leaders of the church, ‘We can’t work with you.’ And we listed all the reasons why we couldn’t.”
But looking across the table, the South African leadership had something to say.
“Well, fine,” they said, looking across the table. “You can be like every other American, tell us where we’re wrong, and go back home.”
“Or,” they went on, “you could put your money where your mouth is, stay here, and teach us how to do it right.”
“We asked God to forgive us”
“The three of us went back to our room that night, and we knelt by a bed,” Jack said as he fought back tears, “and we asked God to forgive us.”
“And three months later those two American missionaries had moved to South Africa. And that’s how Christ Seminary started.”
A Lesson Learned
God used moments like these to teach us that missionaries will move toward a mess, just like Christ moves toward us. The first president of Christ Seminary said,
“These events showed us why we needed to be there in that location and not over where everybody was already well-taught. This was where the school needed to be because these people were asking for help, and they needed it, and no one else was there to provide it. Yes, it was a mess, but that’s what you had, and they needed help. So that began the partnership.”
Thanks to lessons like these, we now approach international ministry with a settled commitment to respect the indigenous community and consider their needs as more important than our own (Philippians 2:3).
The efforts of TMAI are to train in such a way as to one day fully entrust the training ministries into the hands of indigenous leadership (2 Timothy 2:2). In God’s grace and sovereignty, many TMAI training centers now operate under indigenous leadership, protecting the ministries and providing longevity in the cases of political upheaval, volatility, and persecution.
After 28 years, Christ Seminary has become a testimony of this commitment.
The school now operates under 100% indigenous leadership, and a graduate from the very first class, Charlie Rampfumedzi, is leading the school forward as they go on to evangelize and train the next generation of pastors in Africa.
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If you see what God is doing around the world through TMAI and decide that you would like to financially support the training of Christ Seminary in South Africa, please know that you can do so HERE.
*Name changed for security purposes
