An Analysis of an African Life Cycle as a Bridge for Reproducing Malagasy Christian Leaders in the Context of Evangelism, Discipleship and Leadership

2011·93 MB·English

by  TODD ANDREW McGREGOR

AN ANALYSIS OF AN AFRICAN LIFE CYCLE
AS A BRIDGE FOR REPRODUCING MALAGASY CHRISTIAN LEADERS
IN THE CONTEXT OF EVANGELISM, DISCIPLESHIP AND LEADERSHIP
A THESIS-PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
THE RIGHT REVEREND TODD ANDREW McGREGOR
MAY 2011
GODDARD LIBRARY
Gordon Conwell Theologicai Seminary
430 Essex Street
South Hamilton, MA 01982-2361
Copyright © 2011 by Todd McGregor. All Rights Reserved.
I dedicate this book to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES .u...cccccssssssssscsesesesceeeeeseseneeessesssssssoseseassasseseseessoesesssecacreseesecneeeeeesensees ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Qu .ccccsesssececceeececeeereseceeseaesssseseseneseeecseeassssescsseseseassaneseesessneeeesenens x
ABSTRACT ...cccccsccscesssssssssessesesceccsssessessseeceeesceessesesseessssssssessssesssssssessssessenseneseenesecsesnsetats xi
CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING 2. ccc ceccseescsesreerecsereeseceneesenes 1
Christian Global Population Shift... cssseecssesecsseneeneeneesecsecseesaeseesesssesseeseeensenees 2
Global Theological Shift... ccs eccssesssssssssssseessesesseseeessseesenecserecnssusnseesecsenteseseneesenees 4
The History of Anglican Ministry: Context in Madagascar .........csccsessescesesstseseeteneesens 5
Recent Local Ministry Context... cece: sisescsssssssesssscssessasssseeaeeeeneseeneeesenenennenes 11
Theological Education Lacks Consistency and Commitment to Reproducing Christian
LeACELS ....ccccccecsesseescesscenscescteceeccstcenseeseeesaessacessesseeseeeeeeeeeneceesseeeessessssseeessensssessensenaeensees 12
Some Lay Training Programs Lack Equipping in Discipleship and a Model for
Reproducing Christian Leaders... cscesseccccsseseessesessesessneseesesessnenssseneeesssseneessasaenees 14
Local Parish Leadership is Divided and Has No Program for Reproducing Christian
Leader's .....cccsscssssseeesseeceeceescesceeteeessesessceseesecsecseeseasecesensesseseessesseneseesenseeessesseseenesnasesneenes 15
The Catechism Lacks Teaching in Reproducing Lay Leaders... .cccccseeseeeere s 16
The Local Priest is Not Always Interested in Evangelism, Discipleship or Reproducing
Christian Leaders ........ccccsscsssccsccscceresceseesseneceeeneetssssensenseneesscnsesseseesesneenecsseneseesesesesasaes 17
African Traditional Religion (A.T.R.): A Possible African Model for Reproducing
Christian Leaders ........ccceesssscssssecseesecseeseceecsesrecssessessesscssssesssenssecssssessassassaseessensengenes 18
What is the African Cycle of Life? 0.0... ccccsscsseeseneenesecsesseenssserereneesseeesenseenseeegs 22
Summary of the Problem, the Hypothesis, and the Proposed Methodology for
Developing a Solution to the Problem.........ccccccscscessssseeseseeseeesensessseetessseeteneeseeeneneenenes 24
CHAPTER I] BIBLICAL FOUNDATION |... ccc cccceseeeeeeeresssesssseseneseneesesneneesessnnees 27
Revival is the Prerequisite for Reproducing African Christian Leaders .........cee 27
Definition of Revival: To Live Again... teececcecssssessesessesecrsesseessseesenessenesseeesseeees 28
Indicators for REViVa] ........cccsceceecceeeeeeeeeeeseeseceseeesresreseesseessenseneesssssenssesenseesseenseneeeeenes 30
Biblical Evidence for Reproducing Leaders... eee esecescesseeeessseseeteesesssssesseaeseseeees 35
Biblical Evidence for Reproducing Godly Leaders ..c.ccccccecssesseeessseneesseeesnensseeees 36
Jesus Reproduces Leaders .....cccccccscescesesseseesceeeesseeneneceeseenenseseseneessnssienecerieneneneeaeees 37
Paul Reproduces Christian Leaders .......ccccecsessssssseessssesseeeseesseseseseseeesseeneneseneeeseeeses 39
The Meaning of Making Disciples 0... ccccccscecssseeseneeseseeseseeseseesenessensssensererseeenens 44
Evangelism is Central to Making Disciples.........ccccccscscscssseceeeeeeeeeseenenetenenenennteneees 46
Evangelism Connects with Proclamation ........cccccesessesssssssseenenssssssseessnsseseneestasessaeres A7
Evangelism to All Nations... cece cscseneescsessssescscsssenecsssssncescsensseeseseeesansesenenesesererees 48
Discipleship is Pivotal to Reproducing Disciples...........cssscsseseeeeeeeseeeeeeseeeeeeeeeetes 49
CHAPTER II] JEWISH/CHRISTIAN RITES OF PASSAGE. .......c.cceccceseseceeseeeerees 57
Infant Rite: Naming/Circumcision Rite .........cecesscesssenseeceeensesecsseessesssssssessnsseseeeees 57
Infant/Adult Rite: The Baptismal Rite... cesses sseeseereeseeseseseseessenseneenseneeeeeeeeseenes 63
Confirmation: Adult Rite of Passage ....... ct ecssssesssrecsecseessesrsercseessensensenseneensensensneeeas 71
Marriage Rite: Reproduction... eee sscssssescessssseseesceenseeesaeeeesessenesseneesseeessnsenessenee 81
The Death/Burial Rites .....c..cccceccccsccsescessecessecsscecsscessasecceececeeesenecessssseusesessensessaseseagene 93
CHAPTERIV PROJECT DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ...... ceeeseesseesesensesteteees 99
The African Cycle of Life... ccecesessssssseeeecesereseeseseseeeseesesisiscsnesssisneceeaeeenenesaeees 100
The Rites Of Passage .......ccecccesceseessessessessesscsesssessesereeseeenenessscssessssessereseseseeseeeees 103
Methodology ........ccccsseesessenssssssrsesssssssssesesseseeseseesseeeseesssassearensesssenssnenseseeneneeneeaeseneasengs 106
Interviews with Malagasy Elders... sess seeseescesssessssesseceesessessneeseeeeseeassesaeneeneneeneets 108
Questions Asked During InterviewS ..........:cseessseceececnersesesesesesensesenenensessnseetsnesaeees 109
Birth/pregnancy Rite - Tell me about the rites Of birth... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeteeteteees 109
Naming Rite - Explain to me the naming rite... cece eeeeneseeeeeenesenssenseeserseeaeiens 110
Initiation Rite - What about the initiation rite... ee seeeeeeseteeeeeeeteeeeneeeenenes lil
Marriage Rite - What about the marriage rite ...........ccceeseeesseseenseseseeeeeeeteneeetaens 111
Eldership Rite... cecssessssssssesssesssseecsessseescsssessessssneesessssnecsssnsesessenenenetstenssseneres 111
Death/Burial Rite - What happens at the death/burial rite? ........ccsecseseeeseeeees 112
Introducing the Aftican Model of Reproducing Christian Leaders to the Leaders in
Southern Madagascar ......sscessscesssssssssssessssssseesscsssceseeesnessesesessensseesesssssaseeeeneeenseates 112
Integrating the Model as Core Curriculum for the Students (Evangelist and Clergy) in
Toliara ...cccccecssesessessseesessececeesesceeceeecceeeceeevannecsenscessssssesssseseseessssssessessesseseneeeenenssaessaneees 114
CHAPTER V OUTCOMES AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......cccceccsseeeeeteeeeeesens 117
The Outcomes of the InterviewS ........ ee eeeecssesecsesecsesessesesseeseseseseceseessenessesseaeeeenecaeee 118
Birth Rite.......ccessecescseecneseeececreececesesesecsescseseccescseneesssssseesscsenesesecnesseecscaeneneesenenenens 118
Christian Parallels 0.0... cccccscsssesssessssessesseseseseeeesessessessesseceeeeeeeneeneeeeneeneeneenesaeas 122
Adaptation for Model in Context of Evangelism, Discipleship and Leadership .... 123
vi
Malagasy Traditions and Meanings Which Are Rejected ..........cseeseseeeeereree 128
Naming Rite... ccecsesssssesesseseessececscssesessscsesscseaeseeeansenensesnseceasiseeenseuasssseseasessaneces 129
Christian Parallels ..........cccceccsssssescetereeceececesecsessesscescesensessesecneeeeeessacsesneseessesngeneneees 131
Adaptations... ccccecseeseesseseersesserssesseenessneneeeseeenenesensesisnseceseereasssaciensessesasasenaes 132
Rejections of Malagasy Customs/MeaningS ........ccccsesesececteeceeeeeseenenrersenenenenenenenass 135
Initiation Rite 0.0... ccccecseeeeeceseeceeeeeeceeeesseesescessesscescaessessecseensensssessensesnesceeeseaeseesees 136
Christian Parallels .......ccccccccsssecssccecseeecseeeesseecaseessceevsessessssessseseessssssesersesersenerseneenens 146
Adaptations .0.......ceeseessseseerereessseseeseneneseueseneneneneneneeseseenenseeneereneassenseererenssenasennes 147
Rejections... ceeeeeeceseseeeeesesesessseseessseseseseneseneseseeseseeteaeeeeteeeeeseentneneeeieteseenensennerertss 151
Marriage Rite ....cccceesssecececeesenesseseseersstsesensesesesesenenssesenssesesesesesseseenesessaseceensacneasas 152
Christian Parallels ..........cccccccccsessessesesssesseteesesecssssesssesesseeseeeceesessscnesseseeneserenenaees 163
Adaptations .....cccecececsesssersscsesvsssssseaeseeeseseesesesenenseasassesnerenseeseeneusaseneneoracasneereneneaees 164
RejeCtiOns.....ceceeceeceseesseceesereresssssssevavsessesusneneneseneseresseeeeteasececeseeeesaseneteeneetsereneress 165
Elder Rite ....cccccccccessssescssescrecccesceecceseeessssssesuceecsesssessaessssenseeeseasensecsseneaeseessesanengeeaes 167
Christian Parallels ........cccccccsscscsseceeseeseseeeeseeecssesvsssscsessesesecaeseesssseacacesessensnsesessenteneas 169
Adaptations ......ccsscccsessssssesesesessssscesescetsecsesenseseresesenesensensareenenensesevenerteneenesneaseanetena 171
ReJOCtIONS 0... ceeeeceseeceseseseneeseseseseseeeensseasesenseseneesassesesenensenersseeseaeseneneeanasiseetensasaateen 173
Death/Burial Rite ........cccceccsscceeecceeescesesseceeessesecsassnsesssessesessecsessecsaseessseneseenecenenes 174
Christian Parallels .........ccccccccsssssscessescececrerseeseeseeeceecessaseseeserseceessesarenseseessessesenseenens 180
Adaptations .......cccceccscssseesersssesessscssenssesesesesseaescsenesenecsssenesenseseasanseneneessestenesrenereeneney 181
RejeCtions......ceceeceseercessssesesesesssescsesesesessasssesesesenesenesensecaeseneneseneneasssnenensnencasacssesrenens 183
Summary of the Interviews... ccccsseseeseeceeceeseneesensnrsnnseesetevenensenseseesesssesnenecseeeees 184
Outcomes of the Leaders Training Conference in Southern Madagascar ..............005 186
Outcomes of the Student Evangelist Training in Southern Madagascar vee 190
Modifications to the Program .......cccccesesescesessesseceeseseeessssessaresesssesesssssessesseseesseeseenees 193
Recommendations for Future Development of the Model occ seeeeseeeeeeeneees 196
Envisioning the Way Forward .0........cccscssscsseessscenssecsesaseesssesseeeseseeaeseeseeeesneneneas 197
COMCIUSION ......cecsssecesessecessenesseececeececeeceeeceeeenssceseseesessesesdasssdsesescecsssesecssseeseseseeeasensitees 199
BIBLIOGRAPHY .......ccccccecescseeseseeeseseseesesseseaseeseesessersacsessuseasassansesseessseesesessssssesssssaseesens 201
VITA: TODD ANDREW MCGREGOR... ccceccseecsteeenerseeeeeeeeessseesessessssseesesseseeneees 209
viii
FIGURES
Figure 1. African Traditional Religion Life Cycle (People and Rites)........cccceeeeees 102
Figure 2. African Traditional Religion Themes in the Life Cycle..........ccecccsseseseeeseens 104
Figure 3. The African Model for Reproducing Malagasy Christian Leaders................ 125
Figure 4. The African Model for Reproducing Malagasy Christian Leaders (in detail).126
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
T would like to thank:
My Malagasy friends and co-workers who answered and translated many research
questions and clarified their local customs.
My team of editors including the Rev. Dr. Howard Hess, Dr. Peg Hess, Emily Nell
Lagerquist, Kara Schaeffler, Laura Verinder, Syd Verinder and Ken Wenzel.
To my mentors, Dr. Robert Coleman who encouraged me and initiated my participation
in this doctoral program and Dr. David Currie who saw my potential for writing a book
for African leaders.
My family, especially my lovely wife who persistently challenged me and booked my
schedule so that I could complete this project. To Corban and Charese who love me, hug
me and tell me “You can do it, Dad!”