by Mr Dennis Obura Tongoi submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of ...

363 Pages·2016·4.05 MB·English

BUSINESS AS MISSION AND MISSION AS BUSINESS: CASE STUDIESOF
FINANCIALLYSUSTAINABLE CHRISTIAN MISSION VENTURES WITH A FOCUS ON
ANGLICAN DIOCESESIN EAST AFRICA.

by

Mr Dennis Obura Tongoi

submitted in accordance with the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY

in the subject

MISSIOLOGY

at the

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

SUPERVISOR: PROF JNK MUGAMBI

CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF A VAN SCHALKWYK

MARCH 2016
DECLARATION BY CANDIDATE
I declare that “Business as Mission and Mission as Business: Case Studies of
Financially Sustainable Christian Mission Ventures with a Focus on Anglican
Dioceses in East Africa” is my own work, and that all the sources I have used or
quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references.

Signed: -------------------------------------------Date: -----------------------------

The Rev. Dennis Tongoi

DECLARATION BY SUPERVISOR

This is to declare that this thesis has been submitted for examination with my
approval as the university supervisor.

Signed: ------------------------------------------Date: ---------------------------

Professor JNK Mugambi

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DEDICATION

This work is dedicated, first, to God who gave me the grace to persevere and,
second, to my wife Irene Tongoi, who supported me in more ways than I can recount
towards the completion of this Thesis.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I want to thank Professor Jesse Mugambi for an enriching experience.
During the various stages of my research, never once did he fail to respond to me
promptly,and with valuable insights. I also acknowledge the following for their
priceless input: Professor Annalet Van Schalkwyk, who provided valuable
perspectives to sharpen my arguments. Viola Wambugha-Mekene, who typed my
transcripts. Lewis Jones, Leanne Wohoro, Tabitha Tongoi,
CarolyneLuttah,ProfessorAlooMojola, AgisoOdhuno and Irene Tongoi, who read and
edited my manuscript at the various stages. Mary Mshila, who translated the
interviews from Kiswahili to English.Joshua Watilla for transcribing interviews from
Kiswahili to English. To you all, I say a big Thank You!

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ABSTRACT
Anglican dioceses established by The Church Mission Society and other Western-
founded Christian denominations in East Africa were envisaged to grow and become
self-governing, self-propagating and self-supporting. The first two goals(to be self-
governing and self-propagating) have more or less been achieved. The third goal
(the pursuit of self-support) is at a critical stage, especially considering that
resources, in terms of funding and personnel, are in decline. This research sought to
document the factors that contribute to, or hinder, the role that lay people (business
people in particular) can play in sustaining the ministry and mission of Anglican
dioceses.
The research methods chosen for data collection consisted of interactive fieldwork.
In this, formal and informal interviews were conducted. The interviewees were
selected mainly from Anglican dioceses, with their input beingcorroborated by
Methodists, Evangelical Lutheran and PresbyterianChurch leaders from Kenya,
Uganda and Tanzania. Interviews were conducted, first, with church leaders who
were in office at the time when John Gatu declared a moratorium on Western
missionaries in 1974. Next came interviews with leaders of the 1990s and 2000s.
For each leader, a corroborative project was documented. A limited quantitative
questionnaire was administered for triangulation purposes.The data were analysed
to identify the themes and patterns that emerged.
This phase was followed by an extensive literature review. The research
methodology utilised the Praxis Cycle, developed by Cochrane, De Gruchy and
Peterson (1990) in their book, In Word and Deed,which has its roots in the “see,
judge, act” method of the Belgian Cardinal, Joseph Cardijn,founder of the Young
Christian Workers movement. The analysis allowed me to examine the interplay
between business and mission, using the seven-point Praxis Cycle, modified by JNJ
Kritzinger(2008:771) to assess the spirituality of BAM and its contribution to
Christian mission. Other movements of the Praxis Cycle are practical projects,
theological reflection, contextual analysis, ecclesial analysis, agency and reflexivity.
The literature review was analysed in terms of four primary dimensions: Business
as Business (profit maximisation), Mission as Business(profit from
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philanthropy),Mission as Mission(philanthropy from profits), and Business as
Mission (profit for the common good). The fourth dimensionwas exploredas an
overarching visionfor churches seeking to grow towards financial sustainability.
Also considered was how such sustainability could be implemented in the East
African context.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

KEY TERMS xii
ABBREVIATIONS xii
CHAPTER ONE: THE RESEARCH DESIGN 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Problem statement and research objectives 2
1.3 Discussion of key terminology used in this research 4
1.3.1 Mission 4
1.3.2. Business 10
1.3.3. Financial sustainability 13
1.3.4. Church 15
1.4. Background to the research: The quest for financial sustainability 17
1.5. Hypotheses 22
1.6. The research questions 23
1.7. Justification for the research 23
1.7.1 Historical: Business and Christian mission 23
1.7.2 The challenge of resourcing Anglican dioceses today 27
1.7.3 The challenge of responding to youth unemployment 27
1.7.4 Business as mission: An opportunity for better stewardship 32
1.7.5. Business as mission: Strategy for financially sustainable diocesan programmes 33
1.8 Conceptual framework 36
1.9. BAM as Christian mission 36
1.10. Research methodology 42
1.10.1. Research approach and research subjects 46
1.10.2. Limitations of the research 47
1.10.3. The research questions 48
1.11. Case studies: interviews with various stakeholders 51
1.11.1. Case studies of church leaders at the time of the moratorium declaration 51
1.11.2 Case studies of financially sustainable projects 51
1.12. Questionnaire for congregants from parishes related to case studies 51
1.13.Overview of chapters 52
CHAPTER TWO: PRESENTATION OF THE CASE STUDIES AND DISCUSSIONS OF THE
FINDINGS 54
2.1. Introduction 54
2.2. CASE STUDIES FROM CHURCH LEADERS WHO WERE PART OF THE CALL FOR
MORATORIUM 56
2.2.1. Case 1: Discussion of the results of an interview with John Gatu, held at Kerarapon
Road, Ngong (Nairobi-Kenya), on 21 September 2010. 56
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2.2.1.1. Sustainable project: PCEA Church, headquarters Nairobi 57
2.2.1.2. Conclusion 59
2.2.2. Case 2: Results of the interview with Kodwo Ankrah, held at Ankrah Foundation offices
in Mukono, Uganda, on 3rd October 2010 60
2.2.2.1. Sustainable project: The Ankrah Foundation Hotel 61
2.2.2.2. Conclusion 63
2.2.3. Case 3: Results of interview with Erastus Kweka, held in Moshi, Tanzania, on 25th
September, 2010 64
2.2.3.1. Sustainable project: Large-scale farming in Moshi, Tanzania 68
2.2.3.2. Conclusion 69
2.3. CASE STUDIES OF CHURCH LEADERS A GENERATION AFTER THE MORATORIUM CALL 69
I: ANGLICAN CASE STUDIES 69
2.3.1. Cases from Kenya 69
Case 4: Results of interview held with Bishop Joseph Kanuku on Tuesday, 3rd September 2013,
at Wote in Makueni Diocese, Kenya. 69
2.3.1.1. Sustainable project: Makueni Christian Social Centre 71
2.3.1.2. Conclusion 72
2.3.2. Case from Uganda 73
Case 5: Results of interview held with Bishop Joel Obetia in Arua, Uganda, on 18th April, 2011.
73
2.3.2.1Sustainable project: The building of the Anglican Cathedral in Arua. 75
2.3.2.2Conclusion 77
2.3.3. Case from Tanzania 78
Case 6: Results of an interview conducted with Bishop Godfrey Sehaba on 14 January 2011 in
Morogoro, Tanzania 78
2.3.3.1Sustainable project: Erection of 52 premises for business people on the perimeter
wall of the cathedral 79
2.3.3.2Conclusion 81
II. OTHER WESTERN FOUNDED CHURCH CASE STUDIES 81
2.4.1. Case 7: Results of interview with Godfrey Kibua, held at Methodist Guest House on 2nd
August, 2012. 81
2.4.1.1Sustainable project: Methodist Guest House and Conference Centre 83
2.4.1.2 Conclusion 84
2.5 Testing of hypothesis 85
2.6Assessment of Financial Sustainability of select Anglican Case studies. 92
2.6.1Morogoro Diocese in the Anglican Province of Tanzania. 93
2.6.2Madi-West Nile Diocese of the Church of Uganda. 93
2.6.3Makueni Diocese in the Anglican Province of Kenya. 93
2.7Discussion of themes emerging from the evaluation of data coding of case studies 94
2.8. Patterns and themes emerging from the evaluation of the randomly administered
quantitative questionnaire 95
2.8. Reflections on the impact of the moratorium on case studies 97
2.9. Conclusion 100

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CHAPTER THREE: BUSINESS AS BUSINESS: PROFIT MAXIMISATION 103
3.1 Introduction 103
3.2 Economic factors that affect BAM in East Africa 104
3.2.1 Western capitalism in crisis and the rise of state capitalism in the East 105
3.2.1.2 The quest for alternatives to free market capitalism and state capitalism 111
3.2.1.3 Measuring economic growth 113
3.2.1.4Africa arises: the emerging continent. 118
3.2.1.5 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 121
3.3 Political factors that impact on BAM in Africa 121
3.3.1 The need to overcome the colonial legacy 122
3.3.2The impact of globilisation on business in Africa 124
3.4 Social-cultural factors that impact BAM in East Africa 127
3.4.1Social capital 131
3.4.2Financial capital 134
3.4.3 Public capital 135
3.4.4 Corruption 136
3.5 Environmental factors that impact on BAM in Africa 138
3.6 Conclusion 140
CHAPTER FOUR: BUSINESS AS MISSION: BEYOND LIBERATION 142
4.1 Introduction 142
4.2. BAM and liberation theology 143
4.2.1 BAM and a New Social Analysis: The righteous rich 147
4.3 BAM and a New Utopian Vision 156
4.3.1. BAM and the Kingdom of God 158
4.3.2 A call for righteousness 160
4.4 Agencies and Tasks of Bam 163
4.4.1Resistance: Global economic systems 163
4.4.2 Denunciation of the instrumental view of work 167
4.4.3 Advocacy for a just economic order 174
4.4.3.1BAM and the Jubilee: The practice of restorative justice 174
4.5 Conclusion 177
CHAPTER FIVE: PHILANTHROPY AND MISSION CHALENGES AND BENEFITS 179
5.1 Introduction 179
5.2. Laying the foundation for sustainable mission in Africa 179
5.2.3 Indigenisation or indigeneity 181
5.3 The call for a moratorium 186
5.3.1 Challenging the goal of self-sustainability 188
5.3.2 Fostering interdependence 190
5.4.Mission as Mission: An opportunity for generosity 192
5.5 Mission as business 196
5.5.1 The challenge of prosperity gospel 196
5.5.2 The opportunity for stewardship 198
5.6 Business for Mission 199
5.5 Conclusion 200
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CHAPTER SIX: BUSINESS AS MISSION: PROFITS FOR THE COMMON GOOD 202
6.1. Introduction 202
6.2 BAM as a transformative agency 204
6.2.1 BAM: changing the rules 204
6.2.2 BAM: challenging current business models 206
6.3 BAM: an alternative model for business in East Africa 212
6.3.1 BAM enterprises seek to be financially sustainable 213
6.3.2BAM seeks to be environmentally sustainable 223
6.3.3BAM seeks to have a spiritual impact: BAM is ultimately a spiritual battle. 224
6.3.3.1 BAM enterprises seek to be ethical 226
7. Summary and Conclusion 229
LIST OF REFERENCES 232
Books 232
Articles and Journals 237
Dissertations 240
Conference Papers 240
Dictionaries, 241
Magazines and Newspapers 241
Websites 242
APPENDICES 244
Appendix A: Passages on wealth and poverty (Tongoi 2001) 244
Appendix B: Jobs mentioned in the Bible 247
Appendix C: The natural resources charter 239
Appendix D: Wall Street capitalism versus the Main Street markets 241
Appendix E: Summary of comparisons between various Economic models – DT 242
Appendix F: Transcripts of interviews 243
1. Transcript of Interview held with John Gatu at Kerarapon Road Ngong, Nairobi on 21
September 2010. 243
2. Transcript of Interview with Kodjo Ankrah on The 3rd Of October 2010 in Mukono
Uganda. 250
3. Transcript of English translation of interview held with Erastus Kwaka 25th September,
2010 in Moshi Tanzania 260
3.aKiswahili transcript of Interview with Erastus Kwaka 25th September, 2010 Moshi
Tanzania . 267
4. Transcription Of An Interview By Dennis Tongoi With Bishop Joseph Kanuku 276
5. Transcript of interview held with Bishop Joel Obetia In Arua Uganda on 18th April
2011 281
6. Transcript of interview held with Bishop Godfrey Sehaba on 14th January 2011 in
Morogoro Tanzania. 290
6b. Transcript Of Interview With The Reverend Canon Chinyong’ole In Morogoro
Tanzania On 14th Of January 2011 296
7. Transcript of interview with Godfrey Kibua held at Methodist guest house on the 2nd
August 2012 306
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