During my year in Namibia, I was taken-aback by the prevalence of the Prosperity Gospel which teaches that Jesus wants you to be healthy, rich and comfortable. I was shocked at how many sermons I heard which taught the preacher's opinions rather than Biblical truth. When anyone with an eloquent tongue can call himself a preacher and take up an offering is it any wonder that bad theology is often the norm?* This sparked my desire to work full-time training the next generations of Namibian pastors how to study and teach the Bible.
.jpg) |
| Teaching at a small Bible school in Ondangwa |
The first step was obtaining a Master's degree in Bible which I have been pursuing for the last 4 years from Reformed Theological Seminary. This degree would qualify me to teach at the formal seminary in the capital city of Windhoek, Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS). However, I have a few reservations about a formal seminary style education. First, it's often too expensive for Namibians to afford. Between tuition, books, transportation and living expenses, it becomes a costly affair. Second, students have to leave their homes, families and potential ministries to come to a centralized campus. Such relocation is a further expense and removes them from the very community where they could minister most effectively. Oftentimes students who relocate for education never go back. So I would love to find an opportunity to teach the Bible in a program that is both decentralized and inexpensive.
My second step was finding a sending agency who had compatible goals and values. Back in January, I spent a long weekend with SIM based in Charlotte. They've been around for 120 years, with home offices in 13 countries and have 1600 missionaries worldwide. In other words, they know what they're doing. During the weekend I met so many godly people who are passionate about seeing God's glory made known among the nations. They seemed to have a great balance between emphasizing the Great Commission, but not neglecting social needs and community development. And importantly, they already have a team in Namibia so I wouldn't be starting from scratch. At the conclusion of the weekend I was officially accepted as a missionary appointee with SIM! Next came perhaps the greatest variable of all, would my vision be compatible with the team already on the field. . . .
(Continued in "My Story Toward Namibia" part 3)
(Continued in "My Story Toward Namibia" part 3)
* I would be remiss to mention that there are some Biblically based, theologically sound preachers and churches which are reason for great hope and optimism. However, they are often the exception and not the norm.
