With Special Reference to the Dodoma Presbyterian Church
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Ministry Focus Paper Approval Sheet This Ministry Focus Paper entitled EFFECTIVE MISSION STRATEGIES IN TANZANIA: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE DODOMA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH written by PHILIP MYUNGCHAN AHN and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry has been accepted by the Faculty of Fuller Theological Seminary upon the recommendation of the undersigned readers: ____________________________ Jung Woon Suh ____________________________ Jin Ki Hwang ____________________________ Seyoon Kim March 26, 2008 EFFECTIVE MISSION STRATEGIES IN TANZANIA: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE DODOMA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MINISTRY FOCUS PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF MINISTRY BY PHILIP MYUNGCHAN AHN MARCH 2008 ii ABSTRACT Effective Mission Strategies in Tanzania: With Special Reference to the Dodoma Presbyterian Church Philip Myungchan Ahn 2008 Doctor of Ministry Fuller Theological Seminary The purpose of this study is to analyze effective mission strategies for the growth of the Dodoma Presbyterian Church in Tanzania. The Tanzanian Presbyterian Church was planted by the Korea Church Mission. Though the Presbyterian Church has a long history in the world, its history in Tanzania is very short compared to other denominations, some of which were founded more than a century ago in East Africa. Fortunately, the Scottish Mission at Southland introduced the Presbyterian Church in the interlude from 1916 to 1926 in Tanzania at the Berliner mission field during the German and British colonial spheres. However it was just to preach the gospel as the protestant church and to introduce the Presbyterian Church to the Tanzanian people. This study also analyzes the history of Tanzania and the mission strategies of other denominations. The turmoil in Tanzania’s history has influenced the mission strategies of some denominations, such as the Anglican, Lutheran, and Catholic Church. For instance, their mission strategies were focused on the liberated slaves and some mission stations were founded on the slave market. Specifically, this study will diagnose the advantages and obstacles for mission strategies in Tanzania through culture, religion, and language, for these factors influence the Tanzanian Church. This study also assesses the Korea Church Mission’s initial history and mission strategies, and the process of refining these strategies. This study shows not only the iii mission strategies of the Korea Church Mission, but also how to preach the gospel specifically to the land of Tanzania and how the Dodoma Presbyterian Church grew through effective mission strategies. Theological Mentors: Jung-Woon Suh, S.T.D. Jin-Ki Hwang, Ph.D. Seyoon Kim, Ph.D. iv Dedicated to My wife, Elizabeth, Nanok Ahn Who has been serving His kingdom with me v ACKNOWLEDMENTS I give thanks to God for the mission activities in Tanzania and helping me study at Fuller Theological Seminary during my two years furlough in Pasadena. I express deep gratitude to Dr. Seyoon Kim for giving me profound theological insights. These insights have granted me a deeper understanding of the Bible, and a greater appreciation and practice of the word of God in my life impacting my ministry as a pastor and a missionary. I also thank Dr. Jung-Woon Suh and Jin-Ki Hwang for guiding me in the structure and organization of this Dissertation. I appreciate elder Inbae Rho and his wife, Chunkyung Woo, who are long-term partners in missions. If it was not for their prayer and support, I could not have achieved my mission goal. Their fervent support has been enough to sustain my work on the mission field and my studies at Fuller Seminary. I appreciate Rev. Yoonsung Ji, for sending me as a missionary and the congregational members of Antioch Presbyterian Church for praying and supporting me. I also give thanks to many of the cooperators and pastors in Korea who are continually supporting me now, as well as Rev. Wontaek Hwang and Woonhyung Back who are long-term mission partners. I thank my mother-in-law for her altruistic deeds and for praying for my mission enterprises every day. I thank Priscilla, Timothy, and Grace who have adjusted well in Tanzania as Missionary Kids, and I give thanks to the members of Korea Church Mission who supported my studies at Fuller Theological Seminary in numerous ways. March 2008, Philip Myungchan Ahn vi TALBE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1. Introduction ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 A. Purpose and Motivation --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 B. Method----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 C. Outline of the Study-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Chapter 2. Historical Background of Tanzania -------------------------------------------------- 6 A. Tanganyika as the Old Name of Tanzania------------------------------------------------- 6 1. The Early Period -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 2. The Portuguese Occupation-------------------------------------------------------------- 7 3. Slave Trade--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 4. Maji Maji Resistance Movement-------------------------------------------------------12 B. Zanzibar---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14 1. Historical Background-------------------------------------------------------------------15 2. Kingdom of Sultan -----------------------------------------------------------------------16 C. Tanganyika and Zanzibar united as Tanzania --------------------------------------------17 1. United Nation-----------------------------------------------------------------------------17 2. People, Culture and Religious Heritage -----------------------------------------------19 Chapter 3. Mission Strategies of Tanzanian Churches -----------------------------------------21 A. Early German Colonial Period (1844-1918) ---------------------------------------------21 1. Anglican Church--------------------------------------------------------------------------21 2. Catholic Church --------------------------------------------------------------------------22 3. Lutheran Church--------------------------------------------------------------------------22 B. Middle British Colonial Period (1919-1961) --------------------------------------------25 1. Anglican Church--------------------------------------------------------------------------25 2. Catholic Church --------------------------------------------------------------------------26 3. Lutheran Church--------------------------------------------------------------------------27 C. Later Independent Period (1962-2008) ---------------------------------------------------30 vii 1. Presbyterian Church in Tanzania-------------------------------------------------------30 a. Scotland Church ---------------------------------------------------------------------30 b. Korea Church Mission---------------------------------------------------------------34 Chapter 4. Mission Strategies’ Advantages and Obstacles ------------------------------------37 A. Advantages -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------37 1. Standard Language of Kiswahili ------------------------------------------------------37 2. Racial Harmony --------------------------------------------------------------------------39 3. The Open Muslim Region---------------------------------------------------------------41 B. Obstacles--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------42 1. Traditional Religious Context ----------------------------------------------------------42 2. Cultural Context--------------------------------------------------------------------------44 Chapter 5. Mission Strategies of the Korea Church Mission----------------------------------48 A. Incarnational Mission-----------------------------------------------------------------------48 B. Holistic Mission -----------------------------------------------------------------------------50 C. Contextualization----------------------------------------------------------------------------51 D. Team Mission --------------------------------------------------------------------------------52 1. Principle -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------52 2. Membership-------------------------------------------------------------------------------53 3. Leadership Training----------------------------------------------------------------------54 a. Theological College ------------------------------------------------------------------54 b. Bible School --------------------------------------------------------------------------56 4. Urban Mission ----------------------------------------------------------------------------56 5. Education Mission -----------------------------------------------------------------------58 6. Children’s Ministry ---------------------------------------------------------------------58 7. People With Disabilities Ministry------------------------------------------------------59 8. Poor People Supporting Ministry ------------------------------------------------------60 9. Clinic Ministry ---------------------------------------------------------------------------60 10. Church Planting ------------------------------------------------------------------------61