The Contextualisation of Mission in the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe

THE BINGA OUTREACH: THE CONTEXTUALISATION OF MISSION IN THE REFORMED CHURCH IN ZIMBABWE by CHRISTOPHER MUNIKWA DISSERTATION PRESENTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY IN THE FACULTY OF THEOLOGY at STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY PROMOTER: Professor HJ Hendriks CO-PROMOTER: Dr DX Simon March 2011 DECLARATION By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. Date: 16 February 2011 Copyright © 2011 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved i ABSTRACT The research starts with a descriptive study of the traditional missionary model used by the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa in planting what is now known as the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ). The purpose of this descriptive part is to understand why certain mistakes are constantly repeated in cross-cultural outreach work and to prevent it from happening again. The RCZ is challenged to develop intercultural missionary theory and practice. The outreach towards the Tonga communities living in the Binga district in Zimbabwe‟s North-Western province is used as an extended case study in developing a new missional framework for the RCZ. The research question is thus: How is the RCZ appropriately, meaningfully and relevantly to express the missional praxis of God within the context of the Tonga people? The research argues that meaningful missional reflection has to start with knowing and understanding the Tonga people. The RCZ would then not fall in the same trap of the European missionaries who had an ethnocentric superiority attitude. This calls for a paradigm shift in the RCZ‟s thinking and doing mission. The RCZ needs to participate in the Mission of God with love and humility. The research argues that there is a need for the RCZ to revisit and carry out a critical analysis concerning her thinking and strategies of mission today. The RCZ is to develop a relevant framework that will allow the Tonga people to be conscious instruments of their own transformation in their own socio-cultural context. The goal of the study is to have a shift in the RCZ towards a missiological approach that is appropriate, meaningful and relevant in order to facilitate the transformation of the community she serves and ministers to. This framework for doing Christian mission should be Biblical, communal and contextual in the RCZ and at the same time encourage reflective involvement of the faith community in the missio Dei. The research proposes an intercultural mission as appropriate in our context, not a cross- cultural one. The research concludes that the DRC‟s traditional mission model profoundly influenced the identity and present mission practice of the RCZ. A better understanding of the identity of both the DRC and the RCZ will enlighten the members of the RCZ to accept the missio Dei as their vocation and challenge. Now and in future, it will help the RCZ members who are participating in intercultural mission to make more informed plans and decisions. ii OPSOMMING Die navorsing begin met ŉ beskrywende studie van die tradisionele sendingmodel wat deur die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) gebruik is in die totstandkoming van wat nou bekend is as die Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ). Die doel van die beskrywende deel is om te verstaan hoekom bepaalde foute gemaak is in die kruis- kulturele uitreike van die verlede en om nie daardie foute te bly herhaal nie. Die RCZ moet ŉ interkulturele missionale teorie en praktyk leer ontwikkel. Die uitreik na die Tonga gemeenskap in die Binga distrik in Zimbabwe se Noord- Westelike provinsie word gebruik as ŉ uitgebreide gevallestudie in die ontwikkeling van ŉ nuwe missionale benadering vir die RCZ. Die navorsingsvraag is: Hoe moet die RCZ, binne die konteks van die Tonga volk, die missio Dei toepaslik, betekenisvol en relevant uitdruk? Die navorsing aanvaar dat as die RCZ ŉ gepaste en betekenisvolle sending- benadering wil ontwikkel, hulle die Tonga volk moet ken en verstaan. Die RCZ moet nie die foute van die Europese sendelinge met hul etnosentriese meerderwaardige houding herhaal nie. Dít benodig ŉ paradigmaskuif in die RCZ se denke en sendingwerk want hulle was op pad om dieselfde foute te maak. Die RCZ moet met liefde en nederigheid deelneem aan die missio Dei. Haar optrede moet nie meerderwaardigheid teenoor die Tonga mense weerspieël nie. Dié navorsing stel dus voor dat die RCZ se herbesin en ŉ kritiese analise doen van haar huidige denke en strategieë. Die RCZ moet ŉ relevante raamwerk ontwikkel wat die Tonga volk sal toelaat om bewustelike instrumente van hul eie transformasie in hul eie sosio-kulturele konteks te wees. Die doel van hierdie studie is ŉ skuif in die RCZ na ŉ missionale benadering wat gepas, betekenisvol en relevant is ten einde die transformasie van die gemeenskap wat gedien en bedien word, te vergemaklik. Hierdie studie is ŉ poging om ŉ raamwerk te ontwikkel vir die doen van sendingwerk wat Bybels, gemeenskaplik en kontekstueel binne die RCZ is en wat denkende betrokkenheid van die geloofsgemeenskap in die missio Dei sal aanmoedig. ŉ Interkulturele benadering tot sending is in die konteks gepas, en nie ŉ kruis-kulturele sending benadering soos voorheen deur die NGK gevolg nie. Dié navorsing konkludeer dat die NGK se tradisionele sendingmodel die RCZ se identiteit en benadering tot sendingwerk integraal beïnvloed het. Daarom is die geskiedenis van die RCZ en die werk en invloed van die NGK op die RCZ eers ontleed. Die navorser wil die RCZ oortuig om haar eie identiteit missionaal te herontdek om sodoende in haar uitreik na ander kulture interkultureel te kan werk. In die proses wil die RCZ nie proseliete van die Tonga mense maak nie maar hulle bemagtig om self in die lig van die evangelie hulle kultuur te transformeer. iii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the loving memory of my mother who passed on to glory, the late Mrs V Munikwa Mudemba, and my father Mr P Munikwa Mudemba, who nurtured our family in a Christian extended family. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The results of this research are presented with much gratitude and praise to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I acknowledge that it would be difficult to mention every person who at one stage or the other gave me support. Still, a few instances are to be singled out. The Shona people say, Rume rimwe harikombi churu, meaning that one man, no matter how huge he might be cannot surround an anthill alone. The Tonga people say, Simwenda alike kakamulya kalonga, meaning, the one who walks alone by the river gets eaten. It is a communal saying reflecting that a person needs others to fulfil a task. The Bible says, “Two are better than one, because they make a good return of their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up” [Ecclesiastes 4:9-10]. I believe that this academic journey would not have been possible without others. I extend my appreciation to all who accompanied me one way or the other on this difficult journey. I am sincerely grateful to my study leader, Professor HJ Hendriks for the academic help, wisdom and guidance rendered with much sacrifice on this journey. He was mentoring me all the way. The space will not permit to fully express how he walked with me. The support of his wife Helen brought warmth in this journey. She is my mother in South Africa. They both invited me and all the black students from other African countries who were staying in the NetACT house in their home. When I broke my ankle on 18 April 2009 they were both personally there for me. God used them to encourage me. Thank you also to co- study leader Dr DX Simon for his valuable guidance. iv Acknowledgement is due to my church the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe for the permission I received to commence this study. The church leadership supported and gave me study leave. Appreciation is also due to the Dutch Reformed family churches in South Africa. Through the Commission for Witness they provided valuable financial support for the study to be successful. My church and the Commission for Witness paid the balance on my medical bills which the Medical Aid could not fully cover when I broke my ankle. The Commission for Witness provided my initial scholarship. I thank NetACT for sourcing a scholarship from the Mustard Seed Foundation in the United States of America. I am thankful for the support and scholarship I received from the University of Stellenbosch through the Faculty of Theology. It would be improper if I fail to thank two congregations of the Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa that is Kraaifontein and Piketberg. I do appreciate my brothers in Christ Rev Andrew Esterhuizen, Rev Walter Philander and Rev Arion Naidoo for contributing to making my stay in the Western Cape wonderful. I recognise the role played by my fellow students living at the NetACT house. We became a family coming from different African countries. My horizon grew because of the experience of sharing the rich, diverse composition of this family. The members I encountered originated from all over Africa with diverse cultures. The daily evening devotions were used by God to motivate and encouraged me on this long academic journey. My colleagues in the RCZ, Rev Dr Rangarirai Rutoro, Rev Dr Enos Chomutiri, Rev Wilbert Runyowa, Rev Chimbiso Mufumhi, Rev Isaac Pandasvika and Rev Manners Musendekwa were true friends.

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