Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Project Documents Graduate Research 2014 A Strategy to Present the Concept of Headship: Healing Families in the North Burundi Mission Joseph Ndikubwayo Andrews University This research is a product of the graduate program in Doctor of Ministry DMin at Andrews University. Find out more about the program. Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Missions and World Christianity Commons, and the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Ndikubwayo, Joseph, "A Strategy to Present the Concept of Headship: Healing Families in the North Burundi Mission" (2014). Project Documents. 252. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/252 This Project Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Project Documents by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. ABSTRACT A STRATEGY TO PRESENT THE CONCEPT OF HEADSHIP: HEALING FAMILIES IN THE NORTH BURUNDI MISSION by Ndikubwayo Joseph Adviser: Bruce L. Bauer ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: A STRATEGY TO PRESENT THE CONCEPT OF HEADSHIP: HEALING FAMILIES IN THE NORTH BURUNDI MISSION Name of researcher: Ndikubwayo Joseph Name and degree of faculty advisers: Bruce L. Bauer, DMiss Date completed: October 2014 Problem The headship of a husband over a wife is one of the concepts that creates a lot of misunderstanding in some Seventh-day Adventist homes in the North Burundi Mission. This situation has impacted both families and the church. On one hand, a husband believes he is to be strong, that he is the only one who can think logically, and that he should make all the decisions for the household. On other hand, a woman is considered to be weak, and therefore must respect her husband, have babies, and keep quiet. Unfortunately many women show respect out of fear rather than from love. In spite of the recent changes in male/female roles in society, most women still do not talk at home or at church. Because of this misunderstanding of roles in society, many males continue to feel superior to females and females feel oppressed by males. This creates frustration, tension, and even violence in society. Method A theology of headship in marriage was established from the Bible and the writings of Ellen White and focused on how the word is used in the OT and NT. Literature was reviewed including books, articles, and Andrews University dissertations focus on the topic. An initial survey was taken to know how church members understand and apply the concept. Material was developed on the subject for a training series in two districts, one in an urban area and the other in a rural area. The training session included Family Life Directors, two district pastors, and the elders from the selected churches. The training was held in two sessions over a period of two years. The people trained were encouraged to train and teach other members. An assessment was conducted to ascertain what changes have occurred in attitudes among husbands and wives. A final report on the project was written up that analyzed, discussed, and reviewed the outcomes of the project. Results The project reduced tension, frustration, and violence in church families. Confidence, trust, and love in the relationships between males and females were strengthened and 40 couples went to the local registry to regularize their marital situation. Both husband and wives had a better understanding of the recent changes in male/female roles in society. Conclusion This project showed that education of husbands and wives can change cultural attitudes and customs, and can help families better model the biblical concept of headship. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary A STRATEGY TO PRESENT THE CONCEPT OF HEADSHIP: HEALING FAMILIES IN THE NORTH BURUNDI MISSION A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Ndikubwayo Joseph October 2014 © Copyright by Ndikubwayo Joseph 2014 All Rights Reserved A STATEGY TO PRESENT THE CONCEPT OF HEADSHIP: HEALING FAMILIES IN THE NORTH BURUNDI MISSION A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Ministry by Ndikubwayo Joseph APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: ________________________________ _________________________________ Adviser, Director, DMin Program Bruce L. Bauer Skip Bell ________________________________ _________________________________ Wagner Kuhn Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Jir ̂́i Moskala ________________________________ _________________________________ Boubakar Sanou Date approved I dedicate this dissertation to all families who will be used by the Holy Spirit to understand and implement the concept of headship in their homes and to improve their spousal relationships and to my elder brother, Ntihinyuka Ben-Oni, for loaning me the computer I used during this journey of my studies. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ...................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................... ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................ x Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 Background ........................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ...................................................................... 2 Purpose of the Project ............................................................................ 2 Limitations of the Study ........................................................................ 2 Personal Basis for Ministry ................................................................... 2 Life Journey and General Background ............................................ 4 Six Subplots ..................................................................................... 6 Culture........................................................................................ 6 Call ............................................................................................. 7 Communion................................................................................ 8 Conflict ...................................................................................... 8 Commonplace ............................................................................ 9 Community ................................................................................ 9 Specific Personal Assessments ........................................................ 10 Conversion and Assurance of Salvation .................................... 10 Time and Resources ................................................................... 10 Spiritual/Devotional Life ........................................................... 11 Worldview.................................................................................. 12 Temperament (MBTI) ................................................................ 13 Damage Factor ........................................................................... 14 Assessments in Relations to Others ................................................. 16 Spiritual Gifts ............................................................................. 16 Leadership/Interaction Styles..................................................... 18 Task Type Preference ................................................................ 19 Overview of the Paper ........................................................................... 19 iv 2. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL BASIS FOR THE CONCEPT OF HEADSHIP .................................................................................................. 20 Introduction ........................................................................................... 20 Word Study of Head/Headship (kephalē) ............................................. 20 Word Study of Subject/Submission (hupotassō) .................................. 23 Headship/Submission in the Old Testament ......................................... 24 Headship/Submission in the New Testament ........................................ 28 Spousal Relationship Related to Ephesians 5:21-33 ...................... 29 Marriage. .................................................................................. 30 Differences Between Males and Females ................................ 31 Feminist Movement ................................................................. 33 Hierarchical Concepts of Equality Within the Context of Ephesians 5:21-33 .......................................................................... 36 Male Headship to Christ................................................................. 36 Female Submission to the Church ................................................