Towards a Ministry Strategy for the Copperbelt District Pentecostal Assemblies of God, Zambia for Urban Church Mobilization for Raising Rural Missional Churches

Abstract

The passion to embark on this research was birthed from the realization that the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, Zambia, Copperbelt District (PAOG-Z, CD) appears to have a deficient operative theology regarding missions’ mobilization for founding and establishing rural missional churches. The primary objective of this study is, therefore, to formulate a theologically informed strategic plan to ensure that the praxis of the PAOG-Z, CD with respect to missions’ mobilization and mission are faithful to God and optimally relevant to its ministry context. This primary objective is achieved by dividing it into three secondary objectives, which are (1) to interpret the operative theology of the PAOG-Z, CD with respect to urban church resources mobilization for effectively raising rural missional churches; (2) to determine what a faithful praxis ought to look like for the PAOG-Z, CD in its context with respect to urban church resources mobilization for actually producing rural missional churches; and (3) to develop a communicative and strategic plan to strengthen the praxis of the PAOG-Z, CD in relation to urban church resources mobilization for effective raising of rural missional churches. The study commences with an analysis of the PAOG-Z constitution and other literary sources, followed by a small-scale empirical research project to determine whether the current operative theology of the PAOG-Z, CD with regard to rural missions and mission’s mobilization is faithful according to PAOG-Z’s position on missions and whether the praxis is successful (chapter 2). The study proceeds to chapter 3 where various theological perspectives on missions’ mobilization are established to formulate through integrative theology a normative theology of resources mobilization for rural missions contextualized for PAOG-Z, CD. The norms of the operative theology are then defended. This is followed by formulating a communicative and strategic plan for acceptance and implementation of the operative theology (chapter 4).

The passion to embark on this research was birthed from the realization that the Pentecostal Assemblies of God, Zambia, Copperbelt District (PAOG-Z, CD) appears to have a deficient operative theology regarding missions’ mobilization for founding and establishing rural missional churches. The primary objective of this study is, therefore, to formulate a theologically informed strategic plan to ensure that the praxis of the PAOG-Z, CD with respect to missions’ mobilization and mission are faithful to God and optimally relevant to its ministry context. This primary objective is achieved by dividing it into three secondary objectives, which are (1) to interpret the operative theology of the PAOG-Z, CD with respect to urban church resources mobilization for effectively raising rural missional churches; (2) to determine what a faithful praxis ought to look like for the PAOG-Z, CD in its context with respect to urban church resources mobilization for actually producing rural missional churches; and (3) to develop a communicative and strategic plan to strengthen the praxis of the PAOG-Z, CD in relation to urban church resources mobilization for effective raising of rural missional churches. The study commences with an analysis of the PAOG-Z constitution and other literary sources, followed by a small-scale empirical research project to determine whether the current operative theology of the PAOG-Z, CD with regard to rural missions and mission’s mobilization is faithful according to PAOG-Z’s position on missions and whether the praxis is successful (chapter 2). The study proceeds to chapter 3 where various theological perspectives on missions’ mobilization are established to formulate through integrative theology a normative theology of resources mobilization for rural missions contextualized for PAOG-Z, CD. The norms of the operative theology are then defended. This is followed by formulating a communicative and strategic plan for acceptance and implementation of the operative theology (chapter 4).