Samungole, Collins  <br/><br/>
Towards a Theologically-Informed Strategic Plan to Enhance Discipleship Among the Christian Brethren in Rural Northern Zambia 

 - Johannesburg, South Africa  South African Theological Seminary  2019 
 - 134 pages  PDF  A4  Abstract, TOC 
<br/><br/> Most Christian Brethren assemblies (preferred to the term churches)in rural northern Zambia are growing in numbers through church planting. This seems to be impaired by academically disadvantaged and  marginalised believers spearheading  such service in this region. The result has been churches of low levels of spiritual maturity. This situation has been further weakened by inadequate or no discipleship available for  both  disciple  makers  and  their  disciples. To  address  this critical  problem I therefore embarked  on a research project  of  formulating an  effective  discipleship strategy to  meet  the perceived discipleship  needs of  the  local Christian  Brethren assemblies(or  the  Christian  Brethren  which  is  more  commonly  used)in rural northern Zambia. The study begins by reporting on a field research project conducted in rural northern Zambia, predominantly among the Christian Brethren’s academically disadvantaged and marginalised believers indifferent locations of this region. This  was in order to initially ascertain the Christian Brethren’s understanding and practice of discipleship. The   next   stage   in the   study   is   a   presentation   of   different   perspectives on discipleship: biblical,  systematic,  historical, scientific, contextual and  practical. After this,  the  study  integrates  the  results  of  these  two  parts to  develop  an  operative theology with respect to discipleship, especially among the marginalised believers of the   Christian   Brethren   of rural   northern   Zambia. This developed   normative discipleship  praxis  is then defended  on  the  basis of  the  inspired  Scriptures,  the different  perspectives  drawn  on,  the importance of  raising  the  marginalised  to spiritual maturity, and the eternal reward associated with such discipleship. Finally, this study formulates strategic plan to assist Christian Brethren assemblies in rural northern Zambia to practically achieve the proposed operative theology with respect  to effective discipleship  especially  among  the  academically  disadvantaged and marginalised believers. 
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<br/><br/> Most Christian Brethren assemblies (preferred to the term churches)in rural northern Zambia are growing in numbers through church planting. This seems to be impaired by academically disadvantaged and  marginalised believers spearheading  such service in this region. The result has been churches of low levels of spiritual maturity. This situation has been further weakened by inadequate or no discipleship available for  both  disciple  makers  and  their  disciples. To  address  this critical  problem I therefore embarked  on a research project  of  formulating an  effective  discipleship strategy to  meet  the perceived discipleship  needs of  the  local Christian  Brethren assemblies(or  the  Christian  Brethren  which  is  more  commonly  used)in rural northern Zambia. The study begins by reporting on a field research project conducted in rural northern Zambia, predominantly among the Christian Brethren’s academically disadvantaged and marginalised believers indifferent locations of this region. This  was in order to initially ascertain the Christian Brethren’s understanding and practice of discipleship. The   next   stage   in the   study   is   a   presentation   of   different   perspectives on discipleship: biblical,  systematic,  historical, scientific, contextual and  practical. After this,  the  study  integrates  the  results  of  these  two  parts to  develop  an  operative theology with respect to discipleship, especially among the marginalised believers of the   Christian   Brethren   of rural   northern   Zambia. This developed   normative discipleship  praxis  is then defended  on  the  basis of  the  inspired  Scriptures,  the different  perspectives  drawn  on,  the importance of  raising  the  marginalised  to spiritual maturity, and the eternal reward associated with such discipleship. Finally, this study formulates strategic plan to assist Christian Brethren assemblies in rural northern Zambia to practically achieve the proposed operative theology with respect  to effective discipleship  especially  among  the  academically  disadvantaged and marginalised believers.