Browsing by Author "Gumbala, Joe Elliott Noah"

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    A Missiological Strategy to Address Witchcraft Allegations at Matingo Seventh-day Adventist Church in Central Malawi Conference
    (Adventist University of Africa, 2017-02) Gumbala, Joe Elliott Noah
    This dissertation was an attempt to develop a missiological strategy as a response to the adverse impact of witchcraft allegations found among the members of the Matingo Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in Central Malawi Conference. Since many members of this church were alleged to practice witchcraft, the doctrines of the church were no longer valued, church attendance had greatly dropped, and the mission of the church had been seriously obstructed. Furthermore, these witchcraft allegations had brought reproach upon the church. The purpose of this dissertation was to develop, implement, and evaluate a strategy to respond to the underlying reasons, reduce witchcraft allegations, and enhance member's church attendance. Towards this endeavor, the study tried to explore what precipitated these allegations. It deduced that witchcraft practices were almost a daily occurrence among the dwellers of Chimowa Village. The majority of members of the Matingo SDA Church hailed from this village. Witchcraft practices, including sorcery, magic, divinations, and ancestral worship were accepted as part and parcel of their culture. The villagers considered that witchcraft and ancestors were the main causes of diseases and unexplainable misfortunes. Although they accepted that nature, ecological factors, and environmental dangers could bring about calamities, the people still believed that someone was responsible for these. Witch-hunts and allegations then followed the day-to-day life of the villagers. Thus, the people lived in fear. They did not trust each other, even those who lived in the same household. This was the worldview of Chimowa villagers. Consequently, the people who joined the Matingo SDA Church, which is within their reach, continued to harness this mindset. So, whatever took place in the village spilled over into the church. This was understandable because some of the church members were heads of their clans. As such, they were traditional protectors of their clans. This was the hypothesis behind witchcraft allegations in the church. The qualitative approach which was used in this research revealed this hypothesis to be apparent. This research method used personal interviews and focus groups to collect data. Since witchcraft is a mystic phenomenon, a twenty-one evangelistic campaign was held in Chimowa Village to help both the villagers and the church members to banish away the fear of witchcraft practices and avail themselves of the power of the gospel as found in the Bible. Sermons on power encounters, Bible studies on God’s admonitions on witchcraft practices, a one-week seminar on the great controversy theme, and follow-up visits to the entire village augmented the evangelistic campaign. Through this intervention, it was hoped that witchcraft practices would be reduced in the church. Members would trust each other and experience the power of God which saves to the uttermost. The fear of evil spirits which hovered over the people as a thick cloud would vanish away. This would enhance church attendance which had dwindled downwards. Recommendations were suggested to the conference, and a working manual would be developed.
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    A Biblical response to marital inequality in Central Malawi Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church
    (Adventist University of Africa, Theological Seminary, 2009-07) Gumbala, Joe Elliott Noah
    Malawians have misunderstood the ‘complementary marital equality’ of husband and wife. Concepts and insights in this crucial ingredient of a fulfilling matrimony have been distorted and misapplied, leading to distrust, spouse and child abuse, household violence, and untold misery in the family relationship. The researcher was convinced that a conscious study of the essence of matrimony was required if the marital inequality was to be cleared. This is a theological issue. Since the whole Christendom accepts that the Bible is God’s inspired Word, the research called for the examining of most of the texts that relate to the marital relationship. This was tied together with insights from the writings of Ellen G. White and the views contributed by both Seventh-day Adventist authors and non-Seventh-day authors. The writer further held family ministries seminars both in rural and urban settings as a tool to glean from a wide spectrum the standpoint documented in this manuscript.The Bible declares that marriage was instituted by God for the good of humankind. The relationship of our progenitors, the couple of the first marriage, was one of mutual and relational equality, structured in the similitude of the Godhead. Ellen G. White, Seventh-day and some non-Seventh-day Adventist authors all share the same view. To equate ‘gender equality’ with the ‘relational equality in the marital relationship is a gross misrepresentation. The essence of marriage is embedded in the relational equality. This enables the spouses to complement and complete each other. They are mutually equal. Both have implanted in them the image and likeness of God. They have differentiated roles and responsibilities, but there is neither superiority nor inferiority between them. Marriage is a co-partnership of equality in difference.