A key theological emphasis of the church is the priesthood of all believers. This emphasis implies that lay empowerment and lay participation are central to what the church does. Yet, lay participation is a bit of an unfulfilled promise in many cases. This book brings together church leaders, theological educators, as well as practitioners who are actively involved in lay ministry here in Malawi, so that a stronger theology of laity for the Malawian church can emerge.

The second annual conference of the Theological Society of Malawi was held at the historic Ekwendeni Campus of the University of Livingstonia from 14 to 16 September 2021. It took up the urgent theme of the decolonization of the theological curriculum. Though Malawi has been an independent country for 58 years, coloniality still stalks the land. This book calls theologians to take a lead in decolonization, while navigating the educational task in an online age. With more than twenty institutions teaching theology at tertiary level in Malawi, and now united in the Theological Society of Malawi, there is huge potential to learn from each other in developing the theological curriculum in the country. While the primary audience is unashamedly a Malawian one, this book might also prove relevant in other contexts where there is a reckoning with past and present experience of colonialism. The book is a call to action and is published in the hope that it will have lasting impact on the teaching and learning of theology in Malawi and beyond.

The first four essays in Mission in Malawi reassess the meaning, nature and place of mission in a postmodern world. Subsequent essays examine various issues that missionaries and the Church in Malawi have and continue to struggle with. These range from the problem of administering church discipline, the challenge of Bible translation, the question of how to deal with corruption in the corridors of power to the challenges of dealing with initiation rites, HIV/AIDS, patriarchy, gender inequality, the exercise of the Church's prophetic role, lack of contextualized theology, and the difficult task of creating an inclusive church and society. The last three essays are an attempt to describe a contextual theology appropriate for the African church, construct a theology for Malawi and project a future for mission in Malawi in the context of a changing world. These essays offer a rare window into the life and struggles of the Malawian Church even as it faces the postmodern future. The essays are not only informative but also challenging and thought-provoking. Scholars, students and other readers who share an interest in mission and the life of the Church in Malawi will find this collection of essays indispensable in the many years to come.

African Pentecostal Theology: Modality, Disciplinarity, and Decoloniality explores research methodology, theological disciplines, and contextualization as important aspects in the process of studying Pentecostal theology in an African context. Mookgo Solomon Kgatle outlines different data collection and data analysis methods, including the skills of interpreting and presenting research findings in a responsible manner. This book illustrates that Pentecostal theology, given its pneumatological approach, goes beyond conventional theological disciplines in transdisciplinary research. The development of knowledge in African Pentecostal Theology should recognize African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIKS), African oral and traditional cultures, and African indigenous languages to be relevant to Africans. Pentecostal theologians from different theological disciplines in Africa and globally will find this book a worthwhile read.

"I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in issues of church unity, justice, liberation, biblical transformation, dignity, hope, joy, resilience, peace, prayer and reconciliation. The best Malawian scholars have drawn from their academic expertise and personal experience to give the reader a thick picture of the journey of unity among the Synods of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This publication is a must-have for all who have the unity of the CCAP at heart." Prof Isabel Apawo Phiri, Former Deputy General Secretary, World Council of Churches and Vice Chancellor, University of Blantyre Synod

The church in Asia is growing with unprecedented speed, raising new challenges in the realm of effective, contextualized discipleship. Can this growing church nurture biblical training that is relevant to the contexts, communities, and livelihoods of its believers? In this immensely relevant book, the Increase Association shares its practical wisdom on how to utilize Theological Education by Extension as “Tools to Equip and Empower” all believers for kingdom work. TEE in Asia provides a foundational understanding of TEE’s history, theological underpinnings, and methodology, while casting a vision for the expanding role of TEE in the twenty-first century. Filled with testimonies from church communities throughout Asia, this book provides concrete examples of TEE’s effectiveness in a wide variety of contexts and the innovative work of the Increase Association which connects, strengthens, and represents the national TEE movements. It invites the reader to partner with God’s work through prayer and tangible action.

Theological education is at a global crossroads. Although many traditional programmes struggle to maintain student enrolment, today’s environment gives exciting opportunities to serve the global church in ways that are multi-level, accessible, and educationally effective. TEE for the 21st Century utilizes missiological, educational, and sociological perspectives to explore theological education by extension (TEE) as a powerful contemporary tool for equipping the global church for its global mission. Multi-authored by a global team of discipline experts, brought together by the Increase Association, this book speaks to the real-life training needs of today’s church. Addressed to leaders, teachers, and practitioners, it offers a robust framework for critically evaluating the impact of TEE on the formation of whole-life disciples in a wide variety of contexts and locations. With a proven track record across Asia, Latin America, and Africa, TEE has a role to play in the future of the church, empowering every member to fulfil their God-given calling to ministry and mission.