After Dr Arthur Miskin, one of Mukhanyo’s senior lecturers, opened the proceedings by emphasising that people perish if there is no prophetic vision, Dr Brian De Vries, principal, presented his progress report.
Mukhanyo’s mission remains to give glory to God by equipping pastors, Church leaders, teachers and other Christians in Africa with quality and practical Bible training. For that reason, Mukhanyo is a decentralised training network entity, an academic institution with a missional heart, with 47 distance sites, unashamedly teaching the Bible as God’s word, and being non-denominational and evangelical.
Throughout the day, department heads gave their views of what had to be done for and in 2017.
A large number of ideas, proposals and also critical views were expressed and brain-stormed.
The challenges in 2017 include to further upgrade the academic quality, making available bursaries for students, further development of study material, giving more attention to learning and student centres through improved communication, also with alumni. Plans are afoot to attend to the recruitment of students from local churches.
In addition, attention must be given to compliance issues. The new facilities need finishing touches and some furnishing, while the old buildings require renovation and maintenance. The library with its more than 6 500 titles have to be made more accessible.
Attention also has to be given to refining the lecturing and mentoring schedule. Plans are also being put in place to make available the BTh programme through distance mode in the future.
In 2017 Mukhanyo will offer a large number of theological and educational programmes as well as a number of short courses.
