Currently, I am enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry degree at the University of Dubuque. This is a professional degree mostly for Pastors who are serving churches or any church-related institution. The purpose of this degree is to equip the candidate for effectiveness and fruitfulness in their vocation as Pastors.

This has been a journey, which started in the summer of 2012. We had to read over 4,000 pages prior to spending two weeks of intensive study on campus every summer and for 3 years.

During the 2 weeks of our residency, we discuss, we would review our readings and study from 8AM to 5PM. That is about 80 to 90 hours of doing all that. As of reading we pretty much cover over 12,000 pages as required readings prior to spending 2 weeks on campus. And I did all that for 3 years!

In 2015, which was our last residency, we were to share and discuss our thesis, during the second week. My original one was different from what I am working on now.

Here it is: “The Ministry of United Methodist Pastors from the Democratic Republic of Congo Serving American United Methodist Churches: A Vision for Renewing United Methodist Ministry drawn on Wesleyan and Congolese Experience.”

The paper has four primary chapters in addition to the introduction and conclusion:

• Introduction
• Chapter One: Preaching Grace
• Chapter Two: Living in Holiness
• Chapter Three: Organization for Thriving Community
• Chapter Four: A Vision for renewal in United Methodist church Pastoral ministry
• Conclusion

Out my personal reading on John Wesley, I have come to discover that there are 3 primary themes that are very descriptive of Wesley’s ministry. These also explain the rapid growth of the Methodist movement in England during Wesley’s days, which also brought about a revival that no humans have ever known in the history of the Christian church in England.

The Methodist revival first happened first in England under Wesley (as stated above), and would be brought to the American colonies in the 18th century. About a hundred years later, American Methodist missionaries would take Methodism to the Congo. Today, Methodism, brought to the Congo through American missionary work, is now back to the United States.

What Pastors, originally from the Congo, bring to the U.S. is the third level of inheritance of Wesley’s Methodism: Wesley to America, America to the Congo, and now Congo to America.

So, the major part of the research was to be in conversations with these clergy, from the Congo, who are now serving American United Methodist local churches. Conversations were carried out based on the 3 key priorities in Wesley’s ministry (listed above) and how they play out in these Pastors’ context of ministry.

That is all about my final paper for the Doctor of Ministry degree!

Thank you very much for taking time to read this post and more importantly supporting me through prayer!