TRANSFROMATIONAL

MISSIONAL LEADERSHIP
GSW SEMESTER ASSIGNMENT

NAME: MINENHLE

SURNAME: KHUMALO

STUDENT NUMBER: U20733497

EMAIL ADDRESS: U20733497@tucks.coza

MODULE CODE: GSW 210

MAY 7, 2021
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Table of Contents
1) INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................................2
2) WHAT IS MISSION?........................................................................................................................2
3) AUTHORITY AND POWER...............................................................................................................2
4) GLOBALISATION.............................................................................................................................4
5) CONGREGATIONAL CONTEXT........................................................................................................5
6) LEADERSHIP...................................................................................................................................5
7) CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................6
BIBLOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................................7
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1) INTRODUCTION
In this assessment I will be explaining the concept mission and describe
transformational missional leadership within the globalisation in Africa. I will be
addressing issues such as power, authority, globalisation, congregational context,
and leadership. I will be using various sources to compile a well-structured
assessment. The content of the assignment will start on the next heading.

2) WHAT IS MISSION?
The first question that one should ask themselves is before explaining the effect the
mission has in transformational missional leadership with the globalisation in Africa
is, what is mission? mission is basically concerned with encouraging the same
witness of the whole church in its task of bringing the whole gospel to the whole
world. It is accepted that the world with all its problems and possibilities must be the
showground for mission. This further shows an impact in countries both developing
and developed countries.

3) AUTHORITY AND POWER

According to Niemandt (2019:54) authority is socially built . When we are received
into the Christian societies, whether by baptism as a baby or by change as adults,
we enter a tradition that claims authority. It is also acknowledging that no group of
people can exist for long without authority operative well in leadership. It clarifies
authority as follows: Authority, as a form of social rehearses, is constructed through
group communication, and serves to guide and protect the societies, promising a
dream of group identity that maintains its energy and significance in its changing
social settings. The church, as societies of witnesses or religious leaders , is formed
in terms of human relations bound together by various constructions of authority

According to Niemandt (2019:55) It introduces his reflection on the Trinitarian nature

of mission in The Open Secret, with converses on authority. He refers to the remark
about Jesus in and the remark that Jesus spoke ‘as one who had authority’. He
argues that Jesus is the supreme authority, and this has a considerable impact on
the understanding of mission, and eventually leadership in mission. Jesus’ authority
is not a derived one – it is the authority of Godself present during human history.
Authority comes from God . The admission that Jesus is Lord implies a claim
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regarding the public life of humankind and the whole created world because the
church is a movement launched into the public life of mankind.

According to Niemandt (2019:54) in the church, authority is understood as a great

building of social reality. And is showed emphasises that God created humankind as
relational beings to function within one or more societies held together by authority.
Humankind has the capacity to relate to each other and to function within
community. Authority is found within this social reality. It is a gift to community in
caring for each other as well as a created reality. Authority relates to the
relationships between humankind as well as how humans relate to creation. It
concludes that authority is a crucial and beneficial ingredient of all human
relationships and life in community. Authority may be regarded as a divinely planned
characteristic of human relationships. It is also part and parcel of the way God
intended to care for creation

Current essays written by Niemandt (2019;63) indicate It must be stated that the
concept of power is ambiguous. Power functions in various ways and can be
understood in positive and negative ways. In the broadest sense, power refers to the
capacity and ability to shape the lives of people and communities’ Christian mission
has always been associated with the promise of the risen Christ that his followers
would receive power when the Holy Spirit came to them, but then clearly a
transformative power ‘that positively shapes the life of people and communities’

Power is a gift to the church, granted by the Holy Spirit who uses frail human efforts
to evoke faith and enable obedience and draw together one missional community
after another. The idea that power resides in God, and not in human leaders,
liberates leaders to proclaim and live out God’s good news. Leadership is not to be
involved in continuous power struggles, but to enjoy God’s liberating power through
the Spirit.

Current essays written by Niemandt (2019:87) indicate that he argued that authority
finds expression in ministry in the church, and in most Christian churches’ ministry is
structured in a formal process. Most of the offices mentioned in the Old Testament
faded away with the dawn of the New Testament period argue that Christ intended
for authority to reside in several persons taking responsibility to continue his ministry.
The New Testament mentions several possible offices, including apostles, prophets,
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overseers or bishops, teachers, elders, deacons, widows, virgins, exhorters, miracle

workers and healers. An overview of church history shows a predisposition for the
threefold pattern of episkopos–presbyteros–diakonos Christian leadership finds
expression and is related to the understanding of these ministries.

According to Niemandt (2019:64) there is something of a paradox in the power

granted to the church. It is a combination of tender compassion and awesome
sovereignty. Power must always be understood in terms of Christ’s example – God’s
power to save is manifested in weakness, vulnerability, and foolishness. The core of
God’s mission is the cross. When mission encounters power, we can only offer
vulnerability. Authority and power imply a structure and management that enable
that authority and power. God’s mission, and thus his dignity in all places, can and
does use the structure of organised, gifted leadership.

4) GLOBALISATION
According to Myers (2017:8) this perceptive analysis by a veteran leader in global
development work orients readers to the history of globalization and to a Christian
theological perspective on it, explores concrete realities by focusing on global
poverty, and helps readers reimagine Christian mission in ways that announce the
truly good news of Christ and God's kingdom. Diagrams and sidebars that
incorporate the voices of global partners are included. There is a sense that we are
letting globalization and its processes flow over us, unaware that we are being pulled
into a new world. It is concerned that we as Christians are not asking the question
“Are we and is the world becoming what God intends?” When we see the growth in
global compassion, the answer is “maybe.” When we see the materialism, the
patterns of consumption, and the increase in the abuse of the weak and the
environment, the answer is far less clear. These are theological questions for God’s
people. This leads me to my main point.

According to Myers (2017:4) the larger Christian community seems to be ignoring

globalization or fearing it. When was the last time you heard a sermon series, a Bible
or book study, or a retreat topic focused on a Christian understanding and response
to globalization? How many churches or denominations have globalization as a
focus of their discipleship and mission strategy? they have been teaching a course
on this topic at Fuller Theological Seminary for almost ten years, and every year they
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experience the surprise of students when they begin to engage—“We’ve had our
heads down; there is so much about this we did not know. This has not been on our
radar.” While Christians seem to be willing to use the technological tools of
globalization for church and mission, there is little evidence that Christians and their
churches are devoting much energy to understanding globalization, biblically
assessing its values and promises to us, and preparing our people to respond.

5) CONGREGATIONAL CONTEXT
According to Hendricks(2004:6) The primary purpose of the congregational context
is to define the methodology for doing theology in an African context. The approach
is that the church plays a major role in addressing the numerous problems
confronting Africa, but problems arise when its theological methodology still adheres
to the old missionary or clerical paradigm of reasoning from a systematic truth or
rule. Thus, it is believing there is need in Africa to examine how theology is done and
determine that it is contextual and addressing societal problems holistically.

According to Hendrick (2004:6) contextual analysis: The ecology of the

congregation. The chapter starts with some speculative consideration of the
relationship between a congregation and its context with its global and local
influences. The contextual analysis starts by examining the environment. Then it
views the demography of its society and cultural world represented in it. It
summarizes the chapter by illustrating the characteristics of the contextual analysis
in the book of Nehemiah.

6) LEADERSHIP
According to Niemandt (2019:73) life requires change and equilibrium is death.
Leaders must lead in change or transformation and provide space for the exploration
of new possibilities. Mission is also transformative in its nature and intention.
Mission, in this context, leads to the transformation of individuals, congregations, the
church, society at large and even all of God’s creation to flourish and experience life
in fullness. Mission is to be faithfully present in all the communities and places where
the Spirit sent God’s people, and it is to teach the world a new way to be human.
This definition recognises the important role of leaders to, first, participate in God’s
mission. Leadership is determined by God’s mission, and the authority and power
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originate in the calling and equipping of and by the Holy Spirit. Leadership is all
about participation.

According to Niemandt (2019:72) This underscores the idea that leadership is never
in isolation or an individualistic endeavour , or a kind of superhero saving the world. It
is always in relation – with the Triune God and the community of disciples. The focus
is on the community but recognises individual gifts and respects the unique story of
each member within the larger shared story of the congregation, church, and all of
God’s people. The focus of leaders is to facilitate transformation, to participate in the
life-giving change brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, in
communities and in all of creation. The transformational goal is the flourishing of
people and institutions.

7) CONCLUSION
Globalisations is becoming bigger and bigger in this world, the only thing that
missional leadership can do is to familiarise themselves with the new change .
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BIBLOGRAPHY
Hendriks H.J., 2004, Studying congregations in Africa, Lux Verbi.BM: Wellington,
South Africa.
Myers, B.L, 2017, Engaging Globalization Baker Academic, a division of Baker
Publishing Group, United States of America.
Niemandt, N., 2019, Missional Leadership, AOSIS Publishers, South Africa.