Papers by Malesela Masenya

SAGE Open, 2021
The debate on the de-colonization of universities in South African gained momentum after protests... more The debate on the de-colonization of universities in South African gained momentum after protests by students through the #FeesMustFall (FMF) and #RhodesMustFall (RMF) movements. At the center of these protests were issues like free access to education, accommodation, removal of apartheid and colonial statues, and the Africanization of the curriculum. Thus, revisiting and reimagining curricula offerings is an important aspect of the current debate on the de-colonization of education at South Africa’s educational sites. To add to the de-colonization debate, this article discusses the concept of relevance in (re)curriculation. The article will discuss the concepts of de-colonization and relevance, readiness in the implementation of new curricula offerings, challenges, and hurdles in curriculum change and important points of reference in achieving a de-colonized curriculum. Literature review and document analysis will be used to shed more light on this topic.

Missionalia, 2021
The exponential growth of Pentecostalism globally suggests a strong social and economic impact wh... more The exponential growth of Pentecostalism globally suggests a strong social and economic impact which member churches of this tradition are expected to have on the communities they serve. Pentecostal pastors are expected to be mindful of this perceived impact the church should have on communities and to contribute to the general development of the communities in which they operate. In this regard, two challenges immediately confront pastors-the changed and changing composition of the church membership and of the global community which is in constant flux. As an example, one of the dilemmas that pastors face in their daily functions is the question of whether they should premise their decisions on the fiscal oversight and justice-related responsibilities of faith or on the internal control systems of the organisation. This article investigates the duties and decision-making functions of Pentecostal pastors in changed and changing communities, probing the difficulties they encounter in their daily operations in the context of being missional pastors. The article will also discuss pointers to obviate hurdles in the way of Pentecostal pastors in their quest to contribute to communities in a holistic way.

This study sought to investigate and redefine the initial training of pastors, including the mana... more This study sought to investigate and redefine the initial training of pastors, including the management training of student pastors at the colleges of the International Assemblies of God Church (IAG) of South Africa. Unlike in the past when pastors could lead churches without proper formal training based on their spirituality as viewed by the IAG and them professing to be called as ministers, today in this church tradition the need for the formal educational formation of pastors is taken for granted. This stance raises questions about the quality of graduates as well as matters of curriculum development, as the world is continually in a state of flux with farreaching consequences for training institutions. It is generally accepted that churches play an important role in the lives of citizens in a predominantly Christian country like South Africa. On the other hand there is a continuing contestation and debate regarding the role pastors play in their churches in management and administrative issues. This also relates to the preparedness or unpreparedness of graduate pastors for their job. The day to day performance of duties by serving pastors in their organisations is generally viewed as below expectation compared to their counterparts in other occupations. A qualitative research approach was followed to elicit the necessary information to answer the research questions. Participants who were regarded as information rich cases on the training of pastors of the IAG were selected to shed more light on this particular aspect. Two focus group interviews and seven individual interviews were conducted. The interviews included members of the national and provincial executive committees, serving pastors, directors of the training colleges, pastor trainees in their final year of study and a newly graduated student. The current curriculum of initial training programmes was reviewed. Within a transformational management framework and utilising a purposeful intervention strategy, the study posits the Community Needs Responsive Management Training Model (CNRMTM) to enhance the initial training programmes of pastors and to use aspects of this model in the development and presentation of lifelong learning programmes arranged for serving pastors. Recommendations and suggestions for future research were made.

Verbum et Ecclesia, 2016
Non-profit organisations (NGO�s) play an important role in helping satisfy society�s many needs. ... more Non-profit organisations (NGO�s) play an important role in helping satisfy society�s many needs. Churches, for example, are called upon to address critical challenges facing the South African society such as discrepancies in life chances, unemployment and corruption. It largely depends on the management skills of leaders of such organisations to succeed in their endeavour to meet community needs. In order to improve these skills, this study sought to redefine the initial training of student pastors, including their management training, at the colleges of the International Assemblies of God Church (IAG). A qualitative research approach was followed. Two focus group interviews and seven individual interviews were conducted. Interviews included members of the national and provincial executive committees of the IAG, serving pastors, directors of training colleges, pastor trainees in their final year of study, and a newly graduated student. The findings of the study support the importanc...
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Papers by Malesela Masenya