I come from the southern part of Malawi. Thus, I am an African. I have spent quite a few years living and working in Europe and North America where I have studied, taught, and served in mission. I currently live in Liverpool and I work for Church Mission Society in Oxford where I lead a new initiative in the form of a study centre for global witness and human migration. I also lead a Masters programme in African Christianity.
The corpus of my work revolves around two passions. The first is Christian mission in the West. I believe mission in Europe will need to involve the work of the many Christians who have come from around the world and are currently scattered in numerous European cities. These migrant Christians represent the new reality of non-Western Christians living out their faith in the old Christan heartland of Europe. They also represent foreign mission coming from the rest of the world to Europe — the very continent that sent out missionaries to Africa, Asia and Latin America until a few decades ago. In this discourse, my key conversational partners include Lesslie Newbigin, Partick Keifert, Paul Weston, Alan Roxburgh, Alan Hirsch, Martin Robinson, Andrew Walls, Lamin Sanneh, Jehu Hanciles, and others. Some of their thoughts will be reflected in my writing.
The second is the story of African Christianity, both in the continent of Africa and in the African Diaspora. I am particularly interested in three conversations connected to African Christianity. First, its history. I am fascinated by the works of Tertullian and Augustine just as much as those of Desmond Tutu and John Mbiti. Second, its connection to African culture and philosophy. I have wrestled with questions like, “what does it mean to be an African and a Christian at the same time?” and “what does ubuntu have to say to the Christian gospel in Africa?” for so many years. Third, its missiology. African Christians are beginning to explore missiologies that are shaped by African cultural sensibilities. What will these missiologies look like? What does an ubuntu-shaped missiology look like? In addition, I wonder what is actually happening with African Christianity in the Diaspora and how the African missionary movement will take shape in this century. My key conversational partner in this work is John Mbiti. Of course, there are many others, including students I have taught over the years, but without Prof Mbiti, I would not be doing what I do.
I have published several books including Sent Forth: African Missionary Work in the West (Orbis, 2014), and Multicultural Kingdom: Ethnic Diversity, Mission, and the Church (SCM, 2020) as well as Africa Bears Witness (ATNP/Langham, 2021).
