At the beginning of 2012, Pastor Thesfaye Edema enrolled as a PhD student in the Faculty of Theology, with Dr Botha as his supervisor. Right from the start, Pastor Edema expressed the need for Theological training, not only at his church, but also in his home country Ethiopia. In March 2014, Dr Botha and the Dean of the Faculty of Theology,  Prof Fanie Snyman, visited the Seminary of the Full Gospel Church in Ethiopia and signed an agreement of mutual collaboration. They also visited the Shiloh Bible School in Hawassa. A meeting led to the start of Shepherd’s short learning programmes being presented in Addis Ababa in the near future. The classes will be conducted in collaboration with the Department of Practical Theology and will entail four week-long contact sessions per year over a period of two years. 

Shepherd's aim is to provide postgraduate programmes on master's and PhD level to these students, mostly in Practical Theology, as well as other fields of Theology. This arrangement will also benefit the university, because the research fields within Ethiopia will most definitely help universities in Africa in terms of the future development of theological training.

This programme will also benefit the students, because a better understanding of the self always leads to the growth of communities. The churches in Ethiopia play a huge role in human cohesion and speak to a variety of social challenges. The better equipped the church and the church leaders – the better their contribution within the communities. 

The Shepherd Centre wants to be a one-stop support and training centre for churches in South Africa and Africa.  If this support is based on a sound theological foundation derived from our research in these church communities – everyone concerned will benefit from it.  Shepherd is already Assisting Spiritual Leaders Caring for God's Flock.

Gerhard Botha
Director: Shepherd Centre