Vision and Mission Statement

Vision

To form transforming leaders for church and nation

Mission Statement:

The Mission statement of SMMS is: “To form transforming leaders for church and nation by providing the spiritual formation, academic and practical training required to develop skilled Methodist ministers of integrity, faithfulness and excellence.”

Our mission statement gives expression to our conviction that transformative leadership is vital if Southern Africa is to achieve its full potential and become a region that is fully healed, reconciled, able to address critical challenges, respect the dignity and basic human rights of all people, and deliver the essential and humanising services that characterise societies at their best – a vision of transformative leadership. Within the sphere of the church, such leaders – ministers – are people:

  • Whose spiritual life has been formed and continues to be nourished by the Gospel and by the rich traditions of Christian Spirituality and the Wesleyan heritage;
  • Whose personal conduct and way of life are above reproach and an example to others;
  • Who have a passion to call people to Christian discipleship, to instruct them in the Faith and to build up the Church of Christ;
  • Who have been trained to think theologically, to interpret and expound Scripture faithfully and to preach effectively;
  • Who have been equipped to serve in any part of the diverse Southern African community and are willing to do so;
  • Who work for reconciliation and the unity of the People of God;
  • Who care pastorally for the needs of God’s people;
  • Who can give guidance on ethical issues and are equipped to critique the policies of Government and the practices of civil society in the light of Christian teaching;
  • Who respect the dignity of all people, resisting injustice and seeking to empower all people, especially the poor and marginalized, to develop to their full potential as children of God

Whilst these virtues and skills have special relevance for the church, they represent characteristics we believe are equally desirable for all transformative leaders working for a just, democratic society, recognising the cultural diversity of our context and expressing our explicit intention to embrace diversity.