The indispensability of the Church [in Africa] is the primary motive for the writing of this dissertation.
Throughout the centuries, we have seen the Church in various contexts, and in many forms. We have
borne witness to the good, bad and the ugly throughout the history of the Church. It is my belief that
any constructive growth for the future success of the Church in Africa has to come from the bold
recognition that if it is to succeed and fully partake in the Missio Dei, „everything must change‟
(McLaren 2007). There is need for continuity and discontinuity; however, change is not negotiable!!
The Church is called to be both confessional and Missional; the Church should always be forming
(ecclesia simper formanda), and reforming (ecclesia simper reformanda)(van Gelder 2007).
Therefore, there is a need to rediscover the essence of Jesus‟ intention for the Church; that is God‟s
redeemed people, and their view of God‟s Kingdom with its various implications for an African
Missiology. There is a need for Missional Churches in Africa, for dialogue, and for unity in action.
In this dissertation, I will endeavour to present architecture for a Missional Ecclesiology in dialogue
with Bosch; focusing on the emerging renaissance of African Missiology, and the current
Pneumatological importance/ emphasis in many African Churches (otherwise known as African
independent Churches- AIC).
I have used the word architecture to mean overall framework emphasizing relationships between
components, orientation and support as well as the innovative response to functional necessity. The
focus/ niche of this dissertation will be faith communities in Botswana, because that is my current
context of ministry, and there is an obvious research gap in this area of study as nothing has been
researched and published in terms of an emerging Missional Ecclesiology amongst faith communities
in Botswana. I will seek to collect, analyze and interpret current as well as historical data regarding
Church (mission), population and emerging areas of concern for faith communities in Botswana, and,
by implication, Southern Africa.