From Local to Global By Mesfin Shuge, DMin

I have aspired to be a leader since my childhood.  Not out of ambition, but because early in life I saw leaders as heroes who transformed communities and changed society.  I wanted to be one of them.  My dad died when I was one.  Our rural family disintegrated rapidly, and all our property was divided among my dad’s relatives.  My mother bore the responsibility of bringing up all the children.  When I was eight, I ended up in a Somalia prison as a prisoner of war. 

I grew up in that prison.  My heroes were the Christian physician and his colleagues who had devoted their professions and their lives to transforming lives like mine.  This was where I first learned how much a Christian leader can be used to produce and multiply fruit in the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

The doctor lived out incarnational ministry in front of me, making a difference in the lives of many poor children by reflecting Christian values in day to day living.  Helping others became my life purpose.  I saw early in life how much perspective and world view shapes a person. I saw how Christian values and principles transform poor communities because relationships are built through serving the poor.  I knew I would spend my life in Christian ministry.   

I joined the Ethiopian Kale Heywot Church (EKHC) in January 2000 as Urban Ministry Coordinator. The challenges we faced seemed insurmountable – many had substandard shelter, children lacked food, water was polluted and hygiene was poor.  Many of the unemployed youth in the community turned to social evils, and frustrated women were immigrating to Middle Eastern countries in search of jobs.  I turned my focus to Christian transformation models and had many opportunities to travel and learn about community organizing, leadership development, entrepreneurship, micro financing, micro-crediting, building self help community organizations, environmental stewardship and innovative technology.  I gained both a global and local perspective of poverty and saw the need to adapt the various models of transformation for my own context, my specific community.     

Learning about models was critical, but something was still missing.  I lacked the tools to translate these models into community change.  There is a leadership vacuum in Ethiopia and throughout Africa.  I was a prime example.  This is partly due to poverty.  Poverty affects how you perceive yourself in relation to others.  The perception of poverty limits your ability to be a steward of power, resources and authority in a society.

BGU helped me develop as a global, transformational leader.  Learning about the six perspectives of transformational leadership in Overture One changed my perspective and caused me to re-evaluate the leadership model I had been using in my own ministry.  I left OVI with new eyes and new ears.

BGU also exposed me to the theology of leadership in the market place and showed me how much business is involved in the work of mission.  I came to understand how the community of believers in the public institutions can influence cities and governance in the developing world.  During Overture II Manila I learned about the relevant leadership tools such as appreciative inquiry, networking of Christian ministries, engaging communities and public organizations. All my BGU courses helped to build and refine the vision in my heart.  I found the courage to engage the global frontiers and become an agent of transformation.  I applied what I had learned to refine the movement I had initiated in Ethiopia and developed a curriculum that would lead to the establishment of a Christian transformational institute.   

Through the EKHC urban ministry I have been able to develop a community transformation model that engaged and involved the local church. The model is called "Church and Community Mobilization for Development and Transformation".  Our five stage process has already impacted the lives of tens of thousands of families in just a few years.  We started with 21 churches and have grown to more than 1000 churches and community organizations throughout Ethiopia.  The project is generating material resources, and many community members are now self-employed, setting up their own productive enterprises.  Many in church and para-church leadership throughout the country are coming and learning about the project and replicating the model in their own communities.  There are now more than 5000 self help groups established by different local churches, necessitating the establishment of a microfinance institution which led to the establishment of village banks.  Four years ago the Tesfa Microfinance Institution was established by the EKHC urban ministry. This was achieved by a few ordinary community members being trained by me and others to take up the role of leading the transformation process in the community.   

As I developed as a leader, I have come to realize the importance of developing and empowering others to be the next generation of change agents in their communities.  After studying what the Bible teaches about discipleship and leadership development, I identified twelve future leaders from one of the community transformation projects we have in a city called Nazareth.  Nazareth is one of the fastest growing cities in Ethiopia with huge investment in the recreation sector.   Some of these future leaders have now gone on to become national trainers of Christian transformation and community mobilization. Some have established their own non-profit organizations and become key players in the process of transformation in their own areas.

For the past three years I have been pastoring an Ethiopian Church in Seattle, and learning a completely new context.  I have had to adjust my vision and adapt to new models.  I want to be used by God to bring about transformation in whatever community I am a part of – both here in Seattle and back home in Ethiopia. 

"From those to whom a lot is given a lot is expected," and I am indebted to BGU and to the many faithful supporters who have invested in me, including my own local church back home in Ethiopia.  But above all I am indebted to Him who called me to minister in this moment of history.

May all glory be to God!!!!

Dr. Mesfin Shuge 
July, 2010

[ Home ]