Doctoral Research

Eternal Purpose Initiative began life as a ‘mobile academy of mission’, conducted by John, initially in Kenya, thereafter Burkina Faso, in direct response to invitations from African pastoral leaders, befriended by John, during their period of studying in the UK.

Invited repeatedly to visit and present the mobile academy of mission to varied participants, John asked the question: how could the teaching he was presenting be made more useful to contextual leaders and learners — in Burkina Faso and beyond. He was encouraged to develop written materials useful to participants in ‘train the trainer’ scenarios.

Between 2009-12 » John was invited to and did undertake doctoral missiological research, in partnership with Fuller Theological Seminary · School of Intercultural Studies, providing the opportunity to develop the mobile academy concept in light of doctoral contextual-missiological research, conducted in Burkina Faso, addressing the issues:

• What theological content is appropriate to discipleship of Burkinabé leaders and learners?

• What pedagogical format is appropriate to discipleship of Burkinabé leaders and learners?

• What is an appropriate intercultural dynamic between Burkinabé insiders and Western outsiders, in respect of theological / biblical education?

In 2020, to make the research analysis more accessible — particularly with respect to its relevancy to the Eternal Purpose Initiative — the author abridged the analysis, into five volumes, totalling twenty short papers, offering

An exploration and analysis of historical and emergent tensions between concepts and praxis associated with intercultural facilitation of theological education and scripturally-based discipleship formation, in Burkina Faso and associated African contexts.

Volume 1 (2 papers)

Due for publication week commencing 24th August 2026 …

Vol 2 (2 papers)

📚

Vol 3 (5 papers)

📚

Vol 4 (5 papers)

📚

Vol 5 (4 papers)

📚

📚 Bibliography