Missio Dei and Christian Development: A Case Study of the Serowe Methodist Church of Southern Africa in Botswana

The Methodist Church in Southern Africa (MCSA), which operates in Botswana, like many other Christian traditions around the world, is struggling to maintain relevance and significance in a society that is constantly affected by its environment and global shifting. This paper intends to consider and focus on how the Serowe Methodist Church of Southern Africa (SMCSA) which is an ambit MCSA could be transformed by applying a functional missional paradigm. It will explore the idea of being missional, which is a Church that goes beyond centrifugalism and seeks to engage in God’s work of reconciliation and transformation within its particular context and the peripheral taking cognisance of the cultural and societal issues. Thence, through a qualitative literature review method of research the paper utilises journal articles, reports and published books related to the subject under study. The findings of the paper suggest the church ought to recognise that there are various challenges in the Serowe area and address the challenges in order to strive to stay relevant and at the centre of needed change. Thus, the paper concludes that churches such as the MCSA in Serowe need to move away from just playing ceremonial roles in their area of establishments, and play a far more critical role, especially in developing people spiritually, financially and psychologically.