As leadership is a lifelong learning, I share here the plan of my continuing learning after the Seminary.

Lifelong Learning

I have learned in my study at Luther Seminary that learning doesn’t stop after my degree program. Rather it’s a lifelong journey to make it always meaningful and stronger. I like what Moltmann says that there are many possibilities before us and new hope, even for old people, if we accept to live the challenges of the future. I agree that the future is not only for young people, and I think that in continuing to learn we are in touch with our reality, growing in a joyful life, and able to bless others with our gifts. I would like to share in this paper my few learning goals for my first few years after seminary: in my family, home church, and other denominations.

Right after my degree program, I will be back home and my family will be the first people I will meet at the airport. I have four children and four grand kids. Moreover, I have extended family with my widowed mother, my siblings, nieces and nephews. We are a large but close family. Relationship is always very specific in its complication within the family, and during the two years away from my country, I have become more differentiated and we have many things to talk about, to clarify, and again to adjust in our relationship to rebound with the family. I may face challenge, surprise, or changes, which may cause hesitation, confusion or embarrassment but I have learned that instead of judging or rejecting people, I can ask the question, “Why do they do what they do?” Then, in listening to their story and thoughts, I can better understand them and know how to be with them and support them. Learning to practice humility and love toward myself and extended family is crucial for the joy of the rebounding. Also, it is good to keep this attitude as lifelong learning for the happiness of the family.

Furthermore, I have to reenter my home church after my study. My church is conservative, and we believe that the Bible has a timeless truth, even though the world is changing and developing. We are firm in keeping what was good for us for long time in our knowledge of God. So, as I come with my new perspectives and practices from a liberal school abroad as an educated woman in the leadership of the church, we don’t ordain woman, so there may be an insecurity and doubt whether I can be trusted to build the church because of the fear of the invasion of new teaching. There should be strict control in my teaching, behavior, and the way I do my ministry. I remember when I first came to seminary to learn to unlearn what I have learned to grow from the differences here, and now I need to learn how to reintegrate in my home church to discern the new things which can be useful. My task is to balance the old and new things in listening to their anxiety and struggles, not to criticize to change them. The important thing in my goal is to relate with my church, be with them and discuss how we can bring change together, but not to pretend that I have the solution for everything. That is the challenge that needs skill, humility and perseverance in being aware of my strength, weakness, with who I am and what God called me to do. I don’t know how long that process will take but I am ready to start it. I have loyalty to my church and I really want to serve it. 

When we celebrate the work of the pastors in our church before they go to the retirement, I always hear the complain of pain and suffering they endured during their works. I acknowledge that their works are not easy, but through my willingness to continue to learn with humility in my ministry, I would like to be able to share more joy and gratitude in the call of God for me.

Finally, my third step of learning is the integration and adaptation with the Christians from different churches and their ministries. There is a tension and conflict between some pastors from the conservative churches and the young churches in our practice. The first one tends to reject the latest in saying that they are sects who were rebelling from the elder churches and were not respecting the structure of the Malagasy church. In my opinion, there shouldn’t be exclusion and opposition between the Christians as we follow Jesus. We need to respect each other in our conviction and I am open to cooperate and work with all Christians with my gifts as a theologian, ministering in the restoration of the family, to proclaim God’s salvation and his healing through Jesus Christ who died in the cross. Moreover, I would like to value the gifts in other people without jealousy or indifference. We have different calls but we are one in Jesus.

            The program of the lifelong learning in the campus and the motivation of many adult people who attend the different sessions of that program during the year encourage me to challenge myself with the different possibilities in front of me to make the future better. I would love also to pursue a PhD program later, if God will open a way for me.