Nine months into his role as the first biblical teacher for the family of churches in Zimbabwe, Thabani Mashava is embracing his calling to foster spiritual growth among believers in Harare and across the Southern African region.
This year marks a special milestone for Thabani – his 30th spiritual birthday – and over the years he has developed a deep understanding of the unique spiritual challenges faced by believers in Africa. He explains what these challenges entail:
Biblical teaching in an African context
“My passion lies in teaching the Bible within the African context, focusing on understanding God’s word through the lens of African cultural and spiritual dynamics,” Thabani said. “One of the key challenges many believers face is the struggle to navigate their faith while dealing with the complexities of local traditions and the spirit realm. This often leads to confusion, weakening of faith, and, at times, disciples abandoning their faith.
“Through my teaching, I seek to equip followers of Jesus with the tools to integrate their faith with their cultural context without compromising the truth of the Bible. I cover various topics, including navigating the spiritual realm, understanding African traditions in light of scripture, and practical Christian living.”
Outreach and impact
To help believers deepen their biblical knowledge, Thabani launched an online initiative called Digging Deeper in early 2023. Every Sunday evening, he hosts in-depth Bible study lessons, reaching disciples across the region. This platform has connected him with individuals eager to strengthen their understanding of scripture, with attendees spanning several countries.
In addition to Digging Deeper, Thabani facilitates teaching workshops, marriage seminars, and parenting seminars both in-person and online throughout Southern Africa. These gatherings aim to strengthen Christian families and encourage healthy relationships as a foundation for spiritual growth.
“My wife and I have also used these seminars as an outreach tool, which led to baptizing a couple who attended one of our marriage seminars,” he said.
Collaborations
Thabani seizes every opportunity to support church growth with other teachers and evangelists further afield, notably in West and East Africa. Last year, he taught a class on Biblical interpretation with the teachers in South Africa. He also collaborates with international teachers.
“In January I had the privilege of being a speaker at the online Image Bearers conference alongside speakers such as Douglas Jacoby, for the North American churches dealing with the issue of church and politics. I’ve also taught online classes to the East and West African family of churches,” he said.
He recently wrapped up another online series, Digging Deeper – “All Authority in Heaven and on earth,” along with teachers from Nigeria, USA, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. He runs weekly “Equipping” classes in partnership with the church in Bulawayo, to help members effectively study the Bible with family and friends.
His efforts have not gone unnoticed. Solly Kganyago, who coordinates teaching activities in Southern Africa and represents the region on the African Teachers Service Team, said, “It’s quite a milestone having teachers from other countries in Southern Africa. His focus areas – witchcraft, the spiritual realm, and culture – are matters most disciples don’t know how to process when they are exposed to them.”
Thabani’s dedication to biblical teaching is making a lasting impact, helping believers navigate their faith with clarity and confidence.
For more information about the Southern African Teaching Ministry, visit their website.
