Establishing a doctoral graduate profile to assist the African Assemblies of God in developing the nature and structure for an African doctoral program

The Church in Africa is growing at a phenomenal rate. Capable and qualified leaders are needed to address the challenges that are presented by this numerical increase. There is a consensus among the African Church leaders that doctoral-level training is needed to assist them in meeting their increasing leadership requirements. However, few viable options for doctoral education exist in Africa. As a result of this, national Churches and ministers have sought educational solutions through various approaches to doctoral studies which have inadvertently contributed to a loss of leadership for the African Church. The leaders of the Church in Africa recognize the educational problems that have contributed to their leadership deficit and want to address these training issues by establishing their own doctoral program on the continent.; The purpose of this project was to assist the leadership of the Assemblies of God in Africa through determining general implications for the development of the nature and structure for an African doctoral program by establishing an African doctoral graduate profile. The profile was ascertained by collecting and assessing data from Africa's key Church leaders through conducting an African Doctoral Graduate Outcomes Profiling Survey. From the survey questionnaire, quantifiable data was established and an African doctoral graduate profile was assessed.; The profile revealed that the African Church leadership is primarily concerned with sending M.A., and B.A. Bible school administrators, instructors, and national board of education directors for doctoral-level studies in order to enhance and develop further their leadership abilities and training qualifications. The African Church wants their doctoral students to concentrate their studies in the areas of leadership, biblical and hermeneutical studies, missions, and education. Upon completion of their doctoral coursework, these level-five leaders will be utilized to help establish and improve the quality of the higher-level training ministries in the Church, while assisting in continental and national Church research and writing as needed.; Through utilizing an outcomes-based approach to program design, the information and insights gained from this profile will enable African Church leaders to establish a doctoral program that is intentionally designed to be relevant to the specific needs of their ministry and cultural contexts. The implications of the profile were offered as recommendations to the African Assemblies of God Alliance and the Assemblies of God World Missions, which is represented by its training arm in Africa, Africa Theological Training Service, for the development and founding of an African doctoral program.