Dictionary of African Christian Biography

1
Dictionary of African Christian Biography
A Setup Guide for Participating Institutions
Dr. Jonathan Bonk Project Director
Ms. Michèle Sigg Project Manager
2

• What it means to be a DACB participating
  institution

II. A practical guide for setting up the DACB
project in your institution
3

• What it means to be a DACB participating
  institution

• Participating institution responsibilities
• Liaison Coordinator responsibilities
• Becoming a participating institution

4
Central role

• Educational institutions (seminaries, Bible
  schools, colleges, and universities) play a
  central role in the ongoing success of the DACB
  project.

5
Unique access

• African institutions have unique access to
• local information
• oral history
• written sources
• unavailable to researchers elsewhere.

This puts them at the forefront of the DACB
project.
6
Writers

• The DACB encourages
• Faculty
• Seminary and university students
• Church leaders
• Missionaries
• to write the stories of the men and women who
  pioneered the birth and growth of the African
  church.

7
Support

• For the project to succeed, DACB writers need the
  full support of their administration as a whole.

Dr. Esther Mombo, academic dean of St. Pauls
Limuru, and Rev. Joseph Wandera, liaison
coordinator
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participating institution responsibilities

• Liaison coordinator
• Writing the stories
• Checking the stories
• Sending the stories

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1. Liaison coordinator

• In each participating institution, a faculty
  member volunteers to be responsible for all
  correspondence with the New Haven office

Dr. Dirshaye Menberu, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Dr. Kemdirim Protus, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

• This is the liaison coordinator.

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2. Writing the stories

• Senior students and teaching or research faculty
  write the stories of the men and women who have
  made a significant contribution to the African
  Christian church.

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• The designated supervisor (who may be different
  from the liaison coordinator)
• selects the stories that meet DACB standards
• submits the stories to the liaison coordinator.

12
But wait

• How do faculty and students find time to write
  biographies in addition to their other academic
  responsibilities?

13

• Participating institutions may address this
  challenge in a number of ways
• Some make writing a biography one of the
  requirements of a course in church history.
• Others make writing a biography a requirement for
  graduation.
• Still others require that biographies be part of
  a thesis.

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3. Checking the stories

• The participating institution is expected to
  verify that the stories are accurate and
  complete.
• Each story in the DACB is identified with the
  supervisor, the liaison coordinator, the
  participating institution, and the author.

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• Stories must conform to the standards presented
  in the Instructional Manual for Researchers and
  Writers.

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4. Sending the stories

• The liaison coordinator sends the completed
  stories to the New Haven office via email
  (preferred method) or postal mail.

OR
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As a result of this work

• Once a year the New Haven office
• Returns the stories to institutions in Africa
• Updates the DACB register of participating
  institutions

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Returning the stories to Africa

• Once a year, a copy of the entire DACB on CD-ROM
  is mailed to all active participating
  institutions via the liaison coordinator.

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2. Register of participating institutions

• Denominations, schools, missions organizations,
  and institutions actively participating in the
  DACB are listed in the annually revised Register
  of Participating Institutions.

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Liaison coordinator responsibilities

• Submitting potential subjects
• Communicating with New Haven
• Processing DACB stories
• Promoting the DACB
• Forming local DACB association

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1. Potential subjects

• In order to be considered an active participating
  institution, the liaison coordinator must send us
  5 to 10 names of persons whose story should be
  written to supplement our existing list.

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• A potential subject is an outstanding individual
  who has made a significant contribution to the
  birth and growth of the church in Africa and
  whose story should be recorded.

Bujo, Benezet / African theology / 20th c / Zaire
/ Shaw p.276
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• For each name, include a few brief facts (as many
  as are available) such as dates, church
  affiliation, region of ministry, and sources
  (books, people to interview).

Dates
Sources
Name
Country or region of service
Church affiliation
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• Send these names by e-mail (preferred method) or
  postal mail to the New Haven office within six
  months.

or
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2. Communication

• Maintain active communication with the New Haven
  office (once a year at a minimum), preferably by
  e-mail or using our online form.

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3. Stories

• Collect all completed stories and send them to
  the New Haven office.

27
4. Promotion

• Encourage colleagues and students to research and
  write stories.
• Provide DACB information on request to those
  interested in the project.

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5. Local association

• In cooperation with other local participating
  institutions, form an association of respective
  national branches of the DACB.

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• From November 2006 to May 2007, Dr. Dirshaye
  Menberu worked to organize the Ethiopian
  Association of African Christian Biography
  (EAACB).

30
Note

• Liaison coordinators serve on a strictly
  voluntary basis and no funds are available to pay
  for their services. Nevertheless--

31

• If institutions cannot pay the cost of sending
  the biographies to the New Haven office, liaison
  coordinators will be reimbursed for postage or
  internet café usage.
• Project Luke Fellowship applications from liaison
  coordinators will be given priority.
• Liaison coordinators will be identified on the
  DACB Web site.

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How to become a participating institution

• Send in form
• Activate participating institution status
• Maintain regular contact

33
1. Send in form

• Fill out the participating institution form and
  mail it to us with your signature. You may also
  use our online form.
• We will respond by sending you a packet of
  materials to start you off as a participating
  institution.

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2. Activate your status

• In order to be considered an active participating
  institution, the liaison coordinator must send us
  5 to 10 new names to add to our list of potential
  subjects.

35

• Dont forget to include a few brief facts for
  each name (as many as are available) such as
  dates, church affiliation, region of ministry,
  and sources (books, people to interview).

Dates
Sources
Name
Country or region of service
Church affiliation
36
When the new Haven office receives your list of
names

• Your status will be updated from New to
  Active participating institution in our files
  and on our Web site.
• Your institution will automatically receive DACB
  news and updates.

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3. Maintain contact

• To maintain the participating institutions
  active status, the liaison coordinator must
• Send a brief report on the institutions DACB
  activities by April 30 every year. This can be
  done using our online form, by e-mail, or by
  postal mail. (Please allow ample time for
  delivery.)

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• The liaison coordinator must also
• Send stories to the New Haven office or regional
  coordinator by the end of the first year of
  active status (i.e. 12 months after sending in
  your list of potential subjects).
• If we do not receive any stories by the end of
  the second year after the initial sign up, the
  participating institutions status will revert to
  Inactive.

39
Note

• It is important for participating institutions to
  send stories to the New Haven office every year.
• If we do not receive stories every year, the
  participating institutions status will revert to
  Inactive.

40

• A practical guide for setting up the DACB
  project in your institution

• This text for this section can be found in
  modified form in the Instructional Manual for
  Researchers and Writers (section 5).

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To the liaison coordinator

• The following instructions are intended to assist
  you in setting up the DACB project in your
  institution
• Personal preparation
• Preparing a DACB station
• Involving the institution as a whole
• Getting started on research and writing
• Sending the stories

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1. Personal preparation

• Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the DACB
  project by reading the introductory materials
  which you received in the mail after sending in
  your initial form.
• Also spend time browsing through the DACB CD-Rom.
• Afterwards you will be ready to present the
  materials to your student writers and colleagues.
  

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• The introductory materials include
• Participating institution Guidelines and
  Declaration of Agreement
• Ecclesiastical Cartography article
• Training CD
• Instructional Manual for Researchers and Writers
  with CD
• DACB News Link
• Guidelines for Researchers and Writers brochures
• List of potential subjects

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• After you have read all the printed materials,
  you may want to watch the 2 PowerPoint
  presentations on the training CD
• Introduction to the DACB
• A Set up Guide for Participating Institutions
  (this!)
• Both presentations can be used to help train your
  students and colleagues directly involved in the
  project.

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Important reminder

• At this point, dont forget to send in your list
  of 5 to 10 potential subjects to the New Haven
  office so that you will be considered an active
  participating institution.

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2. Setting up a DACB station

• If your library has a computer that students can
  access, it is recommended that you install the
  DACB database on it, using the CD in the back of
  the Instructional Manual.
• To do this
• Insert the CD into the CD drive. Close the box
  which pops up automatically.

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• Open My Computer and click once on the CD drive
  to see the contents of the CD. If the red box
  pops up again, close it and try right-clicking
  and choosing EXPLORE instead of OPEN. When it
  opens correctly, you will see a folder named
  DACBCDFILES and a file named CLICK HERE.
• Create a new folder in an obvious place on the
  computer, such as the Desktop, and name it
  DACB.

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• Copy the folder DACBCDFILES and the file named
  CLICK HERE and put them in the new folder you
  created.
• Now, whenever someone wants to browse the DACB
  all they need to do is
• Double click on the folder DACB to open it
• Click (once) on the file CLICK HERE and on the
  word ENTER. That brings up the DACB index page.
  

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3. Involving the institution

• The burden of writing and collecting stories
  should not fall only on the shoulders of the
  liaison coordinator.
• Participating institutions must develop ways to
  integrate the writing of biographies of African
  Christian leaders into their existing program.

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• This can be done in a number of ways
• Some institutions make writing a biography one of
  the requirements of a course on church history.
• Others make writing a biography a requirement for
  graduation.
• Still others require that biographies be part of
  a thesis.

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Important note

• To ensure the success of the DACB in your
  institution, the cooperation and support of the
  administration and of your other colleagues is
  essential.

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A special note on non-academic institutions

• Church organizations, denominations, dioceses,
  mission agencies, and publishing societies also
  play an essential role in collecting and writing
  stories for the DACB as they often possess
  biographical records on church leaders
  unavailable at educational institutions.
• Their existing archives, previously published
  material, church histories, and denominational
  publications can be rich sources for stories of
  important African leaders.

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4. Research and writing

• Preparation
• The research
• Writing the stories
• Institutional responsibility

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a. Preparation

• Choosing biographical subjects
• Start with the list of names you sent to the New
  Haven office.
• Other sources of names are the DACB potential
  subjects pages (included in your introductory
  packet or on the Web), local printed materials,
  elders and church leaders in your area.

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Important note

• Stories will NOT be considered for publication in
  the DACB if
• The DACB already has a story on that person
  (unless you are sure you can write a better, more
  complete story!)
• The individual is alive, under 70 years of age,
  and not yet retired from active ministry.

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• For more information on acceptable subjects,
  please read the page Choice of Biographical
  Subjects in the Instructional Manual.

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• Preparing your writers
• Make sure they have access to the Instructional
  Manual for Researchers and Writers for
  instructions on writing and formatting the
  articles
• Have them spend some time browsing through the
  DACB CD-Rom to familiarize themselves with the
  project and read a few stories.

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c. The research

• For information on biographical subjects,
  possible sources include
• Libraries
• Existing archives (schools, mission agencies,
  churches)
• Oral history Please see the section Oral
  History in the Instructional Manual for more
  information on conducting oral history interviews.

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d. Institutional responsibility

• As liaison coordinator, when you receive the
  completed stories make sure that they meet DACB
  standards in these areas (see Instructional
  Manual for details)
• Format of stories
• Sources must be checked to see they are accurate
  and complete
• Date Please include the date when the story was
  written, esp. if it was for a specific course.

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Important note

• At this time, it is important that you consult
  with your institution to assess the adequacy and
  accuracy of the biographical research, and the
  integrity of the story.

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Legitimacy

• Each story, once accepted and entered into the
  database through the New Haven office, will be
  identified by its author and/or researcher, the
  liaison coordinator (and writing supervisor, if
  applicable), and the participating institution.
  All names, with titles, should appear at the end
  of the article.

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5. Sending the stories

• Once the stories have been approved at all levels
  by the participating institution, the liaison
  coordinator should send them to the New Haven
  office for final editing and approval before
  publication.
• Any stories received by the DACBs Africa offices
  will also be forwarded to the New Haven office.

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To the liaison coordinator and those who
contributed
Thank you for all your work for the DACB!
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A huge cloud of witnesses is all around
us. Hebrews 121 (NIrV)
Let us remember their stories...
and be encouraged.
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Visit the DACB database
Powerpoint presentation created by Ms. Michèle
SiggDACB Project Manager

• Online at www.DACB.org
• On our CD-Rom (no Internet connection)

Sources

• Ecclesiastical Cartography and the Invisible
  Continent by Jonathan J. Bonk. IBMR Oct. 2004,
  Vol. 28, No. 4. Pp. 153-158.
• Instructional Manual for Researchers and Writers,
  OMSC publications.
• Photo credits Dan Nicholas, Jonathan Bonk, Fohle
  Lygunda, Michèle Sigg.
• Special graphics created by Michèle Sigg.