The Glissmanns have been in Malawi since 2010. From 2010-2018 with TEEM and now working remotely for the Theological Education by Extension College (TEEC) in South Africa while based in Blantyre, Malawi. In 2010, Volker was seconded to work for a Malawian church-based theological education programme called Theological Education by Extension in Malawi or simply TEEM.
For the last number of years, Volker has been involved in a special form of theological education called Theological Education by Extension (TEE). TEE is an alternative leadership training system, bringing theological, biblical and practical leadership training to people right where they live and worship. Today, TEE programmes are widely used in many countries around the world. They are particularly important in churches who rely heavily on lay people to preach and teach in local prayer houses and congregations.
TEEM is TEE in the Malawian context, providing self-study course material on basic biblical, doctrinal, practical and ministerial subjects. From 2010 to 2018, Volker was the Director of TEEM (Theological Education by Extension in Malawi) and but was also involved in TEE consultancy in southern Africa and globally.
In the summer of 2018, Volker handed over the leadership of TEEM to his successor as the plan was for him to move to South Africa and join the Theological Education by Extension College (TEEC) there. However due to visa issues, the Glissmanns have remained in Malawi, where Volker continues to provide consultancy to TEEM by developing grassroots training courses. However, the main secondment for Volker is to work in conjunction with his South African colleagues in developing, designing and writing a new Bachelor in Theology programme as well as updating some older courses. TEEC is a unique theological college in that the majority of its students would traditionally be unable to access theological training. TEEC offers courses to those unable to attend residential training but who continue to minister in their communities.
JinHyeog works as a full-time music teacher at a primary school in Blantyre.
Volker writes, “The strength of the church depends on well-trained ministers, as well as on fully-equipped church leaders and members. Not everyone can leave their jobs and study full-time. Decentralised training like TEE provides good quality and relevant theological education locally to people enabling them to be better equipped to fully participate in God's mission.”
Volker was born in Germany and JinHyeog in South Korea. They served with Operation Mobilisation in Russia from 1997 to 2000. Out of this experience they developed a strong desire to continue to serve Christ's church. JinHyeog was privileged to serve in their home congregation Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church in Lisburn as Music Director for a few years before the family left for Malawi. Volker and JinHyeog have three children, their oldest daughter studies in England while the boys are at school in Blantyre.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Volker and JinHyeog have continued to serve in Southern Africa and have adapted their work and witness to comply with local restrictions.
Prayer Points
- Pray for wisdom and openness to the Holy Spirit while planning, designing and writing course material for the Malawian and South African context.
- Pray for wisdom for Volker as he balances the work in Malawi and South Africa with being available with advice for other TEE programmes in other parts of the world.
- Pray for JinHyeog as she teaches and that she will be able to continue to inspire the children.
- Pray for good health and daily protection for the Glissmann family; and that in all they do, say and are, their witness will bring glory to God.
Volker and JinHyeog have recorded two film clips (a short 3 minute clip and longer 15 minute clip) which can be downloaded and used in church services, prayer meetings or events to raise awareness and prayer for what God is doing across the world, as we seek to go deep and wide in global mission involvement.
(For previous Digital Dispatches video clips click here)
Latest Report
March 2024
The Glissmanns are living in Malawi. Jinhyeog is involved in a local primary school as a music teacher. Volker works off-campus as a programme developer for TEEC, the Theological Education by Extension College in Johannesburg, South Africa, and does grassroots theological training in Malawi.
Course writing and course writing again
Last Sunday, I met a friend at church, and he asked me directly, "what course are you writing now?" I looked at him, slightly surprised. Does he think that I am always writing TEE grassroots courses? He didn't ask what I was doing? Or what (exciting) project I was working on? He just asked what course are you writing now? But it seems that he knows me too well. Perhaps he is correct. It always seems that I am writing TEE courses at the moment (and yes, I do many other things, too).
Yes, I am writing another TEE course. One of the benefits of us still being in Malawi (and never receiving the visa for South Africa) is that it usually takes a few runs of a new course for the course to settle. There are often important questions that were not addressed the first time but are needed later in the course to support an idea that is included in the later text. Some themes become apparent when we look back at the Bible.
For example, Genesis 1-11 is about all humanity, then Israel, but after Pentecost, it is again about all humanity. But even during the time of Israel, the Bible repeatedly mentions individuals who are not from Israel but who align themselves with Israel (like Rahab or Ruth and many others). Because we know the end of the story, we need to go back to highlighting non-Israelite stories in the earlier books. Otherwise, we don't see that God always intended to invite all humanity to Himself.
Over the years of running course after course and discussing with our learners from church, it became increasingly clear that the overarching story was unclear to many. The lack of the story arch makes the interpretation of the Bible difficult sometimes. Interestingly, only after years and years of thinking, writing, and running Bible courses from Genesis to Revelation did it become more apparent how the whole story can be told comprehensively and which themes belong to it. But the new course is also different, because the new course is developed by a team from Malawi and Uganda to increase the relevance of the new course in this specific cultural context.
Prayer Points
- Give thanks to God for bringing a team together for the project. Please pray for the course writing.
- Pray for us as we overcome technical challenges to make this project work.
- Please continue to pray for the health and safety of the whole family.
To download a printable PDF of this bulletin or for a previous bulletin visit the Mission Reports listing at the top or Global Mission monthly bulletin archive.