In a busy city in South Asia, educator Mammen Samuel teaches at the local theological college because of his passion for seeing his region shaped by Christ. One of his colleagues is Langham Scholar Dr Havilah Dharamraj – although previously she was his teacher!
Called to teaching
Mammen started in ministry in the church, and becoming a teacher of theology wasn’t originally in his plan – but it became clear it was in God’s. Around a decade ago he began working as an associate pastor in a Pentecostal Church, and got involved in their teaching ministry.
Mammen shares, “They asked me to establish a college within the church, and that’s when I realised that God had placed the gift of teaching in me.”
Driven by this calling, he pursued a Master’s in Theology at the local theological college, where he met Dr Havilah.
Mammen recalls, “I came to college asking – ‘Is there some way I can further my skills, understand the scriptures much better in the original languages so that it could benefit the church?’ And that’s when I met Dr Havilah for the first time, and she was very gracious to me as she understood the vision that I had within that church setup, and she helped me further that.”
So Mammen began his Masters of Theology with that church training in mind, but by the time he graduated in 2017, the path changed again and God opened a new door.
He explains, “I was asked to teach here at the college as an adjunct faculty, which I did. So since then, I’ve been involved with academic programs here and at other institutions.”
Mammen’s teaching philosophy emphasises helping students truly connect with scripture. “One of my goals for teaching is that I would be happy if my students, at the end of the course, fall in love with the scriptures,” he says. “The learning is never-ending, and the more we learn, the more we know how God has acted in the past, how He continues to act, and what plans He has for us.”
This love for scripture, he believes, has the power to transform not only individual lives but entire communities. Transformation, that in his region is very much needed.
How Dr Havilah impacted Mammen
Meeting Dr Havilah left an impression on Mammen, and it’s been exciting to go through the stages of knowing one another from applicant, to student, to mentee and now to colleagues.
Mammen shares, “When I first met Dr Havilah, I had explained to her my vision to reach out to the community that I was serving, and she affirmed my vision and she believed in me. And she equipped me, in all manner. Whether academic or support or resources, so that I could learn and equip those people. By doing so, Dr Havilah was reaching those people through me and impacting their lives.”
In addition to being a great supporter and believing in Mammen’s vision to train people in the church well, Dr Havilah has also impacted him as a student and teacher.
Mammen explains, “By gaining a PhD, Dr Havilah has paved the way for many of us to take that journey. Why is it important? Simply because it has enhanced her teaching, it has enhanced her writing, both of which are needed for students in South Asia. Many of us have been influenced so much by her writing that we’ve incorporated many of the methods that she’s used in her class. I certainly have. The way she teaches certain subjects, the way she handles the class. And I think it has influenced both her writing and her teaching.”
This is the multiplying power of equipping Langham Scholars!
Teacher and author
In addition to teaching Mammen has also been involved as a contributor to the Langham South Asia Study Bible, a unique resource tailored to address the contextual challenges he and other Christians in his region encounter every day.
As the associate theological editor of the Old Testament and a contributor to the commentary on First and Second Chronicles, Samuel’s work on this project is deeply personal. “The South Asian Study Bible is written by South Asian writers, with our voices, our stories,” he explains.
Mammen hopes this resource will instill a sense of pride in local Christians, who often look to Western theologians for insight. “This is something that’s come from our region—a [commentary on] scripture that has been written by us,” he says. “They can relate firsthand with what they read because it’s their own story, their own history, their own understanding of the world around them.”
The impact Mammen seeks through his teaching and work on the Study Bible is profound: to equip local pastors, teachers, leaders and everyday Christians with the knowledge they need to live faithful lives in their context.
He explains, “It is hugely important to equip the local pastors to go out and speak the message of hope to the ones who do not have hope, the number of people living in such hopelessness is enormous in this country.”