Born in Yaoundé in 1974 to the late Jean Bernard Nkolo Fanga and Mbengone Pierrette, Jean Patrick Nkolo Fanga has built a life dedicated to theology, education, and service to his community.

Married since July 21, 2001, to Jeanne Arlette, he is a loving father to three children: Manuela Patricia, Jean Cédric, and Jean Patrick Junior.

Jean Patrick Nkolo Fanga’s journey unfolds as a testament to his passion for theology and pastoral work. Currently serving as a practical theology teacher, he is also the coordinator of academic affairs at the Yaoundé campus of the Faculty of Evangelical Theology in Bangui (FATEB).

With a deep commitment to education, he earned his PhD in theology, specializing in practical theology, from the Protestant University of Central Africa (UPAC) in April 2011. His doctoral thesis, titled “The Exercise of Pastoral Ministry and the Management of a Local Church in Cameroonian Protestant Churches,” is a testament to his dedication to understanding and enhancing pastoral leadership.

Since 2004, Jean Patrick has been a pastor at the EPC-Galilée Parish on Mango Street. In 2020, he took on the role of Director of Higher Education at the Cameroonian Presbyterian Church (EPC), showcasing his leadership and dedication within the church.

Throughout his career, he has held various positions within the Cameroonian Presbyterian Church, including Vice-Moderator of the 64th General Assembly in 2014, Executive Secretary of the Yaoundé Consistory from 2011 to 2017, and Youth Chaplain of the Central Synod from 2004 to 2007.

Jean Patrick Nkolo Fanga is not only an educator but also a researcher in practical theology. He contributes significantly to the development of theological education and research. He has taught at theological institutions affiliated with the Cameroonian Presbyterian Church, such as the Camille Chazeaud Higher Institute and the Dager Higher Institute of Theology, as well as at institutions beyond Cameroon, including the Catholic University of Central Africa, the Shalom Evangelical Faculty of Theology in N’Djamena, and the Christian Alliance University in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Furthermore, he has been an invited trainer in pastoral formation activities organized by the Protestant Office for Training (OPF) in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, since 2016. Starting in 2021, he has also contributed as a guest trainer at the Protestant Institute of Theology in France (Paris and Montpellier) and the Intercultural Theology Introduction Program held at the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, beginning in October 2021.

His postdoctoral research and scholarly publications delve into various aspects of ministry within church communities influenced by African cultures. These include topics such as communicating the Gospel in words and deeds, spirituality and ministry practice, authority and ministry, resource management in church work, collaboration among ministries within a local church, epistemology and methodology in practical theology, andragogy, transmission of the Christian faith and ministry, healing, deliverance, and ministry, and pastoral care for migrants in France and Europe.

Jean Patrick Nkolo Fanga has also served as the President of the International Society for Practical Theology from 2018 to 2022, demonstrating his leadership in the global theological community. Additionally, he is an associated researcher at the Léman Institute of Practical Theology (ILTP) at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

Beyond his academic and pastoral commitments, Jean Patrick is an active member of the Cameroonian civil society. He participates in anti-corruption efforts with the Agency for Standards and Quality Regulation (ANOR) and the Yaoundé Emergency Center (CURY).

In his personal life, he finds balance through his loving marriage to Jeanne Arlette and his cherished role as a father to three children.

Publications:

Theological Journals:

• “The Profile of the Pastor in Contemporary African Churches from a Competency-Based Approach,” in Evangelical Theology, No. 19-2, Vaux-Sur-Seine, December 2020, pp. 113-130.
• “The Exercise of Pastoral Ministry in African Churches: New Challenges and Perspectives,” in Theological and Religious Studies 2019/4, Faculty of Theology, Montpellier, pp. 567-582, 2019.
• “The Question of Immigration and the Necessary Redefinition of Pastoral Authority,” in Theological Studies 25/2 (2017), University of Montreal, Montreal, p. 95-120, 2019.
• “Accompaniment and Healing or Deliverance Practices in African Churches,” in Shalom Theological Review, Shalom University of Bunia-RDC, No. 6, Bunia, 2019.
• “Building Church Together: Challenge or Illusion?” in The Cahiers of the Léman Institute of Practical Theology, University of Lausanne, available online since February 2018: 19 pages. Accessible for free at: link
• “The Exercise of Pastoral Ministry and the Universal Priesthood of Believers in a Local Church: Between Tensions, Clarifications, and Collaboration,” in Theoforum Vol 47/2, (2016/2017), University of St. Joseph in Ottawa, pp. 461-479.
• “How and Why to Plan Financial Management in the Church?” in Diathèkè, Alliance Christian Theological Faculty, Abidjan, June 2015, pp. 11-132.
• “Authority and Pastoral Care: What Expectations for Christians of African Origin?” in Missiological Perspectives, No. 65, Paris, September 2013, pp. 41-50.

International Congresses with Published Proceedings:

• “The Word and Its Effects: When Exegesis, Hermeneutics, and Audience Expectations Clash in Preaching in Contemporary Africa” in François-Xavier Amherdt (Ed.), Everything, Right Now: The Word of God and Christian Mediations in a Culture of Immediacy, Proceedings of the 11th Congress of the International Society for Practical Theology (SITP) from May 30, 2018, to June 3, 2018, at the University of Fribourg, “Practical Theologies” Collection, Novalis / Lumen Vitae / Saint-Augustin, Brussels/Montreal/Saint-Maurice, pp. 115-130, 2018.
• Jean-Patrick Nkolo Fanga and Catherine Chevalier (Eds.), Actes No. 19 “Church and Shared Well-Being in Africa,” Proceedings of the SITP Regional Conference held in Yaoundé, from July 10-13, 2019, in Cahiers internationaux de théologie pratique, available online: link
• “Churches and New Modes of Belief in Africa: The Case of Contemporary Prophecy—Ethical and Deontological Quest” in Simon Kossi Dossou, Samuel Désiré Johnson, and Céle