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Intimacy with God: A Reorienting Pastoral Theological Reflection Upon Church DeclineHunse, Dorothy 30 June 2014 (has links)
<p> This dissertation offers a reoriented perspective of church decline as discerned through a process of pastoral theological reflection. The conversation partners are: (1) statistical indicators of church decline; (2) case studies of church decline as described by congregational studies research; (3) church renewal materials; (4) elements of grief theory; and (5) theological and spiritual resources related to God's power and presence in weakness. Statistical indicators suggest that decline is still an issue for local churches today. In response to this ongoing situation of decline, myriads of renewal materials have been produced offering ways and means for the church in North America to be renewed. Unfortunately these materials, and the assumptions which undergird their proposals, can be detrimental to declining churches, and fail to address the actual experience of decline as revealed by the case studies. For this reason, this dissertation offers a reoriented perspective of decline. It is a perspective that affirms that even those churches suffering the effects of decline can experience intimacy with God, and participate in God's fruitfulness. This perspective affirms, in concert with grief theory, that declining churches will need to acknowledge and mourn their losses brought about by decline. It also asserts, however, that theological and spiritual resources are needed to support churches in this regard. To this end, two theological and spiritual polarities will be offered for the purpose of articulating the reorienting perspective. The first polarity involves the movement between decline and a focus upon God as the One who re-describes our experience of decline. The second polarity involves the movement
between an avoidance of decline and a focus upon God as the One who is present with us in it. Ultimately both of these polarities are understood as being grounded in the movement between fear and love. This pastoral theological reflection upon church decline is offered as a means of bringing hope and encouragement to those churches struggling with decline. Decline is serious, but it can also be an occasion of experiencing a profound deepening of the church's relationship and ministry with God.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
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Growing Leaders: Engaging Young Adults in Church LeadershipRutledge, Andrew G. 11 1900 (has links)
It is no secret that the North American church has seen a decline over the last twenty years. This is especially pronounced in the younger generations. Significantly fewer people walk through the doors of a church each week. There are a myriad of factors that are driving this decline. One area that needs to be explored is the disengagement of young adults in church leadership.
Engaging young adults in leadership is a proven way to engage them in the church. By listening to the voices of Canadian young adults, this dissertation offers a starting point for leaders. Making space for young adults to serve in leadership will both strengthen the church and reengage a lost generation.
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'n Hermeneuties-empiriese strategie rakende die verskynsel van kerkkrimping in tradisioneel Afrikaanse susterkerke in Suid-Afrika : 'n prakties-teologiese studie / Sophia van HeldenVan Helden, Sophia January 2010 (has links)
The phenomenon of the decline in numbers in traditionally Afrikaans “sister
churches” - in the midst of the complex South African society of the first decade of
the 21st century - was researched in the light of the command that Jesus himself gave
to his church (Math 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8). The Great Commission directed the aim
of the research to evaluate this phenomenon hermeneutically and empirically in order
to develop a reformed strategy in a practical theological way. The grounding of the
investigation was the communicative action theory, which simultaneously integrates
with a basic theoretical model developed from a combination of basic theoretical
models as suggested by Dingemans, Heitink en Zerfass. To reinforce the
exegetical/hermeneutical perspective of the basic theory, a historical study was
conducted regarding the growth and decline of power basises since the Jesus
movement until now. The interaction between perspectives was subsequently
extended by metatheoretical perspectives, based on the research regarding the
influence of schools of thought, as well as the influence of circumstances in the
country, which determine the “sister church” praxis of the 21st century. The
traditionally Afrikaans “sister churches” as a problematic ecclesiastical community of
practice was further examined as part of the empirical perspective. On this basis an
attempt was made to gauge the thinking of the “sister churches” in the intricate and
problematic ecclesiastical praxis. The gauging was executed by means of a random
test in one of the “sister churches”, namely the Reformed Church of South Africa
(GKSA). It was found that this problematic church praxis is directed by strong
institutional thinking. An adjusted practice theory, as well as a supporting practical
theoretical model, were formulated in order to realise a reformed strategy for church
growth as opposed to the decline in numbers. Considering the above mentioned
interactive perspectives, the conclusion was reached that the praxis in the “sister
churches” at the beginning of the 21st century, functions in an ecclesiastically
imbalanced way. The imbalance lies in the fact that Christ-centred thinking, and thus
also Christ-centred ecclesiology (as balancing thinking and balancing ecclesiology),
does not manifest in “sister church” thinking. The unbalanced thinking as an all-encompassing factor in the church praxis, confirms and promotes the tendency of the
decline in numbers. The proposed strategic perspective as the adjusted practice theory
is thus a contribution to formulating an obedient, covenant-centred and reformed
answer to declining numbers. This adjusted strategy can bring about the wonder of
revival and growth in the “sister churches” by means of the basic theoretical truth
elements, which were pointed out in this research. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.
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'n Hermeneuties-empiriese strategie rakende die verskynsel van kerkkrimping in tradisioneel Afrikaanse susterkerke in Suid-Afrika : 'n prakties-teologiese studie / Sophia van HeldenVan Helden, Sophia January 2010 (has links)
The phenomenon of the decline in numbers in traditionally Afrikaans “sister
churches” - in the midst of the complex South African society of the first decade of
the 21st century - was researched in the light of the command that Jesus himself gave
to his church (Math 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8). The Great Commission directed the aim
of the research to evaluate this phenomenon hermeneutically and empirically in order
to develop a reformed strategy in a practical theological way. The grounding of the
investigation was the communicative action theory, which simultaneously integrates
with a basic theoretical model developed from a combination of basic theoretical
models as suggested by Dingemans, Heitink en Zerfass. To reinforce the
exegetical/hermeneutical perspective of the basic theory, a historical study was
conducted regarding the growth and decline of power basises since the Jesus
movement until now. The interaction between perspectives was subsequently
extended by metatheoretical perspectives, based on the research regarding the
influence of schools of thought, as well as the influence of circumstances in the
country, which determine the “sister church” praxis of the 21st century. The
traditionally Afrikaans “sister churches” as a problematic ecclesiastical community of
practice was further examined as part of the empirical perspective. On this basis an
attempt was made to gauge the thinking of the “sister churches” in the intricate and
problematic ecclesiastical praxis. The gauging was executed by means of a random
test in one of the “sister churches”, namely the Reformed Church of South Africa
(GKSA). It was found that this problematic church praxis is directed by strong
institutional thinking. An adjusted practice theory, as well as a supporting practical
theoretical model, were formulated in order to realise a reformed strategy for church
growth as opposed to the decline in numbers. Considering the above mentioned
interactive perspectives, the conclusion was reached that the praxis in the “sister
churches” at the beginning of the 21st century, functions in an ecclesiastically
imbalanced way. The imbalance lies in the fact that Christ-centred thinking, and thus
also Christ-centred ecclesiology (as balancing thinking and balancing ecclesiology),
does not manifest in “sister church” thinking. The unbalanced thinking as an all-encompassing factor in the church praxis, confirms and promotes the tendency of the
decline in numbers. The proposed strategic perspective as the adjusted practice theory
is thus a contribution to formulating an obedient, covenant-centred and reformed
answer to declining numbers. This adjusted strategy can bring about the wonder of
revival and growth in the “sister churches” by means of the basic theoretical truth
elements, which were pointed out in this research. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.
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