The cultural paradigm shift from modernism to postmodernism offers challenges and opportunities to the church to develop pastoral practises that address the changing needs of members of congregations. In my research I follow a contextual approach to the study of theology. I describe the context of postmodernism and how the church manages its pastoral practises in this context. The social construction discourse and narrative epistemology offer new perspectives on how appropriate pastoral practises can be established within this context. I research the possible ways in which the social construction discourse and narrative epistemology can contribute to three key areas of congregational pastoral practices, namely preaching, group work and pastoral visiting. My research highlights the important contribution that members of a congregation can make in the process of constructing narrative pastoral practises that will assist them to story their lives in the context of the Great Story of God. The fusion of the life stories of the faithful with the Great Story of God inspires them to describe their life stories in rich and more fulfilling ways. In the process of this research, I endeavoured to make audible the input of as many of those that contributed to the construction of new narratiewe pastoral practises. I have accordingly included their contribution more comprehensively than would normally be done. / Practical Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology - specialising in Pastoral Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Die samelewing heleef tans groot veranderinge. Die kerk en gesinslewe word heide daardeur geraak. Al meer druk word op gesinslewe geplaas en daardeur verander gesinne se hehoeftes. Een van die grootste hehoeftes van gesinne is 'n hehoefte aan diepteverhoudings, medemenslike erkenning, emosionele sekuriteit en interpersoonlike intimiteit. Die kerk moet hierdie hehoeftes kan raaksien en aanspreek. Vir 'n hediening aan gesinne en deur gesinne, is dit noodsaaklik dat die gemeente opnuut weer God se plan met die gesin herontdek; die gemeente moet die gesin as 'n ekosistemiese eenheid verstaan en die ontwikkelingsfases en emosionele prosesse binne 'n gesinsisteem moet in ag geneem word. In hierdie studie word die selgemeente gehruik om moontlike antwoorde te hied vir die hehoeftes van gesinne. Die hevinding van hierdie studie is dat die selgemeente oor die potensiaal heskik om vir die gesin 'n ware tuiste te hied waar gelowige gesinne toegerus en opgehou kan word vir hulle roeping in die gemeente, die samelewing en die wereld. Die selgemeente kan 'n moontlike model vir 'n gesinshediening wees. / The church and family are both affected by the immense changes in society. Family needs change under the pressure of these changes. Among the greatest family needs are a relationship with depth, acknowledgement from fellow-man, emotional security and interpersonal intimacy. The church must recognise these needs and address them. A ministry to families must firstly rediscover God's plan for the family; secondly the family must be seen as an ecosystemic unity; thirdly development and emotional phases in the family must be understood and managed. I used the cell church model as a basis to develop a structure for family ministry. I found the cell church model to be essentially a relationship model. I came to the conclusion that the cell church model has the potential to be a genuine home for family; to be a basis from which the family can be built up and from which the family can be equipped for their calling. Thus, I found the cell church model to be a possible model for family ministry. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

The cultural paradigm shift from modernism to postmodernism offers challenges and opportunities to the church to develop pastoral practises that address the changing needs of members of congregations. In my research I follow a contextual approach to the study of theology. I describe the context of postmodernism and how the church manages its pastoral practises in this context. The social construction discourse and narrative epistemology offer new perspectives on how appropriate pastoral practises can be established within this context. I research the possible ways in which the social construction discourse and narrative epistemology can contribute to three key areas of congregational pastoral practices, namely preaching, group work and pastoral visiting. My research highlights the important contribution that members of a congregation can make in the process of constructing narrative pastoral practises that will assist them to story their lives in the context of the Great Story of God. The fusion of the life stories of the faithful with the Great Story of God inspires them to describe their life stories in rich and more fulfilling ways. In the process of this research, I endeavoured to make audible the input of as many of those that contributed to the construction of new narratiewe pastoral practises. I have accordingly included their contribution more comprehensively than would normally be done. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Practical Theology - specialising in Pastoral Therapy)

Text in Afrikaans / Die samelewing heleef tans groot veranderinge. Die kerk en gesinslewe word heide daardeur geraak. Al meer druk word op gesinslewe geplaas en daardeur verander gesinne se hehoeftes. Een van die grootste hehoeftes van gesinne is 'n hehoefte aan diepteverhoudings, medemenslike erkenning, emosionele sekuriteit en interpersoonlike intimiteit. Die kerk moet hierdie hehoeftes kan raaksien en aanspreek. Vir 'n hediening aan gesinne en deur gesinne, is dit noodsaaklik dat die gemeente opnuut weer God se plan met die gesin herontdek; die gemeente moet die gesin as 'n ekosistemiese eenheid verstaan en die ontwikkelingsfases en emosionele prosesse binne 'n gesinsisteem moet in ag geneem word. In hierdie studie word die selgemeente gehruik om moontlike antwoorde te hied vir die hehoeftes van gesinne. Die hevinding van hierdie studie is dat die selgemeente oor die potensiaal heskik om vir die gesin 'n ware tuiste te hied waar gelowige gesinne toegerus en opgehou kan word vir hulle roeping in die gemeente, die samelewing en die wereld. Die selgemeente kan 'n moontlike model vir 'n gesinshediening wees. / The church and family are both affected by the immense changes in society. Family needs change under the pressure of these changes. Among the greatest family needs are a relationship with depth, acknowledgement from fellow-man, emotional security and interpersonal intimacy. The church must recognise these needs and address them. A ministry to families must firstly rediscover God's plan for the family; secondly the family must be seen as an ecosystemic unity; thirdly development and emotional phases in the family must be understood and managed. I used the cell church model as a basis to develop a structure for family ministry. I found the cell church model to be essentially a relationship model. I came to the conclusion that the cell church model has the potential to be a genuine home for family; to be a basis from which the family can be built up and from which the family can be equipped for their calling. Thus, I found the cell church model to be a possible model for family ministry. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

Bibliography: pages 170-189 / Relational discipleship is found to hold a great potential for church growth. The Methodist Church Ghana uses Small Groups, referred to in the Methodist tradition as the Bible Class as effective tool for relational discipleship for church growth. Bible Class has been used from the inception of the church for exponential growth of the church. However, the rate of growth in recent years have been below targets. This study explored the factors affecting the positive outcomes of the utilization of the Bible Class meetings as effective tool for relational discipleship and for church growth. This study explored the participants’ knowledge and use of the structural arrangements put in place to help pastors and leaders to foster relational discipleship towards church growth (the numerical and spiritual growth and commitment of the church members); and the leadership and discipleship styles employed by the pastors and class leaders in pursuance of the goal of the church. Five (5) Societies in the Accra Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana located in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, were involved in the study. Mixed Method Research that combined both qualitative (in-depth interviews and Focus Groups) and quantitative (structured questionnaires) research methodologies were used to explore the perspectives about the structural arrangements put in place to help pastors and leaders to foster relational discipleship, leadership/discipleship styles of the leaders; the benefit and usefulness of the Bible Class as a relational discipleship tool; their participation in church programmes and activities and the challenges they faced. The qualitative research consisted of 20 in-depth interviews and eight (8) focus groups with some church members, ministers and church leaders. The focus group discussions revealed that church members knew about the structural arrangements put in place to assist leadership of the church to foster closer relationship with their members in pursuance of discipleship. The study also revealed there were many challenges associated with the participation in the Bible Class Meetings and other church programmes and activities. The Bible Class meeting was cited as having been put in place for discipleship making and could be used to strengthen relationship between the church leadership and members. The findings from the qualitative phase were tested at the quantitative stage. The quantitative research method employed structured questionnaires administered to 650 church members, ministers and church leaders. The participants comprised 419 (64%) females and 231 (36%) males. Their ages ranged between 18 and 79 years with the majority (55%) between 18 and 40 years. The participants completed the questionnaires by themselves at the premises of their churches. The response rate was 100%. Three hypotheses were tested. The findings of the research suggest that the extent to which pastors and church leadership directly get involved in the affairs of their members with the view to making disciples and monitoring their spiritual growth influences church members’ interest in church activities and commitment to the church. It was also noted that leadership’s participation in church activities encourages members’ participation in church activities and programmes. Similarly, pastors and lay leaders who utilized the Bible Class or Small Group to build relationships with their members had greater numbers of members attending small group meetings and that pastors’ involvement makes the church members perceive class meeting as beneficial. However, only Interpersonal Leadership Style of Discipleship was positively associated with knowledge about church activities and participation in church activities and programmes. The more members know about Church activities, the greater their participation in those activities. There was no association between the other discipleship styles (e.g. serving, testimonial, intellectual) employed by leaders to foster relational discipleship. The discussions and conclusion of this study were based on these three studies (In-depth Interview, Focus Groups Discussions and the Structured Questionnaire Survey). / Practical Theology / D. Phil. (Theology)

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Text in Afrikaans / Die een biljoen tieners wereldwyd (Borgman 1997:3) is nie meer dieselfde as 'n paar jaar gelede nie, maar raak daagliks moeiliker om te bereik. 'n Generasie wat wereldburgerskap ontvang het en deur die Televisie vermaak en die Media beinvloed word. Jongmense, skrikkerig vir "commitment", nie anti-godsdiens nie, maar soekend om te bepaal watter een die regte God is. Die kerk het vir die Millennium generasie tieners "boring" geraak want weekliks word hulle vermaak. Die uitdaging vir jeugbedienings lê daarin dat hierdie moderne tiener uit hulle geestelike verveeldheid uitgehelp sal word sodat hulle iets kan begin doen met dit wat hulle vir jare al weet. Die Tienerleier selgroep model is gerig op die verstaan van Millennium tieners en hulle geestelik te help groei. Met die oop steel in gedagte word elke tiener wat Jesus Christus as 'n werklikheid ontdek het gemotiveer om hierdie werklikheid met 'n ander tiener te gaan deel. / The one billion teenagers in the world (Borgman 1997:3) today are very different than a few years ago. The process to reach them with the Gospel is recently more difficult than ever. As citizens of the Global village they enjoy the entertainment on television and dress in the way the media proclaims. Modern youth are scared of commitment, not really anti-religion but searching for the true God. The youth of today look to the church to show them something, no, SOMEONE but instead the church became boring to them. We need to help them step out of their own boredom and do something with what they know (Hutchcraft 1996:168). With the focus on spiritual growth, and the vacant chair to remind them of their lost friends, the student-led cell group model can be one of the most effective strategies for reaching and serving the teenager of the next century. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / M. Diac. (Jeugwerk)

Text in Afrikaans / Die een biljoen tieners wereldwyd (Borgman 1997:3) is nie meer dieselfde as 'n paar jaar gelede nie, maar raak daagliks moeiliker om te bereik. 'n Generasie wat wereldburgerskap ontvang het en deur die Televisie vermaak en die Media beinvloed word. Jongmense, skrikkerig vir "commitment", nie anti-godsdiens nie, maar soekend om te bepaal watter een die regte God is. Die kerk het vir die Millennium generasie tieners "boring" geraak want weekliks word hulle vermaak. Die uitdaging vir jeugbedienings lê daarin dat hierdie moderne tiener uit hulle geestelike verveeldheid uitgehelp sal word sodat hulle iets kan begin doen met dit wat hulle vir jare al weet. Die Tienerleier selgroep model is gerig op die verstaan van Millennium tieners en hulle geestelik te help groei. Met die oop steel in gedagte word elke tiener wat Jesus Christus as 'n werklikheid ontdek het gemotiveer om hierdie werklikheid met 'n ander tiener te gaan deel. / The one billion teenagers in the world (Borgman 1997:3) today are very different than a few years ago. The process to reach them with the Gospel is recently more difficult than ever. As citizens of the Global village they enjoy the entertainment on television and dress in the way the media proclaims. Modern youth are scared of commitment, not really anti-religion but searching for the true God. The youth of today look to the church to show them something, no, SOMEONE but instead the church became boring to them. We need to help them step out of their own boredom and do something with what they know (Hutchcraft 1996:168). With the focus on spiritual growth, and the vacant chair to remind them of their lost friends, the student-led cell group model can be one of the most effective strategies for reaching and serving the teenager of the next century. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Diac. (Jeugwerk)

Text in Afrikaans / Die probleemstelling van hierdie studie is naamlik: "Kan die groei of bestaan van kleingroepe in 'n gemeente 'n invloed hê op die vlak van koinonia wat die gemeente beleef." Hierdie vraag het relevant geword omdat die mens waarmee die kerk werk, gedurig verander. Sedert die "verligting" van die sewentiende eeu lewe ons in 'n tyd wat as die "modemisme" bekend staan. Die modemisme word gekenmerk deur die beklem­toning van die rasionele en individualisme van die individu. Sedert die tweede wereldoorlog het daar 'n verskuiwing begin plaasvind van 'n "modemistiese" na 'n "postmodemistiese" samelewing. Die postmodemis ontgogel deur die onvermoe van die modemisme om vrede in die wereld te verseker het 'n behoefte na "community" of koinonia begin ontwikkeL Dit het weer belangrik geword om iewers te behoort. Die tradisionele bedieningspraxis wat baie gesteun het op die beginsels van die modernisme is besig om ontoereikend te word vir die uitdagings van die post­ modernistiese mens. Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n bedieningspraxis te ondersoek en te beskryf wat die behoefte na koinonia aan spreek - daardie diep innige omgang van mense met mekaar in liefde. Die term verwys na die diep lewens en Iotsverbondenheid wat 'n christelikegeloofsgemeenskap met mekaar behoort te deel. Die tradisionele bedieningspraxis het die ideaal na koinonia in die erediens gesien. Die uitgangspunt van hierdie studie is dat dit nie haalbaar is nie. 'n Nuwe bedieningspraxis waarin die kleingroep prominent figureer is eerder die ruimte waarbinne koinonia beleef kan word. Dit beteken dlat die studie 'n paradigmaskuif voorstaan van 'n tradisioneel "verkondigings" of"Herder-kudde-model" na 'n "liggaams"- of"charismatiesemodel". Die doel van die studie is om die postmoderne mens te lei na geloofsvolwassenheid, dit is die uiteindelike doel van 'n gemeentebouprogram. Hierdie groei na geloofsvolwassenheid is 'n pastorale proses waar lidmate deur 'n egte belewing van koinonia in 'n kleingroep, wat as 'n verlengde familie funksioneer, groei na geloofsvolwassenheid. Die studie steun die "selgemeentemodel" as bedieningspraxis om die groei na geloofsvolwassenheid in 'n gemeente te fasiliteer. Hierdeur sal koinonia as een van die wesenskenmerke van die kerk weer tot sy reg kom in die kerk. / This study deals with the problem statement: "Can the growth or existence of small groups within a congregation influence the level of community experienced within that congregation?" The question is relevant because the church works with everchanging human beings. Since the "revolution" of the seventeenth century, we have been living in a period of "modernism" characterised by the emphasis being placed on rationalism and individualism. Since the Second World War a shift has taken place from a "modernistic" to a "post-modernistic" society. Post-modernistic man, disillusioned by the inability of the modernistic world to ensure peace, has developed a need for community. Involvement with other people and the need to belong has once again become important. Traditional ministry, based on the principles of modernism, has become inadequate to fulfil the challenges and requirements of post-modernistic man. The purpose of this study is to investigate a ministry practice which will address these requirements of community - namely a deep and profound relationship of caring between people. The term refers to a strong bond of common destiny which people should experience within a religious community. Traditional practices of ministry upheld the belief that this ideal of community could be attained within religious services. The premise of this study is that such a level of community is not achieved within traditional ministry practices. A new practice, in which small groups feature prominently, would be more conducive to a spirit of community. The study suggests a paradigm shift from the traditional model of"gospel preaching" or "pastoral-herd", to a more physical or charismatic model. The purpose of this study is to guide post-modernistic man towards religious adulthood, which is the ultimate goal of a congregational building program. This is a pastoral process where members of the congregation grow towards adulthood through a fervent experience of community within a small group, functioning as an extended family. The study promotes the "cell-church model" as appropriate ministry practice to facilitate the congregation's growth towards religious adulthood. Through this approach, community will once more take its rightful place as one of the quintessential features of the church. / Philosophy, Practical & Systematic Theology / Th. D. (Praktiese Teologie)

Text in German with German and English summaries / Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit erforscht Transformationsprozesse von etablierten Gemeinden, die auf eine missionale Neuausrichtung zielen. Den Kern der Arbeit bildet die empirische Untersuchung des eränderungsprozesses der Freien evangelischen Gemeinde Darmstadt. Es wird untersucht, wie die Mitglieder diesen Prozess erlebt und wahrgenommen haben, um herauszufinden, wodurch dieser Prozess gefördert und gehemmt wurde. Die Arbeit beschäftigt sich außerdem mit der von Luhmann entwickelten systemischen Organisationstheorie, die dabei hilft zu verstehen, wie Gemeinde als Organisation funktioniert und was dies für deren Veränderung bedeutet. Es wird versucht die Ergebnisse der empirischen Forschung mithilfe dieser Theorie zu deuten und einzuordnen, um aufzuzeigen, inwiefern diese Theorie bei Veränderungsprozessen helfen kann, den Fokus auf die Aspekte zu lenken, die für eine erfolgreiche Umsetzung relevant sind. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, Hilfestellung für zukünftige Transformationsprozesse zu geben, indem sie fragt, was aus dem Prozess der Freien evangelischen Gemeinde Darmstadt und der systemischen Organisationstheorie gelernt werden kann. / This MTh dissertation explores transformational processes of established churches, that aim towards missional renewal. Core of this thesis is the empirical study of the transformation-process of the Freie evangelische Gemeinde Darmstadt. The study explores the perception of the church members of this process, to find out ways it was supported and blocked. The thesis also deals with the theory of organized social systems by Luhmann, that helps to understand how local church works as an organization and what this means regarding change. The Thesis interprets the results of the empirical study based on this theory to show, how it can help depict those aspects, that are relevant to successfully implement transformational processes. Aim of this thesis is to give assistance to shape future transformational processes by asking what can be learned from the developments of the Freie evangelische Gemeinde Darmstadt and the theory of organized social systems. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)