Thesis (D. Min.)--Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-112).

Individuals and organisations follow a general developmental cycle, that begins with birth, and progresses through growth, maturity, decline and death. While individuals necessarily die after a period of years, organisations may continue through many generations, though they too may die. Once an organisation reaches maturity, it tends toward decline, for sin has corrupted not only men, but all creation (Rms. 8:21-22). Though all things tend toward decay and death, they can be revitalised, for such is the power of God's grace. Like all organisations, the church can become ineffective. Many prefer abandoning the old organisation and starting a new work. Revitalisation may be the better solution, though it is certainly the greater challenge. This project considers the organisational life cycle biblically, historically and contemporarily. It considers how the church grows, and what keeps it from growing. It also considers the merits of creating `new wineskins,' versus revitalising old ones. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

Text in Afrikaans / Talle Christelike kerke in Suid- Afrika, onder meer die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika, verkeer tans in 'n krisis. Die lidmaattalle toon 'n drasties dalende tendens, minder kinders word gedoop en minder Iidmate le belydenis van geloof af Hierdie krisis, asook die invloed van die postmodernisme op die hedendaagse mens, word aan die hand van die handelingswetenskaplike benadering ondersoek. Die gemeenteboumodel van Kenon L Callahan word gebruik, en daar word gevra tot watter mate hierdie model op die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika toegepas kan word. Wat sal die prakties- teologiese implikasies daarvan op die gemeenskap van gelowiges in die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika wees? Die resultaat van die studie is dat die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika wel met vrug gebruik kan maak van Callahan se model, met inagneming van die kerk se bestaande struktuur, tradisie en geskiedenis. In die toepassing van die model sal daar nuwe, ongekende eise aan die kerk gestel word. / Numerous christian churches in South Africa, including the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa is currently experiencing a crisis. Membership is declining, less children are baptised While new and unknown demands will be made on the church, new and exciting opportunities will also be met each year, and less members are confirmed. This crisis, together with the influence of the post- modernism, is explored using an operational science approach, and a possible solution to this problem is sought. The church growth model ofK.L. Callahan is used to facilitate this research. The applicability of this model to the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa is explored, together with the practical theological implications thereof on the holy community. The result of the study is that the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa can apply Callahan' s model to great affect, while cognisance should be taken of the church's own structure, tradition and history. / Practical Theology / Th. M. (Practical Theology)

Text in English / This work endeavors to analyze the growth of Brazilian Baptists in metropolitan Sao Paulo between the last two official censes. Protestants have been accused of not adapting to Brazilian culture, of organizing "miniconvents," rather than life and society-transforming communities, of having their roots so deeply embedded in their rural past that they are maladjusted to Brazilian urban life. Is this so? Has the result of over one hundred years of missionary effort been the production of a carbuncle within the Brazilian social fabric, a foreign body that must be rejected - as it rejects its host? Chapter two traces the history of Brazil, and of the insertion of Missionary Protestantism into the Brazilian social fabric. Special emphasis is given to the growth and development of the Brazilian Baptist Convention, especially in the State of Sao Paulo. Finally, the growth of the Brazilian Baptist churches in metropolitan Sao Paulo between the last two censes, 1981-1990, is analyzed. Brazilian Baptists have grown at better than twice the rate of the general population, especially in the urban, residential, communities. It would appear that Brazilian Baptists are well adapted to their environment, inasmuch as they are growing within the Brazilian urban context. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Christ has entrusted mysteries to his church which are essential for its life, teaching and mission and are to be explored in their meaning. One of it is “the glory of the Lord”. In a variety of ways the biblical testimony speaks of “the glory of the Lord”, which has revealed itself diversely and at all times. It has played a central role in God’s encounter with man in the Old and New covenant. God in his glory took his abode in the temple in order to establish worship. For this reason he let his glory become man in Jesus and let his glory live in man and in his church by his spirit up to its completion. The church has been called to the glory of God revealed in Christ. In spite of the broad biblical basis this term has played only a marginal role in many ecclesiologies until today. In present churches the glory of the Lord still remains an abstract term for many. It is not differentiated in any way or recognized in its meaning for the church. For this reason some of the most important ecclesiologies of the 20th century in German language are examined regarding the meaning and importance of the glory of the Lord. They are checked regarding its impact for ecclesiology and church-development. Its role will be compared with that in the bible. The conclusions are meant to be inspirations and impulses for ecclesiology and for church growth, for church life and community and for its mission in the world. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The Church Growth movement, originating with Donald McGavran in 1955 and popularised principally by C Peter Wagner since 1971, has influenced evangelical mission internationally. Though originating in the context of cross-cultural `missionary' work, it is perhaps now identified as a typically American approach, apparently relying on method and technique to accomplish its objective, which as the name implies, is the growth of the church, both locally and world-wide, since this is understood as the requirement of the `Great Commission' (Matthew 28: 18-20). The Salvation Army (founded 1865) has been in decline in Britain certainly since the Second World War, and probably since the 1930s. In 1986 the Army formally Espoused the Church Growth approach to mission. There has been little published research into the effectiveness of Church Growth methods, especially in the UK, despite voluminous outpourings of inspirational and motivational literature. Virtually the only test of the principles (Turning the Tide) was produced in 1981 by Paul Beasley-Murray and Alan Wilkinson, investigating the reliability of Wagner's` Vital Signs' in larger Baptist churches in England. This thesis follows Beasley-Murray and Wilkinson by testing the principles in the specific context of The Salvation Army in the UK. The approach adopted, a questionnaire survey with reference to statistical trends, follows the pragmatism of Church Growth itself, asking whether the approach works, rather than whether it is theologically sound, though such issues are considered where relevant. The opportunity has also been taken to consider specific Salvation Anny issues (uniform, music etc. ) and their effect on growth and decline. The work falls into four sections: - The Salvation Army; - The Church Growth Movement; - The Questionnaire Survey; - Conclusions and Recommendations.

Individuals and organisations follow a general developmental cycle, that begins with birth, and progresses through growth, maturity, decline and death. While individuals necessarily die after a period of years, organisations may continue through many generations, though they too may die. Once an organisation reaches maturity, it tends toward decline, for sin has corrupted not only men, but all creation (Rms. 8:21-22). Though all things tend toward decay and death, they can be revitalised, for such is the power of God's grace. Like all organisations, the church can become ineffective. Many prefer abandoning the old organisation and starting a new work. Revitalisation may be the better solution, though it is certainly the greater challenge. This project considers the organisational life cycle biblically, historically and contemporarily. It considers how the church grows, and what keeps it from growing. It also considers the merits of creating `new wineskins,' versus revitalising old ones. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

Text in Afrikaans / Talle Christelike kerke in Suid- Afrika, onder meer die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika, verkeer tans in 'n krisis. Die lidmaattalle toon 'n drasties dalende tendens, minder kinders word gedoop en minder Iidmate le belydenis van geloof af Hierdie krisis, asook die invloed van die postmodernisme op die hedendaagse mens, word aan die hand van die handelingswetenskaplike benadering ondersoek. Die gemeenteboumodel van Kenon L Callahan word gebruik, en daar word gevra tot watter mate hierdie model op die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika toegepas kan word. Wat sal die prakties- teologiese implikasies daarvan op die gemeenskap van gelowiges in die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika wees? Die resultaat van die studie is dat die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika wel met vrug gebruik kan maak van Callahan se model, met inagneming van die kerk se bestaande struktuur, tradisie en geskiedenis. In die toepassing van die model sal daar nuwe, ongekende eise aan die kerk gestel word. / Numerous christian churches in South Africa, including the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa is currently experiencing a crisis. Membership is declining, less children are baptised While new and unknown demands will be made on the church, new and exciting opportunities will also be met each year, and less members are confirmed. This crisis, together with the influence of the post- modernism, is explored using an operational science approach, and a possible solution to this problem is sought. The church growth model ofK.L. Callahan is used to facilitate this research. The applicability of this model to the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa is explored, together with the practical theological implications thereof on the holy community. The result of the study is that the Dutch Reformed Church of Africa can apply Callahan' s model to great affect, while cognisance should be taken of the church's own structure, tradition and history. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / Th. M. (Practical Theology)

Text in English / This work endeavors to analyze the growth of Brazilian Baptists in metropolitan Sao Paulo between the last two official censes. Protestants have been accused of not adapting to Brazilian culture, of organizing "miniconvents," rather than life and society-transforming communities, of having their roots so deeply embedded in their rural past that they are maladjusted to Brazilian urban life. Is this so? Has the result of over one hundred years of missionary effort been the production of a carbuncle within the Brazilian social fabric, a foreign body that must be rejected - as it rejects its host? Chapter two traces the history of Brazil, and of the insertion of Missionary Protestantism into the Brazilian social fabric. Special emphasis is given to the growth and development of the Brazilian Baptist Convention, especially in the State of Sao Paulo. Finally, the growth of the Brazilian Baptist churches in metropolitan Sao Paulo between the last two censes, 1981-1990, is analyzed. Brazilian Baptists have grown at better than twice the rate of the general population, especially in the urban, residential, communities. It would appear that Brazilian Baptists are well adapted to their environment, inasmuch as they are growing within the Brazilian urban context. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

Christ has entrusted mysteries to his church which are essential for its life, teaching and mission and are to be explored in their meaning. One of it is “the glory of the Lord”. In a variety of ways the biblical testimony speaks of “the glory of the Lord”, which has revealed itself diversely and at all times. It has played a central role in God’s encounter with man in the Old and New covenant. God in his glory took his abode in the temple in order to establish worship. For this reason he let his glory become man in Jesus and let his glory live in man and in his church by his spirit up to its completion. The church has been called to the glory of God revealed in Christ. In spite of the broad biblical basis this term has played only a marginal role in many ecclesiologies until today. In present churches the glory of the Lord still remains an abstract term for many. It is not differentiated in any way or recognized in its meaning for the church. For this reason some of the most important ecclesiologies of the 20th century in German language are examined regarding the meaning and importance of the glory of the Lord. They are checked regarding its impact for ecclesiology and church-development. Its role will be compared with that in the bible. The conclusions are meant to be inspirations and impulses for ecclesiology and for church growth, for church life and community and for its mission in the world. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)