Thesis (MTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The church as a living organism is expected to grow. In the Great Commission in the book of Matthew 28:19-20 it is revealed that the desire of Jesus is that His church should increase. Growth therefore is an integral part of the church. There has been an incredible obsession with church growth strategies and methods that churches have never experienced before. South Korean churches have not been left out in this quest for church growth models. Church growth theories from the Fuller Seminary in America were introduced and applied between 1970 and 1980 and strongly affected many South Korean churches. The question for discussion here is not whether the church should grow, but in what ways growth occurs and by what means. It is God’s desire that his church grow. This is clearly demonstrated in scriptures. Various models have been put forward to examine the growth of the church, but as with all models, they have their limitations. This study focuses on Loren B. Mead’s model of church growth and its application in Korean churches. The aim of this study is to analyze and evaluate church growth theories found and followed in South Korean churches, which have affected the church in order to provide a more valid understanding. It seems that the Korean church’s failure to understand the balance between quantitative and the qualitative growth could be attributed, at least in part, to a misunderstanding of church growth theories. This study presents a desirable church growth model which promotes not only quantitative growth, but also effective and continual growth. Loren B. Mead’s model of growth is introduced which deals with four different forms of growth: numerical growth, maturational growth, organic growth, and incarnational growth. Chapter one of this study covers the background to the entire study and lays the conceptual framework of the study. Background of the Korean churches is surveyed, the aim of the study is highlighted, and the problem statement outlined, the motivation of the study introduced, and above all the hypothesis is spelt out. The methodology and the delimitation of the study are also covered in this chapter. Chapter two presents an overview of church growth models. A working definition is offered after considering various definitions of church growth. This chapter also considers the different backgrounds of major church growth movements. A theological and biblical basis of church growth is also covered in this chapter; types of church growth and the factors that contribute to the various types of church growth are also covered in this chapter. The chapter concludes with an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the various church growth models. Chapter three covers the empirical study. Qualitative data collected through the means of questionnaires from three South Korean churches is analyzed; laying the foundation for further work in Chapter five. Chapter four is an intensive study of Loren B Mead’s church growth model, namely numerical growth, maturational growth, organic growth, and incarnational growth. The uniqueness of this model is also discussed in a comparative form with other church growth models. Chapter five presents practical guidelines for South Korean churches for church growth, drawing inspiration from the literature study, the empirical data and primarily from Loren B. Mead’s model of church growth “More than Numbers” outlined in his book (1993). Chapter six forms the conclusion of the study. The major contributions of the study are highlighted and several suggestions are offered for practical applications of church growth in South Korean churches, and some suggestions for further research are also offered.

Thesis (MDiv) -- Stellenbosch University, 2002. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Willow Creek is 'n kerk wat alreeds die afgelope paar jaar die kerk aan die gons het. Ek wil amper sover gaan om die stigting van die Willow Creek model as 'n tweede reformasie te beskou, veral te midde van die drastiese teruggrype na die Nuwe Testamentiese kerk. Nes Martin Luther het Bill Hybels ook 'n stap van geloof geneem, en 'iets nuuts' begin wat anders was as waaraan almal gewoond was, om 'n gemeenskap van gelowiges op te rig wat leef volgens die beginsels waarvolgens die vroee kerk geleef het. Net soos wat Hybels besefhet dat die ongelowiges op 'n sensitiewe manier geevangeliseer moet word, so het Luther ook die opmerking gemaak dat diegene wie se geloof aan dade gekoppel is, teruggelei moet word na die geloof, soos wat jy 'n siek persoon sou begelei, dus baie versigtig. Hy kon maar net sowel die woord 'sensitief gebruik het. Haendler ( 1981 :28) stel dit soos volg: In his "Treatise on good works" Luther declared, "Therefore, we must not despise those of little faith who cling to their ceremonies and perform them as though they were lost in their faith without them. They would gladly do right and learn better, but they are as yet unable to grasp it all. Instead one should blame their ignorant, blind teachers, who have never taught them what faith is, and have led them so deeply into works. " The responsibility for these abuses is therefore that of the ministers rather than the congregation. Luther drew the following pastoral conclusion: "One should gently lead them back to faith in their good time, as one would treat a sick person. " Dus is ek van mening dat beide Hybels en Luther binne hulle konteks bedienaars is en was van die boodskap wat hulle glo en geglo het, relevant vir hulle samelewing is en was. Carron ( 2000:51) beskryfWillow Creek as een van 'n aantal posttradisionele kerke, wat in duidelike kontras teenoor die konvensionele kerke staan. Kenmerke wat Carron aan hierdie posttradisionele kerke toeskryf, stem baie ooreen met Willow Creek t.o.v. sy Soekersensitiewe kerkmodel, en die inligting wat ek daaroor verskaf oorvleuel wel. Carroll stel die kenmerke van 'n posttradisionele kerk soos volg: Groot getalle in vergelyking met die Protestantse kerke Gewilligheid om eeue-oue tradisies prys te gee, met 'n Bybelse uitgangspunt as rede Teologiese konserwatisme, sonder om fundamentalisties te raak Tekort aan denominale bande Sterk, entrepreneuriese leierskap, ondersteun deur opgeleide personeel, met baie klem op leke-oefening van geestelike gawes Het 'n spesifieke doel, vera! t.o.v. die identifisering van maniere om 'n spesifieke gehoor aan te spreek Getrou daaraan om lede te lei tot toegewyde dissipels van Christus Geboue wat geen ooreenkomste toon met tradisionele kerke nie, en wat gelee is om mense van 'n streek te trek, en nie net 'n spesifieke gemeenskap nie. Vermyding van die meeste tradisionele en klassieke vorme van kerkmusiek, om eerder kontemporere musiek in die kerk in te bring. Kleredrag is informeel Dienste is uiters profesioneel, en daar word geen druk op besoekers geplaas nie. Groot klem op kleingroepe. Geleenthede vir lede om betrokk:e te raak by 'n verskeidenheid bedieninge, veral op plaaslike vlak. Verwag 'n hoe vlak van toewyding van diegene wat aansluit, wat gepaard gaan met toewyding aan uitmuntendheid t.o.v. die bedieninge. Wat ek met hierdie studie poog, is om 'n verkennende analise te maak, in sover moontlik volgens die formaat soos deur Hendriks (1992: 134) voorgehou. Die motivering agter hierdie studie is die vraag na werkbare bedieningsvorme binne die N. G Kerk tradisie, omrede daar 'n afname in lidmaat getalle is, en diegene wat nie meer kerk toe gaan nie, terug 'gelok' moet word, sonder om hulle weg te jaag. Juis omrede Willow Creek so suksesvol is om ongelowiges te evangeliseer, en dit 'n taak is waarna die N.G Kerk ernstig sal moet terugkeer, kan daar by Willow Creek geleer word ten opsigte van hulle funksionering. Wat ek dus in hierdie studie doen, is om eerstens te gaan kyk na die geskiedenis van Willow Creek, waar die kerk vandaan kom, en die groeipyne wat die kerk ervaar het. Hierdie afdeling is vir my van uiterste belang, omrede die feit dat jy nie iemand regtig ken indien jy nie weet waarvandaan hy kom nie. Dus, om vir Willow Creek te analiseer, moet jy weet waarvandaan die kerk kom, en wie die kerk is. Die daaropvolgende hoofstuk handel oor die Soekersensitiewe model waarvolgens Willow Creek funksioneer, ingesluit al die areas binne die kerk wat daardeur geaffekteer word, asook die gevare en voordele van hierdie model. In die laaste hoofstuk gee ek die feitelike data en gegewens weer t.o.v. wat Willow Creek hied, en wie die kerk is. Dit sluit in wat die kerk t.o.v. homself se, wie die kerk is en waarvoor die kerk staan, asook alle geleenthede waar lidmate betrokke kan raak. Laastens toon ek die opset en ligging d.m.v. kaarte aan.

This dissertation examines the church planting strategies and methods that were used by the Ghana Baptist Convention and the Ghana Baptist Mission between 1960 and 2000. The goal is to come up with strategies and methods that will help the convention to plant healthy and indigenous churches. Chapter 1 introduces the strategies and methods that the Ghana Baptist convention and mission have used in the attempt to plant healthy indigenous churches. The chapter discusses the level of evangelization of Ghana as outlined in the GEC 1993 Survey and touches on such issues as nominalism the 14000 unevangelized villages and towns and also the 3.2 million unevangelized northern people and other aliens in southern Ghana. Chapter 2 describes Ghana. The chapter describes the geography of Ghana and covers the history, culture, socio-political, and economic environment as well as the religious situation in Ghana. Chapter 3 discusses the history of the Baptist work in Ghana. It begins with history of Christianity in Ghana. The second and the main part of the chapter covers the history of the Ghana Baptist Mission and the Ghana Baptist convention from 1947 to the present day. Chapter 4 examines the strategies and methods that the convention and the mission have used to plant churches. It ties down the strategies and methods to various time periods that they were used. The chapter begins with the strategies and methods of church planting that have been used by evangelicals as basis of comparison. The fifth chapter evaluates and critiques the strategies and methods of church planting that the convention and the mission have used. The chapter, first of all, outlines the criteria for analyzing healthy indigenous church planting strategies and methods. The chapter then analyzes the strategies and methods of church planting that have been used by other denominations and organizations including the PCG, the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Church of Pentecost, the Deeper Life Ministry and the Miracle Life Church and COF. The last and major part of the chapter critiques the strategies and methods of church planting that the Ghana Baptist convention and mission have used. Chapter 6 covers recommendations to the Ghana Baptist convention based on the study and the conclusion. The chapter also covers suggestions for further research on issues church planting issues that were not addressed by this dissertation. It ends with the challenges that writer poses to the convention as it strives to plant healthy indigenous churches.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-140).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-120).

This study seeks to discover more specifically how the Bible, rather than traditions, comfortable habits, or past practices, should guide us in achieving qualitative and quantitative church-growth in the Vaal Triangle, and in doing so to investigate different models, with the view of suggesting one typical to the conditions in the area. The literature review revealed that the local churches as they exist today are in disrepute. Together with other societal institutions, they are suspect, distrusted and no longer accepted at face value. Moreover, different societies or associations of Christians are found claiming to themselves and denying to others, the character and privilege of a Christian church; and opinions widely differing from each other are held as to the meaning of the word Church. In our time the word church has assumed various contemporary uses: the place of worship, a particular denomination, an area or nation, the universal body of believers, a local group of believers. Recourse to Scriptures must be sought for ecclesiastical formulations. The contextual study has revealed that the Vaal Triangle is characterised by differences in ethnic origin, language, and religion. Another feature about the Vaal Triangle is that some families are religiously bi-cultural i.e., members of the same family unit belong to different religious persuasions. In other instances the members of the same family unit belong to different denominations. This difference in church affiliation is as a result of various (and often confusing) church practices in the area. Moreover, there are a number of groups in existence in the Vaal Triangle called 'the Church' but certainly are not what the Lord said he would build, nor do they measure up to what the New Testament means when it speaks of the Church. This study endeavours to think afresh biblically and theologically, about the nature, structure and dynamics of the Local Church in the Vaal Triangle. The model proposed in this study namely, the Pastoral Family Model (PFM) seeks to integrate the whole life and witness of the Local Church in a balanced and co-ordinated way. This model uses all members of the household of God who can contribute to the growth of the Local Church by penetrating the community in other ways. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Biblical Studies))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2009.

Habilitation - Universität, Greifswald, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 499-535) and indexes.

This dissertation analyzes the missiology of I. T. Tichenor, corresponding secretary of the Home Mission Board from 1882-1900, and provides implications of his missiology on contemporary Southern Baptist North American Missions. Chapter 1 introduces the need for this dissertation and gives the thesis, background, limitations, and methodology of the dissertation. Chapter 2 gives a brief biography of I. T. Tichenor. Tichenor lived from 1825 to 1902, which was one of the most transitional periods in American history. His early life, pastorates, service as a civil war chaplain, service as president of Alabama A&M, and service as corresponding secretary of the Home Mission Board are highlighted. Chapter 3 gives the biblical and theological foundations of Tichenor. Tichenor's beliefs about God, the condition of man, the work of Christ, the nature of the Bible, salvation, and the Christian life are examined. Additionally, his view of evangelism, ecclesiology, the cultural mandate, and the end times are examined. Chapter 4 presents the missiology of I. T. Tichenor in regard to the Great Commission, the use of demographics, cooperation, church planting, church planting missionaries, indigenous leadership, the church building, and use of resources are presented. Chapter 5 gives implications on contemporary Southern Baptist North American missions. After giving the condition of Southern Baptist North American missions, implications are given from Tichenor's missiology that could spur a Great Commission Resurgence. Chapter 6 draws conclusions from the previous chapters. The conclusion states this dissertation gives Southern Baptists a historical precedence in accomplishing a Great Commission Resurgence. / This dissertation is under embargo until 2012-11-19.

Thesis (D.Min.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 2008. / Includes abstract. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-149).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-133).