<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)

The central theoretical statement of this study stated that fathers have an active and effective role as mentors in transmitting values to the family and should be equipped for taking up this role, which may be applied in a pastoral-theological model. The idea of values for the father with regard to his role as mentor is defined and investigated in this study. The article format has been used in this thesis so that it consists of five articles which form a unity. In article one Scriptural pointers for the leaders and fathers being mentors to their followers (mentees) in the Old Testament are discussed. From the information summarized from the article, it is deduced that the leaders and fathers from the Old Testament served as mentors to their followers (mentees) with regard to values. Any leader or mentor can apply the principles and guidelines from the Old Testament to fathering, mentoring and transmitting values to a situation in everyday life. Article two deals with scriptural pointers for the leaders and father-figures as mentors to their followers (mentees) in the New Testament. From the information summarized from the article, it is deduced that the leaders and father figures from the New Testament served as mentors to their followers (mentees) with regard to values. Discipleship indicated the importance and significance of followers (mentees). Any leader or mentor can apply the guidelines and principles from the New Testament about leading, fathering, mentoring, discipling with regard to values even today. In article three the literature study on the fields of psychology, social work, psychiatric nursing and education were investigated in terms of family, fathering, mentoring and values. With regard to values those values according to Joubert (1986) and Heenan (2004) were used and integrated with values for the role of the father as mentor in the family context. The complexity of families and family structures in the real world were identified and discussed. The recommendations from this article are used to direct the empirical research on the role of the father as mentor with regard to values. The broader aim is to show how society may be impacted positively. Article four (chapter 5) deals with the empirical research that found that mentoring is needed and fathers should be mentors to their families. They should also be equipped with Christian values (the co-researchers consistently referred to Christian values which will serve as recommendation for further studies) in order to show that they can effect positive change to influence society. In article five (chapter 6) contours of a pastoral-theological model for the father as mentor in the transmission of Christian values are formulated. This model could possibly be applied to other spheres of life such as institutions (schools, colleges and universities), churches, societies and businesses to raise the effectiveness of these organizations through the mentoring of values. Topics for further research: * Equipping the mother as mentor in the transmission of Christian values. * Equipping children with Christian values so that they may be mentors to their peers. * Equipping children with Christian values so that they can be resistant to bad and inappropriate behaviour. * Equipping the family with Christian values so that they can be a mentor unit to other families in society. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The central theoretical statement of this study stated that fathers have an active and effective role as mentors in transmitting values to the family and should be equipped for taking up this role, which may be applied in a pastoral-theological model. The idea of values for the father with regard to his role as mentor is defined and investigated in this study. The article format has been used in this thesis so that it consists of five articles which form a unity. In article one Scriptural pointers for the leaders and fathers being mentors to their followers (mentees) in the Old Testament are discussed. From the information summarized from the article, it is deduced that the leaders and fathers from the Old Testament served as mentors to their followers (mentees) with regard to values. Any leader or mentor can apply the principles and guidelines from the Old Testament to fathering, mentoring and transmitting values to a situation in everyday life. Article two deals with scriptural pointers for the leaders and father-figures as mentors to their followers (mentees) in the New Testament. From the information summarized from the article, it is deduced that the leaders and father figures from the New Testament served as mentors to their followers (mentees) with regard to values. Discipleship indicated the importance and significance of followers (mentees). Any leader or mentor can apply the guidelines and principles from the New Testament about leading, fathering, mentoring, discipling with regard to values even today. In article three the literature study on the fields of psychology, social work, psychiatric nursing and education were investigated in terms of family, fathering, mentoring and values. With regard to values those values according to Joubert (1986) and Heenan (2004) were used and integrated with values for the role of the father as mentor in the family context. The complexity of families and family structures in the real world were identified and discussed. The recommendations from this article are used to direct the empirical research on the role of the father as mentor with regard to values. The broader aim is to show how society may be impacted positively. Article four (chapter 5) deals with the empirical research that found that mentoring is needed and fathers should be mentors to their families. They should also be equipped with Christian values (the co-researchers consistently referred to Christian values which will serve as recommendation for further studies) in order to show that they can effect positive change to influence society. In article five (chapter 6) contours of a pastoral-theological model for the father as mentor in the transmission of Christian values are formulated. This model could possibly be applied to other spheres of life such as institutions (schools, colleges and universities), churches, societies and businesses to raise the effectiveness of these organizations through the mentoring of values. Topics for further research: * Equipping the mother as mentor in the transmission of Christian values. * Equipping children with Christian values so that they may be mentors to their peers. * Equipping children with Christian values so that they can be resistant to bad and inappropriate behaviour. * Equipping the family with Christian values so that they can be a mentor unit to other families in society. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.