Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Drugs are a very real problem in South-Africa. It affects health and is endemic to societal problems. Methamphetamine, popularly called “Tik,” is relatively cheap and easy to come by. Many young people use it and become addicted - with very bad repercussions for their families and society at large. In the Bellville South area most families suffer because of this scourge and are desperately looking for help. Faith communities have no option but to address the problem. The research focuses on the Bellville-South community where numerous families struggle with the scourge, desparately looking for help. As such faith communites are challenged to get involved and address tik-addiction and the related sociao-economic problems. The leadership of the Rhenish Church in Bellville took on the challenge to live up to the needs of families and society and to provide guidance for families. It is realistic to accept that there is no easy quick-fix solution to the problem. A holistic approach is needed. Thus the congregation has to do some real soul-searching and address its being functions, identity and calling in a time like this. How can the church be a safe haven for its members and the suffering community‟s parents and children? The research took an analytical look at the congregation, describing it from different angles. It also made a study of the drug problem, focussing on Tik. From a normative angle it looked at the essence of a missional church and asked how a missional church should address these challenges. It develops a strategy to guide leadership and congregation to support the families affected by the scourge. Eventually a missional ministry should be in place that will reach out in love and care to serve the community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dwelmmisbruik is ‟n geweldige probleem in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie probleem hou nie net gesondheidrisiko‟s in nie, maar veroorsaak ook ernstige en dikwels verwoestende sosiale probleme. Methamphetamine, populêr bekend as Tik, is redelik goedkoop en vrylik beskikbaar. Dit word deur talle jongmense gebruik met die gepaardgaande veelvuldige gevolge en verslawing. Dit affekteer individue, gesinne, en totale gemeenskappe. Hierdie studie fokus op die gemeenskap van Bellville-Suid waar talle gesinne worstel met die euwel en desperaat soek om hulp. Hierdie situasie van tikverslawing en gepaardgaande sosiale uitdagings daag veral die verskillende geloofsgemeenskappe uit om betrokke te raak by die aanspreek van die probleem. Ook die Rynse Kerk Bellville staan midde in die sosiaal-maatskaplik en sosio-ekonomies uitdagings en behoeftes. Die leierskap van die gemeente is soekend om hulself te bekwaam om op „n sinvolle wyse lidmate te begelei in hoe om veral die uitdagings rondom tikverslawing aan te spreek. Aangesien gesinne in besonder deur hierdie verskynsel geraak word, fokus hierdie studie op die behoeftes van gesinne. Die gemeente besef dat daar nie ‟n resep vir so iets is nie en dat die probleem holisties aangepak moet word. Die gemeente word dus verplig om baie ernstig selfondersoek te doen en na sy wese, sy identiteit en roeping te kyk. Hoe kan die gemeente ‟n veilige hawe vir sy lidmate en gemeenskap se ouers en kinders word? Die ondersoek beskryf die Rynse Kerk Bellville asook die probleem van tikverslawing in die families van die gemeente. Hoe sou daar in die lig van „n missionale teologie op die uitdagings gereageer word? ‟n Bedieningsplan word voorgestel om die leierskap en lidmate te bemagtig om ondersteunend betrokke te raak by geaffekteerde families. Die doel hiervan is om ‟n missionale bediening te vestig wat met barmhartigheid en liefde die gemeenskap dien.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research is a response to the question: what is the relationship or link between the URCSA Saron‟s identity and leadership challenges that it faces. Furthermore, the research aims to identify both the identity as well as the challenges that the local leadership faces. Currently the minister is central to everything, while the church leadership is not really taking independent co-responsibility for the problems and challenges that the congregation faces. The church leadership will be making decisions, but when it comes to the physical execution of the decisions it is expected of the minister to do that. If the members‟ receival is unfavourable it is easy to blame the minister, but if the minister for any reason cannot execute the decisions simply silt up. The research try to generate answers to the following questions: why is the minister so central to everything? Why is it so hard to develop local leadership who understand their calling to take independent ownership of the gospel and the challenges of the community? In a search for answers to these questions the congregation will be analyzed as follows: profile, contextual, processes and identity. In Section A the respective analysis will be done, while Section B, Chapter 6 put the identity of the Triune God into words. The reason for this is to become thoroughly aware of the current identity of the church. Special attention is given to the prehistoric revelation of God for the Khoe-San, while the coming of Jesus Christ for the latter is a second revelation of God. In Chapter 7 the focus shifted to the relationship between the Triune God and the faith community. Chapter 8 articulates the Triune God and the Kingdom. Section 3 deals with the leadership of the URCSA Saron and put it‟s identity into words. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing is ʼn respons op die vraag: Wat is die verband tussen die VGK Saron se identiteit en die leierskapsuitdagings waarvoor dit staan? Vervolgens het die navorsing dit ten doel om beide die identiteit van die gemeente asook die uitdagings wat die plaaslike kerkleierskap in die gesig staar, te identifiseer. Huidig staan die leraar sentraal in alles, terwyl die kerkleierskap daarenteen nie eintlik onafhanklik mede-verantwoordelikheid neem vir die probleme en die uitdagings waarvoor die gemeente staan nie. Die kerkleierskap sal wel besluite neem, maar wanneer dit kom by die fisiese uitvoer van die besluite word verwag dat die leraar dit moet doen. Indien die besluite wel deur die toedoen van die leraar ten uitvoer gebring word en ongunstig by die lidmate ontvang word, is dit maklik om die blaam na die leraar te projekteer. Indien die leraar om welke rede nie die besluite ten uitvoer bring nie of nie daarby kan uitkom nie, dan versand dit eenvoudig net. Hierdie navorsing probeer om antwoorde te genereer op die vrae: Waarom staan die leraar so sentraal in alles? Waarom is dit so moeilik om plaaslike leierskap te ontwikkel wat hul roeping verstaan deur onafhanklik eienaarskap te neem van die evangelie asook die uitdagings van die gemeenskap? In ʼn soeke na antwoorde op hierdie vrae, word die gemeente as volg geanaliseer: profiel, kontekstueel, prosesse en die identiteit. In Afdeling A word die onderskeie analises gedoen, terwyl Afdeling B, hoofstuk 6 die identiteit van die drie-enige God onder woorde bring. Die rede hiervoor is om eers deeglik bewus te word van wat die huidige identiteit van die gemeente is. Daar word veral ook gekyk na die oeropenbaring van God wat vir die Khoe-San as eerste openbaring gekom het, terwyl die koms van Jesus Christus vir die Khoe-San ʼn tweede openbaring van God is. In hoofstuk 7 word die fokus verskuif na die verband tussen die drie-enige God en die Geloofsgemeenskap. Hoofstuk 8 verwoord die drie-enige God en die Koninkryk. In Afdeling 3 handel dit oor die Leierskap van die VGK Saron. In hierdie hoofstuk word die identiteit van die leierskap onder woorde gebring. ʼn Slotsamevatting sluit die tesis af.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis critically analyses the appropriateness and effectiveness of the ABC model in the HIV/AIDS prevention within the context of Swaziland. According to Louw (2008:423), the ABC model stands for the following: A = Abstinence, B = Be faithful and C = use Condoms. According to Green and Herling (2007:1) the ABC model has gained the attention of many countries. The attempt of this model in HIV prevention was to “aim at empowering people through value-based programs to basically abstain from sex as long as possible, to be faithful to one intimate partner and to use condoms correctly and consistently” (De la Porte 2006:79). The assessment of the HIV/AIDS virus in 1983-1984 came as a shock. It was difficult for the church to know at that time how to respond. Some of the responses pointed to the virus as punishment of God. Gradually the church started to become involved in the pandemic. From a Christian spirituality perspective it was argued that the so called ABC model could be viewed as a means of remedy within a prevention approach. The cultural issues as well as human sexuality factors have been discovered to be an obstacle in the ABC model in playing a progressive role in Swaziland. The cultural factors that prevent the ABC model from accomplishing effective results are listed in the final report of (Whiteside et al. 2006: 18-19): bunganwa (having multiple sexual partners; a cultural practice of male married and unmarried to have many girlfriends); kungenwa (levirate or wife inheritance); a widow is given in marriage to marry the brother of her deceased husband without the consent of the women which exposes women to the HIV virus. This practice is done without the consent of the women. Kujuma (occasional overnight visits between unmarried lovers); kuhlanta (a young girl bearing the children of her infertile sister); kushenda (extramarital relationships); kulamuta (a man having a sexual relationship with a younger sister of his wife); and sitsembu (polygamy, one man with more than one wife); this is a common cultural practice found in many African countries due to gender inequality (Chitando 2009:26). This has led to Swaziland being seriously affected by the HIV/AIDS virus (Rupiya 2006:66). The high rate of infection is frightening in a small country with a population of 1 million. As Bishop M, Mabuza, the Anglican bishop indicated, the nation‟s existence is threatened. (Rosenow 2011: 32). Therefore the researcher proposed a pastoral model which gives dignity to human and adds the spiritual dimension of healing in the pastoral care and counselling. There is an urgent need for church leaders to be empowered to face the HIV/AIDS with knowledge that the pandemic is not a punishment for promiscuous people. The theology of sexuality emphasises the responsibility in every sexual engagement for people to be conscious to whatever decision they take. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie navorsing word die toepaslikheid en effektiwiteit van die ABC model in die voorkoming van MIV/Vigs binne die konteks van Swaziland krities ontleed. Volgens Louw (2008:423) staan ABC (in Engels) vir: A = Onthouding, B = Getrouheid aan een maat en C = Die gebruik van kondome. Die navorser, ‟n geordende predikant van die Evangeliese Lutherse Kerk, bespreek die erns van die voorkoms van die MIV/Vigs-infeksie in Swaziland. Empiries is bewys dat Swaziland een van die lande in Sub-Sahara en die wêreld is met die hoogste infeksiekoers (Rupiya 2006:66). Dit is ernstig in ‟n klein landjie soos Swaziland met ‟n bevolking van slegs 1 129 000. Die pandemie het ‟n impak op alle gemeenskappe in die land en bied‟n groot uitdaging vir die Kerk in Swaziland. Die vraag is hoe die Kerk, in haar pastorale bediening, die ABC model kan gebruik om die globale poging te steun om te verhoed dat MIV/Vigs versprei. Hoe kan die konsep van die ABC model toegepas word sodat die Kerk, as hulpgewende gemeenskap, kan sorg vir die siele van die gemeentelede (cura animarum) en effektief inligting omtrent die ABC model kan versprei en uitreik na MIV-positiewe mense? Die navorser stel voor dat daar verandering moet kom in die gesindheid van die Kerk en dat daar ‟n herkonseptualisasie van die voorkomingstrategie en die Skrifverklaring van menslike seksualiteit moet wees. Die Kerke in Swaziland moet hulle houding verander. Daar moet baie meer openlikheid wees sodat sosio-kulturele kwessies openlik bespreek kan word. Daar moet ‟n kritiese herbepaling wees van die tradisies en die kerkbeleid rondom menslike seksualiteit en hoe dit betrekking het op die MIV/Vigs-pandemie.