Text in Afrikaans / Onderlinge sorg is 'n wesenlike bedieningsaspek van die christelike geloofsgemeenskap. Ongelukkig kom daar soms weinig hiervan tereg. Gemeentes het egter geleentheid om in kleingroep-verband (soos in sefgemeentes) 'n effektiewe sorgsisteem te herbou. Die toerusting van groepleiers bied voorts 'n sleutel tot die ontwikkeling van die pastoraal-terapeut1ese waarde van sulke kleingroepe. Vanuit 'n post-moderne diskoersposisie vir die pastoraat (soos dit neerslag vind in 'n narratiewe benadering) is in hierdie navorsing narratief en ko-konstruktief gewerk aan die opleiding van selgemeenteleiers. Daar is spesifiek gefokus op die vestiging van die deursigtige, narratiewe praktyk van veelvuldige refleksiewe en reflekterende gesprekke in die onderlinge versorging in selgemeentes, dus: die benutting van die selgemeente as getuiegroep. Daarmee word aangesluit by die feit dat selgemeentes 'n forum en konteks bied vir die vertelling en hervertelling van stories, 'n narratiewe proses wat die potensiaal het om byte dra tot die generering van ryker beskrywrngs van mense se lewens. / Mutual care amongst believers is fundamentally part of the pastoral ministry of the church. The situation in this regard leaves much room for improvement in many churches. However, churches have the opportunity to rebuild an effective system of mutual care through small groups (ce11s). An important key to the development of the pastoral-therapeutic impact of such small groups, lies in the training of group leaders. This research project used a narrative, co-constructive approach toward the traintng of cell leaders. It was done from a post-modern discourse position for pastoral care. The specific intent was to establish the transparent, narrative practice of multiple reflexive conversations as a basis for mutual care within church cells thus utilizing cells as witness groups. This was done as cells provide a forum and context for the telling and re-telling of stories and th1s has the potential to contribute to the generation of richer descriptions of people's lives. / Practical theology / M. Th. (Praktiese Teologie (Pastorale Terapie))

Text in Afrikaans / Onderlinge sorg is 'n wesenlike bedieningsaspek van die christelike geloofsgemeenskap. Ongelukkig kom daar soms weinig hiervan tereg. Gemeentes het egter geleentheid om in kleingroep-verband (soos in sefgemeentes) 'n effektiewe sorgsisteem te herbou. Die toerusting van groepleiers bied voorts 'n sleutel tot die ontwikkeling van die pastoraal-terapeut1ese waarde van sulke kleingroepe. Vanuit 'n post-moderne diskoersposisie vir die pastoraat (soos dit neerslag vind in 'n narratiewe benadering) is in hierdie navorsing narratief en ko-konstruktief gewerk aan die opleiding van selgemeenteleiers. Daar is spesifiek gefokus op die vestiging van die deursigtige, narratiewe praktyk van veelvuldige refleksiewe en reflekterende gesprekke in die onderlinge versorging in selgemeentes, dus: die benutting van die selgemeente as getuiegroep. Daarmee word aangesluit by die feit dat selgemeentes 'n forum en konteks bied vir die vertelling en hervertelling van stories, 'n narratiewe proses wat die potensiaal het om byte dra tot die generering van ryker beskrywrngs van mense se lewens. / Mutual care amongst believers is fundamentally part of the pastoral ministry of the church. The situation in this regard leaves much room for improvement in many churches. However, churches have the opportunity to rebuild an effective system of mutual care through small groups (ce11s). An important key to the development of the pastoral-therapeutic impact of such small groups, lies in the training of group leaders. This research project used a narrative, co-constructive approach toward the traintng of cell leaders. It was done from a post-modern discourse position for pastoral care. The specific intent was to establish the transparent, narrative practice of multiple reflexive conversations as a basis for mutual care within church cells thus utilizing cells as witness groups. This was done as cells provide a forum and context for the telling and re-telling of stories and th1s has the potential to contribute to the generation of richer descriptions of people's lives. / Practical theology / M. Th. (Praktiese Teologie (Pastorale Terapie))

A dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of D. Litt. In Communication Science University of Zululand, 2004. / This dissertation reports the results of a study made of the forms of communication employed by Judaeo-Christian religious groups when they saw themselves as movements, compared to when they had become organisations. Beginning with ancient Israel, the study documents how forms of communication become elaborated during the organisational phase of groups' existence. The forms of communication used in Christian religious groups are documented from the rime of the eady Christian Church, through the Reformation period, through the 17* century to present-day Christian groups. The dissertation also reports as a case study an empirical analysis of the forms of communication used by the Cell Church and churches with cell groups, both of which are inter-denominational and host regular informal gatherings. It is found that these gatherings display the onset phase characteristics of Christian movements. From a theoretical point of view the research reported here provides evidence in support for the following Christian Religious Communications Hypothesis: Christian religious groups will use a limited number offorms of communication when they perceive themselves as movements and they will expand their forms of communication, as they become organisations, which forms special instance of Klopper (2003)'s general Theory of the Optimisation of Human Communication: Humans optimise a variety of forms of communication within a culture, to ensure immediate direct personal survival and to maintain their culture as a fongterm indirect survival strategy. By confirming the validity of the Christian Religious Communications Hypothesis, the research findings also provide indirect validation for Klopper's general Theory of the Optimisation of Human Communication.

Text in German / Summary in German and English / Die vorliegende Studie untersucht den missionarischen Gemeindeaufbau in kleinen Gemeinden anhand von acht Interviews mit Pastoren kleiner Pfingstgemeinden, welche anhand der Methode von Grounded Theory und Teilen der SWOT-Analyse ausgewertet wurden. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Diskussion um den missionarischen Gemeindeaufbau in kleinen Gemeinden anzuregen, wie auch das Potenzial kleiner Gemeinden sichtbar zu machen. Nach einer thematischen Einführung entlang eines historischen Überblicks über die Paradigmen der Weltmission und der Beleuchtung der aktuellen Diskussion um den missionarischen Gemeindeaufbau, wird nach einer kurzen Einführung der Methoden auf die Resultate der Auswertung der Interviews eingegangen. Danach werden diese anhand von SWOT analysiert. Die daraus resultierenden Strategievorschläge werden dann abschliessend ins Gespräch mit der behandelten Literatur gebracht. / The present essay investigates the missionary church building of small churches by means of eight interviews with ministers of small pentecostal churches evaluated by the method of Grounded Theory and parts of the SWOT analysis. The aim of this essay is to stimulate the discussion about the missionary church building in small churches as well as make appear the potential of small churches. A thematic introduction along with a historical survey over the paradigm of the world-wide mission and examining the current discussion about the missionary church building of the church is followed by a short introduction of the methods. Then the results of the interview evaluations are entered in and analysed by SWOT. Finally the conclusions of the strategic suggestions are brought under dialogue with the literature that has been dealt with. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

Text in German / Summary in German and English / Die vorliegende Studie untersucht den missionarischen Gemeindeaufbau in kleinen Gemeinden anhand von acht Interviews mit Pastoren kleiner Pfingstgemeinden, welche anhand der Methode von Grounded Theory und Teilen der SWOT-Analyse ausgewertet wurden. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Diskussion um den missionarischen Gemeindeaufbau in kleinen Gemeinden anzuregen, wie auch das Potenzial kleiner Gemeinden sichtbar zu machen. Nach einer thematischen Einführung entlang eines historischen Überblicks über die Paradigmen der Weltmission und der Beleuchtung der aktuellen Diskussion um den missionarischen Gemeindeaufbau, wird nach einer kurzen Einführung der Methoden auf die Resultate der Auswertung der Interviews eingegangen. Danach werden diese anhand von SWOT analysiert. Die daraus resultierenden Strategievorschläge werden dann abschliessend ins Gespräch mit der behandelten Literatur gebracht. / The present essay investigates the missionary church building of small churches by means of eight interviews with ministers of small pentecostal churches evaluated by the method of Grounded Theory and parts of the SWOT analysis. The aim of this essay is to stimulate the discussion about the missionary church building in small churches as well as make appear the potential of small churches. A thematic introduction along with a historical survey over the paradigm of the world-wide mission and examining the current discussion about the missionary church building of the church is followed by a short introduction of the methods. Then the results of the interview evaluations are entered in and analysed by SWOT. Finally the conclusions of the strategic suggestions are brought under dialogue with the literature that has been dealt with. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

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)