Text in Afrikaans / Die Kerk van God bestaan uit mense wat tot geloof gekom het in Jesus Christus. Volwassenes maak nie alleen deel uit van die kerk nie, maar ook kinders. Die plaaslike gemeente se roeping is om in sy bedieningstrategie te fokus op die behoeftes van die kind (6 - 12 jaar). Die leefwereld van die kind binne die geografiese grense van Nelspoort, Murraysburg, Merweville en Beaufort-Wes word sterk beinvloed deur gebrekkige sosio-ekonomiese en politieke toestande. Die V.G.K., wat daarvoor verantwoordelik is om die kinders (6-12 jaar) in genoemde dorpe te bedien, slaag nie daarin om 'n effektiewe bediening te loods nie. Gebrek aan opgeleide personeel, basiese lesmateriaal en gebrekkige kennis van die ontwikkelingsfases van die kind in genoemde ouderdomsgroep vererger die situasie. Die studie bied riglyne vir die V.G.K. op die platteland om 'n meer effektiewe kinderbedieningstrategie (plattelandse kind) daar te stel, wat die unieke behoeftes en spesifieke omstandighede waarin kinders lewe, asook die ontwikkelingsfases waarin hulle verkeer, uit te lig. / The Church of God consists of people (Adults and Children) who believe in God. The local congregation focus on the needs of the child (6-12 years). The enviroment of the child who lives within the geographic boundaries of Nelspoort, Murraysburg, Merweville and Beaufort West is influenced by retarted sosio-economic and political circumstances. The U.R.C. which serve the child (6-12 years) in the afore mentioned towns, fails to initiate and implement an effective service. Lack of trained staff, basic learning material and insufficient knowledge of the development phases of the child within the mentioned age groups exacerbates the situation. The study offers guidelines for the U.R.C. (rural) to have a more effective child service strategy (rural children) in place which attends to the unique needs and specific circumstances under which the children live as well as the developmental phases they are in. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Diac. (Jeugwerk)

Text in Afrikaans / Loosit is a pastoral care model which may be applied to primary school children in South Africa and the use thereof is explored in this research project. Loosit consists of a series of plays as well as a discipleship program. These plays, humoristic yet contextually relevant to children, are done on a set resembling school toilets. Children are encouraged to write to the leading character, Uncle Jani Tor, and to post the letters in the `toilet` post box. Themes focused on in this project are problems with friends, social pressure, problems in the family and death. There is a specific focus on the ethics of Loosit as a model of pastoral care applicable to children. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / The research for this study has shown that the circumstances in which the majority of children in South Africa find themselves, are extremely complex and problematic, to such an extent that not only the quality of children's lives is endangered, but their lives as such. Besides the measures taken by government to improve the situation of children, it is pre-eminently the Christian church that is able to render a unique and, at the same time, a fully relevant contribution to the debate, processes and actions regarding children in South Africa. For this to be achieved, however, the church should be guided by a theology that is truly contextual and missionary in nature. In this study, therefore, distinct critical elements are being identified, which could be utilized in shaping a theory for child ministry. What is visualized by the researcher in this regard, is the formulation of a practicail-theological theory that is derived from a Scripturally sound theology, on the one hand, and, on the other, oriented to the contextual realities of children. / Die navorsing vir hierdie studie het getoon dat die lewensomstandighede van die meerderheid kinders in Suid-Afrika uiters kompleks en problematies is, in so 'n mate dat nie alleen die lewenskwaliteit van kinders nie, maar hulle lewe selfbedreig word. Benewens die maatreels van owerheidswee om die lot van kinders te verbeter, is dit by uitstek die Christelike kerk wat in staat is om 'n unieke en tegelyk volledig relevante bydrae te lewer tot die debat, prosesse en aksies rakende kinders in Suid-Afrika. Hierin sal die kerk hom egter moet laat lei deur 'n teologie wat op kontekstueel en missioner verantwoorde wyse beoefen word. In die studie word daarom bepaalde kritiese elemente geifdentifiseer wat in verdere teorievorming oor kinderbediening aangewend kan word. Wat in die verband die navorser voor oe staan, is die formulering van 'n prakties-teologiese teorie wat enersyds aan 'n Skrifgetroue teologie ontleen en andersyds aan die kontekstuele realiteite van kinders georienteer is. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Youth work)

Text in Afrikaans / Een van die funksies van die Kerk is om vir sy lidmate te sorg. In die praktyk wil dit voorkom asof die Kerk se sorg meer gerig is op die adolessent en die volwassene. Vanwee verskeie faktore ontvang kinders baie min of geen sorg in die vorm van pastorate sorg of pastorate beraad nie. 'n Gespreksmetode van beraad slaag nie altyd as daar met kinders gewerk word nie. In die veld van die psigoterapie en maatskaplike werk word daar algemeen gebruik gemaak van spelterapie wanneer daar met kinders gewerk word. Laasgenoemde kan ook in die pastoraat met kinders gebruik word sonder om die unieke karakter van pastoraat verlore te laat gaan. Die Kerk kan langs hierdie weg ook sy pastorate verantwoordelikheid teenoor kinders nakom. / One of the functions of the Church is to care for people. The children, however, are often neglected with more attention being paid to the adolescent and adult. Moreover, the verbal approach used when pastors work with children who experience difficulties do not seem to address this fully. Play therapy, on the other hand, appears to be a useful means of addressing this deficiency. It is often used in psychotherapy and social work and can be used to good effect in the caring of the Church for children. Play therapy enables the pastor to fulfill the Church's obligation to care for children, without disregarding the unique character of pastoral care and pastoral counselling. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

Text in Afrikaans / Loosit is a pastoral care model which may be applied to primary school children in South Africa and the use thereof is explored in this research project. Loosit consists of a series of plays as well as a discipleship program. These plays, humoristic yet contextually relevant to children, are done on a set resembling school toilets. Children are encouraged to write to the leading character, Uncle Jani Tor, and to post the letters in the `toilet` post box. Themes focused on in this project are problems with friends, social pressure, problems in the family and death. There is a specific focus on the ethics of Loosit as a model of pastoral care applicable to children. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / The research for this study has shown that the circumstances in which the majority of children in South Africa find themselves, are extremely complex and problematic, to such an extent that not only the quality of children's lives is endangered, but their lives as such. Besides the measures taken by government to improve the situation of children, it is pre-eminently the Christian church that is able to render a unique and, at the same time, a fully relevant contribution to the debate, processes and actions regarding children in South Africa. For this to be achieved, however, the church should be guided by a theology that is truly contextual and missionary in nature. In this study, therefore, distinct critical elements are being identified, which could be utilized in shaping a theory for child ministry. What is visualized by the researcher in this regard, is the formulation of a practicail-theological theory that is derived from a Scripturally sound theology, on the one hand, and, on the other, oriented to the contextual realities of children. / Die navorsing vir hierdie studie het getoon dat die lewensomstandighede van die meerderheid kinders in Suid-Afrika uiters kompleks en problematies is, in so 'n mate dat nie alleen die lewenskwaliteit van kinders nie, maar hulle lewe selfbedreig word. Benewens die maatreels van owerheidswee om die lot van kinders te verbeter, is dit by uitstek die Christelike kerk wat in staat is om 'n unieke en tegelyk volledig relevante bydrae te lewer tot die debat, prosesse en aksies rakende kinders in Suid-Afrika. Hierin sal die kerk hom egter moet laat lei deur 'n teologie wat op kontekstueel en missioner verantwoorde wyse beoefen word. In die studie word daarom bepaalde kritiese elemente geifdentifiseer wat in verdere teorievorming oor kinderbediening aangewend kan word. Wat in die verband die navorser voor oe staan, is die formulering van 'n prakties-teologiese teorie wat enersyds aan 'n Skrifgetroue teologie ontleen en andersyds aan die kontekstuele realiteite van kinders georienteer is. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Youth work)

Text in Afrikaans / Een van die funksies van die Kerk is om vir sy lidmate te sorg. In die praktyk wil dit voorkom asof die Kerk se sorg meer gerig is op die adolessent en die volwassene. Vanwee verskeie faktore ontvang kinders baie min of geen sorg in die vorm van pastorate sorg of pastorate beraad nie. 'n Gespreksmetode van beraad slaag nie altyd as daar met kinders gewerk word nie. In die veld van die psigoterapie en maatskaplike werk word daar algemeen gebruik gemaak van spelterapie wanneer daar met kinders gewerk word. Laasgenoemde kan ook in die pastoraat met kinders gebruik word sonder om die unieke karakter van pastoraat verlore te laat gaan. Die Kerk kan langs hierdie weg ook sy pastorate verantwoordelikheid teenoor kinders nakom. / One of the functions of the Church is to care for people. The children, however, are often neglected with more attention being paid to the adolescent and adult. Moreover, the verbal approach used when pastors work with children who experience difficulties do not seem to address this fully. Play therapy, on the other hand, appears to be a useful means of addressing this deficiency. It is often used in psychotherapy and social work and can be used to good effect in the caring of the Church for children. Play therapy enables the pastor to fulfill the Church's obligation to care for children, without disregarding the unique character of pastoral care and pastoral counselling. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

In this study a contextual training model for developing leaders in ministry to children is investigated. The training model offers a dynamic training process for the development of effective leadership for the African Church and other Christian organizations in the field of children's ministries. The aim of these children's ministries would be to see holistically developed God fearing children in Africa. This study provided an opportunity to ask deeper questions about one's assumptions on prevailing concepts about children, children ministries, leadership training, African philosophy and what is meant by contextual training models. The complexity of Africa, its people and the challenges for the future are evident from this study. It can be concluded that it is possible and necessary to train effective Christian leadership for children's ministries. To develop effective leadership in the field of children's ministries could prove to be one of the long term answers to the pressing needs of Africa and its people. The model serves the statement "equipped to impact the continent" / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

Text in German / In dieser Forschungsarbeit wird der Zusammenhang von christlicher Gesellschaftsverantwortung und Schulentwicklung in dem sozialen Brennpunkt Berlin- Moabit untersucht. Aufgrund des anhaltenden Wegzugs bildungsorientierter Eltern mit schulpflichtigen Kindern und damit einer zunehmenden Entmischung (Segregation) der Schülerpopulation und damit des Ortsteils Moabit, möchte die qualitative Studie einen Beitrag dazu leisten, Wege aus dieser schulischen Krise, die Auswirkungen auf die Kirchen Moabits und den Ortsteil insgesamt hat, zu finden. Als Lösungsansatz wird dabei das Bleiben von bildungsorientierten Familien in Moabit mit einer aktiven Kirchenzugehörigkeit aus folgenden Gründen verfolgt: Bleiben bildungsorientierte Familien wieder verstärkt in Moabit wohnen und gehen ihre Kinder auf die ihnen zugewiesenen Grundschulen, so werden durch eine Aufhebung der Segregation die Bildungschancen erhöht, da schulisches Lernen bedeutend auf dem Prinzip des Voneinander Lernens basiert, wie dies zahlreiche Studien belegen. Bleiben Familien mit aktiver Kirchenzugehörigkeit in dem sozialen Brennpunkt Berlin- Moabit wohnen, so können sie in gegenseitiger Unterstützung durch eine missionalinkarnatorische Art zu leben, d.h. durch ein am Vorbild Jesu orientiertes Wohnen und Leben unter den Menschen, Transformation in dem sozial benachteiligten Ortsteil Moabit bewirken. Somit werden Eltern befragt, deren Kinder sich im schulpflichtigen Alter befinden und die das Ziel verfolgen, langfristig in Moabit wohnen zu bleiben, die bereits Moabit aufgrund der Schulsituation verlassen haben oder die vor dieser Entscheidung stehen. Durch diese qualitative Studie, die sich im Kontext der Missionswissenschaften bewegt und der empirischen Theologie zuzuordnen ist, werden Lösungsmöglichkeiten für die Situation in dem Ortsteil Moabit erwartet. / The Thesis explores the connection between Christian social responsibility and public school development in the social hot spot of Berlin-Moabit. Due to the ongoing move away of education-oriented parents with their school-aged children, Moabit suffers from an increasing segregation in its student population and consequently also in its overall population. The present qualitative study seeks to suggest a solution to this schooling crisis that impacts both the churches in Moabit as well as the entire community. The approach to the segregation dilemma in Moabit that this study proposes is for educationoriented families who are also active church members to deliberately remain living in Moabit. This approach is based on two rationales: (1) If education-oriented families increasingly remain in Moabit and send their children to the respectively assigned public schools, segregation can be halted and the overall educational opportunities of all school children will be raised, since school learning strongly draws upon the principle of mutual learning, as many studies have documented. (2) If families who are active church members deliberately remain living in the social hot spot of Moabit, they can support each other to live their lives in a missional incarnation-oriented way, following the pattern of Christ. That way they can eventually initiate a process of transformation in the socially disadvantaged community of Moabit. In accordance with the outlined approach parents of school-aged children are interviewed, who either intend to stay in Moabit, or who have already moved away from Moabit because of the schooling situation, or who are currently confronted with the decision to stay or move. The present qualitative study, that is situated in the missiological field and can be ascribed to the range of empirical Theology, expects to find specific solutions for the above outlined problem in Moabit. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

This study focusses on the missiological response of the Pamodzi Free Methodist Church to the plight of orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), specifically girl children in the Kawama Township in the Republic of Zambia. The major question to answer was “How can the cultural and biblical heritage of hospitality help the church particularly the Pamodzi Free Methodist Church to respond to the problems of OVCs, particularly girl children as victims of urban problems?” The study discovered that forces such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, child abuse, family breakdown, cultural beliefs and practices as well as a lack of care from the extended family have contributed to the vulnerability of OVCs. It recommends that the members of God’s household should have a mandate to restore the dignity and identity of OVCs in a holistic manner by linking the biblical and traditional values of hospitality as well as to develop intervention measures in order to meet the felt needs of OVCs. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)