Church growth missiology has been severely criticized by ecumenical, but also by evangelical missiologists. This often led to its rejection as it was considered incompatible with other missiological approaches. But church growth does deal effectively with important issues as other missiologies do. In light of Martin Luther's interpretation of the First Commandment a more general wholistic missiological approach is requested, which considers the full spectrum of human needs, and under which church growth can function with other missiologies together. The treatment of the task of missiology and the unity by attitude of the missiologist contribute to the argument. Therefore four major criticisms brought forth against church growth are dealt with in order to evaluate and finally suggest a potential theological compatibility of this approach with other missiologies. This is further confirmed by a brief introduction to important elements of the present status of church growth theory development / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Th. M. (Missiology)

Church growth missiology has been severely criticized by ecumenical, but also by evangelical missiologists. This often led to its rejection as it was considered incompatible with other missiological approaches. But church growth does deal effectively with important issues as other missiologies do. In light of Martin Luther's interpretation of the First Commandment a more general wholistic missiological approach is requested, which considers the full spectrum of human needs, and under which church growth can function with other missiologies together. The treatment of the task of missiology and the unity by attitude of the missiologist contribute to the argument. Therefore four major criticisms brought forth against church growth are dealt with in order to evaluate and finally suggest a potential theological compatibility of this approach with other missiologies. This is further confirmed by a brief introduction to important elements of the present status of church growth theory development / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / Th. M. (Missiology)

German text / Die Bulgarische Evangelische Gesellschaft (BEG) ist die erste organisierte Eigeninitiative bulgarischer evangelischer Christen, die dem Ziel verpflichtet war, zur Evangelisation der Bulgaren beizutragen. Neben der Literaturarbeit und der finanziellen Unterstützung von Predigern und Pastoren gehörte die Förderung von Einheit unter den evangelischen Christen zu den wichtigsten Arbeitsbereichen der BEG. Letzteres wurde vor allem auch in den Jahresversammlungen verwirklicht, die allgemein eine wichtige Plattform für die verschiedenen Arbeitszweige darstellten. 1875 in einer äußerst unsicheren Zeit gegründet, überstand die BEG mehrere Kriege wie auch interne Probleme, bis sie (wie andere Vereine) 1958 vom kommunistischen Regime aufgelöst wurde. Ihre Geschichte spiegelt in weiten Teilen die Entwicklung der bulgarischen evangelischen Bewegung wider – deren Beschaffenheit und Besonderheiten, deren Erfolge sowie interne und externe Herausforderungen. Als interdenominationelle Organisation und mit der breiten Unterstützung durch einen Großteil der evangelischen Leiter wie auch durch viele Gemeindemitglieder nahm die BEG in der sich entwickelnden protestantischen Landschaft Bulgariens eine prägende Rolle ein. Bis dato ist die frühe protestantische Geschichte Bulgariens hauptsächlich aus dem Blickwinkel der Missionsarbeit der amerikanischen Missionen behandelt worden. Anhand der neu aufgefundenen Jahresberichte der BEG und anderer Primärquellen kann nun das Augenmerk auf diese heute fast vergessene Eigeninitiative der noch jungen evangelischen Bewegung Bulgariens gerichtet werden. Diese Studie leistet einen Beitrag zur evangelischen Kirchen- und Missionsgeschichtsschreibung in Bulgarien. / The Bulgarian Evangelical Society (BES) was the first organized initiative by Bulgarian evangelical Christians to evangelize Bulgarian people. In addition to publishing Christian literature and providing financial help for preachers and pastors, one of its major activities was to work towards unity among evangelical Christians. This was mostly realized at the annual meetings of the membership of the BES, which provided an important platform for the society's different ministries. Founded in 1875 in a very insecure time for the Bulgarian people, the BES managed to survive several wars and various internal problems until it was dissolved in 1958 by the Communist Regime, along with other non-governmental organizations. The history of the BES to a large extent reflects the development of the Bulgarian evangelical movement as a whole in its qualities and characteristics, its successes and in its internal and external challenges. As an interdenominational organisation and because it had the broad support of a large part of the evangelical leaders as well as many church members, the BES played an important role in the development of Protestantism in Bulgaria. In the past, the early Protestant history of Bulgaria frequently has been portrayed as the missionary work of American missionaries. With the newly rediscovered annual reports of the BES and other primary sources it has now become possible to uncover the significant role of this almost forgotten initiative of the early Bulgarian evangelical movement. In doing so, this study contributes both to history of missions and to the history of the Protestant Church in Bulgaria. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

This dissertation evaluates the vision of empowering African elites iQ the International Church of Pretoria and suggests the ways to successfully train and empowers these Africans for the positive socio-political transformation of Africa. Such Christian empowering is so complex that it has to deal with the spiritual, psychological, intellectual and/or technical and socio-political aspects of the life of the trainee. After describing the problems that prevent these elites from behaving adequately and the portrait that can facilitate the successful selection of their trainers the dissertation proposes the guidelines of the empowering programmes for different elite groups. In the main the curriculum comprises a four-level conversion component for proper Christian life, and a psychotherapy empowerment coupled with horizontalisation for their liberation from psychological and socio-political evils, and a programme for the selection and the training of the spiritual leaders of the African elites. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

Summaries in German and English. / Die vorliegende MTh-Dissertation ist eine missionsgeschichtliche Untersuchung. Sie beschäftigt sich mit der Entstehung der Erweckung in Wales (1904/05), indem sie diese zunächst in den Kontext weltweiter Erweckungen in jenem Jahrzehnt setzt, die gesellschaftlichen und kirchlichen Entwicklungen in Wales vor der Erweckung darstellt und anhand von Primär- und Sekundärliteratur die Entstehung der Erweckung untersucht. Es werden biografische Meilensteine im Leben von Evan Roberts, der herausragenden Persönlichkeit jener Erweckung, bis zum Höhepunkt seines Wirkens nach seiner ersten Missionsreise kritisch beleuchtet. Menschen aus der Schweiz sind nach Wales gereist, um die Erweckung zu erkunden. Parallel zu den Ereignissen sind zahlreiche Artikel und Schriften entstanden, um eine Erweckung in der Schweiz anzufachen. Die Arbeit untersucht die Auswirkungen der Erweckung von Wales auf die deutschsprachige Schweiz und deren Rezeption im historischen Kontext. Aus den Quelltexten wird in missiologischer Perspektive eine wegweisende Richtung für heute eröffnet. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M. Th. (Missiology)

This dissertation evaluates the vision of empowering African elites iQ the International Church of Pretoria and suggests the ways to successfully train and empowers these Africans for the positive socio-political transformation of Africa. Such Christian empowering is so complex that it has to deal with the spiritual, psychological, intellectual and/or technical and socio-political aspects of the life of the trainee. After describing the problems that prevent these elites from behaving adequately and the portrait that can facilitate the successful selection of their trainers the dissertation proposes the guidelines of the empowering programmes for different elite groups. In the main the curriculum comprises a four-level conversion component for proper Christian life, and a psychotherapy empowerment coupled with horizontalisation for their liberation from psychological and socio-political evils, and a programme for the selection and the training of the spiritual leaders of the African elites. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / M.Th. (Missiology)

German text / Die Bulgarische Evangelische Gesellschaft (BEG) ist die erste organisierte Eigeninitiative bulgarischer evangelischer Christen, die dem Ziel verpflichtet war, zur Evangelisation der Bulgaren beizutragen. Neben der Literaturarbeit und der finanziellen Unterstützung von Predigern und Pastoren gehörte die Förderung von Einheit unter den evangelischen Christen zu den wichtigsten Arbeitsbereichen der BEG. Letzteres wurde vor allem auch in den Jahresversammlungen verwirklicht, die allgemein eine wichtige Plattform für die verschiedenen Arbeitszweige darstellten. 1875 in einer äußerst unsicheren Zeit gegründet, überstand die BEG mehrere Kriege wie auch interne Probleme, bis sie (wie andere Vereine) 1958 vom kommunistischen Regime aufgelöst wurde. Ihre Geschichte spiegelt in weiten Teilen die Entwicklung der bulgarischen evangelischen Bewegung wider – deren Beschaffenheit und Besonderheiten, deren Erfolge sowie interne und externe Herausforderungen. Als interdenominationelle Organisation und mit der breiten Unterstützung durch einen Großteil der evangelischen Leiter wie auch durch viele Gemeindemitglieder nahm die BEG in der sich entwickelnden protestantischen Landschaft Bulgariens eine prägende Rolle ein. Bis dato ist die frühe protestantische Geschichte Bulgariens hauptsächlich aus dem Blickwinkel der Missionsarbeit der amerikanischen Missionen behandelt worden. Anhand der neu aufgefundenen Jahresberichte der BEG und anderer Primärquellen kann nun das Augenmerk auf diese heute fast vergessene Eigeninitiative der noch jungen evangelischen Bewegung Bulgariens gerichtet werden. Diese Studie leistet einen Beitrag zur evangelischen Kirchen- und Missionsgeschichtsschreibung in Bulgarien. / The Bulgarian Evangelical Society (BES) was the first organized initiative by Bulgarian evangelical Christians to evangelize Bulgarian people. In addition to publishing Christian literature and providing financial help for preachers and pastors, one of its major activities was to work towards unity among evangelical Christians. This was mostly realized at the annual meetings of the membership of the BES, which provided an important platform for the society's different ministries. Founded in 1875 in a very insecure time for the Bulgarian people, the BES managed to survive several wars and various internal problems until it was dissolved in 1958 by the Communist Regime, along with other non-governmental organizations. The history of the BES to a large extent reflects the development of the Bulgarian evangelical movement as a whole in its qualities and characteristics, its successes and in its internal and external challenges. As an interdenominational organisation and because it had the broad support of a large part of the evangelical leaders as well as many church members, the BES played an important role in the development of Protestantism in Bulgaria. In the past, the early Protestant history of Bulgaria frequently has been portrayed as the missionary work of American missionaries. With the newly rediscovered annual reports of the BES and other primary sources it has now become possible to uncover the significant role of this almost forgotten initiative of the early Bulgarian evangelical movement. In doing so, this study contributes both to history of missions and to the history of the Protestant Church in Bulgaria. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

This research traces the developments in Europe that led to a rush for foreign missions i different parts of the world, with specific reference to South Africa. It describes the operations of the Swiss missionaries in South Africa from 1873 to 1975. This study also evaluates the motives for the evangelization of the African masses, and contradictions th existed in the relations that missionaries had with proselytes during the period under review. The sterling contributions of black evangelists in this period are demonstrated. It cannot be denied that the Swiss missionaries did a lot of good to the indigenous populac of South Africa-the importance of their services at Lemana Training Institution (1906) and Elim Hospital (1899) are indelibly inscribed in our historiography. They should also applauded for their response to the plight of the Shangaans, who had for reasons unkno to the researcher been by-passed by other missions during the "scramble for mission fields". But the missionaries also had their shortcomings, for instance their failure to ind the state to remove capital punishment from the statute books. They may nonetheless stil continue to be used by the present government of South Africa to assist in carrying the social transformation process forward. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (History of Education)

This research traces the developments in Europe that led to a rush for foreign missions i different parts of the world, with specific reference to South Africa. It describes the operations of the Swiss missionaries in South Africa from 1873 to 1975. This study also evaluates the motives for the evangelization of the African masses, and contradictions th existed in the relations that missionaries had with proselytes during the period under review. The sterling contributions of black evangelists in this period are demonstrated. It cannot be denied that the Swiss missionaries did a lot of good to the indigenous populac of South Africa-the importance of their services at Lemana Training Institution (1906) and Elim Hospital (1899) are indelibly inscribed in our historiography. They should also applauded for their response to the plight of the Shangaans, who had for reasons unkno to the researcher been by-passed by other missions during the "scramble for mission fields". But the missionaries also had their shortcomings, for instance their failure to ind the state to remove capital punishment from the statute books. They may nonetheless stil continue to be used by the present government of South Africa to assist in carrying the social transformation process forward. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (History of Education)

Text in German, with summaries in German, English, Afrikaans and Shona / Includes bibliographocal references (leaves 184-191) / Christliche Gemeinden in Deutschland finden sich zunehmend in einer interkulturell zusammengesetzten Gesellschaft wieder und viele fragen danach, wie eine Integration von Migranten in ihre bestehenden Gemeinden gelingen kann. In dieser qualitativ-empirischen Studie wurden drei evangelische Freikirchen in Deutschland dahingehend untersucht, wie sie sich von einer ehemals monokulturell-deutschen Gemeinde in eine interkulturelle Gemeinde entwickelt haben. Dabei wurden in besonderer Weise die Voraussetzungen für die Entwicklung, der Veränderungsprozess und besondere Merkmale der Gemeinden untersucht. Als Grundlage für die Forschung wurde ein aus verschiedenen Disziplinen zusammengeführtes Modell aus Erkenntnissen zu interkulturellem Gemeindebau entworfen. In der Studie wird deutlich, dass interkultureller Gemeindebau sowohl bereichernd als auch herausfordernd und konfliktgeladen erlebt wird. Besonders wichtig sind dabei eine strategisch kompetente Leitung, eine missionarische Grundausrichtung, ein liebevoller und wertschätzender Umgang miteinander, die Einigung auf gemeinsame Leitlinien, das Feiern von Erfolgen, Beziehungsaufbau, das Einladen zur Mitarbeit auf Augenhöhe, interkulturelle Leitungsteams, die Übersetzungsarbeit, Geduld und Flexibilität sowie die Bereitschaft, voneinander zu lernen. / German society is becoming increasingly intercultural, and many Christian churches are asking how migrants can be successfully integrated into established churches. In this qualitative-empirical study, three free evangelical churches in Germany were examined to determine how they developed from a previously monocultural German church into an intercultural church. In the course of the study, the prerequisites for development, the change process and special features of the churches were specifically examined. An integrated model designed on the basis of insights of various disciplines regarding the intercultural construction of churches served as the foundation for the research. It became clear in this study that building an intercultural church not only enriches the church, but is also experienced as challenging since it has the potential to give rise to conflict. The following elements are especially important: strategic and competent leadership, a basic missionary orientation, a loving and esteeming manner in associating with one another, consensus on common guidelines, a celebration of successes, building of relationships, an invitation for others to minister on equal terms, intercultural leadership teams, translation work, patience and flexibility, and a willingness to learn from one another. / Die Duitse samelewing raak toenemend interkultureel, en talle Christengemeentes wonder hoe migrante in gevestigde gemeentes opgeneem kan word. Wyses waarop drie Evangeliese gemeentes in Duitsland ontwikkel het van eens monokulturele Duitse gemeentes in interkulturele gemeentes, is in hierdie kwalitatief empiriese studie ondersoek. In die besonder die voorvereistes vir verandering, die veranderingsproses en die unieke kenmerke van die gemeentes is in hierdie studie verken. ʼn Geïntegreerde model wat berus op die insigte van verskeie dissiplines wat hulle op die interkulturele samestelling van kerke toespits, het die basis van die navorsing gevorm. Dit blyk uit hierdie studie dat die totstandkoming van ʼn interkulturele gemeente nie slegs verrykend kan wees nie, maar dat dit moontlik ook tot onenigheid aanleiding kan gee. Die volgende is van besondere belang: strategiese en bevoegde leiers, ʼn sendingoriëntasie, liefdevolle en respekvolle omgang met mekaar, eenstemmigheid oor algemene riglyne, ʼn viering van suksesse, die bou van goeie verhoudinge, ʼn versoek dat ander op gelyke voet dien, interkulturele leierskapspanne, vertaalwerk, geduld en toegeeflikheid, en die gewilligheid om by mekaar te leer. / Tshitshavha tsha German tshi khou ṋaṋa u vha na mvelelo dzo ṱanganelanaho, nahone kereke nnzhi dza Tshikhiresite dzi khou vhudzisa uri ṱhunḓu dzi nga ṱanganyiswa hani zwavhuḓi kha kereke dzi re hone. Kha ngudo iyi ya khwaṱhisedzwaho nga tshenzhelo na ndeme, kereke tharu dza evangeli yo vhofholowaho dza ngei Germany dzo lingwa u vhona uri dzo bvelela hani u bva kha u vha dza tshikale dza Germany dza mvelele nthihi u ya kha kereke ya mvelele yo ṱanganelanaho. Kha khoso iyi ya ngudo, ṱhoḓea ya u bvelela, maitele a tshanduko na zwiṱaluli zwo khetheaho zwa kerekezwo lingululwa. Tshiedziswa tsho ṱanganelanaho tsho itwaho ho sedzwa luvhonela lwa masia o fhambanaho mayelana na u fhaṱa kerekedzo ṱanganelanaho tsho shuma sa mutheo wa ṱhoḓisiso. Zwo bvela khagala kha ngudo iyi uri u fhaṱa kereke yo ṱanganelanaho a zwi pfumisi fhedzi kereke, zwi dovha zwa vha tshenzhelo ire na khaedu saizwi i na khonadzeo ya u vusa dzikhakhathi. Zwipiḓa zwi tevhelaho ndi zwa ndeme vhukuma: vhurangaphanḓa vhu re na tshiṱirathedzhi nahone ho ṱalifhaho, u pfumbudzwa ha mutheo kha zwa vhufunzi, nḓila ua lufuno na ndeme kha matshilisano, u tendelana kha nyendedzo dzi fanaho, u pembelela mvelaphanḓa, u fhaṱa vhushaka, thamba ya vhaṅwe kha u funza nga milayo i linganaho, thimu dza vhurangaphanḓa ha mvelele yo ṱanganelanaho, mushumo wa vhupinduleli, u konḓelela na u tenda u shanduka, na u ḓiimisela u guda kha vhaṅwe. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Christian leadership)