The aim of this work, Missional Focus, Form and Function are Redefining
American Christianity, is to capture and express a cohesive account of a developing
missional church movement in the United States and its influence across the American
religious landscape resulting from an intentional emphasis on context (focus), and how
that focus informs ministry form and function. The transition from the twentieth to the
twenty-first century witnessed significant changes in ministry philosophy and practice not
seen since the founding of the nation, and presents evidence substantiating that a
redefinition of American Christianity is taking place.
Achieving the aim of this work necessarily includes not only a recounting and
interpretation of current shifts across activities of the Church in the United States in its
broadest sense, but also the incorporation of other important and contributing influences
such as historical elements and their contribution to the development and formation of
American Christianity, specifically the relationship between religion and populist efforts
to achieve national liberty, as well as the rise of secularism, and the entrance into the
Post-Christendom era.
Unquestionably, an important influence is that of contemporary voices speaking
to the need for change in American Christianity and helping to redefine Christianity in
the United States along missional concepts. Significant voices speaking into the greater
international missional conversation and influencing missional efforts in the United
States include Ryan K. Bolger, Neil Cole, Eddie Gibbs, Darrell Guder, Alan Hirsch, CJP
Niemandt, Alan Roxburgh, Ed Stetzer, Craig Van Gelder, and others.
Churches employing the term missional to describe their understanding,
conceptualization, and approach to ministry are an additional and essential influence.
Using unique forms demonstrating a non-traditional focus that result in a variety of
functions atypical for American churches, these ministries are adding to the evidence of a
redefinition process already in motion. Among the five ministries included in this work
are two noteworthy examples of churches pursuing missional ministry: the Life in Deep
Ellum ministry in Dallas, Texas, and Tampa Underground, a network of micro churches
in Tampa, Florida. The activities of these and other churches demonstrate the
relationship between focus, form, and function as embodied in a missional approach to
ministry.
Certainly, change is evident across the landscape of American Christianity, but
how extensive and far-reaching must be determined. The goal of this work is not simply
to confirm or dispute a redefinition of American Christianity as a result of missional
church activity, but also in a broad and more overall fashion, to contribute to the larger
dialogue addressing missional ministry in the United States, encouraging a greater
understanding and embracing of missional ministry in American churches, and an
energetic and effective pursuit of missional Christianity and church ministry in the United
States. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Science of Religion and Missiology / PhD / Unrestricted
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:up/oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/63433 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Hirschman, David Wesley |
| Contributors | Niemandt, Cornelius Johannes Petrus (Nelus), u15029973@tuks.co.za |
| Publisher | University of Pretoria |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | © 2017 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
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