Thesis (MTh)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The central problem with which this research is working is: has there been a shift in the members of the Dutch Reformed Congregation Murray (De Doorns) concept of the church, and, if so, how did it affect the role expectation of the ministers? The purpose of the study is to determine the church concept and role expectation of the members of the congregation and to help the congregation to discover their missional identity. It is important that the congregation will learn spiritual discernment.
For the purpose of the study the work was done within the field of practical theology on the basis of the cross methology as found in Studying Congregations in Africa ( Hendriks 2004). This practical theology methology works with a constant correlation-hermeneutic between the Word of God and the world, between context and identity. This correlation is called spiritual discernment and when this happens it will lead to a certain strategy, a way of life in which the members of the congregation do not think institutionally (regarding the role of the minister), but where the members themselves stand before God and are open for his guidance to be light and salt for the world.
The theological foundation of missional theology on the basis of the doctrine of the Trinity and the practical implications for the church are discussed in Chapter 2. This is normative for missional theology.
Chapter 3 is a discussion of the context of the congregation with regard to the current situation in the world, the wider community and the congregation. It is common knowledge that the world is currently in a time of major, fast and unpredictable change. It is important that the congregation will use the change in the way identity is formed in a positive manner by creating an alternative identity in Christ Jesus.
The role expectations of the ministers are central to the research problem. In Chapter 4 the researcher gives what he believes to be the normative role of the minister should a congregation want to learn to live with spiritual discernment. For this to happen the ministers need to establish certain faith-forming habits. Without these faith-forming habits it will be impossible for the minister to lead the congregation to live with spiritual discernment.
The Dutch Reformed congregation of Murray (De Doorns) which was the focus of the study, was researched by using a qualitative questionnaire and ethnographic research.
The results were discussed by triangulation and it thus became clear that there are clear differences with regard to the church model of choice and the role expectations for the ministers. The research shows that there has been a definite shift in the church concept of the members of the congregation. This shift, however has not had a major effect on the role expectations for the ministers. There is thus some degree of conflict between the church concept of the members of the congregation and their role expectations for the ministers. If this conflict is not addressed and the role expectations of the ministers cleared anew, the congregation will not learn to live with spiritual discernment and will not be able to join the missio Dei. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die sentrale probleem waarmee daar in hierdie navorsing gewerk word, is die volgende: Het daar 'n skuif in die kerkbegrip van lidmate in die NG gemeente Murray (De Doorns) gekom en hoe beïnvloed dit hulle rolverwagting van hulle leraars? Die doel van die studie is om die kerkbegrip en rolverwagtinge van die lidmate van die gemeente vas te stel en om die gemeente te help om sy missionale identiteit te ontdek. Die gemeente moet dus geleer word om in die geloof te kan onderskei.
Vir die doel van die navorsing word daar binne die veld van Praktiese Teologie aan die hand van die kruis metodiek van Hendriks se Studying Congregations in Africa (2004) gewerk. Die prakties-teologiese metodologie wat gebruik word, sê dat daar die hele tyd ʼn hermeneuties sensitiewe korrelasie tussen Woord en wêreld moet wees; met ander woorde tussen konteks en identiteit. Hierdie korrelasie word geloofsonderskeiding genoem en as dit gebeur, loop dit uit op ʼn bepaalde strategie, 'n manier van lewe waar lidmate se dink nie institutêr is nie (betreffende die rol van die dominee), maar waar hulle self voor die Here staan en oop is vir sy leiding om in hulle konteks lig en sout te wees. Dit is die ideaal waarna gewerk word.
In hoofstuk 2 word die teologiese fondasie van die missionale teologie aan die hand van die leer van die Triniteit gelê en word die praktiese implikasies daarvan vir die kerk bespreek. Hierdie is die normatiewe van die missionale teologie.
In die derde hoofstuk word die konteks van die gemeente bespreek aan die hand van die huidige situasie in die wêreld, die veranderinge binne die breë gemeenskap en die huidige situasie in die gemeente. Daar word op gewys dat die wêreld tans groot, vinnige en onvoorspelbare veranderinge beleef. Die gemeente sal die impak van hierdie veranderinge op 'n positiewe wyse moet benut deur 'n alternatiewe identiteit in Jesus Christus te skep.
Die rolverwagtinge van die leraars staan sentraal in die navorsingsprobleem en om dié rede word daar in hoofstuk vier gefokus op wat die navorser beskou as die normatiewe rol van leraars, indien hulle die gemeente wil leer om geloofsonderskeidend te leef. Leraars behoort bepaalde geloofsvormende gewoontes as prioriteit in hulle bediening te beskou. Sonder die geloofsgewoontes sal die leraar nie die gemeente kan lei om geloofsonderskeidend te leef nie.
Die NG Gemeente Murray (De Doorns), wat die fokus van die navorsing was, is by wyse van 'n kwalitatiewe vraelys en deur etnografiese studie nagevors. Die resultate is deur middel van triangulasie bespreek en daaruit het dit duidelik geword dat daar duidelike verskille is wat betref die kerkmodel van voorkeur en die rolverwagting van die leraars. Dis egter duidelik dat daar wel 'n skuif gekom het in die kerkbegrip van die lidmate. Hierdie skuif in kerkbegrip het egter nog nie so 'n groot effek op die rolverwagting wat lidmate van die leraars het nie. Daar is dus 'n mate van konflik tussen kerkbegrip van lidmate en hulle verwagting van die leraars. Indien dit nie aangespreek word en die rolle van die leraars nuut uitgeklaar word nie, sal die gemeente nie leer om geloofsonderskeidend te leef nie en kan die gemeente nie aansluit by die missio Dei nie.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6741 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Smith, Louis |
| Contributors | Hendriks, H. J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Theology. Dept. of Practical Theology and Missiology., A-6024-2012 |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 284 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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