This book is the first volume of theological research papers from the Namibia Evangelical Theological Seminary (NETS). The authors are young southern African theologians and practitioners. While they come from different countries and church backgrounds they all share a commitment to Gospel-centred mission and church ministry. Simba Musvamhiri (Zimbabwe) looks at the discipleship process in a fast growing evangelical-charismatic church in Namibia’s capital Windhoek. He argues that attractive services and a strong preaching and teaching ministry, as well as a focus on hospitality are no guarantee that church members are fully committed to follow Jesus Christ in all areas of life and on a daily basis. What is needed is a relational and transferable discipleship process which equips all church members whether they are students, young professionals or other community members, to move towards spiritual maturity. Peter Koona Tefo (Lesotho) demonstrates the importance of pastoral visitation in the southern African context. According to Tefo there is a direct correlation between the frequency and quality of pastoral visits by church leaders and active participation in the life of a local congregation by church members. Abednigo Musona (Zimbabwe) examines the relationship between church leadership and the level of participation of church members in congregational programmes and fluctuations in church membership respectively. He argues that a church leadership which follows Biblical principles is more likely to achieve spiritual and numerical growth. Finally, Zeka Avelino Tjiwana (Namibia) explores the situation of young church members in the north of Namibia. He shows that due to the absence of youth ministry guidelines and a lack of spiritually mature and well trained youth leaders, emotional and spiritual problems of young people are not properly addressed.
Table of Contents
Foreword
Mission practice: The dynamics of discipleship in a multicultural evangelical charismatic church in Namibia
Pastoral care: Biblical guidelines for pastoral visitation and its impact on members of the Lesotho Evangelical Church and what Africans can learn from it
Church leadership: The leadership of the Evangelical Church of Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi Congregation: strengths and weaknesses
Youth ministry: A description and critical evaluation of youth ministry in the Evangelical Bible Church in Namibia
Objectives & Themes
This collection of theological research papers aims to analyze and improve various aspects of church ministry in Southern Africa, specifically focusing on discipleship, pastoral visitation, leadership, and youth ministry. The contributors utilize empirical research and theological reflection to address specific challenges within their respective denominations and congregations, seeking to align church practices more closely with Biblical mandates for the purpose of spiritual and numerical growth.
- Assessing the effectiveness of discipleship tools in multicultural charismatic settings.
- Examining the correlation between pastoral visitation and congregational participation.
- Evaluating leadership structures, strengths, and weaknesses within local church congregations.
- Developing critical strategies and guidelines for biblically-based youth ministry.
Auszug aus dem Buch
Chapter two: theological substance
The concept of visiting starts with God Himself. It is not out of human eagerness to visit but it is something that has its roots in God. God takes the initiative to reach out to His people. In Genesis 1, after God created Adam and Eve, having given them the blessing, God gave them a specific task of being good stewards of what He had created. From there it can be seen that in Genesis 2, having placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, God did not just leave them alone instead He visited them. God talked with them and had fellowship with them while He also told them what He wanted them to do and not to do. From this incidence attention should be paid as to who visited who. Another incidence where God visited Adam and Eve is in Genesis 3 after Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This time the visit was not the one of fellowship and peace, it became as a visit of judgement and punishment which gives an indication that some visits are of that kind (Hugen, 2003:7) hence they were driven out of the garden.
Summary of Chapters
Mission practice: The dynamics of discipleship in a multicultural evangelical charismatic church in Namibia: This chapter assesses the effectiveness of the One2One discipleship tool at His People Church Windhoek and highlights the need for a more relational and transferable discipleship culture.
Pastoral care: Biblical guidelines for pastoral visitation and its impact on members of the Lesotho Evangelical Church and what Africans can learn from it: This paper examines the critical role of pastoral visitation in maintaining active congregational participation and proposes Biblical guidelines for effective visitation ministry.
Church leadership: The leadership of the Evangelical Church of Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi Congregation: strengths and weaknesses: The author analyzes the leadership dynamics of the Chinhoyi Congregation, identifying factors contributing to growth and decline while emphasizing the need for sound leadership development.
Youth ministry: A description and critical evaluation of youth ministry in the Evangelical Bible Church in Namibia: This chapter investigates the challenges faced by youth in the Ndama EBC and advocates for biblically grounded strategies and trained leadership to properly address their spiritual and social needs.
Keywords
Southern Africa, Theology, Discipleship, Pastoral Care, Church Leadership, Youth Ministry, Evangelism, Biblical Guidelines, Congregation, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Spiritual Maturity, One2One, Visitation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research volume?
This volume focuses on providing theological research and practical, context-specific solutions for various aspects of church ministry in Southern Africa, including discipleship, visitation, leadership, and youth work.
What are the central themes discussed across these papers?
The central themes include the necessity of Biblical grounding for ministry, the importance of relational approaches (like discipleship and visitation), the impact of leadership quality on church health, and the need for structured youth ministry.
What is the ultimate goal of the research presented here?
The primary goal is to inspire Southern African Christians to engage in theological research that leads to the glory of God and the effective building up of His Church through improved, biblically-based ministry practices.
Which scientific methods were employed by the contributors?
The researchers predominantly used Participatory Action Research (P.A.R.), combining empirical data collection through interviews and questionnaires with reflections on theoretical and Biblical literature.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body covers a wide range of practical ministerial issues, such as evaluating discipleship models, the theological significance of pastoral visitation, analysis of leadership strengths and weaknesses, and critical evaluations of youth ministry programs.
Which keywords best characterize these research papers?
The work is characterized by terms such as Southern Africa, Discipleship, Pastoral Care, Church Leadership, Youth Ministry, Biblical Guidelines, and Church Growth.
How does the research on "Pastoral Visitation" connect to congregational activity?
The research demonstrates a direct correlation between the frequency and quality of pastoral visits and the level of active participation by church members in congregational programs.
What specific challenge does the youth ministry evaluation identify?
The evaluation identifies a lack of spiritually mature leadership, absence of established ministry guidelines, and a failure to address the specific problems of young people, such as teenage pregnancy and school dropouts, as significant challenges.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Thorsten Prill (ed.) (Author), Simba Musvamhiri (Author), Peter Koona Tefo (Author), Abednigo Musona (Author), Zeka Avelino Tjiwana (Author), 2011, God's Mission in Southern Africa, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/183646
