Masters Degrees (Missiology)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Missiology) by Author "Verster, Pieter"

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    Conceptualising the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ in the Africa Pentecostal Independent Churches: a Bethesda Apostolic Faith Mission Church case study
    (University of the Free State, 2013-12) Tsiane, Modisatoli Motseokae Petrus; Verster, Pieter
    Abstract not available.
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    Contextualization and the Ovahimba Christian youth
    (University of the Free State, 2006-01) Petersen, Gideon Phillip; Verster, Pieter
    As a missionary to the Ovahimba, in north Kunene Region (Namibia), this researcher has discovered that although the Christian Church has had a presence for five decades it has not been able to establish roots in the Ovahimba community. In these five decades of ministry the Christian mission concentrated on teaching the children and/or youth about the gospel. This implied uprooting the children from their cultural moorings and introducing new and different moorings. Yet when family and friends challenged their Christian allegiance they returned to their traditional life experience. Jesus became an appendage to their ancestor-mediators. Jesus was just another helper. The underlying worldview of the person remained the same. The premise of this study suggests that mission belongs to God (Missio Dei). It starts with God and it ends with Him. He desires to have humanity in His presence. Based upon this premise it becomes imperative that the Christian community find a way to share the Biblical message so as to draw the Ovahimba into that mindset. To achieve this the thesis recommends the principle of critical contextualization that will enable the Bible to remain the focal point of a localized Christian community. However, such localization would need to remain within the local community yet be part of the universal Church. This is not a dilemma but represents the oneness of the body of Christ. It is not a unity in diversity but unity despite diversity. This study therefore proposes that contextualization is vital to planting a Christian Church within this community. To achieve a deep-rooted transformation the study suggests a model of understanding culture. This model is then recommended to the Christian community to help identify the Ovahimba worldview so effective transformation can take place.
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    The contextualization of the gospel of Jesus Christ in Christian churches in Maseru, Lesotho
    (University of the Free State, 2004-11) Tabi, Lefa Issac; Verster, Pieter
    English: The main issue in this dissertation is to establish what the different ways of contextualization among Christian churches in Maseru, Lesotho are. To reach this objective, church leaders from various churches were interviewed, with the aim of establishing their different approaches to contextualization. Their approaches to the main concepts of Church service were evaluated namely kerugma and leiturgia, diakonia, koinonia and marturia. Persons from the following churches were interviewed: The African Methodist Episcopal Church in Maseru, Lesotho Evangelical Church, the Methodist Church of Southern Africa in Maseru, St. John Apostolic Faith Mission Church and the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa. Views on contextualization of three main theologians were then also evaluated namely, Turaki, Sanneh and Bediako. After this evaluation the churches' position were reassessed. In the final instance the way forward for the churches in Maseru is discussed.
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    A study of Paul as a biblical model of contextualization through a hermeneutical approach
    (University of the Free State, 2009-12) Ji, Ho-Young; Verster, Pieter
    English: 1. The aim of this study The aim of this thesis is to indicate how Paul preached the gospel of Christ in the contexts of various mission fields through a hermeneutic approach to the Acts and Paul's epistles. To study Paul as a biblical model of contextual mission is invaluable. 2. The background of Paul as a model of contextualization Paul's Hebraic, Hellenistic and Roman backgrounds and the theological background relate to his missions. God orchestrated several factors in Paul's background that enabled him to become one of the most significant evangelists in the history of the church. Paul's Jewish- Roman background and cosmopolitan outlook fitted him for a unique ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. Paul was the ideal person to bridge the cultural and religious chasm. 3. The contextualization of Paul regarding ritual By its decree, the Council at Jerusalem, setting the standards for Gentile participation in the Christian community, manifestly upheld God's demand for truth and for love of the brotherhood. Faith in Christ could not and must not be made dependent on the observance of certain rituals and traditions. If inherited traditions hindered the liberty of Christ and the worship of God, they should be abandoned. This was Paul's consistent belief on contextual evangelization with regard to the ritual issue. 4. Contextualization of Paul's message As an apostle to the Gentiles, Paul struggled to find a relevant way to translate the supracultural gospel of Jesus Christ in the multiple cultural contexts. He proclaimed that Christ was good news for all people. The strategies employed by the evangelist were borrowed from the secular gentile realm because he preached to secularists. Paul dealt with the internal issues aiming to establish the church as a community of dynamic life. In the pluralistic religiosity of their cultures, Paul diagnosed the situation in theological terms, and reviewed the church's issues in light of the gospel. 6. Final statement Above all, on the basis of the revelation of Christ, he had given the Gospel, for both the Jew and Greek its fundamental character. He had built the Church of Christ Jesus totally on the basis of this Gospel. With regard to the Gentile mission, all his missionary acts were clearly based on the word of God. The unchanging centre of Paul's work was total preoccupation with Jesus Christ. Paul adapted to the style and needs of his day as evangelists must in every historical period and cultural context. He is a model of contextual mission to modem evangelists regarding cross-cultural communication in a pluralistic.