The common critical success factors determining the mission impact of the local church : an analytical study

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Date
2001-11
Authors
Hancke, Frans Johannes Van Heerden
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: From research referred to in this study it is clear that a growing missions awareness and involvement is developing across the globe. This statement is supported by the recent publication of growth figures in the Christendom. In apparent contrast, church .leaders and Missiologists indicate that a vast number of local churches are not involved in the proclamation of the Gospel in the world. This situation gives birth to the research problem which is addressed by this study: "What are the common critical success factors enabling churches, involved in mission, to mobilise people for the Kingdom of God?" The goals of the study therefore are: o to analyse and identify common critical success factors lil congregations who are effectively involved in mission; o to develop a conceptual model of such factors for the church-on-mission; and, o to identify specific areas for further research, as a follow-up on this exploratory research. The research approach can therefore be described as follows: 1. The founding of the Church's missionary task. Is it Scripturally sound to describe mission as the essential calling of the local church? Can we accept that mission is not just a New Testament phenomenon but that it finds its roots in the whole Scripture? Does the whole Scripture support God's involvement with humankind, or do we find uniquely new attributes of God in the New Testament? Is God exclusively concerned with Israel in the Old Testament? The study accentuates that God's plan of redemption is already made known early during Old Testament times. God calls Abraham in Genesis 12:3 and consistently promises His blessing in order for Abraham to be a blessing unto the riations - through Abraham all the families on the earth were to be blessed. It is indicated that the Great Commission is not a surprising, isolated New Testament phenomenon, but that God is truly the God of the Nations! The whole Scripture testifies about His involvement with His creation. 2. The development of a biblical paradigm for the church-on-mission. With the mission mandate of the local church firmly based on Scripture this study proceeds to develop a biblical paradigm for the church. Various perspectives are reviewed in this process. Charles van Engen's book, God's missionary people - Rethinking the purpose of the local church, is used as essential reference in developing a biblical paradigm for the church-on-mission. A series of other sources are utilised to evaluate Van Engen's views. 3. Empirical research determine the critical success factors in the local church. Five churches were selected and are reviewed in the study. Through qualitative research, supported by quantitative data, the critical factors in these churches are isolated and described. The study concludes by evaluating the empirical research against the created biblical paradigm. Through this evaluation ten critical success factors are integrated in a model supported by the biblical perspective of the missional church. This research re-affirms the essential commission of the Church. It integrates the biblical being and essence of the local church with those factors detectable in churches impacting creation. Eventually, this study should contribute towards the whole Church taking the whole gospel to the whole world.
Afrikaans: Uit navorsing aangehaal in hierdie studie, blyk dit dat 'n groeiende sendingbewustheid en - betrokkenheid dwarsoor die wêreld ontwikkel. Syfers deur betroubare statistici gepubliseer, bevestig hierdie stelling. In kontras hiermee, wys kerkleiers en Missioloë op die tragiese realiteit dat talle plaaslike gemeentes weinig, of bykans glad nie, by die uitdra van die Evangelie betrokke is nie. Hierdie situasie gee aanleiding tot die navorsingsvraag wat deur hierdie studie aangespreek word: "Watter kritiese faktore stel sendingbetrokke gemeentes instaat om suksesvol betrokke te wees by die Kerk se sendingtaak in die wêreld?" Die doelwitte van die studie kan dus as volg beskryf word: o om gemeenskaplike, kritiese suksesfaktore in gemeentes te identifiseer wat effektief by sending betrokke is; o om 'n konseptueie model uit hierdie faktore vir die gemeente in sending te ontwikkel; en o om spesifieke areas, as opvolg tot hierdie verkennende studie, vir verdere navorsing te identifiseer. Die benadering wat gevolg is, lei tot drie navorsingsrnomente: 1. Die fundering van die Kerk se sendingtaak. Kan die sendingopdrag as die Kerk se wesensopdrag bestempel word? Is die sendingopdrag 'n Nuwe Testamentiese fenomeen? Is die klassieke Nuwe Testamentiese fundering die kerk se enigste mandaat vir 'n holistiese sendingbenadering? Het die sendingopdrag 'n Nuwe Testamentiese geboorte? Vertoon God 'n ongekende fokus op die nasies van die wêreld, terwyl Hy tevore eksklusief met die volk Israel bemoeienis gemaak het? Die studie toon aan dat God se versoeningsplan vir die wêreld reeds vroeg in die Ou Testament gestalte kry wanneer Abraham God se opdrag en beloftes aanhoor. God roep Abraham in Genesis 12:3 en gee herhaaldelik aan hom die belofte van seën - maar, met die bedoeling dat, deur hom, al die families op aarde geseën sal word. Daar word aangetoon dat die sendingopdrag dus nie 'n onverwagse, geïsoleerde, Nuwe Testamentiese fenomeen is nie, maar dat God waarlik die God van die Nasies is! Die hele Skrif getuig van Sy bemoeienis met Sy hele skepping. 2. Die ontwikkeling van 'n bybelse sendingparadigma vir die plaaslike gemeente. Met die sendingmandaat van die plaaslike gemeente onwrikbaar in die hele Skrif gesetel, word daar voortgegaan om vanuit hierdie perspektief 'n bybelgefundeerde sendingparadigma vir die gemeente te ontwikkel. Verskeie perspektiewe word in die proses beoordeel. Die werk van Charles van Engen, God's missionary people Rethinking the purpose of the local church, word in die ontwikkeling van die bybelse sendingparadigma as kemverwysing gebruik. 'n Omvattende reeks ander bronne word gebruik om, in hierdie ontwikkelingsproses, met Van Engen in gesprek te tree. 3. Empiriese navorsing bepaal die kritiese suksesfaktore in gemeentes. 'n Kritieke faset van die navorsing behels die identifisering van vyf sendingbetrokke gemeentes. Deur omvattende kwalitatiewe navorsing, gerugsteun deur kwantitatiewe data, word die gemeenskaplike sleutelfaktore wat hierdie gemeentes onderskei, geïdentifiseer en beskryf Die studie word afgerond deur die evaluering van die empiriese navorsing teen die bybelse sendingparadigma. Hierdie beoordeling gee vervolgens aanleiding tot die ontwikkeling van 'n model waarin tien gemeenskaplike, kritiese suksesfaktore geïntegreer word. Hierdie navorsmg herbevestig .die wesensopdrag van die Kerk. Dit toon aan dat sendingbetrokke gemeentes duidelik waarneembare karakteristieke - sleutel suksesfaktore vertoon. Dit gaan verder voort om hierdie faktore te belyn met die Skriftuurlike uitgangspunt en wese van die sendingtaak. Op hierdie wyse poog die studie om by te dra tot die uitdra van die hele Evangelie deur die hele Kerk na die hele wêreld.
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Keywords
Mission(s), Church, Critical success factor(s), Mobilisation, Local church/congregation, Great commission, Impact, Church growth, Dissertation (M.A. (Missiology))--University of the Free State, 2001
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