Contextual preaching within the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa

Abstract

English: Summary of contextual preaching within the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa. This research has proved that preaching is very essential. It is not just an oration that a person or preacher can give to listeners. This means it is very dynamic, and it needs the whole commitment when one is preaching. Not everybody can preach. It comes from God to the listeners and it should be Christ centered. God makes use of the preachers to fuifiii and execute His will. The message delivered by the preacher is not his, but belongs to God himself. A preacher is a messenqer, As a messenger should always adhere to what the prophets said when saying, that whatever they say is from God. This means that a preacher who is to deliver the Word of God to the listeners should be a person who has been called to carry out God's message. That category is a category of legitimate messengers of God. They are spiritually driven. They are also guided by the type of training they have received from their theological training institutes. So preaching is not just an easy thing to do, its modus operandi needs some certain knowledgeable information, a commitment and self-determination. The study has revealed that the relevant and effective preaching, as well as the contextual preaching is essential to the lives of today's people, as such preachers should adopt to bring contextual preachinq to the congregations they are going to preach for. Scriptural It is explicit that there is no relevant preaching unless it emanates from the Holy Scripture itself. This means that the Holy Scripture characterizes both the relevant and contextual preaching. To reinforce preaching itself, a preacher should make use of supplimentaries like commentaries, literatures and any other relevant resources. Historical A relevant and contextual preaching is the one that a preacher does not regard him as a founder. This means that a preacher is not an alpha and omega in this regard. This is a continuation that he received from his predecessors. He should acknowledge that thecongregation he is preaching for does not receive the Word of God for the first time. Through the historical background in theology it is clear that some of them have been exposed to the Word of God long ago. Language God created His people in diversity of races and languages. This has been done through His good will. The Word of God should be conveyed to the people in the language they will understand. Due to this reason a preaching will remain a contextual preaching to the listeners. Culture The Word of God was brought to the people of multicultural believes. This means that they have accepted it in collaboration with their different cultures. The diversity of different cultures should not be regarded as detrimental to preaching. Pastoral The training of pastors should be contextual and relevant to the prevailing circumstances of the new South Africa. The pastors should adopt themselves positively with the prevailing situations in which their congregations live. Theological The most important aspect in this regard is that a preaching that is brought to the people should also be educative to those people who are going to receive it as the Word of God.

Afrikaans: Opsomming van Kontekstuele prediking binne die Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk in Afrika. Hierdie navorsing het bewys dat prediking baie noodsaaklik is. Dit is nie net 'n toespraak wat 'n persoon of 'n prediker lewer voor 'n gehoor nie. Dit beteken dit is baie dinamies en vereis 'n totale oorgawe van die prediker. Nie almal kan preek nie. Dit kom van God aan die luisteraars en dit behoort Christus-gesenteerd te wees. God gebruik predikers om Sy wil te verwesenlik en uit te voer. Die boodskap wat deur die prediker gelewer word, is nie syne nie, maar kom van God self af. Die prediker is 'n boodskapper. Die boodskapper moet altyd trou blyaan wat die profeet gesê het, want wanneer hy praat, wat hy ookal sê, kom van God af. Dit beteken dat 'n prediker, wat die Woord van God aan sy luisteraars bring, 'n persoon moet wees wat geroep is om God se boodskap uit te dra. Daardie groep is 'n groep gelegitimeerde boodskappers van God. Hulle word deur die Gees gelei. Hulle word ook gelei deur die opleiding wat hulle ontvang het van hul teologiese opleiding sentrums. Dit beteken doodgewoon dat prediking nie sommer 'n maklike ding is om te doen nie, die uitvoering daarvan vra sekere kenbare inligting, 'n verbintenis en selfversekerdheid. Hierdie studie het uitgewys dat toepaslike en effektiewe, sowel as kontekstuele prediking, noodsaaklik is vir die mens van vandag. Predikers moet dus die nodige aanpassings maak ten einde kontekstueel te preek in die gemeentes waar hulle gaan preek. Skriftuurlik Dit is duidelik dat daar geen toepaslike prediking kan wees tensy dit op kom vanuit die Heilige Skrif self nie. Dit beteken dat beide toepaslike en kontekstuele prediking deur die Heilige Skrif gekarakteriseer word. Om die prediking te versterk behoort 'n prediker van hulpmiddels gebruik te maak soos kommentare, literatuur en enige ander relevante bronne. Geskiedkundig 'n Toepaslike en kontekstuele preek is daardie een waar 'n prediker homself nie sien as die uitvinder daarvan nie. Dit beteken dat die prediker nie die alfa en omega van die preek is nie. Dit is 'n voortsetting van wat hy van sy voorgangers ontvang het. Hy behoort te erken dat die gemeente aan wie hy die Woord van God bring, dit nie vir die eerste keer hoor nie. Uit die historiese agtergrond van teologie IS dit duidelik dat sommige van hulle lankal reeds blootgestel was aan die Woord van God. God het Sy mense geskap~ in 'n verskeidenheid van rasse en tale. Dit is gedoen deur Sy goeie wil. Die Woord van God behoort oorgedra te word aan mense in die taal wat hulle sal verstaan. Om hierdie rede sal 'n preek 'n kontekstuele preek vir die luisteraars sal bly. Kultuur Die Woord van God is aan mense van multi-kulturele gelowe gebring. Dit beteken dat hulle dit aanvaar het in samewerking met hul verskillende kulture. Die uiteenlopendheid van verskillende kulture behoort nie as nadelig vir die prediking gesien te word nie. Pastoraal Die opleiding van predikers behoort kontekstueel en toepaslik te wees vir die heersende omstandighede van die nuwe Suid-Afrika. Predikers behoort hulself positief aan te pas by die heersende situasie waarbinne hulle gemeentes hulle leef. Teologies Die belangrikste aspek in die verband is dat In preek wat aan mense gebring.word ook opvoedkundig sal wees vir die mense wat dit as die Woord van God gaan ontvang .