Evangelisasie deur sport- en rekreasiebediening : 'n prakties-teologiese ondersoek
Date
2017-12
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uitvoering van die missio ecclesiae (Matt 28:16–20), wat Christus aan sy dissipels en kerk toevertrou het, word weens die kerk se gebrek aan evangelisasieperspektief, aan bande gelê. Dit het onder meer ’n beperkte ontwikkeling van evangelisasiebedieninge, ’n verwaarlosing van dissipellering en ’n stagnering en/of afwesigheid van missionale oriëntasie tot gevolg. ’n Soeke na alternatiewes om veral evangelisasie te kan bevorder, het hieruit voortgevloei; ook elemente en terreine wat ondersteunend daartoe kan meewerk, word hierby ingesluit.
Om die Evangelie aan die kerkloses en kerklosses te kommunikeer, verg effektiewe, maar ook al meer innoverende benaderings tot evangelisasie. Een van die terreine waarby die meeste mense op een of ander wyse betrokke is – hetsy as speler, beampte of as toeskouer – is dié van sport en rekreasie. Vir dié rede behoort die aanwending van sport- en rekreasie-aktiwiteite ernstig oorweeg te word om die Evangelie, binne verhoudings, aan ander te kommunikeer. Alhoewel die aanwending van hierdie aktiwiteite reeds vir etlike jare deur bedieninge oor die wêreld heen tydens die evangelisasieproses gebruik word, is hierdie bedieningsbenadering nie ’n bekende praktyk binne die Suid-Afrikaanse kerk, en veral nie binne die gereformeerde tradisie nie. Dit het tot die volgende vraag en navorsingsfokus van hierdie studie aanleiding gegee: Waarom en hoe kan Sport- en Rekreasiebediening aangewend word, sodat evangelisasie daardeur bevorder en ondersteun kan word?
Die Groot Opdrag van Christus, met sy onderskeie fasette, is as die vertrekpunt van hierdie studie geneem. ’n Abduktiewe benadering tot die kwalitatiewe navorsing is gevolg. Die enigste eg Suid-Afrikaanse Sport- en Rekreasiebediening, Sport vir Christus Aksie Suid-Afrika (SCAS), is die studie-objek in hierdie studie. ’n Vraelys om die evangelisasiebediening van hierdie parakerklike organisasie beter te verstaan, is tydens ’n empiriese ondersoek gebruik. Waargenome verskynsels en tendense is aan die hand van wetenskapsteorieë, soos in bemarking-, opleiding-, fasilitering- en sosialiseringdissiplines, geïnterpreteer en teologies verryk. Hieruit blyk onder andere duidelik die uitkoms van SCAS se aanwending van sport- en rekreasie-aktiwiteite tydens evangelisasie-uitreike: dié parakerklike organisasie se verbintenis tot die missio ecclesiae, en sy ondersteunende rol en verantwoordelikheid aan die Christelike kerk. Tydens hierdie studie is vier benaderings tot Sport- en Rekreasiebediening, te wete die sleutel-, medium-, aflos- en platformbenaderings geïdentifiseer. Elk van hierdie benaderings raak ʼn spesifieke faset van Christus se opdrag aan sy dissipels aan: die bemarking of bekendmaking van die Evangelie, die opleiding en fasilitering wat hieruit voortspruit en die sosialisering wat daarmee gepaardgaan. Die studie suggereer ’n praktykgerigte kernmodel, waarin die Coram Deo as die primêre doel van hierdie bediening geteken word. Hierdeur is die weg vir verdere navorsing rakende hierdie bediening binne Praktiese Teologie gebaan. Dié navorsing kan onder meer die volgende insluit: die ontwikkeling van dié bediening se inhoudelike, waardeur doelgerigte en effektiewe programme met spesifieke sport- en rekreasie-aktiwiteite gekombineer word; en die ontwikkeling van die Sport- en Rekreasiebediening binne die Evangelistiek en Praktiese Teologie.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The execution of the missio ecclesiae (Mt 28:16-20), as entrusted by Christ to his disciples and church, is hindered by a lack of the evangelism perspective from within. This aspect is also the main reason for the occurrence of a limited development of ministries, a neglect of discipling, and a stagnation and/or absence of missional orientation. Through this, a quest into alternative approaches towards evangelism is presented, which also include those elements and areas that could be supportive in this regard. For the Gospel to be communicated to the unchurched and non-churched not only requires an effective approach to communicating the good news, but also necessitates a more innovative approach. One of the areas that could be employed in this respect, and with which most people are associated either as player, coach or support team, or as supporter, is that of sports and recreation. For this reason, the utilisation of sports and recreation activities as part of communicating the Gospel, within relationships, should earnestly be considered. For several years already, these activities are being employed as part of the process of evangelism across the world, although this approach to ministry is not a familiar practice within the South African church, especially not within the reformed tradition. This in itself led to the following question and the focus of this particular study: Why and how can Sports and Recreation Ministry be utilised in furthering and developing evangelism? The Great Commission of Christ, with its other facets, was taken as this study’s point of departure. An abductive approach to quantitative research was employed. The only true South African parachurch ministry, Sports for Christ Action South Africa (SCAS), was the study-object of this research. In order to bring more understanding about the ministry of this parachurch organisation, a questionnaire was used in a systematic empirical study. The observed phenomena and tendencies were interpreted through the application of non-theological science theories, by means of the disciplines of marketing, training and/or coaching, facilitating and socialising, and theologically enriched. SCAS’s employment of sports and recreation activities during evangelism clearly demonstrates, amongst others, its commitment to the missio ecclesiae, as well as its supportive role and responsibility towards the Christian church. Four approaches to Sports and Recreation Ministry were identified during this study: the turn-key-, medium-, relay- and platform approaches. Each of these approaches addresses a specific facet of the Great Commission, such as the marketing or announcement of the Gospel, the training and facilitating which emanates from that, as well as the aspect of socialising that accompanies the afore-mentioned. The study concluded with offering a praxis orientated core model, in which the Coram Deo is presented as the main objective of this ministry. Through this, the path for further research regarding this ministry is set within Practical Theology. Further research in this field could include the following: the development of the content of this ministry through which purposeful and effective programmes could be combined with specific sports and recreation activities; and the development of Sports and Recreation Ministry within Evangelistic and Practical Theology.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The execution of the missio ecclesiae (Mt 28:16-20), as entrusted by Christ to his disciples and church, is hindered by a lack of the evangelism perspective from within. This aspect is also the main reason for the occurrence of a limited development of ministries, a neglect of discipling, and a stagnation and/or absence of missional orientation. Through this, a quest into alternative approaches towards evangelism is presented, which also include those elements and areas that could be supportive in this regard. For the Gospel to be communicated to the unchurched and non-churched not only requires an effective approach to communicating the good news, but also necessitates a more innovative approach. One of the areas that could be employed in this respect, and with which most people are associated either as player, coach or support team, or as supporter, is that of sports and recreation. For this reason, the utilisation of sports and recreation activities as part of communicating the Gospel, within relationships, should earnestly be considered. For several years already, these activities are being employed as part of the process of evangelism across the world, although this approach to ministry is not a familiar practice within the South African church, especially not within the reformed tradition. This in itself led to the following question and the focus of this particular study: Why and how can Sports and Recreation Ministry be utilised in furthering and developing evangelism? The Great Commission of Christ, with its other facets, was taken as this study’s point of departure. An abductive approach to quantitative research was employed. The only true South African parachurch ministry, Sports for Christ Action South Africa (SCAS), was the study-object of this research. In order to bring more understanding about the ministry of this parachurch organisation, a questionnaire was used in a systematic empirical study. The observed phenomena and tendencies were interpreted through the application of non-theological science theories, by means of the disciplines of marketing, training and/or coaching, facilitating and socialising, and theologically enriched. SCAS’s employment of sports and recreation activities during evangelism clearly demonstrates, amongst others, its commitment to the missio ecclesiae, as well as its supportive role and responsibility towards the Christian church. Four approaches to Sports and Recreation Ministry were identified during this study: the turn-key-, medium-, relay- and platform approaches. Each of these approaches addresses a specific facet of the Great Commission, such as the marketing or announcement of the Gospel, the training and facilitating which emanates from that, as well as the aspect of socialising that accompanies the afore-mentioned. The study concluded with offering a praxis orientated core model, in which the Coram Deo is presented as the main objective of this ministry. Through this, the path for further research regarding this ministry is set within Practical Theology. Further research in this field could include the following: the development of the content of this ministry through which purposeful and effective programmes could be combined with specific sports and recreation activities; and the development of Sports and Recreation Ministry within Evangelistic and Practical Theology.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
Keywords
Evangelistic work, Missions, UCTD