scholarly journals Kingdom Graph: Mengapa Gereja-Gereja di Iran Dan Tiongkok Berkembang Pesat walau dalam Tekanan atau Aniaya

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Christianto ◽  
Simon Simon
Keyword(s):  
Church Growth ◽  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Acts Of The Apostles ◽  
Graph Model ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Early Church ◽  
God's Word ◽  
Endogenous Process

Among the Pentecostal / Charismatic circles, a distinctive hermeneutic understanding has developed, which Menzies wrote in his book: This story is our story. This means an understanding that the story of the early church that we read in the Acts of the Apostles is also the story of the churches today in various places, which also experienced various pressures and persecutions. This is especially so in Iran and China, but what is strange is that the seeds of God's Word, which seemed to fall on rocky ground, did not immediately die out, but instead found unique ways to grow. This article notes some things that churches in other places need to listen to and learn about their tenacity and perseverance and zeal. In the second part, the authors present a graph model to understand church growth as an endogenous process. We hope that these observations and mathematical models are useful for church leaders in developing a more dynamic ecclesiology.

scholarly journals Pemuridan dalam Konsep Teologi Pantekosta bagi Pertumbuhan Gereja

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-20
Author(s):  
Paulus Kunto Baskoro
Keyword(s):  
Church Growth ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Spiritual Gifts ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Early Church ◽  
God's Word ◽  
Pentecostal Theology ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Church

Discipleship is the most important part of church growth. The early church, after the descent of the Holy Spirit, experienced tremendous breakthroughs. It cannot be denied that the concept of Pentecostal theology is not overemphasized. That is why this writing about a discipleship makes an effective contribution to thinking about and starting a movement for the concept of Pentecostal theology. The movement in the gifts of the Holy Spirit is indeed very extraordinary and brings great movement in the concept of Pentecostal theology. However, if it is not based on discipleship, then the church will only focus on the sparkling gifts of gifts, but cannot be firmly rooted. This research uses descriptive method, which is studying Discipleship in the Concept of Pentecostal Theology for Church Growth from the point of view of the truth of God's Word. The purpose of this discussion is to provide a new perspective on the discipleship that is the basis of church growth. In discipleship there will be a strong foundation laying on the truth of God's Word, the growth of spiritual maturity, spiritual gifts that function more optimally, the multiplication of new leaders and the church becomes strong from generation to generation. All are fully committed to the power of the Holy Spirit who will help and equip.Pemuridan menjadi bagian yang paling penting dalam sebuah pertumbuhan gereja.. Gereja mula-mula setelah peristiwa turunnya Roh Kudus, mengalami terobosan yang luar biasa. Tidak bisa dipungkiri bahwa dalam konsep teologi Pantekosta tidak terlalu ditekankan. Itu sebabnya penulisan ini tentang sebuah pemuridan memberikan kontribusi yang efektif untuk memikirkan dan memulai sebuah gerakan bagi dalam konsep teologi Pantekosta. Kegerakan dalam karunia-karunia Roh Kudus memang sangat luar biasa dan membawa kegerakan yang hebat dalam konsep teologi Pantekosta.. Namun kalau tidak didasari dengan sebuah pemuridan, maka gereja hanya fokus kepada gemerlap kehebohan karunia saja, namun tidak bisa berakar dengan kuat. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskritif, yaitu mempelajari tentang Pemuridan dalam Konsep Teologi Pantekosta bagi Pertumbuhan Gereja dari sudut pandang kebenaran Firman Tuhan. Tujuan pembahasan ini adalah memberikan pandangan yang baru tentang sebuah pemuridan yang menjadi dasar pertumbuhan gereja. Dalam pemuridan akan terjadi peletakan dasar yang kuat tentang kebenaran Firman Tuhan, pertumbuhan kedewasaan rohani, karunia-karunia rohani yang berfungsi lebih optimal, multiplikasi pemimpin baru dan gereja menjadi kokoh dari generasi ke generasi. Semua diserahkan sepenuhnya dalam kekuatan Roh Kudus yang akan menolong dan memperlengkapi.

scholarly journals Probleme rondom die Bybel in die gereformeerde teologie: besinning vanuit ’n Christelike filosofie

2008 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Van der Walt
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Reformed Theology ◽  
Philosophical Approach ◽  
Philosophical Perspective ◽  
Reformed Tradition ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
The Moment ◽  
The Way

Problems with the Bible in reformed theology: reflections from a Christian philosophical perspective The motivation for undertaking this investigation is the present tension in the reformed theology and in the reformed churches in South Africa. In spite of the fact that the reformed tradition confesses the authority of the Bible, theologians and church leaders are at the moment divided on how to view and interpret the Scriptures. They disagree about the message of God’s Word in the case of topical issues, for instance whether women should be allowed in ecclesiastical offices or on what the Bible has to say about homosexuality. The author is of the opinion that these tensions in the same church are caused, not only by different methods of interpreting the Bible but, at a much deeper level, also by the way in which one views the Bible according to different worldviews. In trying to resolve these problems and the resulting conflict of opinion, a Christian philosophical approach will be taken instead of the current theological efforts.

Prinsip Pertumbuhan Gereja Mula-Mula Ditinjau Dari Kisah Para Rasul 2:1-47 Dan Aplikasinya Bagi Gereja Masa Kini

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-111
Author(s):  
Ferderika Pertiwi Ndiy ◽  
S Susanto
Keyword(s):  
Church Growth ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Acts Of The Apostles ◽  
Church History ◽  
Word Of God ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
The Bible ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
The Church ◽  
Acts 2

Church growth is an important study in church history. The Bible has important principles in church growth, therefore these principles need to be analyzed so that they can contribute to the study of church growth. The Acts of the Apostles is a book that has a history and principles of church growth, therefore the author conducted research on church growth based on Acts 2: 1-47. The author uses a qualitative approach to literature study to find the principles of church growth based on Acts 2: 1-47. The results showed that there were three principles for the growth of the early church. The first principle based on the fourth verse is to depend on the Holy Spirit, the second principle based on verses 14-36, 42 is to preach the Word of God, the third principle based on verses 42-46 is to live in fellowship. For the growth of the church today the church must depend on the power of the Holy Spirit, teaching based on the word of God, and the church lives in fellowship.

The Acts of the Apostles and the Beginnings of Simonian Gnosis

1987 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 420-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerd Lüdemann
Keyword(s):  
Acts Of The Apostles ◽  
Second Century ◽  
First Century ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Great Power ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Historical Criticism ◽  
History Of Research ◽  
History Of ◽  
German Origin

The person of Simon encountered in Acts 8 has been a controversial figure ever since the rise of historical criticism. The range of opinions in the history of research varies from denying his existence to regarding him as the instigator of the gnostic movement that threatened the nascent early church in the second century. These contradictory results reflect the particular difficulty of the Simon question, which consists not least in the span of time that lies between the two oldest sources (Acts and Justin). Furthermore, an orderly report of Simon's gnostic teaching is encountered first in Irenaeus. In modern research, Simon Magus has been treated more or less as a test case for the larger question about gnostic backgrounds of the NT or about the existence of a first century Gnosis. With conscious or unconscious reference to this first century Gnosis, the majority of investigators (especially of German origin) has affirmed the existence of a first-century Gnostic Simon, and has neglected the above mentioned chronological problem. Only recently has the following judgement begun to gain dominance: ‘All attempts so far made have failed to bridge the gap between the Simon of Acts and the Simon of the heresiologists.’ This statement points to the lack of Simon's companion Helen (= ἔννοια) in Acts 8 and to the fact that the expression ‘great power (of God)’ (Acts 8. 10b) is not gnostic as such.

scholarly journals Reading the Bible through the ages?Historical and hermeneutical perspectives

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirkie Smit
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Early Church ◽  
The Bible ◽  
God's Word ◽  
History Of ◽  
Impossible Task ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Bible Reading ◽  
The Middle Ages

In this contribution the seemingly straightforward slogan espoused by Biblica, namely, “Transforming lives through God’s Word” is complicated by placing it within the context of the rich, multi-layered and complex history of Bible-reading. Fully aware that it is an impossible task to construe the history of the reading of the Bible, offers a few broad strokes describing Biblical reception and interpretation, beginning with the complex genesis of the Bible, extending through the Early Church, the Middle Ages, The Renaissance and Reformation, the time of Enlightenment and rise of Modernity, the emergence of ecumenical hermeneutics in the 20th century, and the contemporary conflicts in hermeneutic perspectives. Throughout the essay, the question is asked – in various ways and with different responses – what “Transforming lives through God’s Word” could mean.

scholarly journals The Contribution of Intercessory Prayer in the Growth of the Early Church According to the Book of Acts

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 229-248
Author(s):  
Bolean Silalahi
Keyword(s):  
Church Growth ◽  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Holy Spirit ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Intercessory Prayer ◽  
The Holy Spirit ◽  
Healthy Growth ◽  
Book Of Acts ◽  
The Church

The Contribution of Intercessory Prayer in the Growth of the Early Church according to the Book of the Acts provide a great role and influence for the growth and development of the Church. The Church as a Spiritual Organization craves healthy growth and development, both in quality and quantity. One of the most effective and efficient ways is to intercede, in addition to other methods of course. Nowadays, Intercessory prayer is receiving less serious attention in some churches. The growth and development of the Gospels according to what is written in the Book of Acts shows an event that resulted in major and prominent changes to be examined. There is a significant growth in the preaching of the Gospel both in terms of quality and quantity, many prayers delivered to God are fulfilled and accomplished. In the development of Mission and Gospel in this world it cannot be denied that there are certain individuals, even certain groups do not agree that the creation of a Church growth and development is caused by one of the supporting factors, namely Intercessory Prayer. Luke the writer of the Book of Acts reveals the extraordinary events experienced by Jesus's disciples. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit became the basis of everything that happened and the disciples obeyed the commandments. Behind these events there is a very important thing to remember, that they gather and pray, and even intercede for the fulfillment of God's promises for them and the world. Disciples are baptized, equipped, and even empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. There is no denying that this miraculous event in the Book of Acts has had a great impact until now. Because through this event many people became believers in Jesus Christ and accepted the Gospel in their lives. So that the Church is growing rapidly and extraordinary. Everything that happened during the Early Church was the key to the growth and development of the Church today. May Churches today increasingly realize that behind the Intercessory Prayer there is a real power that will be fulfilled by God for His people. Especially at this time of the Pandemic Covid-19, Intercessory Prayer is very urgent and important because the Churches needed the power of the Holy Spirit poured out for the Churches in this world.

The “Virgin Widow”: A Problematic Social Role for the Early Church?

1997 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Methuen
Keyword(s):  
Marital Status ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Church Leaders ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
Gregory Of Nyssa ◽  
Modern Term ◽  
As If

In her discussion of the life of Macrina (ca. 327–79), the sister of Gregory of Nyssa, Susanna Elm comments upon Macrina's decision to treat the death of her fiancé as if it were the death of a husband. Inasmuch as this decision became a reason for her not to (re)marry, Macrina took on “a new social role: the virgin widow.” Elm's casual remark points to a remarkable failure among a number of commentators to take account of the ambiguities inherent in the title “widow” (Greek χήρα, Latin vidua). While acknowledging the existence of an order of widows, scholars have also widely assumed that the terms χήρα and vidua can be equated to the modern term “widow,” that is, a woman who has survived her husband. The discussion of Christian widows, and especially enrolled widows, has accordingly focused primarily upon the function and often the age of these women. If scholars mention the marital status of such women at all, their discussion is generally directed toward the question of second marriages. I shall argue, however, that it is in fact misleading to assume that a widow must have been married previously and that in the earliest centuries of the Christian church, there is evidence not only for the existence of “virgin widows” but also for the problems that these women posed for some church leaders.

Philip Melanchthon’s Early Theology of Preaching: Theologizing the Word of God in His Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531)

2017 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-31
Author(s):  
Corneliu C. Simuț
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Life Experience ◽  
The Other ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Word Of God ◽  
Charles V ◽  
Theology Of Preaching ◽  
The Core ◽  
God's Word ◽  
The One

This paper focuses on how Philip Melanchthon organized his theology of preaching in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the very first defense of the early church reformers’ approach to doctrine against formal papal criticism as drafted in the Confutation of the Augsburg Confession by Johann Eck, who had been commissioned by emperor Charles V to provide a papal romanist refutation of the reformist Augsburg Confession. The article is going to demonstrate that Melanchthon’s theology of preaching insists on the proclamation of God’s Word as Christ, Gospel, and repentance, an indication that his homiletical theory encompasses key dogmas like christology, revelation, and soteriology, all fundamental tenets which not only define the core of Protestant theology and practice but also provide listeners with the possibility of a changed life experience based on Christ’s work as savior. The main contribution of this paper resides in the fact that on the one hand, it attempts to clarify Melanchthon’s theological position not as a Protestant writing against Catholics but rather as reformist challenging his papal peers within the Catholic church, while on the other hand, it identifies various aspects of his early thought as presented in the Apology—Christ, Gospel, repentance—and places them together systematically into a building block which constitutes his early theology of preaching as dogmatically founded on as well as anchored in christology, revelation, and soteriology.

scholarly journals Pengaruh Keteladanan Hidup Gembala Sidang terhadap Pertumbuhan Gereja

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-41
Author(s):  
Joseph Christ Santo ◽  
Dapot Tua Simanjuntak
Keyword(s):  
Church Growth ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Good Growth ◽  
Local Churches ◽  
West Java ◽  
Evangelical Church ◽  
1 Peter ◽  
Experience Good ◽  
The Church

Church growth is important, but not all churches experience good growth. The observation shows that one of the causes of the church not experiencing growth is the problem of the exemplary life of the pastor. This research was conducted to determine the effect of a pastor's living example on church growth. The conceptual and operational definitions of the pastor's living example are formulated based on the letter of 1 Peter, while the conceptual and operational definitions of church growth are formulated based on the growth of the early church. This research was carried out by distributing questionnaires to 125 respondents from four local churches from the Gereja Injili di Indonesia (Evangelical Church in Indonesia) in West Java Classes. With statistical calculations, the results show that there is the influence of the pastor's living example based on letter 1 Peter on the growth of the Gereja Injili di Indonesia in West Java Classes, and the effect is high. AbstrakPertumbuhan gereja adalah hal yang penting, tetapi tidak semua gereja mengalami pertumbuhan yang baik. Hasil observasi menunjukkan bahwa salah satu penyebab gereja tidak mengalami pertumbuhan adalah masalah keteladanan hidup gembala sidang. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh keteladanan hidup gembala sidang terhadap pertumbuhan gereja. Definisi konseptual dan operasional keteladanan hidup gembala sidang dirumuskan berdasarkan surat 1 Petrus, sedangkan definisi konseptual dan operasional pertumbuhan gereja dirumuskan berdasarkan pertumbuhan gereja mula-mula. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan mendistribusikan kuesioner atas 125 responden dari empat gereja lokal dari Gereja Injili di Indonesia Klasis Jawa Barat. Dengan perhitungan statistik diperoleh hasil bahwa ada pengaruh keteladanan hidup gembala sidang berdasarkan surat 1 Petrus terhadap pertumbuhan jemaat Gereja Injili Di Indonesia Klasis Jawa Barat, dan pengaruhnya adalah tinggi.

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