Faith Communities Today:

The Cooperative Congregational Studies Partnership is the sponsor of the Faith Communities Today series of national surveys of American congregations. It started out as a conversation about “church” member surveys at the 1995 annual meeting of the Religious Research Association and by 2000 had grown into a multi-faith coalition of 27 denominations and faith traditions that, assisted with matching funds from the Lilly Endowment, conducted the largest national survey of American congregations ever undertaken, as a research-based resource for congregational development. In 2003 the partnership became a self-sustaining program of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, and established a regular cycle of decadal and mid-decadal such surveys, with an occasional qualitative study sprinkled in, which has continued to this day. This article tells the history of how this unique experience of practical ecclesiology came to be, how it evolved, and what it has produced.

Discerning the essence and mission of the church in the midst of COVID-19

This article reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic gives the church an opportunity to reconsider what the centre of God’s mission is for the congregation. It will engage on the implications of its reflections for public practical theology and congregational development. Spurred by an electronic opinion poll carried out by the author on six focus groups on WhatsApp platforms, averaging 200 participants each, during the lockdown days in Ghana, the question was put, “What one thing do you miss about church during the lock down period?” Majority of respondents mentioned communal fellowship (Konoinia) as the most missed aspect of congregational life. This article reflects on suggestions engendered by this observation and how it helps congregations to discern what makes them relevant to their members. Thus, helping congregations to envision the future, invoke dreams of a new creation where a return to normality will birth a world in which the church would take a new shape, presenting a fresh sense of missional community able to bring God to the people of our day.

Mewariskan Memori Kolektif Sebagai Pendekatan Pendampingan Dan Konseling Untuk Meningkatkan Pembangunan Jemaat Adang

Each region certainly has its own past stories in the early church. In this case, the individual or group begins to remember something that happened in themselves and he can do memory activities while talking, listening and many other ways of remembering. Congregations in the current era, in understanding the meaning of togetherness in allied life, have begun to erode and fade. The purpose of this study is to describe the collective memory heritage of the congregation and to develop a counselling approach to promote congregational development. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive-analytical pattern. From the results of the research, the authors see that the church today is in dire need of counselling assistance in church development. The integrity of a congregation is highly expected for every individual and group through fellowship that is carried out within the scope of the church and society in increasing harmonious and peaceful life. AbstrakSetiap daerah tentu memiliki cerita-cerita masa lalu tersendiri pada jemaat mula-mula. Dalam hal ini, individu atau kelompok mulai mengingat-ingat sesuatu yang terjadi dalam diri pribadinya dan ia dapat melakukan aktivitas mengingat-ingat ketika sedang berbicara, mendengarkan dan masih banyak lagi cara mengingat-ingat lainnya. Jemaat di era saat ini, dalam memahami arti kebersamaan dalam hidup bersekutu sudah mulai terkikis dan memudar. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mendeskripsikan warisan memori kolektif jemaat Adang dan mengembangkan pendekatan konseling untuk meningkatkan pembangunan jemaat Adang. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode pendekatan kualitatif dengan pola deskriptif-analitis. Dari hasil penelitian penulis melihat bahwa jemaat Adang saat ini sangat membutuhkan pendampingan konseling dalam pembangunan jemaat. Keutuhan suatu jemaat sangat di harapkan bagi setiap individu maupun kelompok melalui persekutuan yang dilakukan dalam lingkup gereja maupun masyarakat dalam meningkatkan hidup rukun dan damai.

Called and sent to make a difference: Radical missionality

The concept ‘missional’ is well established within the so-called missional conversation. It is however often ‘questioned’ by scholars and pastors for different reasons. Sometimes it is almost dissected from the rest of theology, especially systematic theology. Recent developments in this field are given an account of in this article. The main purpose of the article is not to argue a case for the concept again. The purpose is to focus on whether theology and ministry in any way understand the radical implications if and when we are missional in being and doing. My assumption within the field of research on rediscovering discipleship in the development of missional congregations is that none of us have thought through how radical missionality is, especially over and against a ‘volkskirchliche’ understanding and practice of church. The article will also touch on some radical changes in philosophy of ministry and doing ministry within a missional paradigm.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article focuses mainly on Practical Theology and specifically Congregational Development (‘Missionarische Gemeindeaufbau’). This field stands in a direct relationship with Missiology. The article contributes to a growing understanding of the radical nature of missional thinking and practice in congregational life and ministry.

Hvordan bør menigheter arbeide med endring?

The purpose of this article is to discuss the contribution to congregations of theoretical perspectives on change in the organizational literature. The contribution of the discussion is on the evaluation of the relevance. I discuss the relevance of planned change, lifecycle theory, external influences, power, and coincidence and conclude that organizational perspectives are relevant as long as they applies in a context sensitive manner. I suggests a bounded rational planning process for congregational development. The arguments for this is that congregations are purpose driven in a missional sense and scriptural references calls leaders to intervene and develop congregations. Congregational development is as a subject that intend to help leaders to intervene and create plans for change. Normative theology govern the overall purpose and the limitation to planning in congregations. Since humans are channeling this process, a sort of planning of change is necessary. Also, the contexts and the social dimension of congregations require leaders to develop visions, set goals, analyze the situation, plan, implement, and evaluate. The sequence order and borders are fuzzy and it is necessary for planners to go forth and back in the process, and to work under limitations of analyzing the situation and options. I suggest that the alternative perspectives on change are complementary to the planning perspective. Congregations goes through lifecycles, institutional processes, they have and develop networks, and macro processes affect them. Also by exercising power and by coincidences change are happening. Some of these mechanisms may put pressure on and create limitations for planning and development. However, to bring the knowledge from the alternative perspectives into the planning process probably increase the chance to withstand pressure or to release the forces supporting change. There are biblical consideration to be made when the alternative perspectives are used. For instance, power has to be exercised within ethical acceptable norms.

Building the local church in South Korea through a needs-oriented diaconal ministry

According to Acts 20:28, God acquired the Church for himself with the blood of his own Son, whilst Ephesians 4:13, 15 proposes that the Church, the body of Christ, has to grow towards the measure of the fullness of Christ and into Christ. For this to succeed, there must be a comprehensive approach to building the local church, even though it may not have a single element that could account for congregational development. Building the local church (BLC) through a needs-oriented diaconal ministry (NDM) that meets effectively the needs of the community and its people by providing the essential functions of the church, such as koinonia, diakonia, kerygma and leitourgia in synergy, will be helpful to congregational development, functioning as a living organism that leads church members to vitality and equips them to fulfil the variety of works available in the body of Christ. This article focused on two key factors that can be used to develop a sound and effective BLC through NDM, namely, (1) BLC through NDM supports a sound theory of congregational development and (2) BLC through NDM makes for an effective strategy to promote congregational studies. To this end, this article presented and interpreted data from a case study of the baby schools of Choongshin Church and Daegwang Church and the pregnant women’s group of Daegwang Church in South Korea, in order to prove the soundness and effectiveness of BLC through NDM and suggest a diagram of BLC through NDM. When BLC through NDM is utilised fully and applied to the missionary strategy in urban areas, more people will become meaningfully involved in Christian life and membership of the churches.

Die implikasies van ’n nadere Skrifgefundeerde definisie van dissipel en dissipelmaking vir gemeentebou

The implications of a closer Scriptural definition of disciple and discipling for church development In the field of Practical Theology the term “discipling” is often used as a synonym for both spiritual growth and for teaching. To define the term as such can contribute to a dilution of the term “disciple” and to an inaccurate understanding of the process of discipling. In this article the concept of “disciple” is critically analysed. The following conclusion is arrived at: “Discipling” entails the lifelong process by which people are guided and encouraged to progressively become followers and pupils (disciples) of Jesus. The purpose of such a process implies that a person will become more and more like Jesus and will live according to the spirit of Jesus. A correct understanding of the concept of discipleship as a process has far-reaching implications for strategising congregational development.

«Alle støttar trusopplæringa.» Tverrfagleg samarbeid mellom prestar og undervisningstilsette i utvikling av trusopplæringa

The main goal of the article is to investigate challenges and possibilities in the cooperation among the employed pastors and pedagogues in the congregation and how this contributes to develop the Christian education. The empirical material mainly stems from qualitative interviews in six different congregations, and the theoretical perspectives focus on organisational theory and the implementation of Christian education as a process of change. I have found a willingness to cooperate in the church education. However, the educational people are seen as primarily responsible and there exists role conflicts among them. The pastors, on the other hand, want to play a role in the Christian education but they have challenges in prioritising this among all the other expected tasks. Keywords:Christian education, congregational development, staff cooperation, congregational teacher, pastor, Michael Fullan SamandragMålsetjinga med artikkelen er å utforska utfordringar og moglegheiter i det tverrfaglege samarbeidet mellom tilsette prestar og undervisningsmedarbeidarar og korleis dette bidrar til å utvikla trusopplæringa. Det empiriske materialet er etablert gjennom kvalitative intervju i seks menigheter, og dei teoretiske perspektiva kjem frå organisasjonsteori og implementeringa av trusopplæringa som ein endringsprosess. Det er stor vilje til å delta i trusopplæringa. Likevel er det slik at dei undervisningstilsette blir oppfatta som hovudansvarlege i dette arbeidet, og artikkelen viser at uklare rollar mellom dei kan skapa konflikt. Prestane ønskjer òg å spela ei rolle i trusopplæringa, men dei kjenner på utfordringar i å prioritera dette mellom andre pålagte oppgåver. Nøkkelord:Trusopplæring, menighetsutvikling, stabssamarbeid, trusopplærar, prest, Michael Fullan