Leierskap in makrogemeentes : perspektiewe op kontemporêre ontwikkelings

[摘要] This statement is not only the theoretical outcome of this study, but also theexperience of the practical ministry of the researcher. Since the first senior pastor inthe Dutch Reformed Church was appointed five years ago (in 2000), many othermacro congregations followed suit. However, there was no frame of reference,theological foundation or church tradition which could provide guidelines for thesenewly appointed leaders. That coincided – initiated by the new political dispensationsince 1994 – with huge transformation on the political, economic, social and religiousscene in South Africa. That gave input to the research problem that traditional formsof leadership was insufficient in the contemporary situation of macro congregationsin South Africa, and to the researcher's hypothesis that transformation needs currentand contemporary developments in leadership.In the hermeneutical process the researcher first of all listened to congregationalpractice and context via semi-structured interviews with five senior pastors of DutchReformed Churches. The outcome was that a vast amount of information regardingtransformation in the communities, ministry models, leadership requirements andforms of leadership were accumulated. Although there were obvious differences, therewas also a correspondence about transformation in the context, ministry- andleadership-models. The appointment of senior pastors was part of a totaltransformation process.This lead to an investigation of transformation in the macro context. A massive wave(tsunami) of transformation of timeframes, thinking systems, paradigms and shiftsfrom christendom to post-christendom, modernism to post-modernism, towardsglobalization and information technology, and major shifts in the South African andthe Dutch Reformed Church contexts (through the lenses of census 2001 andKerkspieël 2004), were detected.The hermeneutical circle took the research to the investigation of transformation inScriptural contexts. Many examples of transformation in the context, ministry modelsand leadership models were found. From Scripture it would appear that God ledbelieving communities to react in every contemporary situation with new ministrymodels through the charismata, ministries and leadership functions for that situation.The study of 1 Timothy not only showed transformation in the context of thecommunity and congregation, but especially how a new symbolic world was createdthrough the use of the metaphor of the 'household of God so that the ministry modeland leadership model were reinterpreted to suit their current situation.The researcher came to the conclusion that the appointment of senior pastors orcongregational leaders in the Dutch Reformed Church was a current andcontemporary answer to the demands of a time of transformation. Ultimatelyleadership is a contextual hermeneutical function.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University