The common critical success factors determining the mission impact of the local church : an analytical study

[摘要] English: From research referred to in this study it is clear that a growing missions awareness andinvolvement is developing across the globe. This statement is supported by the recentpublication of growth figures in the Christendom. In apparent contrast, church .leaders andMissiologists indicate that a vast number of local churches are not involved in theproclamation of the Gospel in the world.This situation gives birth to the research problem which is addressed by this study: What arethe common critical success factors enabling churches, involved in mission, to mobilisepeople for the Kingdom of God?The goals of the study therefore are:o to analyse and identify common critical success factors lil congregations who areeffectively involved in mission;o to develop a conceptual model of such factors for the church-on-mission; and,o to identify specific areas for further research, as a follow-up on this exploratory research.The research approach can therefore be described as follows:1. The founding of the Church's missionary task.Is it Scripturally sound to describe mission as the essential calling of the local church?Can we accept that mission is not just a New Testament phenomenon but that it finds itsroots in the whole Scripture? Does the whole Scripture support God's involvement withhumankind, or do we find uniquely new attributes of God in the New Testament? Is Godexclusively concerned with Israel in the Old Testament?The study accentuates that God's plan of redemption is already made known early duringOld Testament times. God calls Abraham in Genesis 12:3 and consistently promises Hisblessing in order for Abraham to be a blessing unto the riations - through Abraham all thefamilies on the earth were to be blessed.It is indicated that the Great Commission is not a surprising, isolated New Testamentphenomenon, but that God is truly the God of the Nations! The whole Scripture testifiesabout His involvement with His creation.2. The development of a biblical paradigm for the church-on-mission.With the mission mandate of the local church firmly based on Scripture this studyproceeds to develop a biblical paradigm for the church. Various perspectives are reviewedin this process. Charles van Engen's book, God's missionary people - Rethinking thepurpose of the local church, is used as essential reference in developing a biblicalparadigm for the church-on-mission. A series of other sources are utilised to evaluate VanEngen's views.3. Empirical research determine the critical success factors in the local church.Five churches were selected and are reviewed in the study. Through qualitative research,supported by quantitative data, the critical factors in these churches are isolated anddescribed. The study concludes by evaluating the empirical research against the created biblicalparadigm. Through this evaluation ten critical success factors are integrated in a modelsupported by the biblical perspective of the missional church. This research re-affirms the essential commission of the Church. It integrates the biblicalbeing and essence of the local church with those factors detectable in churches impactingcreation. Eventually, this study should contribute towards the whole Church taking the whole gospel to the whole world.

[发布机构] University of the Free State