‘n Kerk met karakter: Die perspektief van Gerben Heitink

Abstract

A church with character: The perspective of Gerben HeitinkMainstream churches worldwide are experiencing a decline in membership. The wellknown Dutch practical theologian Gerben Heitink’s (2007) latest book Een kerk met karakte, Tijd voor heroriëntatie is an attempt to address this phenomenon. This article is an overview of his book, with comments from other authors. Although emerging churches is constitute a movement separate from the institutional churches, Heitink still takes the existing church as point of departure. He suggests a process of reorientation and transformation within based on a matrix of eight critical factors. In conclusion, the article evaluates Heitink’s model from a personal perspective within the context of the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa.

A church with character and its social capital for projects amongst the poor

“…It is clear that congregations that approach the 'dream' of Dreyer of a renewed church fit for contemporary culture -a congregation with an inner circle of committed church members with a movement from the inside to the outside and back to the inside (Dreyer 2009:431) -have the competence and motivation to reach outside the inner circle to the poor in other contexts with effective projects as social capital to make a difference in South Africa.…”

“…I want to focus on his recent work on the nature of the local congregation of mainline churches in a changed culture and in a postmodern context (cf. Dreyer 1998Dreyer , 2003Dreyer , 2005Dreyer , 2006Dreyer and 2009, as a connection with my own research on the role of the local congregation in using social capital of its members in reaching out to the poor in our context. The work of professor Dreyer in this regard connects critically with Heitink's view of a re-oriented or renewed church in the 21st century (cf.…”

Some homiletical perspectives for the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa

“…According to Dreyer (2009:431) for many the institutional view of the church becomes a hazard and the only way out of this impasse is a radical change. It is in this context that Dreyer (2009) suggests Heitink's perspective about a concentric circle model for the ecclesiology of the NRCA. Where there is a movement from the inside to the outside and the outside to the inside it is important to free the church from self-isolation.…”

“…The need to focus on the context and cultural influences became much more evident in his later publications (Dreyer 2005(Dreyer , 2009(Dreyer , 2010. In 2005 Dreyer (2005:804) published an article in which he suggests that a contextual hermeneutical approach to preaching should have a say in the living reality of the community of the faithful.…”

Die kerk vanaf die Ou Testament en die Nuwe Testament tot vandag I: ‘Voortsetting, vervanging of transformasie?’

“…17.Sien die volgende resente artikels wat in hierdie verband verskyn het: Van Wyk en Buitendag (2011a; 2011b); Dreyer (2009;2013a;2013b; Uit alle mense van alle rasse en lae vergader Jesus die nuwe familia Dei, die 'huishouding van God'. Daarin maak ras of kleur van die vel heeltemal geen saak nie.…”