Building up the church and church growth in Korean churches through the Koinonia of a small group ministry

Abstract

This thesis researched the development and nurturing of koinonia in a small group setting as a way of building up a church with spiritual (qualitative) and numerical (quantitative) growth as one of the results. When considering church growth a small group ministry is an important alternative to the standard church practice. Chapter 2 reviewed the purpose of the church, and explored the concept of building up the church using Biblical concepts as its basis for doing so. Chapter 3 deals with the role of koinonia in building up the church and its impact on church growth. It also identifies the ministry of small groups as being the most suitable method to develop and nurture koinonia amongst members of a congregation. The ministry of small groups has a great practical potential for the church. It enables members of the congregation to identify and use their spiritual gifts and talents, and in so doing, discover their value and identity in Jesus Christ. Chapter 4 documents the findings of empirical research conducted amongst three South Korean Presbyterian churches that practice the ministry of small groups. The views of the three senior pastors were on the value of small groups were ascertained. This was followed by a detailed study, of the workings and effects of small groups covering 205 respondents spread across the three congregations. Based on the findings of the research, chapter 5 presents a proposed plan to build up the church, encouraging church growth through the development and nurturing of koinonia through a small groups ministry. The study proposes a seven fold approach to the implementation of a small group ministry designed to stimulate spiritual and numerical growth through the development and nurturing of koinonia amongst church members. AFRIKAANS : Hierdie tesis ondersoek die ontwikkeling en beoefening van koinonia (gemeenskapsbewustheid) in klein groepe as 'n wyse om die kerk se geestelike (kwalitatiewe) en getalle (kwantitatiewe) groei te bevorder. Met die oog op die groei van die kerk is die kleingroep-bediening 'n belangrike alternatief vir die standaard kerklike praktyk. Hoofstuk 2 bekyk die doel van die kerk, veral die opbou van die kerk volgens die Bybel se begrip daarvan. Hoofstuk 3 handel oor die rol van koinonia in die opbou van die kerk en die invloed daarvan op die ontwikkeling van die kerk. Die kleingroep-bediening is geidentifiseer as die mees gepaste metode om koinonia tussen die lidmate van die gemeente te stimuleer. Die kleingroep-bediening het 'n groot potensiaal vir die praktyk van die kerk. Dit stel lidmate in staat om hulle geestelike gawes en talente te ontdek, en op die wyse hulle waarde en identiteit in Jesus Christus te ontdek. Hoofstuk 4 dokumenteer die bevindings van die empiriese navorsing by drie Suid-Koreaanse Presbiteriaanse kerke wat 'n kleingroep-bediening toepas. Die drie senior leraars se seining van die waarde van klein groepe is verkry. Daarop volg 'n gedetailleerde studie van die werking en uitwerking van klein groepe soos verkry van 205 respondente vanuit die drie gemeentes. Op grond van die bevindings van die navorsing stel hoofstuk 5 'n plan voor om die kerk op te bou en kerkgroei aan te moedig deur die beoefening van koinonia in 'n klein groepe. Die studie stel 'n sewevoudige benadering voor vir die toepassing van 'n kleingroep-bediening wat ontwerp in om geestelike en getalle groei te stimuleer deur die beoefening van koinonia tussen gemeentelede.