Die roeping van die kerk tot evangelisasie is meteens ook 'n roeping tot die
verstaan en uitlewing van sy eie wese, doel en funksie in hierdie wereld. Wanneer die ampte en die gemeente op 'n Bybelse wyse besig is met getroue
roepingsvervulling, word die gemeente vir sy diens in hierdie wereld toegerus
en uitgestuur. Sodoende word nie alleen die ware gelowiges getrou aan hul
roeping toegerus nie, maar word ook die verbondsbreker, die afvallige, vervreemde lidmaat en buitekerklike ge'identifiseer. Die gemeente as tweede subjek (naas God as eerste Subjek) word hiermee tot effektiewe diens toegerus.
Aan die antler kant kry die objek van evangelisasie, naamlik die buitekerklike
wat nog in die skadu van die verbond leef, 'n naam en adres.
Vir sover dit jeugevangelisasie betref, het elke gemeente die roeping om die
kerkjeug vir hul diens voor te berei en toe te rus. Deeglike jeugarbeid is in hierdie opsig inderdaad vervreemding-voorkomend. Terselfdertyd is dit ook
toerustend en evangelisasie-gerig. Juis om hierdie tweeledige rede is jeugarbeid
nooit af te maak deur dit ... aan enkeles of aan verenigings of organisasies oor te
laat nie. Jeugarbeid is van soveel belang dat alleen 'n totale gemeente-aanpak
daarvan sukses verseker, vervreemding keer en vervreemdes terugwin. Op 'n
omvattende, gedifferensieerde wyse kom God in die totale gemeentelike bediening tot die kinders en jongmense deur die prediking, in die erediens, deur
die pastoraat, deur die lering (kategese en meer) en deur die diakonia van die
georganiseerde diensaksies as wesenlike. deel van die gemeente. In hierdie gemeentelike voorkoming van vervreemding, toerusting en benutting van die
kerkjeug in die terugwin van vervreemdes en buitekerklikes, is die volwasse lidmate van die allergrootste belang. Hulle moet s6 leef, op s6 'n wyse met die bediening van die evangelie besig wees dat die kinders en jongmense met
entoesiasme met die gemeente wil en gaan identifiseer. Binne 'n gemeenskap
van geloof en lief de, waar die onderlinge sorg as normaal en natuurlik
(vanselfsprekend) funksioneer, waar die kerklike dissipline en tug, orde,
veiligheid en groei bevorder, word die kerkjeug opgebou tot mense wat
"behoort" en wat as deel van die dienende liggaam van Christus met die
evangelie na die buitekerklike gaan ("reach out"). Vanuit die gemeente moet
die potensiaal van die kerkjeug benut word. Dan word elke faset van die normale gemeentelike bediening ryk aan jeugevangelisasiepotensiaal - vanaf die
erediens tot by spesifieke projekte wat as deel van die geprogrammeerde
jeugwerk aangepak word. Jeugevangelisasie word meer as 'n program, 'n projek, 'n aksie - dit word 'n jeug-tot-jeug-leefwyse. Elke spontane kontak met
vervreemdes en buitekerklikes word 'n geleentheid tot vriendskapevangelisasie, diens-evangelisasie of gerigte belangegroep-evangelisasie. Meer
nog, die bereiking van die vervreemde en buitekerklike jeug word 'n sleutel tot
die gesin. Jeugevangelisasie word gesinsevangelisasie en andersom.
Gemeentelike jeugevangelisasie in 'n verskeurde wereld roep ook na die
eenheid van die liggaam van Christus in kerk- en ekumeniese verband. Ter
wille van die evangelie en die geloofwaardigheid van die kerk as draer van die
evangelie, word die gemeente geroep om ook saam met ander die vervreemde
en buitekerklike jeug vir Christus en sy kerk te bereik.
Vir jeugevangelisasie is 'n lewende kerk noodsaaklik. Waar werklik met
jeugevangelisasie ems gemaak word, word die kerk tot 'n lewende kerk vernuwe.
The vocation of the Church to evangelism is at once also a vocation to the
understanding and realisation of its being, goal and function in this world.
When the offices and the congregation engage, in 'n Biblical way, in devoted
vocational realisation, the congregation is then equipped and sent forth for its
ministry in this world. Thus, not only the true christians, but also the
covenant breaker, the unfaithful, the estranged member and the outsider are
identified. The congregation as second subject (next to God as first subject) is
hereby equipped to effective service. On the other hand, the object of
evangelism, namely the outsider who still lives in the shadow of the covenant
gets a name and an address.
With regard to youth evangelism, every congregation has a calling to prepare
and equip its children and young people for their service. Thorough youth
ministry will in this case indeed prevent alienation. On the one hand it equips
and on the other it is aimed at evangelism itself. It is precisely because of this
dual purpose that the youth ministry can never be passed off by leaving it to individuals, societies or organisations. The youth ministry is so important that
only a total congregational attempt will ensure success, ward off alienation
and win back the estranged. In a comprehensive, differentiated way, God
comes by way of the total congregational ministry to the youth (children and
young people), through preaching, in worship services, pastoral care, teaching
(didache; catechesis, etc) and through the diakonia of the organised "diensaksie'' as an essential part of the congregation. In this congregation prevention
of estrangement, equipping and utilisation of the youth of the church and the
reclaiming of the alienated and the outsider, the adult member is of the utmost
importance. They must live and pursue the Gospel in such a way that the youth
(children and young people) enthusiastically want to and eventually will identify with the congregation. Within a community of faith and love where the
mutual concern functions normally, naturally (obviously), where the church's
discipline furthers order, safety and growth, the youth are edified to become
people who belong and who as part of the ministering Body of Christ reach out
to the outsider. From within the congregation the potential of the youth must
be utilised. Thus every facet of the normal congregational ministry is rich in
youth evangelisation potential - from the church's worship service to specific
projects that are part of the programmed youth ministry. Youth evangelism
then becomes more than a program, more than a project, a campaign - it
becomes a youth-to-youth way of living. Every spontaneous contact with the
alienated and the outsiders becomes an opportunity for friendship evangelism,
service evangelism of directed target-group evangelism. More so, the reaching
of the estranged and the outsider youth becomes the key to reaching the family. Youth evangelism becomes family evangelism and vice versa.
Congregational youth evangelism in a torn world also cries out for the unity of
the body of Christ in church and ecumenical context. For the sake of the
gospel and the credibility of the church as exponent of the gospel, the congregation is called, together with other, to reach out to the alienated and the
outsiders for the sake of Christ.
An active church is necessary for youth evangelism and where youth
evangelism actually is sincerely undertaken, it will bring about renewal to the
church.
