Die groot fokus, gebod en opdrag as sleutels tot jeugbediening : 'n kategetiese studie

Abstract

Die studie het ten doel om die drie sleutels na te vors vir die ontdekking van ʼn jeugbediening se roeping naamlik die “groot fokus”, op Jesus Christus, die opgestane Here, die “groot gebod”, liefde vir God en liefde vir jou naaste en die “groot opdrag”, om dissipels van die nasies te maak. Die voorgestelde model vir jeugbediening het die vestiging van ʼn omvattende jeugbediening vir die jongmense van die Gereformeerde Kerk Suid-Afrika ten doel gehad. Hiervoor is gebruik gemaak van agt elemente vir die kommunikasie van die boodskap van die evangelie van Jesus Christus. Pretorius (2003) het bogenoemde drie sleutels in ʼn model vir gemeentebou nagevors. Hierdie studie doen verdere navorsing om die relevansie van die drie sleutels in jeugbediening en ʼn inklusiewe benadering tot jeugbediening in die Gereformeerde Kerk van Suid-Afrika aan te toon. Die studie is gedoen met die prakties-teologiese model van Zerfass as uitgangspunt en wat dievolgende behels: ʼn basisteorie van veral 1 Korintiërs 1:18-2:16, Filippense 1:9-11 en Matteus 28:18-20, waarvolgens Skrifperspektiewe oor die onderwerp nagevors is; ʼn metateorie waarvolgens materiaal in ander vakdissiplines bestudeer is; empiriese navorsing deur onderhoude te voer met predikante en jeugbedienaars; ʼn praktykteorie waar riglyne voorgestel word vir ʼn omvattende jeugbediening in die GKSA. Deur Skrif met Skrifvergelyking word aangedui dat die drie sleutels tematies in die Bybel voorkom. In 1 Korintiërs 2:2 stel Paulus die vertrekpunt: “want ek het my voorgeneem om niks anders onder julle te weet nie as Jesus Christus, en Hom as gekruisigde”. Teenoor die soeke na wysheid, tekens, wonders, mag en status (1 Korintiërs 1:22-23) fokus Paulus op die verkondiging van Christus as gekruisigde (1 Korintiërs 2:2). Filippense 1:9-11 word bestudeer as voorbeeld vir die aanvoering van die groot gebod as ʼn sleutel in jeugbediening. Die jeugbediening moet uitgebrei word deur voortdurende gebede vir die toenemende liefde vir God deur ʼn verhouding met Jesus Christus. Verhoring van gebede vir meer en meer liefde lei tot die uitbreiding van die jeugbediening deur liefde vir die buitekerklike en kerklike jeug deur die oorvloedige liefde van Jesus Christus en deur erns te maak met die groot opdrag gegee deur Jesus Christus, naamlik die maak van dissipels van die nasies soos in Matteus 28:18-20. Navorsing wys daarop dat daar reeds verskeie modelle met die fokus op Jesus Christus in jeugbediening bestaan en toegepas word. Hierdie jeugbedienings voer die groot opdrag uit. Die metateoretiese navorsing wys daarop dat die Purpose Driven Youth Ministry (PDYM) model groot voordele inhou as ʼn model ter fasilitering van jeugbediening en dat die agt elemente wat deur Nel (1998) voorgestel word, gekontekstualiseer kan word in die Gereformeerde Kerk. Die progressie van die groot fokus, die groot gebod en die groot opdrag kan verenig word in ʼn proaktiewe model as sleutels om jeugbediening te lei om hulle roeping te vestig en kan deur plaaslike gemeentes geïmplementeer word. Met verwysing na die navorsingsvraag, die sentrale teoretiese argument en navorsing in hoofstuk 2 tot 5 word ʼn finale gevolgtrekking gestel, naamlik dat jeugbediening met die groot fokus, getrou aan die groot gebod en die groot opdrag en deur die agt elemente te implementeer om die evangelie van Jesus Christus te verkondig, noodsaaklik is. Verder is dit nodig dat plaaslike gemeentes ʼn inklusiewe benadering tot jeugbediening volg. ʼn Model vir die strategie van so ʼn jeugbediening word verduidelik en voorgestel.

The objective of the study is to research the three keys to the discovery of a youth ministry's calling, namely the “great focus”, on Jesus Christ, the risen Lord, the “great commandment”, love for God, and love for other human beings, and the “great commission”, to go forth and make disciples of all nations. The aim of proposing a model for such a youth ministry was by using eight elements of communicating the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to establish a complete ministry to youth in the Reformed Church of South Africa. Pretorius (2003) researched the three keys to the discovery of a congregation's calling, and this study will investigate the relevance of the three keys in youth ministry, and the research of an inclusive approach to youth ministry in the Reformed Church of South Africa. The study was done by using the practical-theological model of Zerfass as point of departure which comprises the following: * The study consists largely of basistheoretical research of especially 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16, Philippians 1:9-11 and Matthew 28:18-20, as basistheory where Scriptural perspectives on the topic had been researched; * a metatheory where material from other disciplines are studied; * empirical research by way of interviews with pastors and youth workers; and * a practicetheory where guidelines are proposed for a youth ministry which includes the proposed model as well as proposals on the implementation a complete ministry to the youth. By way of Scripture to Scripture comparison it was shown that these keys recur as main themes throughout the Holy Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 2:2 the point of departure is stated: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified”. The contrasts: a quest for wisdom, miraculous signs, power and status (1 Corinthians 1:22-23) are explained by Paul stating his focus on preaching Christ the Crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). This study will use Philippians 1:9-11 as an example of arguing the Great Commandment as a key in youth ministry, for actively praying for increased and abundant love for God through the relationship with Jesus Christ for the expansion of youth ministries by loving unchurched, and churched youth through the abundant love of Christ, subsequently takes the mission set to the church by Jesus Christ himself, seriously, namely the making of disciples of all nations, set out in Matthew 28:18-20. Research has shown that quite a number of youth ministry models already exist which are being applied in practice, focusing on Jesus Christ, and achieving the Great Commission. The metatheoretical research showed that the Purpose Driven Youth Ministry (PDYM) model have many advantages as models for the facilitating of youth ministries, and the eight elements that Nel (1998) proposes, can be contextualized in the Reformed Church. The progression, the Great Focus, the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, can be united in a proactive model as keys to guiding youth ministries to establish their calling, and be implemented in the local congregations. With reference to the research question, central theoretical argument and the research reflected in chapters 2 through 5, the final conclusion states that youth ministry with a Great Focus, obeying the Great Commandment and Great Commission by also implementing the eight elements of communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ, is necessary and should be implemented by local churches as a inclusive approach to youth ministry. A model where the strategy for such a youth ministry has been explained is finally proposed.