Resumo

VAN HELDEN, Phia. Thinking as a crisis area in the phenomenon of the declining traditionally Afrikaans 'sister churches'. Verbum Eccles. (Online) [online]. 2013, vol.34, n.1, pp.01-12. ISSN 2074-7705.

Since little can be done, humanly speaking, to address the numerous factors influencing the decline of churches, it is obvious that everything humanly possible must be done. Thinking plays a major role in ecclesiology. This article focuses on human thinking as crisis area and as variable in ecclesiology. Because thinking is the determining factor controlling human activities, it is necessary to transform and change thinking when imbalances appear under the microscope of the last command of Jesus. Through the Great Commission, the Christocentric paradigm is revealed which serves as a corrective guideline for the imbalances created by the institutionalistic (I-paradigm) or the spiritualistic (S-paradigm) paradigms. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is rediscovered as Scripture-based approach regarding change in thinking and the resulting change in the ecclesiastic crisis area, thus focussing on a more complete obedience to the Great Commission and promoting the possibility of natural church growth.

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