Original Research

Perspectives on family and youth ministry embedded in the missio Dei – an African perspective

Johannes Knoetze
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi | Vol 49, No 1 | a1874 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v49i1.1874 | © 2015 Johannes Knoetze | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 14 August 2014 | Published: 31 March 2015

About the author(s)

Johannes Knoetze, Department of Theology, North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, South Africa

Abstract

The largest part of the population in Africa is classified as youth, but most churches in Africa are still without a contextual African family and youth theology. In many instances, the first question which is asked by churches is how to reach families and youth, without understanding who the ones are that are involved and what the calling is of those who participate in the ministry, as well as who those families and youth are that are ministered too. This article will contribute to the theological understanding of why a family and youth ministry specific for Africa is important. Since identity is a key issue in family and youth ministry, the article takes a short reality check on African family and youth ministry in relation to identity. A missional hermeneutical key is proposed and attention is given to the what question. In the last part, family and youth ministry is discussed from the missio trinitatis Dei perspective to give perspectives on the how, who and what questions.

Perspektiewe op ’n gesins- en jeugbediening vanuit die missio Dei – ’n Afrika-perspektief. Die meeste kerke in Afrika beskik nie oor ’n kontekstuele teologie vir ’n gesins- en jeugbediening spesifiek vir Afrika nie, alhoewel die grootste gedeelte van die bevolking in Afrika as jeuggeklassifiseer word. Wanneer daar aan gesins- en jeugbediening gedink word, is die eerste vraag wat gewoonlik gevra word hoe dit gedoen word, sonder om duidelikheid te verkry oor wie by die bediening betrokke is en wat die roeping van die bedienaars is, asook wie die gesinne en die jeug is wat bedien word. Hierdie artikel wil ’n bydrae lewer tot die teologiese verstaan van waarom ’n eie gesins- en jeugbediening vir Afrika belangrik is. Aangesien die vraag oor identiteit wesenlik in gesins- en jeugbediening is, word oorsigtelik na omstandighede in Afrika gekyk om daardeur gesinne en die jeug se identiteit binne ’n bepaalde konteks te plaas. ’n Missionale hermeneutiek word as sleutel voorgestel om die roepings- of wat-vraag te beantwoord. Laastens word gesins- en jeugbediening in Afrika vanuit die missio trinitatis Dei bespreek as ’n perspektief om die hoe, wie en wat-vrae te beantwoord.


Keywords

Africa, family and youth ministry, missio Dei

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