Original Research

Spiritual transformation: Reaching and equipping Sub-Saharan African children

Johannes J. Knoetze
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi | Vol 49, No 1 | a1919 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v49i1.1919 | © 2015 Johannes J. Knoetze | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 05 January 2015 | Published: 03 July 2015

About the author(s)

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

Abstract

Whenever a person engages with a child, the engagement is not neutral – it is ‘for better or for worse’. A fair question would be why Christians must reach and equip Africa’s children for spiritual transformation. By giving a missional perspective in an attempt to answer the question, this article wants to contribute to the development of an African child and youth theology. In the first part of the article, a specific understanding of theology and how it is practised, is described. Understanding and reaching children are put within a specifictheological and missiological understanding also of the local faith community. From a missiological perspective the second part of the article makes use of Christian anthropology to understand Africa’s children’s context and how the local faith community can equip them spiritually. The third part deals with the concept of spiritual transformation as a process, and the role of the local faith community within this process.

Geestelike transformasie: Bereiking en toerusting van kinders in Sub-Sahara Afrika. Indien ’n persoon by ’n kind betrokke raak, is hierdie betrokkenheid nooit ’n neutrale gebeurtenis nie. Daarom is dit billik om te vra hoekom Christene na kinders in Afrika moet uitreik vir geestelike transformasie? In ’n poging om die vraag te beantwoord, verskaf die artikel ’n missiologiese perspektief in ’n poging om ’n bydrae tot die ontwikkeling van’n Afrika kinder- en jeugteologie te lewer. Die eerste gedeelte van die artikel beskryf die verstaan van teologie en hoe dit bedryf word. Die verstaan van, en uitreik na kinders in die Afrikakonteks, asook die plaaslike geloofsgemeenskap word binne hierdie spesifieke missionale teologiese verstaan beskryf. In die tweede gedeelte van die artikel word daar vanuit die missiologiese perspektief gebruik gemaak van ’n Christelike antropologiese perspektief om die konteks van Afrikakinders te verstaan, asook die manier van geestelike toerusting deur die plaaslike geloofsgemeenskap. Die derde gedeelte van die artikel bespreek geestelike transformasie as ’n proses, asook die rol van die plaaslike geloofsgemeenskap in hierdie proses.

 


Keywords

Africa, Childrens ministry, Spiritual Transfromation

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Crossref Citations

1. Engaging emerging adults: A missional model of ministry for house churches in South Africa
Johannes J. Knoetze, Ronele Prince
Verbum et Ecclesia  vol: 45  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.4102/ve.v45i1.2903