Original Research

Divine empowerment: The Holy Spirit and church revitalisation

Brian A. DeVries
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi | Vol 49, No 1 | a1955 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v49i1.1955 | © 2015 Brian A. DeVries | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 20 March 2015 | Published: 31 July 2015

About the author(s)

Brian A. DeVries, Faculty of Theology, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa, Mukhanyo Theological College, KwaMhlanga, South Africa and Faculty of Theology, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, United States

Abstract

How do principles of church revitalisation correlate with the divine work of the Holy Spirit? This article argues that the Spirit is the primary agent of church revitalisation, and churchleaders should cooperate with the Spirit as he works for revitalisation. Thus the Spirit empowers church leaders who are used by him to revive, renew, and revitalise a church community. After briefly defining the Spirit’s empowerment with biblical examples, this article examines the underlying principles of empowerment for church leaders, followed by briefly considering methodology for church revitalisation. The author concludes by suggesting several signs of biblical empowerment in a local church community.

Goddelike bemagtiging: Die Heilige Gees en kerkherstel. Watter plek beklee die goddelike werking van die Heilige Gees in die beginsels van kerkherstel? Hierdie artikel poneer dat die Heilige Gees die primêre agent is om nuwe lewe in die kerk te bring en kerkleiers behoort onder leiding van die Heilige Gees hulle hiervoor te beywer. Die Heilige Gees bemagtig dus die kerkleiers wat Hy gebruik om ’n kerklike gemeenskap te laat herleef, te vernuwe en hulle te besiel met lewenskragtigheid. Die Gees se bemagtiging word kortliks aan die hand van bybelse voorbeelde gedefineer, waarna die grondliggende beginsels vir die bemagtiging van die kerkleiers ondersoek word. Daarna word die metodologie om nuwe lewenskrag in die kerk te bring kortliks oorweeg. Die outeur sluit af deur verskeie tekens uit te lig wat op skriftuurlike bemagtiging van die Heilige Gees in die plaaslike kerkgemeenskap dui.


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Crossref Citations

1. Rethinking the use of disruptive pop-up encounters for transformation: A missional reading of Acts 8:26–40
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