Membership decline crisis and proposed solutions for retention in the Central Congo United Methodist Church / by Esaho Lokombe Kipuke. [print]

Typescript.

"December 2008"

Also available in CD-ROM.

Thesis Columbia International University 2008.

The purpose of this project is to identify those factors that are most relevant to the decline of membership in the United Methodist Churches, compared with a related increase in non-denominational independent charismatic Pentecostal churches, and to make recommendations for those affected by the decline to help them make necessary adjustments as suggested by the findings of this study in order to revitalize their churches. Chapter 1 focuses on the crisis experienced in existing local United Methodist Churches (UMC) in the Congo through the loss of membership to non-denominational independent charismatic Pentecostal churches, particularly those located in its capital city, Kinshasa, and gives the proposed solution to that crisis for retention of membership. Chapter 2 provides a brief description and explanation of the function of the new charismatic Pentecostal movement in Congo, starting with its origins in the United States of America and its rapid spread over all of Africa. This chapter also provides readers with a review of the recent literature on the church's response to mission-evangelism as aimed at personal transformation, the church planting movement, and the leadership ministry of all believers. Chapter 3 explains the procedural steps of the research methodology while 4 analyzes and explains research findings based upon the thirty-nine interviews conducted in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, from September 2007 through December 2007. Each interviews is indicated by "Subject" (S) followed by a number and the findings of each question. The three research questions are analyzed and interpreted to determine common factors that have contributed to the decline in membership of the United Methodist Church in Kinshasa, Congo. Chapter 5 gives valuable suggestions based on the conclusions of the research. It recommends that at the UMC Annual Conference a task force be appointed to consider how the UMC in Congo can make its worship services more attractive to those who are leaving UMC for non-denominational independent charismatic Pentecostal churches. It is important to make the liturgy more Congolese and spontaneous rather than rely on our current fixed order of service. It may also be necessary for UMC to ensure that it distinguishes itself by maintaining a fixed liturgy and thus offering a different kind of worship experience.

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