Pastoral modes in a theology of evangelism /by George Alan Rekers.

Typescript.

This thesis has these specific goals: to determine the extent to which the relational factors of conversational dialogue and a caring relationship are presently perceived by the recipients of the CWT (Continuing Witness Training) presentation and by the pastoral visitors themselves; and, in this context, to assess the initial evangelistic effectiveness of CWT as it is employed in the practice of a Southern Baptist Church in South Carolina.

Chapter 1: The Theological Research Problem and Research Goal: Identifying Deficiencies in Evangelistic Praxis

The Theological Research Problem -- Potential Problem in the Theories Behind the CWT Model -- Potential Problem in the Application of Theories -- Inadequate Evangelistic Outreach to General Population -- Inadequate Retention of Church Members -- The Challenge of the Societal Context -- Potential Problem in Both Theory and Application -- Content-Based Evangelism -- Manipulation-based Evangelism -- Relationship-based Evangelism -- Effects of Different Types of Evangelism -- The Purpose of This Research Study -- The Specific Goal of This Study.

Chapter 2: A Theological Approach and Methodological Model: Addressing the Neglect of Evangelism in Contemporary Theologies

The Neglect of Evangelism in Contemporary Theologies -- Neglect Related to Shifts in Soteriology -- Neglect Related to Modernity and Post Modernity -- Object of Theology -- The Faith Relationship of Humans with God -- Theory of Praxis Promoting Initial Encounter with God -- Methodological Model for This Study -- The Monodisciplinarity of "Applied Theology" -- Multidisciplinarity, Interdisciplinary, and Intradisciplinary Models -- Model Selected for the Present Study -- The Type of Empirical Theology Adopted -- Empirical Research in Practical Theology -- The Object of Empirical Theology -- Practical Theology as a Theological Operational Science -- Deployment of the Zerfass Model to Study Theory and Current Praxis of Evangelism.

Chapter 3: The Theology of Evangelism Underlying Praxis 1: A Southern Baptist Theory of Evangelism

Questions Pertaining to the Practical Theological Theory Underlying Southern Baptist Evangelism -- The Prevailing Southern Baptist Theology of Evangelism -- Baptist Faith and Message -- Hobb's Interpretation of the Baptist Faith and Message -- Drummond's Contemporary Theology of Evangelism.

Chapter 4: Descriptive Theology Toward a Situational Analysis of Current Evangelistic Praxis: Study Variables Selected

Descriptive Theology for Praxis 1 -- Encountering the Presence of God Through Pastoral Care or Counseling Dimensions of Evangelistic Visitation -- Counselee's Perception of "Care-concern" by the Pastoral Counselor -- Counselee's Satisfaction with the Pastoral Visit -- Counselee's Positive Mood After a Pastoral Visit -- Sense of God's Presence in the Pastoral Visit -- Prayer to Establish a Relationship with God -- Church Involvement by Counselee -- Conversational Dialogue in the Effective Communication of the Gospel -- Proportion of CWT Model Presentation Given -- Length of Home Visit -- Reasons for Omission of CWT Model Presentation -- Summary.

Chapter 5: Theological Methods for a Situational Analysis: Sampling, Measures, and Hypotheses

Participants -- Procedures -- Independent Variables Assesssed -- Dependent Variables Assessed -- Instruments -- Care-Conern Scale (CCS) of the Therapist Rating Questionnaire -- Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (CSQ-S) -- Positivity Index of the Session Evaluation Questionnaire, Form 3 (SEQ-3) -- Questions on Perception of God's Presence in Session -- Counselee's Prayer to Establish a Relationship with Christ -- Lenski's Religious Involvement Scale (Rhode IslandS) -- Conversational Dialogue Questions -- Percentage of the CWT Presentation Given -- Length of CWT Visit -- Follow-up Equipper/Apprentice Questionnaire -- Care -- Intuitively Ruled Out -- Hesitant or Unprepared -- No Opportunity -- Descriptive Statistics Regarding Current Praxis -- Study Hypotheses -- Central Study Hypotheses -- Complete Versus Partial Presentation of the CWT Model Interview -- Visit Length -- Interaction of [a] the Variable of Complete Versus Partial Presentation of the CWT Model Interview and [b] the Length of the Home Visit -- Church Involvement -- Interaction of [a] the Variable of Complete Versus Partial Presentation of the CWT Model Interview and [b] the Church Involvement Variable -- Conversational Dialogue Variable -- Interaction of [a] the Variable of Substantial Versus Partical Presentation of the CWT Model Interview and [b] the Conversational Dialogue Variable -- Interaction of [a] the Variable of Complete Versus Partial Presentation of the CWT Model Interview and [b] the Conversational Dialogue Variable -- Summary.

Chapter 6: Results of the Situational Analysis of Current Praxis: Description, Correlations, and Hypothesis Testing

Participants -- Reliability of New Measures -- Validity of New Measure -- Situational Analysis of Current Praxis -- Descriptive Statistics -- Church Involvement -- Amount of CWT Model Presentation Given -- Length of CWT Home Visit Counseling Session -- Satisfaction -- Positivity Index -- Care-Conern -- Perception of God's Presence -- Summary of Dependent Measures on Counselee Reaction to Home Visitation Session -- Conversion Prayer -- Intercorrelations -- Association of Variables -- Hypothesis Testing.

Chapter 7: A Multi-Modal Theology of Evangelism as Primary Initiation Into the Kingdom of God: A Revised Theory for Visitation Praxis 2

The Task of Revising Practical Theology Theory for Praxis 2 -- Summary of Empirical Findings on Praxis 1 Needing Theological Reflection -- Description of CWT in Praxis 1 -- Amount of CWT Model Presentation Given -- Visit Length -- Interaction Between Amount of CWT Presentation Given and Visit Length -- Previously Low Religious Involvement -- Interaction Between Amount of CWT Presentation Given and Previously Low Religious Involvement -- Praxis Problems Identified in Situational Analysis -- Praxis Problem #1-Inconsistent Use of the CWT Model Presentation with Those with Unknown Relationship with God -- Praxis Problem #2-One-Fourth Visited Dissatisfied -- Praxis Problem #3-One-Fourth Visited Doubt God's Presence in the Visitation -- Praxis Problem #4-31% Visited Already Evidenced Relationship with Christ -- A Theological Model of Pastoral Role-Fulfillment as an Agogic Situation of Primary Initiation of a Person into the Kingdom of God -- Evangelism as Primary Initiation Into the Kingdom of God -- Evangelism as God's Transforming Action Through the Intermediary of Pastoral Role-Fulfillment -- The Hermeneutic Moment and the Agogic Moment in Evangelism -- Moving Beyond Limitations of Proclamation Alone to Agogic Evangelism -- The Three Modes of Pastoral Role-Fulfillment Necessary for Evangelism -- The Mode of Kerygma -- Announcing the Active Rule of God Through Jesus Christ -- CWT Should Connect the Hearer's Situation with the Saving Work of Jesus Christ -- The Mode of Didache -- Initiating Individuals into a Discipleship of Living "the Way" -- Teaching the Truth of God's Actions Through Jesus Christ -- CWT Should Initiate New Converts into the Life of Discipleship -- The Mode of Paraklesis -- Encouraging Transformation of Thoughts and Lifestyle -- Addressing Individuals in Their Contingent Situation -- CWT Should Address Individuals' Contingent Situations with Encouraging Care -- The Action of God in Evangelistic Pastoral Role-Fulillment -- The Action of God to Bring Individuals into His Kingdom Through These Three Modes of Ministry -- God's Revelation of Himself and Pastoral Care/Concern in CWT Praxis -- Evangelistic Pastoral Role-Fulfillment as an Agogic Situation -- God Draws Near to Actualize Salvation -- Need to Communicate the Depth of Human Predicament in CWT -- A Radical Reorientation in Spiritual-Mental Functioning Should Be the Goal in CWT Prais -- Summary.

Chapter 8: A Theology of Pastoral Care for Evangelistic Visitation: Revised Theology for Praxis 2

Pastoral Care, Pneumatology, and Ecclesiology -- The Early Church Empowered for Evangelism by the Holy Spirit -- Ecclesiological Models -- The Church as Institution -- The Church as Mystical Communion -- The Church as Sacrament -- The Church as Herald -- The Church as Servant -- Adopting Features of Various Ecclesiological Models -- The Community of Faith as an "Ecology of Care" -- Fowler's Incorporation of an "Ecology of Care" and "Ecology of Vocation" in His Practical Theology -- Gill-Austern's Community Theory for Pastoral Care -- A Community of Caring and Evangelism -- Origins of a Practical Theology of Care for Evangelism in the Church's Encounter with the Needs of Others -- What is the Gospel? -- Evangelism and the Gospel -- Verbal Proclamation of the Gospel -- Eschatology, Caring Action, and Verbal Witness -- Revision of the Conceptualization of Evangelism -- Survey Data on the "De-Churched" Population -- The Christian Community and Evangelism as Christian Initiation -- Contemporary Definitions of Evangelism -- The Parkletic Dimension of Care in Evangelism -- Pastoral Home Visitation and Evangelism -- Attracting the "De-Churched" -- Interests of "Nonchurched" Individuals -- Reported Factors That Would Draw "Nonchurched" Individuals to the Church -- Expectations of "Unchurched" Individuals in the US and the Model of Jesus -- Examples of Personal Needs Requiring Care -- Communicating the Care of God to the Unchurched Individual -- Pastoral Theology of Care and Counseling -- Hiltner's Pastoral Theology as Study of Shepherding -- Wise's Interpretation of the Meaning of Pastoral Care - Patton's Pastoral Theology of Care in Community -- Oates' Pastoral Distinctives of Counseling Related to Evangelism -- Distinctives of Pastoral Counseling Related to CWT -- Tensions in Pastoral Counseling Related to CWT -- Pastoral Evangelistic Outreach -- Clinebell's Model of Pastoral Counseling -- Gerkin's View of Pastoral Counseling in a Hermeneutical Mode -- Elements of a Helping Relationship -- Empathy -- Unconditional Accepting Love -- Genuineness -- The Need for a Caring Relationship for Effective Evangelism -- The Relationship Between Evangelism and the Care for Personal Needs -- A New Self -- A New Relationship -- A New Potential -- Evidence on the Relationship Between Sanctification and Well-Being -- A Theory and Practice of Lay Christian Counselor Training -- CWT Ministry as Lay Christian Caregiving or Counseling -- Training or Lay Christian Caregiving and Counseling -- Summary.

Chapter 9: Constructive Change in Ecclesiastical Practice of Evangelism: Theory Based Recommendations for Praxis 2

Recommendations Regarding Praxis Problem#1-Inconsistent Use of the CWT Model Presentation with Those with Unknown Relationship with God -- Incomplete Implementation of the CWT Model Presentation -- Is Neglect to Deliver the Model CWT Presentation a Problem of Praxis? -- Recommendations for Praxis 2 Formulated from the Theological Theory on Pastoral Role-Fulfillment -- Exploratory Questions and Pastoral Diagnosis -- Necessity of the Active Involvement of the Person Visited and Pastoral Response as Intermediary -- Recommended Training in Pastoral Care of Unbelievers for CWT Apprentices -- Three Relational Dimensions for Evangelistic Pastoral Visitation -- Unhindered Receptivity in Witnessing Relationships -- Pure Discernment in Witnessing Relationships -- Creativity in Witnessing Relationships -- Recommendations for Visits to Promote Initiation into the Kingdom of God -- Refocusing CWT on Initiation into the Kingdom of God Rather Than Only Seeking a Conversion Prayer -- Reconceptualizing the CWT Pastoral Visitor as Intermediary Change Agent -- Recommendation to Communicate the Care of God in CWT-related Church Groups -- Recommendations Regarding Praxis Problem #2-One-Fourth Visited Dissatisfied -- Recommendations to Equip CWT Visitors to Increase Proportion of Those Visited Being Satisfied with the Visit -- Initial Perception of Care-Conern Should be Preserved -- Additional Opportunities for Caring for the Unchurched -- Recommended Addition of a Caring Relationship Training Component on the Counseling Relationship -- Recommended Revision of CWT's Implicit Eccleisology -- Recommended Revision of CWT to Combine Pastoral Care with Evangelism to Address the Unchurched Person's Contingent Situation -- Recommendation to Revise CWT to Use Contemporary Language to Enhance Satisfaction of Those Visited -- Recommendations Regarding Praxis Problem #3-One-Fourth Visited Doubt God's Presence in the Visitation --- Need to Remove Barriers to Perception of God's Presence through Pastoral Roles of Didache and Paraklesis -- Recommended Development of the Theology of Elenctics in Continuing Witness Training -- Recommendation Regarding Praxis Problem #4-31% Visited Already Evidenced Relationship with Christ -- Recommended Prescreening of Prospects for Visitation -- Areas for Further Research -- How Much Caring Do the Visited Individuals Perceive Over Time After CWT Visits? -- Do Integrated Care Groups with CWT Visitation Help Initiate Seekers and New Converts? -- How Do Individuals Successfully Initiated into God's Kingdom Differ from Those Who Drop Out of Church Contact? -- Summary.

Appendix

Continuing Witness Training Presentation Outline -- Questionnaire for CWT Visitation Counselor -- Questionnaire Items for CWT Counselee -- CWT Equipper and Apprentice Questionnaire -- Letter to Barna Research Group, Lt.d

COPYRIGHT NOT covered - Click this link to request copyright permission: