Sport and Recreation as a Recognized and Viable Method for Evangelism in Southern Africa

Assignment (Dipl. Theol.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The basic premise of this study is to help provide a shift in the way that we think about traditional missionary work in southern Africa. Through the medium of sports ministry or sports evangelism there has been a proven track record of success around the world. Africa is especially a fertile ground for sports ministry because of a number of factors that will be shown in this research. The popularity of sports in Africa is something that not only should the missionary embrace, but the church itself should embrace rather than condemn. As the church moves forward into this next millennium we need to be looking for alternative methods to “doing” ministry in culturally strategic ways. The research study from the pastor’s training workshops in Malawi proved invaluable in the sense that it provided feedback as to what has been done in the churches in the field of sports evangelism; reports of hundreds of people receiving Christ through sports events and also some of the obstacles that the church in Malawi faces as it attempts to endeavor in this relatively new way of doing ministry. This study gives the reader a chance to see the biblical reliability of beginning such a ministry as well as addressing the current social climate in southern Africa. Obstacles and successes have been given equal attention in an effort to paint a realistic picture of doing ministry in southern Africa.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die basiese rede vir hierdie studie is om ‘n skuif te help bewerkstellig in die manier waarop ons oor tradisonele sendingwerk in suidelike Afrika dink. Daar is reeds regoor die wereld bewys dat die medium van sportbediening of sportevangelisasie suksesvol is. Die kontinent van Afrika is veral vrugbare grond vir sport evangelisasie, as gevolg van ‘n hele aantal faktore, wat in hierdie studie bespreek sal word. Die gewildheid van sport in Afrika is ‘n faktor wat nie slegs deur sendelinge omarm behoort te word nie, maar die kerk moet dit ook ondersteun, in plaas daarvan om dit te veroordeel. Soos die kerk voortbeweeg in die nuwe millennium, moet na nuwe maniere gesoek word om die mense te bedien en te evangeliseer in kultureel strategiese maniere. Die navorsingstudie wat gedoen is na verskeie opleidingsessies vir evangeliste in Malawi gehou is, was van onskatbare waarde, omrede dit terugvoering verskaf het oor wat in die kerke gedoen word in terme van sportevangelisasie. Verslae van honderde mense wat Christus aangeneem het by sport byeenkomste, asook sommige van die hindernisse wat die kerk in Malawi trotseer terwyl hulle hierdie relatiewe nuwe manier van evangelisasie aanpak, is ook uitgelig. Hierdie studie gee die leser die kans om die Bybelse betroubaarheid van so ‘n bediening te sien, en spreek ook die huidige sosiale klimaat in suidelike Afrika aan. Daar word gelyke hoeveelheid aandag gegee aan hindernisse en suksesverhale om sodoende ‘n realistiese beeld te verskaf van hierdie soort evangelisasie in Afrik