A Theoretical Proposal for Reaching Irreligious Czech People Through a Mission Revitalization Movement
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2002 A Theoretical Proposal for Reaching Irreligious Czech People Through a Mission Revitalization Movement Petr Cincala Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Eastern European Studies Commons, and the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Cincala, Petr, "A Theoretical Proposal for Reaching Irreligious Czech People Through a Mission Revitalization Movement" (2002). Dissertations. 24. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/24 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy subm itted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are reproduced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. ProQuest Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 800-521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary A THEORETICAL PROPOSAL FOR REACHING IRRELIGIOUS CZECH PEOPLE THROUGH A MISSION REVITALIZATION MOVEMENT A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Petr Cincala September 2002 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3081067 ___ ® UMI UMI Microform 3081067 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. A THEORETICAL PROPOSAL FOR REACHING IRRELIGIOUS CZECH PEOPLE THROUGH A MISSION REVITALIZATION MOVEMENT A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Petr Cincala APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: Ity Adviser, Director, Ph.D./ThEr Program on L. Dybdahl Randall W. Younlrer of Worlti Mission Ench w. baurog Dean, SDA Theerlogic Associate Profesior of World Mission John K. McVay v. n ttm an /n r of Social Work / / j _ m Duane C. McBride ^ ^ Research Professor of Sociology Date approved T Professor of Church History and Mission Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT A THEORETICAL PROPOSAL FOR REACHING IRRELIGIOUS CZECH PEOPLE THROUGH A MISSION REVITALIZATION MOVEMENT by Petr Cincala Adviser: Jon L. Dybdahl I Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: A THEORETICAL PROPOSAL FOR REACHING IRRELIGIOUS CZECH PEOPLE THROUGH A MISSION REVITALIZATION MOVEMENT Name of researcher: Petr Cincala Name and degree of faculty adviser: Jon L. Dybdahl, Ph.D. Date completed: September 2002 The main goal of this study was to develop a theory of missionary outreach to unchurched Czech people which is biblically informed and culturally relevant. The theoretical proposal for a plausible model of churching in the Czech Republic builds on basic theological, philosophical, and conceptual assumptions (chapter 2), a societal analysis of the problem of Czech churching (chapter 3), and a review of the issues relating to the situation of existing churches and religious movements. Based on Wallace’s theory of revitalization movements a model is developed for starting a missionary movement that aims at reaching today’s unchurched and seemingly irreligious segments of the Czech population. This model allows for more flexible ways Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. of communicating the gospel and envisions multiple forms for developing a community of believers. The field research underlying the theoretical proposal included ethnographic and assessment-oriented research. The ethnographic research combined qualitative and quantitative methods. A newspaper content analysis searched for dominant themes and prevalent cultural values in the newspaper media, and then analyzed newspaper articles related to religion and/or church. The ethnographic field research measuring the religiosity of the Czech people consisted of a survey of religiosity (Appendix B), and six in-depth interviews of unchurched people (Appendix A). By clarifying some aspects of the religiosity of unchurched people it contributed a depth dimension to the proposed revitalization movement model. In order to test some emerging conclusions, a number of brief interviews with unchurched believers, active church goers, and church leaders, as well as a survey measuring the health of congregations (Appendix C) were done. The multivariate methodology generated the findings that provided the building blocks for a theory of a context-sensitive model of churching. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. To my parents who taught me to believe in God To my wife Daniela who showed me God’s love in practice To my children Timothy, Jonathan, and Nathanael who may finish the task To all who believe God has not finished His mission in the Czech Republic yet Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................ ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...............................................................................................x Chapter I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................... I Background of the S tudy .....................................................................................1 The Statement of the Problem ............................................................................ 5 The Purpose of the Study.................................................... ........................— 6 Justification of the Research .............................................................................6 Research Methodologies .................................................................................... 8 Bibliographic Research.................................................................. 8 Ethnographic Research .......................................................................... 9 Content A nalysis.......................................................................10 Survey .................... II Interviews ...................................................................................12 Church Assessment Research .............................................................. 12' Delimitations ................................ 15 Definition of Term s...........................................................................................15 Overview of the Dissertation .................. 18 II. THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR A LOCAL MISSIONARY STRUCTURE ............................................................................20 The Missionary Role of the Church..................................................................20 Meaning of the Church ........................................................................22 Church-Organic M odel........................................................................24 The Missionary Nature of the C hurch ................................................. 27 Characteristics of a Missionary Church ...............................................29 Structures of a Missionary Church ....................................................