Missiological cell group praxis in the local church

Abstract

The contention of this study is that missiological cell group praxis is an appropriate vehicle to mobilize the local church for world evangelization - centrifugally reaching from "Jerusalem" and "Judea and Samaria" to the "ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Methodologically it follows the pastoral circle of Holland & Henriot and investigates the missiological praxis of various small faith communities. The principles of the cosmological framework of Calvisnism (Kuyper, Dooyeweerd) are brought to bear on the missionary endeavours of the local church, with reference to the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. It argues for a missiologically integrated Cell Church, based on a definition of mission and evangelism, which is aimed at overcoming the fragmented missiological situation in mainline churches. This study argues that these small groups function as the basic cells of the local and universal Church, and shows how these communities come into existence and function as missiological outreach groups.