Pastoral modes in a theology of evangelism

Abstract

The pastoral visitation practice of Continuing Witness Training (CWT) is theoretically intended to cooperate with God to lead individuals to Christian conversion, but reconciles fewer individuals to God than anticipated. This empirical theological study of Praxis 1 analyzed the visited individuals' (1) perception of care-concern by the visitors, (2) post-visit positive mood, (3) satisfaction with the visit, (4) sense of God's presence in the visit, and (5) decision to pray to establish a relationship with Jesus Christ. in association with (a) the amount of the CWT presentation given, (b) the length of the visit, and (c) prior religious involvement. Greater amounts of the CWT presentation given resulted in greater satisfaction and greater conversion prayer. Longer pastoral visits resulted in greater satisfaction among females and males, in greater conversion prayer in females, and in higher post-visit positive mood in males. Lower prior religious involvement resulted in greater amounts of the CWT model presentation being given to females, and in greater conversion prayer in males. Although 60% of Individuals visited reported no or minimal religious involvement, the complete CWT presentation was given to only 19%, and a substantial portion of CWT was given to an additional 17%. Among this 36% of those visited who received the CWT presentation, 55% decided to pray to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This situational analysis identified four praxis problems: ( 1) inconsistent application of the CWT model with unchurched individuals, (2) dissatisfaction among 25% of individuals visited, (3) lack of sense of God's presence in the visit reported by 23% of individuals visited, and (4) 31% of those visited being outside the stated unchurched target population for CWT visits. These praxis problems and related findings in the descriplive theological research were addressed by formulating a revised practical theology upon which to base Praxis 2. This revised theology of evangelism incorporated a multi-modal model of pastoral role-fulfillment (inYolving ketygma, didache, and paraklesis) as an agogic situation of primary initiation of a person into the kingdom of God, by proposing multiple contacts within a pastoral theology of care and counseling.