Church planting in Sweden in the 21st century: a model for new Methodist churches

Peter Svanberg

Etd

Church planting in Sweden in the 21st century: a model for new Methodist churches

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Peter Svanberg. Church Planting In Sweden In the 21st Century: a Model for New Methodist Churches. Asbury Theological Seminary. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d87801e2-2883-4166-8a71-d9188471f10f?q=1992.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

P. Svanberg. Church planting in Sweden in the 21st century: a model for new Methodist churches. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d87801e2-2883-4166-8a71-d9188471f10f?q=1992

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Peter Svanberg. Church Planting In Sweden In the 21st Century: a Model for New Methodist Churches. Asbury Theological Seminary. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/d87801e2-2883-4166-8a71-d9188471f10f?q=1992.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Peter Svanberg

Keyword

Evangelistic work--Theory

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Abstract

Different churches flourish in different environments. The main question of this study is what church plants will grow and flourish in Swedish soil. The study focuses on the qualities of the suitable plant and not on how to plant it. The spiritual soil and climate in Sweden is different from that in the US. Secularization has gone so far that people have started to talk about the 'theophobia' of the Swedish people. What kind of church plant will be able to reach ordinary, secularized, unchurched Swedes? Through a multiple case study that examines three churches planted between 1992 and 1996, the study tries to answer that question. A comprehensive review of literature provided the framework for the study and aided the author in generating a check-list of eighteen standard church planting principles. The study investigated the extent to which these standard principles were present in the case study churches and to what extent they were manifested in an indigenous way in these churches. The final objective of this study was to develop an indigenous model for new Methodist Churches in Sweden based on the principles discovered in the review of literature, the employment of these principles revealed in the case study, and the historic and contemporary challenge facing Methodism in Sweden. Therefore, the last chapter proposes a model featuring ten important characteristics that should mark new Methodist churches in Sweden which would be capable of reaching unchurched, secular people. These characteristics include: (1) a growth-oriented, Wesleyan theology, (2) inspiring worship, (3) fervent spirituality, (4) visionary leadership, (5) gift based ministry, (6) relational life and witness, (7) authentic Christian living, (8) cell/celebration church structures, (9) cultural relevance, (10) and a seeker-targeting approach.

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