The African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lorwaneng village : A dialogue with the community to create a missional paradigm

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to create guidelines for a missional paradigm in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in the village of Lorwaneng. A qualitative and quantitative approach to gathering information from members of the church and society was undertaken to review the history and principles of the AM~ church, the history and background of the village to determine how the church could play a meaningful role in the development of the community of Lorwaneng village taking into account global developments and expansion and transformation in the social, political and economic environment. The AME is one of the oldest churches in the village, advocating principles of addressing social issues since its inception. It was founded on the principles of fighting social, economic and historical ills within and outside its borders through the preaching of the liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ. The church's focus, however, has become more centripetal of late and is not reaching out to the outside world. Guidelines have, therefore, been developed for the church to reach out and be centrifugal in its missional focus.