This article discusses the numbers of church members within the reformed main stream churches as researched during the past decade, while focusing on the disappearance process of white members as researched within sample congregations of the RCSA, as well as the absence of growing numbers among black congregations amid the huge South African population growth. To identify trends, the most recent available information regarding the activity of evangelising in congregations, the terminating of membership and whether members leave or arrive with of without testimony, were researched. Reasons are given why numbers increased in a few congregations. These congregations are thus not part of the declining trend in the traditional white congregations, and also not part of the not-growing, stagnated traditional black RCSA-congregations. The literature study, as well as the qualitative and quantitative approach, provides useful information and valuable insights in the recent tendencies regarding the eccleciastical survival battle.

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The socio-historical and socio-linguistic aspects of changes in the lexicon of the 1936 and 2001 rhyming of psalms The singing of the psalms is historically associated with the accuracy of meaning transmitted by Scripture by means of user- friendly language usage. The renewing of an aging language is important for subsequent generations to facilitate meaningful interpretative singing of the psalms. By elimination of the large amount of archaic lexical expressions of the 1936 rhyme from the 2001 version, a clear movement in the reformative religious register of Afrikaans was achieved. The 2001 rhyme accelerates the process of elimination of such archaic and inaccessible words from the register. The movement of inaccessible words and the availability of Afrikaans synonyms to facilitate an effective transfer of meaning in such a new rhyme, were tested according to three social variables. Simplification is the most prominent linguistic force that manifests itself in the 2001 rhyming of the psalms. The psalmographer has used a totally new approach by using a selection of techniques in the 2001 rhyme. Observing the presence of intense change in the most conservative register of a language, that of religion, emphasises the intensity of the social and linguistic powers at work in Afrikaans.

In hierdie artikel word Waarderende Ondersoek (WO) as ’n nuttige instrument vir verandering binne die kerklike praktyk bespreek asook die rede waarom dit as waardevol vir die kerk beskou word. Die verband tussen taal, denke en verandering word uiteengesit. Aangesien die huidige gereformeerde kerkpraktyk op skrifgefundeerde omkeer fokus, behoort gelowiges bewus te wees van effektiewe hulpmiddels wat tot diepgrondige verandering kan meewerk. Die spesifieke taalaanpak wat in verskeie dele van die Woord herkenbaar is, is grootliks binne die gereformeerde akademiese praktyk en ook binne die informele nie-akademiese teologiese praktyke onbekend. ’n Bespreking van die WO-aanpak, asook die historiese ontwikkeling, die navorsing wat op hierdie terrein gedoen is, ’n beoordeling van WO en ’n voorbeeld van die aanwending van WO wat op ’n informele wyse in die kerkpraktyk ter wille van verandering aangewend is, is daarom nodig.This article discusses Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as useful tool for the sake of change within the church practice. AI as a language approach explains why it can be seen as valuable to the church. The relationship between language, thought and change are outlined. Since the current reformed church practice focuses on a scriptural turn around, believers ought to beaware of effective aids working towards deep change. This language approach, which can be recognised in a variety of passages in the Word, is largely unknown within the reformed academic practice, but also within the informal non-academic theological practices. It is therefore necessary to discuss the AI approach, as well as the historical development, research done in this field, an assessment of AI and an example of where AI was informally utilised ina church practice for the sake of change.

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