Abstract:
Contextualisation is a process of seeking meaning and relevancy in a constantly changing
world. It is a theological imperative if biblical values were to be relevant to everyone in the
world. This research is a case study of InnerCHANGE South Africa (ICSA) efforts to
be contextual. InnerCHANGE South Africa is part of an international missional order
called InnerCHANGE, which was started in 1984 in the United States of America.
International organisations face the danger of coming up with uniform principles and
practices. Such uniformity is never innocent of cultural bias. It rendered their
principles and practices relevant in some contexts and irrelevant in others.
InnerCHANGE is an incarnational ministry that focuses on identification in communities
of poverty. It described incarnational ministry as a model of Christ, a method, a message
and a spiritual discipline. This study investigated how ICSA has been able to contextualise
these four elements of incarnational ministry. It concluded that these contextualisation
efforts are still work in progress. It pointed out the encouraging signs of seeing many
local community members aligning themselves behind ICSA vision of seeing the gospel
as the good news made visible. It finally pointed out the challenges of contextualisation it
is still facing.
Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article is based on the field
of missiology. It engaged development studies, specifically grassroots community
development, to point out one of the roles of the church in society, which is to participate
in improving the quality of life of the vulnerable
