Samenvatting

This project is about Amsterdam50 and discipleship. Amsterdam50 is an international, English-speaking church in the centre of Amsterdam. In this thesis project an answer will be given to the question how members of Amsterdam50 value the ways this church has been facilitating opportunities for them to give substance to Jesus’ call to make disciples and how this can be improved in 2013.

To understand the context and to paint a picture of Amsterdam50, the report starts with a church description in chapter 1. Topics such as the history of Amsterdam50, the vision, the core values and beliefs, the ecclesiological context, the structure, leadership, finances, membership, Sunday gatherings and atmosphere, disciple-making and a typology will be discussed.

To further answer the main question a survey has been performed in Amsterdam50 and after that also four in-depth interviews with church members. An analysis of both the survey and the interviews can be found in chapter 2.

Chapter 3 contains the final recommendations - based on the previous research - in the form of 10 advices. The first one emphasises the importance of (reinforcing) the vision. Amsterdam50 is recommended to shape itself after the concept of ‘organic church’. Other advices deal with different aspects of being an organic church, such as structure, leadership, commitment, communities and the function of the Sunday gathering. Emphasis is put on the importance of talent-based working, communication, church culture and prayer.
A combination of motivation and action is a reoccurring theme throughout the report.