A pastoral theological critique of “stokvel” ecclesiology through John Calvin’s doctrine of the true and false church

Abstract

This article offers a pastoral-theological critique of the emerging phenomenon of ‘stokvel ecclesiology’ – a model in which financial contribution increasingly determines ecclesial belonging, access to pastoral care and participation in church life. This article argues that providing pastoral care based on members’ financial contributions transforms the church into a transactional institution, thereby undermining its very purpose for existence. Drawing from John Calvin’s distinction between true and false churches, it argues that a faithful church is marked not by economic metrics or institutional performance but by the preaching of the Word and the visible embodiment of Christ’s compassion through pastoral care. This article advances the discussion from Baron and Maponya by employing the concept of the stokvel as a metaphor to illustrate how the church’s approach to pastoral care is becoming shaped by stokvel-like methods, thereby creating what Calvin would regard as a false church. Through the lens of Calvin’s ecclesiology, the article calls for recovering pastoral ministry as the visible embodiment of God’s grace in society, thereby resisting the commodified forms of care that characterise stokvel-like ecclesial expressions.
Interdisciplinary implication: While grounded in pastoral theology, this article also engages economic and sociological perspectives, examining how financial models like stokvels reshape ecclesial structures and impact the church’s public witness and ethical responsibility.