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The Church As Family: A Study Of Viability In The Smaller Local Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Kerry H. Hortop

Professional Dissertations DMin

Small churches form such a large part of the Christian church, and of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in particular, that it was felt desirable that the viability of the small church should be examined. An examination is made of current theological thought relevant to the small church. This was followed by a study both of family-style motifs and family-style practice by the church in the New Testament. Sociopsychological factors which effect and also explain the operation and "personality" of the small church are noted from relevant recent literature and studies.

Some church-growth and organizational projects involving small churches are included …

A Strategy For The Presentation Of The Principles Of Christian Stewardship To The Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In South America, Roberto R. Roncarolo

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

In the SDA Church in South America there are deficiencies in three clearly defined aspects of the educative phase of stewardship campaigns: (1) in the unilateral presentation of the doctrine of stewardship, (2) in the methods and procedures used in that presentation, and (3) in the persons that receive the benefits of said presentation. In this project, the problem of how to improve the efficiency of stewardship education is discussed.

Method

The purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate a series of Christian stewardship meetings that differs from the series now in use in South America in …

New Testament Principles Governing The Relationship Between The Christian And Civil Authorities And Their Elaboration In The Writings Of Ellen G. White With Their Reflection In The Adventist Church In Romania, Mihail S. Popa

Professional Dissertations DMin

No Abstract.

This Doctor of Ministry Project report falls under the category described in the Seminary Bulletin as Project II, a paper completed in fulfillment of requirements for an alternate curriculum plan under which the candidate prepares two related papers—a theological position paper addressing some issue or problem that exists in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in a theological setting and a professional paper addressing this same issue or problem from the standpoint of ministerial practice.

A Study Of The Growth Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In The Metropolitan Area Of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Joel Sarli

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Over seventy-two years have passed since the first Adventist church was organized in the metropolitan area of Sao Paulo, Brazil. During those years the church leadership has noted that the rate of Adventist Church growth there has been one of the highest in the world. In spite of this unique phenomenon of growth, no serious research has been undertaken to determine what the factors are that have helped the people to make their decision to accept the Adventist message. An evaluation of the Seventh-day Adventist outreach during the last five years (1975-1979) is necessary to determine which methods should …

A Process Of Self-Assessment And Goal Setting For A Latin American Local Congregation As A Possible Means To Create The Necessary Conditions For Church Renewal, Fruitful Evangelism, And Effective Nurture, Ruben Pereyra

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Dropouts from church membership have increased during the 1960s among Christian denominations. Abundant literature has been circulating analyzing possible causes and suggesting remedies. The. picture is not yet clear. Meanwhile, several types of solutions have been proposed and tried with different degrees of success or failure. As the issue is also a concern among Seventh-day Adventists, a program considering the particular situation of this denomination, in a Latin-American setting, is presented. One way to a renewal experience that would help confirm members and thus prevent dropouts is suggested.

Method

As a first step, a review of the current literature …

Toward The Development Of A Theological Critique Of Church-Growth Principles From A Seventh-Day Adventist Perspective, Terence G. Joshua

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church perceives itself as having a unique eschatological mission. Numerical growth is an important part of the objective of the SDA Church. To attain this aim, the principles of the church-growth paradigm developed primarily at the "School of World Mission and Institute of Church Growth" at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California, has begun to be incorporated into the North American SDA mind-set.

There is minimal documented theological reflection upon church growth done from an SDA perspective. The analysis of the distinctive issues involved yields some concepts that are theologically consistent and some that are inconsistent with …