Digital Commons Network^™

Towards A Ministry Model For The Single Adult Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Edward Skoretz

Professional Dissertations DMin

In the Seventh-day Adventist church there is a percentage of adult members who are single. It is the purpose of this project to study the possible needs and problems of this segment of the church's membership with a view to the development of an approach in ministry to this group.

This project presented a survey of current comments and findings of literature with respect to certain problems that may confront the single adult. This survey of literature was limited to a consideration of whether peer-group association, loneliness, social pressure, anxiety, sexual morality, and marriage are indeed problematic in the experience …

Building Up The Body Of Christ: A Study In Church Revitalization Leading To Church Growth, Eoin Barnard Giller

Professional Dissertations DMin

One of the most urgent concerns of the Church in the latter part of the twentieth century is to arouse Church members to their responsibility of ministering to each other and of ministering to the community in which they live. For too long the Church has relied upon a group of paid professionals to do the work of ministry. It was the purpose of this project to develop a theology and theory of church revitalization which would lead to church growth and which would apply the principles of Ephesians 4 in a local congregation. It was an attempt to orient …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Program For Bible Evangelism To Be Used By Laymen Employing Small-Group Methods As A Basic Format, Johnny Durant Johnson

Professional Dissertations DMin

Theologically in the Old and New Testaments the laity or "God's own people" are commissioned with the responsibility of communicating the gospel to the world in word and life. However, the contemporary Christian church finds itself under growing criticism for its failure to fulfill this commission. Although the gospel of Jesus Christ offers solutions to man's inmost needs an increasing number of congregations seem unable to meaningfully promulgate their message. This study contends that a chief weakness is the lack of genuine Christian life and fellowship within the churches.

What approach or means can be taken to encourage and stimulate …

An Evaluation Of Evangelism In The Seventh-Day Adventist Churches Of The Southern California Conference, Russell Edward Johnson

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The recruitment of new members is a major objective of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Many of the departments within the Church compile reports including the number of baptisms which have resulted from their programs. Data from these departments frequently overlap, lack detail, and are of questionable value in evaluating the relative effectiveness of various evangelistic methods. An evaluation of current Adventist evangelism is needed to determine the relative effectiveness of evangelistic methods that the new members perceive as having influenced them to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Method

The methods used divided the study into three areas: (1) the …

An Exploratory Study Of Nursing Personnnel Needs In Seventh-Day Adventist Hospitals In The Continental United States With A View To Educational Assessment And Planning, Robert Thompson Andrews

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to collect, organize, and analyze data from Seventh-day Adventist hospitals, nurses, SDA church leadership, and general statistics to provide nursing-personnel resource information for Adventist hospital and nursing education planning.

Some of the objectives of this study were to obtain a descriptive profile of nurses working in Adventist hospitals, to discover personnel selection patterns, turnover rates by position, annual job openings, numbers and percentages of Adventist-educated nurses, and the supply and demand for nurses in different nursing and administrative positions.

Method. Population of this descriptive study included all nurses working in forty-seven hospitals in …

The Relationship Of Leadership Characteristics Of Academic Deans In Seventh-Day Adventist Colleges And Universities To Their Performance Levels As Perceived By Educational Administrators And Faculties, H. Leverne Bissell

Dissertations

Problem. The research literature in educational administration describes few studies directed toward identifying the relationship of specific characteristics of administrators to their performance levels. Yet such research would be useful in providing information relevant to the educational preparation and selection- of administrators and of value to practicing administrators. The purpose of this study was to Identify the relationship of the leadership characteristics of academic deans in Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities to their performance levels.

Method. Six research hypotheses were formulated for determining the relationship between the deans' performance levels and their leadership characteristics and for testing the differences between …

The Seventh-Day Adventist Family In Japan, Warren Ivan Hilliard

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

There are indications that failure on the part of Christian workers in Japan to develop a family-centered strategy of evangelism based on a balanced appreciation of the cultural integrity of that country has contributed to the slow growth of Christianity. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, while stressing the importance of the family, has largely failed to understand the Japanese family and to realize its potential for evangelism.

Method

The project was organized in two parts. As the Seventh-day Adventist family in Japan was seen to be first of all Japanese, a review of the literature concerning the characteristics and development …

A Study Of Role Conflict In The Experience Of The Pastor-Bible Teacher In Seventh-Day Adventist Boarding Academies, Derrell K. Smith

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The pastor-Bible teacher in the Seventh-day Adventist boarding academy may be confronted with many role conflicts. His dual role as pastor and teacher multiplies the possibilities for conflict. What are some of the conflicts that may affect the pastor- Bible teacher's acceptance, or loss of acceptance, by the students as a shepherd-counselor? Are the conflicts such that the pastor- Bible teacher needs to experience anxiety concerning his dual role?

Methods

To better understand the problem and discover possible solutions to it, the following steps were taken: 1. A study was made of the nature of role conflict as generally …

Preaching With Audio-Visuals, Ervin K. Thomsen

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The increasing usage of audio-visuals in modern communication has brought about an increase in communication efficiency, an efficiency that is sometimes lacking in sermons. Audio-visuals can be viewed by the Christian church as either legitimate or illegitimate means of communication in preaching. If the church accepts these media as genuine and valid vehicles of communication of its message, it must then discover ways of employing audio-visuals effectively and responsibly in preaching.

Methods

For the development of guidelines for the utilization of audio-visuals in preaching, data and information from the following areas have been studied and surveyed: (1) Scriptural data …

Home, The School Of Love: A Seminar In Family Spiritual Enrichment, Robert Howard Cowan

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The families of the Seventh-day Adventist Church must develop deepening love relationships with God, with each other, and with people outside their own homes if they are to fulfill the will of Christ. Three factors may be hindering the development of love on these three levels : (1) a lack of understanding about what love really is, (2) a lack of understanding of how love develops in human and divine/human interrelationships, and (3) a lack of understanding that the home is the central focal point where this love is to be developed.

Methods

The methods used involved three phases: …

An Analysis Of The Role And Functions Expected Of A Seventh-Day Adventist Pastor: As A Basis For Negotiating An Intentional Ministry, Victor Ralph Brown

Professional Dissertations DMin

Since its organization in 1863, the Seventh-day Adventist denomination has grown from a small group to a significant religious movement in the world today. Originally all ministers in the church were evangelists. There were to be no "settled" pastors of local congregations. Local churches relied upon local talent selected from their own ranks for pastoral leadership. The change created by increased numbers and the demands of the laity has meant the role of the ordained minister in the local Seventh-day Adventist church has been considerably altered from its original concept. This has caused many to be confused as to just …

An Evaluation Of Selected Seventh-Day Adventist Sermons In Taiwan In The Light Of Criteria For Biblical Teaching, John Chun-Ming Lu

Professional Dissertations DMin

Task

The project's, first task is to gain a view of the nature and purpose of preaching with special emphasis on the relationship of the Bible to preaching. Then it proceeds to survey- Seventh^-day Adventist preaching in Taiwan with respect to its strengths and weaknesses. And, finally, it makes an attempt to design materials for the teaching of preaching in Taiwan, keeping in mind the expressed needs and special situations confronted there.

Method and Organization of the Study

Chapter I is a theoretical study of a view of the nature and purpose of preaching based on an examination of the …

Albert Bandura And Ellen G. White: A Comparative Study Of Their Concepts Of Behavior Modification Through Modeling, Miriam S. Tumangday

Dissertations

Problem. One of the major concerns in education today is the improvement of behavior. Over the years various strategies have been proposed to modify human conduct. A careful review of these theories shows many similarities and divergences. Albert Bandura and Ellen G. White, two proponents from different eras and with widely disparate cultural and intellectual heritage, have strongly recommended modeling or example as the major factor in shaping human behavior. The present study sought to determine what, if any, similarities or differences exist in their modeling concepts.

Procedure. This investigation is a descriptive analytical study concerned with concepts …

A Study Of Curricular And Spatial Characteristics Of Selected Public And Private Secondary School Facilities Constructed From 1967 Through 1976 In Puerto Rico, Manuel Velazquez Jr.

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the spatial allocation for curricular purposes and the special features of each of the twenty-seven public and private secondary schools built in Puerto Rico during the years 1967-1976. The problem was: Were these schools being constructed in accordance with the desired curriculum; was the curriculum an outgrowth of the resulting physical structures, or were the curriculum and the planning of the structures unrelated? -- Method. The spaces within the building were grouped into three major categories: (a) classrooms and laboratories; (b) special facilities; and (c) operation and services facilities. In order …

A Descriptive Study Of The Personality, Attitudes, And Overseas Experience Of Seventh-Day Adventist College Students Who Served As Short-Term Volunteer Missionaries, Donna Habenicht

Dissertations

Problem. During the last ten years there has been a surge of Interest among college students in short-term volunteer missionary service. It was the purpose of the present study to describe the personality, attitudes, and overseas experience of a group of 150 Seventh-day Adventist college students who served as short-term volunteer missionaries (student missionaries) during the 1975-76 school year. Method The Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (Form A), a series of semantic differential rating scales for selected religious, mission, cultural, and personal concepts, and a two-part questlonnaire were used to describe the personality, attitudes, and overseas experience of the student missionaries. …

Local School-System Use Of State-Level Educational Goals In Selected States, Philip B. Lambert

Dissertations

Problem. A major component of state-level educational accountability systems is the specification of goals upon which other components of the systems are established. The use being made of these goals at the local-school-district level in states where they exist has not been formally investigated.

This study examines the extent of use being made of state- level educational goals in the development of local-district goals and programs in the states of Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, and Rhode Island.

Method. The writer developed a six-item survey instrument to examine specific uses of state-level goals by local districts. This was sent to 766 local …

Selected Characteristics Of Children Referred For Psychiatric Evaluation, Rebecca Louise Pigott

Dissertations

Problem

Behavior-problem children constitute a main concern in the field of education today. The ability to recognize when the needs of the individual student call for procedures beyond the scope of the school is a professional necessity. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether students with school-related problems referred for psychiatric evaluation can be distinguished by a set of selected characteristics.

Method

Using multiple-discriminant analysis, students who had been referred for psychiatric evaluation were compared with students not referred for psychiatric evaluation on such criteria as teacher-pupil rating, as measured by Burks' Behavior Rating Scales; self-concept as …

Strategies For Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Education In The South Pacific Islands, Alexander Shand Currie

Dissertations

Problem: Theological education is an important concern of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific Islands. Current concerns include ascertaining the best type of theological education for the Adventist Church in this region; determining cultural influence on curriculum; designing a model for the coordination of theological education in Oceania; outlining alternative three-year diploma and four-year bachelor’s-degree curricula; and offering recommendations for the development of Adventist ministerial education in Oceania. The purpose of this study was to present strategies that may assist the Seventh-day Adventist Church to find possible solutions to these concerns.

Method: This study utilizes the historical, descriptive, …

Selected Variables Related To Alienation From Religion As Perceived By Students Attending Seventh-Day Adventist Academies In The United States, Roger L. Dudley

Dissertations

Problem. Some young people who are reared in religious homes reject the religion of their parents upon reaching adolescence. This is a matter of crucial concern to church youth leaders as well as to parents. It was the purpose of the present study to discover relationships that may exist between alienation from religion and other selected variables. It was hypothesized that religious alienation is related to the quality of the relationships— especially as those relationships concern religious values— chat the young people have with parents and other authority figures. Independent variables were chosen in accordance with that hypothesis which was …

Moral And Religious Problems And Attitudes As Expressed By Students In Seventh-Day Adventist Academies In The United States And Canada, Ingram Frank Du Preez

Dissertations

Problem. Adolescence is characterized by many problems of adjustment. Seventh-day Adventist youth cannot be expected to be immune to these problems. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the moral and religious problems and attitudes as perceived by students in Adventist academies. An attempt was also made to evaluate, from the students' viewpoint, the effectiveness of the provisions made by the academies to help meet these problems. Method Nineteen hundred and twenty students were chosen by a stratified random method from all enrollees in Seventh-day Adventist academies In the United States and Canada. Students were asked to respond to …

The Concept Of Character Development In The Writings Of Ellen G. White, John M. Fowler

Dissertations

Problem. Character development is a fundamental objective of the Seventh-day Adventist educational system. The purpose of this study was to define the concept of character development in the writings of Ellen G. White whose thought is foundational to the philosophy of the worldwide system of Seventh-day Adventist schools. The investigation focused on four subproblems: (1) the meaning and significance of character; (2) the nature of character development; (3) factors affecting character development; and (4) responsibility for character development.

Method. The problem was approached by (1) carefully perusing White's published writings and noting every statement related to the study; (2) inductively …

Self-Concept Patterns Of Inadequate And Adequate Adult Readers, Anna Homenchuk Klimes

Dissertations

Problem

Many of the difficulties which people experience are to a large extent the consequences of faulty perception of themselves. Academic success or failure appears to be deeply rooted in the person’s self-concept. The purpose of the study was to analyze the components of self-concept of inadequate and adequate adult readers to determine what patterns of self-concept emerge in various groups. Inadequate and adequate readers were grouped according to sex, race, age, and type of educational institution.

Method

The Tennessee Self Concept Scale was selected for the study. Measuring positive self-concept, it is composed of five self-concept components—physical, moral-ethical, personal, …

Assessing Student Co-Curricular Needs And Interests Through An Objective Method, Peter J. Mccann

Master's Theses

Problem

Previous research has shown that when potential dropouts are actively involved in the school program, the dropout rate is reduced. Co-curricular activities have been found to be the most effective method of getting potential dropouts involved. The problem has been that implementation of co-curricular activities has relied on the subjective value judgment of administrators. This project attempted to develop an objective method for assessing student co-curricular needs and interests.

Method

There were three phases to this project. The first phase was an extensive review of the literature in order to determine factual evidence. The second phase was the development …