Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Church-Growth Strategy For Revitalizing The Kolhapur Church, Bhupal R. Chandanshive

Professional Dissertations DMin

The task of this dissertation was to study the factors that have affected the growth of the Kolhapur church in south Maharashtra and to develop a strategy to revitalize the church. Twenty-five years ago, Seventh-day Adventist churches in Maharashtra were spiritually lively and active. But in recent years the churches have become weak; the attendance is nominal and there is little vibrancy.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kolhapur was viewed through the dynamics of church-growth principles, especially those applicable in the Indian context. The history of the church, together with membership statistics, provided information on the church over the last …

A Strategy For Pastors To Mobilize And Equip Lay Members For Evangelism In Tanzania, Herry Mhando

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist church membership in Tanzania is only over 200,000 while the population is more than 32 million. There is a need of a strategy to reach these millions with the gospel. Second, there are about 250 pastors, each taking care of an average of six to ten churches. This heavy pastoral responsibility makes it difficult for them to fulfill their evangelistic responsibilities. The only solution appears to be motivation and equipping of the lay members for evangelism.

Method. With the help of biblical resources and selected literature on the subject, this project focuses on the theology, theories, …

Enriching The Understanding And Experience Of Baptism In Kenya, Samson Nyang'au Mwebi

Professional Dissertations DMin

The Problem and Method Used

Baptism is a church activity conducted every three months in most Seventh-day Adventist churches in Kenya. While it brings joy to see new members join the church, the significance of baptism is not fully reflected in the life of individual believers or of the church. This problem may largely stem from inadequate understanding of the significance and meaning of baptism and its celebration. This study sought to develop ways of improving the practice of baptism in the areas of preparation of candidates for baptism, celebration of baptismal ceremonies, reception of new converts into church membership, …

Using The Heritage Of The St. Thomas Christians To Develop An Outreach Strategy, Kunjunjukutty Yohannan

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The St. Thomas Christians in Kerala claim their spiritual heritage from Thomas the apostle. Yet they are not generally aware of a number of scriptural teachings including the seventh-day Sabbath, which Thomas and their forefathers observed. For the last one hundred years there has been no developed Seventh-day Adventist strategy to proclaim the full biblical message, which was their heritage, to this people group.

Findings

The St. Thomas Christians of Kerala, India, believe that Thomas the apostle took Christianity to India. Their very existence bears witness to it. Thomas is reported to have arrived in Kerala in A.D. 52. …

Developing Guidelines For Functional Substitutes For Ugandan Marriage Practices, Daniel Semakula Serunjogi

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Since the introduction of Christianity in Uganda there has been a tension between customary and Christian marriage practices, each struggling to exist at the expense of the other. The crux of the struggle is the validity and sufficiency of customary marriage vis-a-vis Christian marriage rites. Christian youth of marriageable age have been caught in the crossfire, and marital stability has been one of the casualties of the struggle. This study suggests bridging the gap between the two practices.

Method

Biblical teaching on marriage is established through exegesis of texts such as Gen 2:20-24, Matt 19:4-6, and 1 Cor 7. …

Bhakti: A Bridge To Philosophical Hindus, N. Sharath Babu

Professional Dissertations DMin

The Problem

The Christian presence has been in India for the last 2000 years and the Adventist presence has been in India for the last 105 years. Yet, the Christian population is only between 2-4 percent in a total population of about one billion in India. Most of the Christian converts are from the low caste and the tribals. Christians are accused of targeting only Dalits (untouchables) and tribals. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, advised Christians to direct conversion to those who can understand their message and not to the illiterate and downtrodden.

The Task

The task of …

A Church Growth Study Of Three Churches In Kottayam, Robinson Stephenson

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Many of the churches in the North Kerala Section have been stagnant for years. In some churches over 50 percent of the members are inactive. This study analyzes the hindrances to the growth of three churches in the Kottayam District and suggests a strategy for church growth.

Method

The theological, historical, missiological, and practical dimensions of church growth were examined. A church growth approach was used which included an analysis of the factors involved in the growth and decline of three SDA churches in the Kottayam district. The growth patterns of three churches over the past ten years were …

Training Laity To Minister To Inactive Members In The North Tamil Conference, Paulraj Masillamony

Professional Dissertations DMin

Inactive and uninterested members are common in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the North Tamil Conference. They are the aching, anxious persons who have great difficulty in living in anxiety-provoking settings. The church, if it is going to be an effective instrument to its own membership, needs to be sensitive to what is going on in the life of its members. This presents a problem because the members are ill-equipped for the task. In this study a theological basis for equipping laity was developed. Interviews with pastors and both active and inactive members in the local church and study from …

Developing Lay Ministry Through Small Groups In The Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In Korea, Gil Ho Choi

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

As churches continue to grow from small to large communities, they struggle to meet the need of a growing community. There is a need to involve more church members in the ministries of the congregation. The churches also need to assimilate the new church members. Increasing demands are placed upon the pastors of churches to meet the challenge.

Method

This study deals with a program designed for lay ministry through small groups. It consists of two main parts. The first considers the concepts of small-group lay ministry in the theological, sociological framework of the local church. It includes an …

Spiritual Awareness And Growth Of Indian Adventist Youth Through Retreats, Maywald Jesudass

Professional Dissertations DMin

Each year, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in India spends large sums of money on youth and Pathfinder camps. These camps provide recreation and interaction among the youth, but often fail to lead the campers to conversion and commitment. The program, the methodology, and lack of trained resource personnel contribute to these poor results yearly. Retreats can provide a better alternative to youth camps. Retreats provide seclusion in which the retreatant becomes aware of self and God. The biblical-retreat models of the Old and the New Testaments form the foundation of the study.

For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church has required …

Development Of An Adventist Radio Program For Farmers In Tamil Nadu, Thambiraj Mantharasalam Subbiah

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Tamil Nadu is one of the states of India located in the southern part. The people who live in the state are called Tamils. Agriculture is the main occupation of this state. About 70 percent of the total population of the state are farmers. Hinduism is the main core of their religion. Hinduism taught them various beliefs, such as salvation by work and transmigration of the soul. At the same time, the farmers are caught up with various traditional beliefs which are very much influenced by their agricultural activities. Many gods need to be worshiped for their various needs. …

The Establishment Of A Lay Evangelism School At The Ephesus Sda Church In Richmond, Virginia, Gene Michael Donaldson

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Sharing the good news is an imperative issued by the Supreme Commander, Jesus Christ for all who call Him Lord. Every member of the church is a minister with the responsibility to bring others to faith. The mandate to witness to others in the context of the three angels message of Revelation 14 is of paramount importance to the Seventh-day Adventist Christian. The purpose of this study was to prepare a training program to equip lay persons in the Virginia area churches of the Allegheny East Conference on how to bring others to faith.

Method

An equipping course called, …

Improving Member Retention In The Zambia Union Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Fordson Vincent Chimoga

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The loss of church members in the Zambia Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is of grave concern. According to church statistics, every year members leave the church through being missing and apostasy. This study is intended to provide practical solutions to pastors and the laity on how to keep members from leaving the church. This study of church member retention is approached in the following manner. First an analysis is made of the finding of the questionnaires sent to pastors and church members in Zambia. Second, there is an analysis of the church statistics obtained from Zambia. Third, …

Narrative Preaching: A Study Of Contemporary Theory And The Development And Implementation Of An Integrative Model In The Walla Walla College Church, John C. Cress

Professional Dissertations DMin

The Topic

The topic of this project is narrative preaching. Post-modern culture is characterized by a surfeit of information and a famine of meaning. A cacophony of voices competes for its attention and in such an environment God’s Word frequently goes unheard. Thus it is of critical importance that the gospel be heard in a "language" this culture readily understands. Because it is specifically attuned to the contemporary sensibility of human beings (i.e., it is a “language” most individuals intuitively understand), narrative and narrative forms of preaching have particular power to assist individuals in coming to saving faith in Jesus …

Development Of A Series Of Bible Study Guides To Prepare Preteens For Baptism And Membership In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Francois J. Sarault

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

According to the 1992 Valuegenesis Study, a survey of Adventist youth in grades 7-12 showed that 77 percent wanted a deeper relationship with God, and 66 percent were interested or very interested in Bible study. Yet, an informal survey of existing materials created to lead SDA youth into a deeper relationship with Christ through Bible study, baptism into Christ, and active membership in the Adventist Church points to these existing materials as being inadequate in approach and content. Preparing preteens for baptism and active membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church must include something more than simplifying adult Bible studies …

The Issue Of Antitrinitarianism In The Fifteenth-Century Novgorod-Moscow Movement: Analysis And Evaluation, Oleg Zhigankov

Dissertations

This study attempts to examine the trinitarian beliefs of the fifteenth-century Novgorod-Moscow movement, analyzing both their own writings and the polemical writings of those who considered their teaching antitrinitarian.

The main objective of the present research is to contribute to the restoration of the authentic theological identity of this movement. Chapter 1 defines the problem, which has already been raised by some nineteenth-century scholars who have pointed out that the allegedly antitrinitarian character of the Subbotniks' movement must be open for further discussion. It also shows that no systematic research on Subbotniks' theology has ever been produced.

The second chapter …

Survey Of Nigerian University Student Affairs Services: A Comparison Of Students' Perceived Service Importance And The Students' Level Of Satisfaction, Michael Adewale Adeniyi

Dissertations

Problem. Nigerian university student-affairs serviceshave been characterized by negative campus activism, violent demonstrations, and the destruction of lives and properties, the result of which led to the closing down of many Nigerian universities. Thus far, little empirical data exist regarding the student personnel servicesavailable to students at Nigerian universities, the importance of student-affairs services, or the level of student satisfaction with these services.

Methods. A quantitative survey methodology was used to assess 35 student-affairs services. A developed and validated survey instrument, the Student ServicesQuestionnaire (SSQ), was administered to collect data from currently registered undergraduate and graduate students of …

Religious Commitment As A Correlate Of Mental Health And Life Satisfaction Among Black American Families, Judith Bernard-Fisher

Dissertations

Problem. The salutary effect of religion is receiving greater acceptance among researchers, and its positive association with both physical and mental health has been increasingly examined in the scientific literature. Since religion has played a central role in the lives of Blacks, and since previous research has identified positive correlations between some religious attributes and individual well-being, it would seem that religious Black families would enjoy a greater degree of health.

A religious commitment model encompassing affiliation, participation, devotional intensity, and practices was used in the investigation of Black families' mental health and life satisfaction. As the first study of …

Educational Brain Research As Compared With E.G. White's Counsels To Educators, Linda Bryant Caviness

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was threefold: to review current, education-relevant brain research; to review the educational writings of Ellen G. White for major emerging themes/principles; and to compare these findings for similarities and differences.

Method and Results. Using an inductive process, the synthesis and comparison revealed 15 themes from brain research and 12 principles from White's writings from the middle 1800s and early 1900s.

Comparison of the two lists revealed alignment on eight themes/principles, nonalignment on three themes/principles, and partial-alignment on seven themes/principles.

Aligned themes/principles included: body and mind function as one; exercise and movement are vital …

The Church As A Social Support For Women: Perspectives Of Female Members Of Selected Seventh-Day Adventist Churches, Norma Greenidge

Dissertations

Problem. The subject of social support and its role in health and well-being ofindividuals has become an important topic to many researchers. This study was designed to discover to what extent female members of Seventh-day Adventist churches perceive their church as providing them with social support.

Method. The instrument used was the Social Provision Scale which measures six aspects of social support--attachment, guidance, nurture, reliable alliance, social integration, and worth. Scores from the 99 White and 48 African American women were compared for each of the six aspects on the basis of ethnicity, age, and marital status using Analysis …

A Study Of The Out-Of-Class Experiences Of Saint Mary's College Students Studying In Maynooth, Ireland, Carolyn S. Langley

Dissertations

Problem Statement. The purpose of this study is to describe the out-of-class experiences of 21 students who studied in the Saint Mary's College Ireland Program in Maynooth, Ireland, during the 1998-1999 academic year. It examines (1) how the program orientation influenced students' desire to become involved in out-of-class activities, (2) how out-of-class experiences fostered students' learning of the Irish culture, and (3) how the experiences influenced students' attitudes toward cultures other than their own.

Methodology. This study employed descriptive qualitative research. Focus groups were conducted to gather data used in developing questions for long interviews, and these long interviews …

The Role Of Faith In God In Administrative Decision-Making: A Descriptive Multiple Case Study Of Three African-American Christian Women Administrators Of American Higher Education, Nancy Ann Link

Dissertations

Problem. Faith in God is a phenomenon that is difficult to define. Yet, it can be seen as an attitude of complete trust in God. As Proctor (1995) stated, faith in God is believing that there is a purpose and a power (called God) available to each of us, giving us an "inexhaustible source of evergreen inspiration" (p. xvii). Therefore, this study focused on how faith in God impacted administrative decision-making practices of three African-American Christian women administrators of higher education.

Method. To achieve the purpose of this study, the literature was reviewed to identify existing theories. This descriptive …

Differential Perceptions Of English Teachers About The Teaching Of Literature In Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary Schools In Selected Regions Of The Caribbean, Shirley Ann Mcgarrell

Dissertations

Problem. Literature, as a subject in the English curriculum, is not taught in all Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) secondary schools in the Caribbean. This research attempts to investigate and document the reasons why this subject is not taught as part of the English curriculum in some schools and yet is taught in other schools. Literature, as a course of study, addresses philosophical, moral, ethical, and spiritual questions, and often teachers are not the central controllers in determining whether this subject should be taught in church-operated secondary schools. The literature teacher’s role could be pivotal in this situation, but only if …

The Delimitation Of Pericopes: A Case Study In Matthew, Mark B. Regazzi

Dissertations

Problem . In Gospel studies the term "pericope" has been generally defined as a "unit," but there is no uniformity in the application of the term in either studies of the Gospels, or in harmonies, synopses, and gospel parallels ("comparators"). This present study was undertaken to determine what factors influence editors of comparators in determining the beginnings and ends of pericopes.

Method . A list was compiled of the major comparators of the twentieth century. The text references (e.g., Matt 1:1-17, 1:18-25, etc.) for the pericopes which contained passages from Matthew were entered into a computer for each comparator. The …

Tell Hesban And Vicinity In The Iron Age, Paul J. Ray

Dissertations

Problem. Tell Hesban is a major archaeological ruin in central Transjordan. It was excavated from 1968-76 by Andrews University. However, almost 25 years after the termination of this endeavor, a final report dealing with the Iron Age remains has not yet appeared. Although relatively little remains from the Iron Age, which is the earliest period represented on the tell, an understanding of what is left is nevertheless important for comprehending the role the site played in the region at this time.

Method. A historical research design has been used in this study. The excavated architectural and soil/debris layers were analyzed …