Digital Commons Network^™

Jericho: A Case Study For 21st Century Urban Evangelism, Gideon Petersen

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Focusing On Wounded Collective Identity: Toward A Regional Interpretation Of Religious Processes In Central And Eastern Europe, András Máté-Tóth

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Excerpt: "Defending the value system of Christian Europe, defending the nation with the help of God, and defending the nation against nationalism. Three recent statements from three different countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Such ideas and avowals lay the provocative groundwork to take a closer look to the points of connection between religion and security.

I have two theses to put forward, aiming to make them understandable and discussable. The first is that the region Central and Eastern Europe (hereafter CEE) can be appropriately interpreted in the theoretical framework of wounded collective identity. The primary marker of the region …

Chapter 6. The Cry Of The Vulnerable: Twenty-Five Years In Permanent State Of Transition, Paul Flamm C.S.Sp.

Spiritan Horizons

No abstract provided.

Kwame Bediako Makes An Offer, Joel Carpenter

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This review essay addresses the major themes of Ghanaian theologian Kwame Bediako’s thought, as presented in Tim Hartman, Kwame Bediako: African Theology for a World Christianity. Bediako advocated examining the traditional spirituality of African peoples, studying the Bible in vernacular languages, and asking how the person and work of Jesus Christ engage local cultures. He insisted that Western theology was not central and normative to the Christian faith, and that African theology provided a better model for the development of contextual theologies worldwide.

The Continuity Mindset For Christian Mission, Jack T. Davison

Great Commission Research Journal

Missionaries from the Global North regularly serve as trainers for Christians in the Global South. From personal experience, missionaries are regularly seen as being qualified to do this work simply because of their position. Rather than missionaries assuming they are competent purely on the basis of their titles, I believe they should instead practice the Continuity Mindset for Christian Mission, a mindset that emphasizes the continuity of one’s identity and ministry in one’s home culture with one’s identity and ministry in the host culture. This practice includes elements of vulnerable mission, nonresidential mission, tentmaking, cultural intelligence, and authentic leadership. I …

Anti-Urbanism In Culture And In The Adventist Church: Advocacy And Action For Urban Ministry In The Twentieth Century—Part 2, Jerry R. Chase

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This article explores the response within the Seventh-day Adventist Church after Ellen G. White’s death to the dual emphases in her writings on the city and rural living. On one hand she strongly encouraged large Adventist institutions and families raising children to locate out of the cities. This was because of the advantages natural surroundings have on physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing, and to shield children and young adults from the evils and temptations of the city. While she recognized the evils in the city and God’s impending judgments, she aggressively pushed church leaders to take a more active role …

Deliverance Ministry Among Adventists In The North American Context, Conrad Vine

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Deliverance Ministry (DM) among Adventists in North America is a rarely discussed topic. In North American Adventism, it is uncommon for those who do experience demonization to openly discuss their spiritual plight with fellow Adventists, or even with their pastors. Empirical feedback from those who seek deliverance, and from the participants at the International Fellowship of Adventist Mission Studies / Swallen Mission Conference organized by the Department of World Mission at the Adventist Seminary, Andrews University (September 2015) indicates that many Adventist pastors and seminarians in North America feel relatively unprepared to respond to requests for deliverance from members.

Footholds And Strongholds, Kelvin Onongha

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

At creation God made humans in His image and likeness, endowing them with powers and abilities akin to their Creator. One distinguishing quality which humans alone possessed, unique from all other creatures, was the power of choice—the will. This unique attribute made humans the only creatures with the ability to say yes or no to God. Since the devil’s fall from glory, it has been his mission to deceive and enlist others in his rebellion against the sovereignty of God. Continuing the work of deception and rebellion he began in heaven before he and his confederates were forcefully expelled, he …

Can Christians Be Possessed By Evil Spirits?, Kelvin Onongha

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

In the African ministry context, accusations of demon possession are commonplace. It would appear that every strange, bizarre, or abnormal form of behavior is attributed to demon possession. Unfortunately, in many cases there is a very thin line between occurrences of mental disorder and demonization. This is because the symptoms in several instances are quite similar, and the precursors may be quite complex. For these reasons, another article in this issue sought to address the issue of discerning whether certain conditions were caused by mental disorders or demonization.

In addition, the predisposition to regard every unexplained behavior as having a …

The Contribution Of Paul Hiebert To Folk Religion: A Missiological Study Among The Dendis Of Northeast Benin, Michée Badé

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Completed in September 2022 with the department of Practical and Missional Theology of the University of the Free State, South Africa.

Demonization Of Christians: Missiological Perspectives And Implications, Michée Badé

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This article is a missiological reflection on the phenomenon of Christian demonization from a Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) perspective. The article argues from the four voices approach in theology (see Cameron et al. 2010; Cameron and Duce 2013), and contends that Christians can be demonized, have been demonized throughout the Christian church history, and are still demonized today across all Christian denomination lines. This is the position that appears in a few SDA publications, and is not in contradiction with the Scriptures. I suggest that demonization and demon possession are etymologically and phenomenologically the same. Thus, this paper builds on the …

The African Worldview And Belief In The Demonic, Kelvin Onongha

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

The African continent displays rich diversity in geography, culture, history, and language. In spite of this heterogeneity in several respects it still has many similarities. These similarities are to a great extent evident in its rich cultures, but especially in its religious worldview. For that reason, the debate still rages whether the religion appertaining to the region should be referred to as African Traditional Religion (ATR), or African Traditional Religions. The arguments on both sides are compelling. A close examination of the worldviews held by a large portion of Africans however reveals amazing similarities. The African worldview associated with the …

Discerning The Condition: Disease Or Demonic, Ugochukwu Elems

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, anthropologists, some pastors, and other related professionals tend to go to the other extreme and dismiss the reality of demonic manifestations. They often explain that the Bible narratives of demonic encounters are myths, hence the need to demythologize the Scripture’s claim. Yet it is not possible to deny the historicity of the biblical claims, nor can any objective reader of the Scriptures ignore the existence and influence of demons among people today. In fact, the Bible clearly asserts the reality and existence of demons.

The dividing line between disease and demonic possession is very thin, which poses …

Ellen G. White’S Statements In Their Original Context On The Heathen Being Saved, Andrew Tompkins

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This article is a study of a number of statements found in the writings of Ellen G. White on the experience of the heathen who have not heard about Jesus or God’s law. A brief section on the historical theological setting during the lifetime of Ellen White, specifically as it relates to the question of the eternal destiny of the heathen, will preface the primary portion of the study. The question of the eternal destiny became a major discussion issue, in the wider Protestant world, during the lifetime of Ellen White. It was also an issue that John Wesley addressed …

Spiritual Warfare

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Editorial, Bruce L. Bauer

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

How To Engage Voluntary Spirit Possession Rituals In Mission: The Case Of The Dendi Adorcism Ritual, Michée Badé

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

Missionaries face unique challenges when confronted with spirit possession rituals. Because not all spirit possessions are regarded as negative in some cultures, some spirit possessions are sought through adorcism rituals. Such spirit possessions are considered advantageous for the individual or the community. Contrasted with exorcism which is to expel or bind troublesome or uninvited entities, adorcism creates or strengthens beneficial ties between the possessed person and the spirits (Openshaw 2020:6).

This article seeks to show that the practice of adorcism rituals, as is the case among the Dendi people in the northern part of Benin, presents a unique challenge to …

References To The Shepherd Of Hermas At The Monastery Of Gunda Gundē, Ted Erho, Ralph Lee

HMML Staff Publications

The monastery of Gunda Gundē played a significant historical role in preserving the Ethiopic translation of the Shepherd of Hermas, but its relationship to the book was not simply as a passive guardian. As witnessed through a few locally-produced commentary manuscripts referencing this work, at least some monks actively engaged theologically with it. Their interest in the Shepherd may have been stimulated in part by writings alluding to Hermas authored by the fourteenth-century Ethiopian theologian Retu‘a Hāymānot, copies of which were also held by the monastery.

Worldview Origins—Part 2: The Role Of Religion, The Bible, And Culture, Joseph Kidder, Katelyn Campbell Weakley

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

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"We Aim At Nothing Less Than The Whole World": The Seventh-Day Adventist Church's Missionary Enterprise And The General Conference Secretariat, 1863-2019. [Review], Andrew Tompkins

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Factors That Influence The Believers In Monze Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church Of South Zambia Conference To Consult Diviners, Ian Chiinya

Master's Theses

Problem

Studies have shown that even after becoming Christians, African Christians maintain their traditional religious practices. Non-Christian studies in Zambia reveal that both Christian and non-Christian Zambians still combine biomedicine with sacred African traditional medicine. The goal of the current study is to identify the variables that lead Monze Central Church Seventh-day Adventist members to consult diviners.

Method

Sections one and two of a questionnaire were created to collect information on the variables that affect going to a diviner. To assess the role and self-efficacy of local church elders in assisting members who have been impacted by demonic spiritual forces, …

God's Story, Our Story: Telling, Re-Telling, Re-Storying, Kara Carter

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Shifting trends within and beyond the walls of the church are reshaping Christianity in our present context. Many Christian denominations are in the midst of a paradigm shift as great as or greater than the 16th century Reformation. Because the way forward looks nothing like the path the church has journeyed, church leaders, theologians, and scholars recognize the need for innovative and adaptive leadership expertise to meet the opportunities and challenges of the present time. For more than two decades, Mennonite Church Canada congregations have been on a journey of development, learning, and growth, transitioning theologically and experientially to a …

Obeying The Commission: A Model For Equipping Christians To Make Disciples, David Kofi Bempong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Jesus was explicit when He gave His disciples specific instructions before His ascension. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commissions his followers to be disciple-makers. Christians today are beneficiaries of the previous generations’ efforts to fulfill this commission. The purpose of this project is to evaluate how discipleship is accomplished at Riverdale Baptist Church and to propose a strategy demonstrating practical ways people can begin making disciples. The traditional church model is losing relevance amid a society that is increasingly dissociating itself from formal religion. The body of Christ must be in touch with their communities and find effective ways of making …

The Holy Spirit The Ultimate Counselor And Transformer For Healing And Wholeness: A Nepalese Perspective, Karuna Sharma

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Nepal is a country with cultural and religious diversity. This country has gone through much turmoil and many crises. Since the time of the Maoist insurgency up to the recent pandemic situation, people have faced various emotions, feelings, and thoughts. These sudden devastating moments have not only affected their physical wellbeing, but has in turn affected the whole being of a person. These experiences of accusation, suffering, violence, and pain have led many to sadness, worry, anger, and fear resulting in various mental disorders. Therefore, the ministry of counseling is very important in order to help people get connected to …

Expanding God's Redemptive Fractal: Spirit-Centered Counseling And The Transformative Wisdom Of Jesus, Bill Buker

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Using the image of a fractal, a Spirit-centered approach to counseling is proposed that conceptualizes the Spirit’s activity as seeking to replicate the patterns of God’s redemptive story throughout creation by facilitating deep second-order change. Involving an epistemological shift from ways of knowing shaped by the conventional wisdom of culture to a renewed mind grounded in the transformative wisdom of Jesus, this deep change is explored from the perspectives of science and Scripture. Integrating findings from systems theory with the ministry and message of Jesus, this approach to counseling emphasizes relational premises and values believed to be characteristic of the …

Systematizing Mission: Focusing On Counting Down Rather Than Counting Up, Jeff Scoggins

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Drs. Bertha And Arthur Selmon: Case Study In The Formation Of Early Adventist Mission Identity In China, Michael W. Campbell

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Strategies For Dealing With Folk Practices In Christian Churches In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Ray Rukarata Bidahunga

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Biblical Social Justice And Ethical Leadership: A Pastoral Perspective, Boubakar Sanou

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Call For Adventists To Reassess The Charismatic Movement, Jon L. Dybdahl

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.