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Discipleship Master Plan: A Disciple-Making Strategy For The South Flint Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Melvin S. Santos

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The lack of a disciple-making plan and irregular leadership training for members in the South Flint Seventh-day Adventist Church resulted in undeveloped and ill-equipped members operating in a reactive and survival mode leading to frustration and leader “burn outs.”

Method

The Discipleship Master Plan was developed and implemented in the South Flint Seventh-day Adventist Church in Burton, Michigan, which consisted of two major formats: (1) Four Levels of Discipleship Training, and (2) a Discipleship Master Plan Infrastructure. The four levels of discipleship focus on the development of all members. This training took place primarily during Sabbath afternoons and worship …

A Strategy For Church Planting In Northern Nigeria Beginning In Zangon-Kataf, Francis F. Daria

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The first Adventist missionaries came to Northern Nigeria in 1930. Their intent to establish medical and evangelistic work in Southern Kaduna was restricted by three opposing factions. These were Sudan Interior Mission (SIM), Islam and African Traditional Religion (ATR). They frustrated the indigenous people from understanding the concept of the missionaries. Eighty years later there is still no Adventist presence in this area, which is part of the 10/40 Window that encompasses all of Northern Nigeria. During these 80 years no Adventist Church has been established in this region. There is, therefore, a need to develop a church planting …

The History Of The Emergence Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In The State Of Manipur, India, Cornelius Kamei

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist church emerged in the state of Manipur, India, through a lay-led church planting movement. Currently, no written account exists of the early history of this work in Manipur. Today, the work in Manipur is clergy-dependent and growth in this region has stagnated. In order for the work to move forward successfully, there is a need to remember the early history of the work in this region.

Method

In the absence of earlier written works on the rise of Adventism in Manipur, oral sources were relied upon as primary sources for accuracy. The sources were gathered through …

A Curriculum To Equip Lay Pastoral Candidates For Service In The Pennsylvania Conference, James Richard Wibberding

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

During the first decade of the twenty-first century, Pennsylvania Conference leaders nurtured a desire for lay pastoral development. However, a cohesive training program did not emerge. Although lay training programs with other foci and the efforts of some local salaried pastors had produced a few lay pastors, a streamlined, accessible, principle-driven, and competency-based program was needed. With an increase in pastor to member responsibility of 64% from 1970 to 2005 and no growth in the number of churches in the same period, the creation of a training program was deemed to have missional import.

Method

An eleven-month curriculum was …

A Movement Of Authentic Christianity: An Embrace And Integration Of Biblical Fundamentals In A Seventh-Day Adventist Church Plant Among The Echo Boomer Culture Of The 21st Century In Keller, Texas, Michael R. Cauley

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The median age of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America is increasing due, in part, to the small percentage of echo boomers (millenials) who are currently present. Their absence reveals the need to approach North America as a mission field and teach biblical truth grounded in classical spiritual disciplines in the language of the culture of the 21st century.

Method. The development of the spiritual life as the foundation for mission in the Seventh- day Adventist Church in North America will be explored through an echo boomer church plant in Keller, Texas.

Results. Currently seventy-four people are involved …

Transforming The Devonshire Seventh-Day Adventist Church Into A Missional Community Through The Biblical Alignment Of The Church’S Spirituality, Passion And Ministries, Errol N. Mclean

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Churches experiencing plateau or even decline often arrive at that stage in their life cycle because they are no longer fulfilling the great commission. They have lost their spiritual vitality, vision, and a purpose for mission. The challenge is renewing in this context a vision for growth and a commitment to ministry to the lost. This project details how this challenge was responded to at the Devonshire Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Method. Identifying that the church was in the plateau stage of its life cycle was fundamental to approaching the problem. A theological foundation was established as a first step …

Implementation Of An Integration Process For Baptized And Transferred Members Into The Durham Spanish Sda Church Through The Adoption Of Shared Values, Mission, And Vision, Domingo A. Paulino

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The following types of members have difficulties in integrating themselves into the organizational and congregational culture of the Durham Spanish SDA Church in the city of Durham, North Carolina: (1) members that join or transfer their membership from the Inter-American Division, (2) members who are baptized for the first time but were connected to the Seventh-day Adventist church in their country of origin or in the territory of the North American Division, and (3) members who are baptized for their second or third time and have been members of the church in their country of origin or in the …

Developing Team Ministry Among Pastors And Elders In The Eastern Sector Of The Reunion Conference Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Johnson Andriamanalina Razafimamonjy

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In 2005, two of the churches in the eastern district of Reunion Island experienced severe conflict between the assigned pastor and elected local elders. The response of one church was the removal of its elders from their posts. In the other church, the church board expressed that they did not want the pastor. The result was minimal church growth during the two years that followed. The continuing confusion and conflict that has stymied the evangelistic potential of the congregations must be addressed in order to recover mission and witness.

Task

The task of this project is to develop and …

Developing Relational Communities: An Evangelistic Approach To Non-Adventist Students At Solusi University, Herbert Ndlovu

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The purpose of this study was to determine how healthy relational communities contribute to membership growth and the retention of non-Adventist students at Solusi University. Some of the effects of current public evangelistic approaches and the loss of community spirit were studied. The challenge of nurturing a community of meaning and relationship at Solusi was also explored.

Method

A self-reported questionnaire was completed by both Adventist and non- Adventist students. In order to verify the results of the self-reported questionnaire, interviews were conducted with the church leadership, 10 church members, and 20 second and third year students.

Results

Analysis …

Planting Diverse Ethnic Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In Berlin, Germany, Berndt Dietrich Wolter

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Purpose

The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a contextualized model for an ethnic church planting process in large cities such as Berlin.

Statement of Problem

The unchurched population of foreigners in Germany stands at around seven million with 450,000 of them living in Berlin. A few existing ethnic Adventist churches in Germany have been established in the past but no strategy has been developed to reach new foreign groups. Although there are some Adventist ethnic churches in Berlin, they have not developed a coherent strategy to reach the rest of the foreigners. The German attitude toward integration of …

Developing, Planting, And Multiplying An Adventist House Church Using Principles Of Missiology In The Florida Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, W. Milton Adams

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem Church attendance is steadily declining throughout North America. Nevertheless, people are still seeking God, but it is occurring outside the church walls. The same trend is occurring in Florida where church attendance is below the national average. In response to this trend this project was to establish an Adventists house church within the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists to assess a house church model’s front-line missionary viability. Method Following pre-launch work, one house church was launched in the North West Orlando area with two families (four adults and five small children). The project was evaluated for health, using Natural …

Developing A New Model For Church Planting In The Wisconsin Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Donald W. Corkum

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Problem. Both the Bible and the writings of Ellen White emphasize church planting as an important outreach strategy. During the twentieth century the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America has emphasized growing existing churches and institutions instead of developing new work. A new culture needs to be developed where church planting is a priority.

The Purpose. The Wisconsin Conference desires to develop a model that makes church planting a priority within its territory. This model would provide a structure of support enabling church planting to thrive even when resources are challenged.

The Method. The process followed was first to …

An Evaluation Of The Implementation Of Natural Church Development Within Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In The United States And The Resulting Church Growth, Rodney Jon Mills

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Problem

Natural Church Development (NCD) is a church health paradigm that is being used in Seventh-day Adventist churches across the United States as a tool for increasing both church health and growth. One question that needs to be addressed is whether the implementation of NCD within Seventh-day Adventist churches results in church growth.

The Purpose

The purpose of this dissertation is to establish a validation of the NCD process by evaluating the church growth experienced at the Milwaukee Central Seventh-day Adventist Church and compare that growth with Seventh-day Adventist churches across the United States which have participated in taking …

Church Planting To Reach Postmodern Generations: Launching A New Church In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Jeffrey T. Potts

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Henderson Highway Seventh-day Adventist Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was failing to attract unchurched young adults (ages 18-35). Many of the young adults who had grown up in the church were lapsing into irregular worship attendance. Attempts were made to help the congregation become more relevant to postmodern generations. However, these attempts failed to create a church environment that truly engaged young adults.

Method

Under the direction of its senior pastor, the Henderson Highway Church decided to plant a new congregation to reach unchurched young adults. The church was designed to be relevant to the postmodern context. Launched at …

A Non-Pastor Dependent Model For Churches In The Greater New York Conference, Richard A. Marker

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Pastors tend to hover over the churches and many of the functions of ministry within the local church. Church members demonstrate little personal spiritual growth or activity in witnessing to their communities. A specific church in New York City will be selected as a laboratory for experimentation with the premise that a non-pastor dependent church can achieve better than average growth.

Method

A systematic study of the Bible, Spirit of Prophecy, commentaries, books, and articles concerning the development of church leadership and growth was reviewed. Once theological and historical data on non-pastor dependent churches and church growth was identified, …

Development, Evaluation, And Implementation Of An Interfaith Pastors' Peer Coaching Group In The Gentry, Arkansas Area, Raymond C. House

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

During my first ten years of ministry I discovered that I was in a lonely work with little peer-interaction or stimulation. Sporadic attempts to find peer- support and friendship among other pastors left me feeling only slightly encouraged. I was concerned that I was not being challenged by another peer or group of peers or held accountable to any particular goals personally or professionally.

Method

This research presents a model where pastors came together from various churches and denominations in a small town setting, and developed peer-coaching relationships for the purpose of improving their personal and ministry goals. Peer …

Equipping And Mobilizing The Laity In The New York Luso-Brazilian Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Gerson P. Santos

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The New York Luso-Brazilian congregation was organized on October 23, 1971, with approximately ten members. By December 2005, its membership was 329, including two new congregations formed recently. In spite of the growth during the first two or three decades, this church has not experienced much growth in the last ten years. Many members are not committed to the Great Commission. Only ten percent participate in some kind of outreach. Analyzing the profile of this church, it was verified that the growth came mainly through immigration. One of the main challenges, therefore, is to involve the laity in missionary …

A Curriculum To Prepare Pastors For Tribal Ministry In India, Calvin N. Joshua

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The dissertation project establishes the existence of nearly one hundred million tribal people who are forgotten but continue to live in human isolation from the main stream of Indian society. They have their own culture and history. How can the Adventist Church make a difference in reaching them? There is a need for trained pastors in tribal ministry who are culture sensitive and knowledgeable in missiological perspectives.

Method

Through historical, cultural, religious, and political analysis, tribal peoples and their challenges are identified. The contribution of Christianity to India, particularly, the impact of the Adventist Church among tribals is reviewed. …

A Comparative Study Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church And The United Methodist Church With A Strategy For Enhanced Adventist Membership Growth In Cote D'Ivoire, Elie Weick-Dido

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Seventh-day Adventists first reached the French colony of Cote d’Ivoire around 1920. In 1946 the Church was organized with only 17 members. By 1985, the membership was 2,057 and in 2000, there were 7,215 members. By comparison, the Methodist Church of Cote d’Ivoire was established in 1924 and in 2000 had 1,350,000 members. Both Seventh-day Adventists and Methodists have conducted with mission in the same context where 20.8 percent of the population was Roman Catholic in 2000, Muslims represented 38.7 percent, and the French cultural influence was strong. Yet, Seventh-day Adventists have experienced a much slower church growth than …

La Perfilación Como Método Para Identificar Las Necesidades De Los Inmigrantes, Ruben Ramos Rivera

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Hispanic community is currently the largest minority group in the United States and its annual rate of growth continues to be significant. Hispanic immigrants, in particular, face very unique problems and challenges, Seventh-day Adventist pastors and churches need to develop effective strategies that may help them to fill the needs of this group as well as to obey the divine commission of bringing them to Christ. This dissertation seeks to contribute to the wealth of resources and strategies available to pastors by providing them with a valuable tool that may help them to effectively plan their outreach ministries to …

Leadership Development In Albania: Equipping Young Pastors For Apostolic Leadership, Leigh Rice

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Albania opened to Christian missions in 1992. The church is new and the pastors are young and with limited experience. Initial rapid growth has been followed by slow decline. Leadership and leadership development is in the hands of foreign missionaries with limited experience in Albania. There is a need to develop culturally-appropriate, apostolic leadership for a country with a predominately Muslim population.

Method

Library research, questionnaires, interviews, and observations were conducted to develop an understanding of the Project Director, the Albanian culture, a theology of leadership and church, and methods in leadership development. An appreciative inquiry approach was used …

A Discipleship Model For Evangelism In Northeast Brazil, Emilio Abdala Dutra

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Churches in Northeast Brazil (NB), including the Seventh-day Adventist Church, have been growing rapidly. Their numerical growth is phenomenal by any estimation. However, these churches are growing numerically and not in depth. We see a discipleship deficit among new believers in the form of a high rate of backdoor losses, unawareness of the meaning and duties of discipleship, spiritually undisciplined members, absence of intentional relationships to share faith, biblical illiteracy, and lack of church fellowship. How can churches in Northeast Brazil grow in quality, reproducing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ?

Method

Current literature related to the problem was reviewed, …

Ministry To The Black Middle Class: Strategies For Churches In Transition, Dedrick L. Blue

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Between 1944 and 1997 over 1 million Black people in the United States rose from poverty to middle class status. Increased upward mobility has brought an increased social mobility. Middle class Blacks are moving into close proximity to predominantly White suburban Seventh-day Adventist churches. Simultaneously, the out-migration of the Black middle class from urban areas to suburbia has created not only an economic drain, but also has fostered class tensions within the Black urban church. If churches are to be successful in the recruitment and retention of the Black middle class, then ministry approaches must be developed to address …

Developing A Strategy For Growth In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Finland Using The Natural Church Development Approach Based On A Case Study In The Turku Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Aimo Helminen

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The growth of the Adventist Church in Finland stagnated in the mid 1980s and after that the membership of the church began to slowly decrease. There is a need to look at the past growth patterns of the church in Finland to discover the reasons for the present decline in membership and develop and implement a strategy for church growth.

Method

Current literature was reviewed, including books and articles on the principles and strategies of church growth. These were studied in the context of the Turku Church in order to determine if the principles in the Natural Church Development …

Planting Adventist Communities Of Faith Among Muslims In Unentered Areas Of The Balkans, Milan Bajic

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The purpose of this research was to develop and equip the church for the implementation of a workable strategy for reaching a large population of about eight million secular Muslims in the Balkans who have never been systematically confronted with the gospel.

Method

This study describes the history, culture, and religion of the Balkans, analyzes socioeconomic and political developments of its Muslim population, examines methods of evangelism and suggests a strategy based on sound biblical and missiological principles for work among the Balkan Muslims.

Results

The outcome of this project will be the development of a contextualized method for …

Increasing Pastoral Job Satisfaction And Efficiency In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Hungary, Andras Szilvasi

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The number of pastors in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hungary increased significantly since 1989. In 2002, 70 percent of the pastors had less than fifteen years in ministry. The members’ expectations of their pastor have changed and become widely polarized. Since there is not an evaluation and affirmation system in place, many of the pastors struggle to find satisfaction in pastoral work. One of the major premises of this project is that pastors are central figures in the church and the success of God’s work is largely dependent on how effectively pastors function.

Method

A Myers-Briggs Type Indicator …

Development Of Targeted Strategies For Church Growth Within The Greater New York Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Angel Jesus Rodriguez

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

For the past twelve years the Greater New York Conference has been struggling to produce growth within the Caucasian sector and other indigenous people groups. The primary source of membership growth has been from immigrants. An analysis of the demographics retained of the Conference's geographical location, however, reveals that the majority of the people are second- and third-generation Caucasian, Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans. These are the people who the Greater New York Conference has not been successfully evangelizing.

Method

In order to understand how churches grow, I surveyed pertinent literature on church growth. I implemented these strategies into …

Estrategia Para Plantar Una Iglesia En Puebla, México, Moises Reyna Sanchez

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Church planting is one of the basic tasks to which God has called his disciples. The gospel commission of Matt 28:19, 20 implicitly calls for church planting. This dissertation presents biblical and theological foundations for church planting. In addition, it explores the writings of current authors, looking for appropriate church planting strategies. Success in church planting is achieved by applying certain strategies. These include having a clear vision of what God expects, completing a demographic study of the chosen location, pinpointing the place where the new congregation will begin, form the founding group and training them, having the first meetings, …

Empowering And Equipping The Laity In The South Caribbean Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Ray Henderson Walker

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Some pastors in the South Caribbean Conference of Seventh-day Adventists feel challenged by the ministry of the laity. One reason is the lack of a clear understanding of the biblical and theological perspectives on empowering and equipping the laity. Consequently, the potential of the laity is not fully utilized.

Method

Current literature was reviewed. This included books and articles on the principles, strategies, and programs which assist pastors to develop’ their empowering and equipping skills. A comparison was done between the ministry of the pastors and the laity in the South Caribbean Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. An evaluation of …

A Seminar On Reaching The Secular Mind For Members And Guests Of The Hickory Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Kenneth J. Ford

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Western civilization is now pre- or post-Christian. Secularism has entrenched itself in our culture. Many churches are still utilizing mostly antiquated methods of reaching a Christian culture. We need to discover methods to engage the twenty-first-century secular mind.

Method

This report is outlined in the following way. It gives a brief overview of secularism by defining and then tracing its origin and development. Then it gives an overview of biblical, SDA, and selected evangelical literature on reaching the secular mind. A six-session seminar was formulated utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint, to be conducted sometime in the near future.

Results

The results …