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Building Authentic Community Through Small Group Ministry Among Young Adults Of Select Churches Within The Greater New York Conference, Ricardo V. Bain

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Greater New York Conference has several churches that have begun and sustained many programs for building interpersonal relationships between young adults within their membership. These programs have produced lukewarm results. In some cases these efforts failed. Many of the young adults have either left the church because they do not feel connected to others of their peer group, or they are present with little or no intentional ministry that relates to building their relational needs. In an interview with the immediate past and present youth directors of the conference, both admitted that there is tremendous need for a …

A Mentoring Program For Equipping Youths As Leaders In The Rivers Conference, Nigeria, Ugochukwu Elems

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Young people feel neglected in the leadership process of Rivers Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists, Nigeria. On the other hand, the adults think that the young people lack the experience and skills needed to occupy positions of leadership. Unfortunately, while the young people are being marginalized in the leadership process, they constitute an overwhelming majority of the membership in Rivers Conference

Method

The mentoring approach adopted for equipping the young people of Rivers Conference as leaders in this project is a modification of Jesus' model of leadership proposed by Kreider (2008, p. 113). The process will be divided into …

Using A Small Group Approach To Increase Church Growth In The Gikondo Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Schadrack Nsengimana

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem.

Although many people are baptized at the Gikondo Seventh-day Adventist Church each year, about 70% leave the church shortly after baptism.

Method.

The biblical principles of church growth were studied and theological reflection focused on four biblical themes. First, the call to integrate the Great Commission into the daily life and relationships of the individual believer in Christ was examined. Second, church growth as faithfulness to God was explored as a biblical teaching. Third, the view that a healthy church embraces multiplication of disciples as its core responsibility was studied from a biblical perspective. Fourth, the role of the …

A Biblical Hiv/Aids Mitigation Strategy In The Oyugis Central Adventist Church, Kenya, Tom Eli Arunga Ogal

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that has and continues to adversely impact the quality of life of not only the members of the Oyugis Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, but of the community in general. Its negative impact touches the social, economic, political, and demographic fabric of society. It is robbing the Adventist Church and society in general of requisite human resource through death and sickness, and is adversely challenging the church’s competencies to effectively engage in its mission.

Method

The Logical Framework Approach (LFA) was used to present the strategy. A Gantt chart was also be used to detail the …

Training Church Members In The Theory And Practice Of Preaching In The Spanish District Of Tri-City In The Upper Columbia Conference, Jaime Flores

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem.

One of the challenges of a multi-church district is that the pastor cannot preach at each church, each Sabbath. The Spanish district of Tri-City is comprised of three churches (Pasco/Kennewick/Richland). Some elders are reluctant to speak when the pastor is absent at one of these three churches. In addition, my preliminary research shows that attendance is lower at these churches when the pastor is absent. The reason for this absenteeism, according to some members, is poor preaching. Accordingly, the challenge is to develop qualified preachers who can preach at those churches within the district when the pastor is absent. …

Developing A Mentoring Model, Based On Christ's Approach To Discipleship, For Intern Pastors In The British Union, Desmond Gaius Boldeau

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. In an age of celebrities and power seeking, in an environment of child sex abuse and spiritual leaders bringing discredit upon the high calling position of pastoral ministry, at a time when TV evangelists seem to exercise greater influence through the impersonal medium of the mass media in contrast to the personable touch of faced-fact ministry, it is my contention that the Christian faith and its pastors stands in need of credibility in the form of its leaders living what they teach and preach. I call that Incarnational pastoring based on the ministry of Jesus and His methods of …

Leading Like Jesus: A Curriculum To Disciple African-American Males Into Becoming Spiritual Leaders In The Home, Church, And Community At The Glenville Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Cleveland, Ohio, Myron P. Edmonds

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. According to recent statistics, there are 13 million more adult women than men in America’s churches. National statistics also indicate that women are 56 % more likely to hold a leadership position at a church. This reality appears to be more severe in African-American churches, where conservative estimates of 60-75 % of the attendees are female and of the remaining percentage of male congregants very few are between the ages of 12-45. Consequently, it would seem that African-American churches are struggling to attract males and develop males as spiritual leaders. The Seventh-day Adventist Church offers general enrichment programs for …

Del Estacionamiento A La Plataforma: Como Integrar A Los Jovenes Adventistas De Hialeah Al Culto De Adoracion De La Iglesia, Carlos Allan Machado

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The purpose of this study was to uncover the main factors that contributed to the apathy of youth to the regular services in the Hialeah Spanish Church. The congregation was established in the late 1960’s, more than 50 years before this project. Several generations have been born and grown in the church since; yet, the church had never faced the generational challenges it was facing at the moment this project was implemented. There was a clear disconnection between the younger generations and the church activities, including Sabbath divine services. They frequently met in the church’s parking lot during the …

Mentoring And Discipling The Early Adolescents Of The Kitchener-Waterloo Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Jiwan S. Moon

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

From 1951 to 2001, at the Kitchener-Waterloo Seventh-day Adventist Church, only one family from the founding generation has its children and grandchildren attending and active in the church. Most of the second and third generation members of the church who once attended, no longer practice their inherited Adventist religious beliefs. As the church membership was aging, the church was dying and membership continued to decrease, especially the number of young people. It was becoming evident that the church needed intervention to prevent continuous loss of members. In order to prevent a repeat of history, there was a need for …

Faith Development Within The Campus-Based Youth Ministry Model Of The English Oaks Adventist Church, Scott R. Ward

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Experts have stated that youth ministry for the past 25 years has revolved around a fun and games methodology which did not result in the youths continued participation in ministry activities. During this same time period under the fun and games ministry orientation, more than half of evangelical youth involved in youth ministries have left or are leaving the church once they graduate from high school, including those of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.

Method. A faith development program was implemented that involved analyzing the spirituality of the youth leader and its impact on his ability to lead youths spiritually …

Strategy For Increasing The Participation Of Students From A Seventh-Day Adventist Background In Spiritual Activities In Kisii University, Richard O. Ayako

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The 1992 Annual Council of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists noted that "too often Adventist students on public campuses feel like second-class citizens; not only do they not fit in with the lifestyle of their secular campus, but the local church often ignores their needs, sometimes overtly suggesting that they are inferior to students who have chosen an Adventist education" (General Conference, 2005, p. 250). Kisii University serves as an example of a public university with low participation in spiritual activities by students from an Adventist background.

Method

A critical analysis of Bible texts on involvement of young …

A Youth Leadership Development Program For Small Group Leaders At The Westchester Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Miami, Florida, Denis Leroy Sand

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Even though the Westchester Seventh-day Adventist Church in Miami manifests interest in its youth it has lacked a clear, planned, and structured program by which to train its youth into Christian ministry, outreach, and leadership. By not training the youth it is putting in danger its own leadership future, losing a precious opportunity to reach other youth for Christ, not fully fulfilling Christ’s call to thoroughly equip disciples, and is in danger of having its youth become mere spectators. In response to this problem this investigation is to study, develop, implement, and evaluate a small group leadership training program …

Youth Evangelism, "Link2llife," A Strategy To Reach Postmodern Youth In Germany And Switzerland, Stephan Sigg

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In terms of cross-cultural mission youth are the most crucial group of people to be reached with the Gospel. From a theological, a sociological as well as a psychological point of view adolescence can be seen as the most receptive phase of life regarding the adoption and integration of faith, a coherent value system and a meaningful life narrative. The process of individuation in the adolescent years offers the biggest potential for both conversion and apostasy. Despite a professionalized youth ministry youth evangelism has never been high on the missional agenda of the Christian Church.

Method

The youth ministries …

Promoting Spiritual Growth Among Camp Counselors Through Camping Ministries, Edmund E. Heinrich

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Many churches realize that large numbers of their young people are not engaged in their congregations. In response to this trend, churches look to local conferences for help. Unfortunately, few conferences have developed models for engaging, equipping, training, and retaining young people.

Method. Develop a program at Leoni Meadows camp to increase the effectiveness in developing leaders who are more fully committed to Jesus Christ through camping ministries.

Result. Increased the spiritual awareness among camp counselors, creating a desire for many to develop a deeper relationship with God and share His love with others.

Conclusions. Camping ministry is unique …

Practical Application Of Seventh-Day Adventist Doctrine Through Narrative Preaching At Parkview Adventist Academy, Stephen Reasor

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Seventh-day Adventist teenagers are familiar with church doctrines but many do not understand how these doctrines relate to a relationship with Jesus Christ and the student’s daily lives. This study was to determine the effectiveness of a narrative sermon series to help academy-aged students understand the centrality of Jesus Christ to Seventh-day Adventist doctrines and how these doctrines relate to daily living.

Method. This study included two researcher developed surveys and group interviews. The surveys gathered qualitative and quantitative data, which measured understanding of, and attitude towards, Seventh-day Adventist doctrines. Forty-four students from Parkview Adventist Academy in Lacombe, Alberta, …

Avaliacao Da Revista Do Anciao Com O Fim De Melhorar Sua Eficacia Na Preparacao De Anciaos Para O Ministerio, Paulo Roberto Pinheiro

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problema. O Brasil é um país de dimensão continental e, a cada ano, se amplia aceleradamente o número de membros e congregações adventistas. Para liderar essas congregações são eleitas pessoas das próprias comunidades, na qualidade de anciãos de igreja, as quais recebem a supervisão de um pastor distrital. Sendo poucos os pastores em relação à quantidade de congregações, os anciãos precisam ser treinados continuamente para o exercício de seu ministério. A Revista do Ancião foi criada, no Brasil, com esse propósito. No entanto, desde sua origem, em 2001, ela nunca havia sido avaliada para se verificar se realmente tem atendido …

Discovering The Inventory Of Spiritual Gifts Of Bethel Baptist Church Of Rock Hill, Inc., Rock Hill, South Carolina, Robert Joseph Crawford

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The hypothesis of this ministry project is that Bethel Baptist Church does not lack any spiritual gifts that are needed for contemporary Christian ministry. The challenge is which church members possess which spiritual endowments. To discover the church's spiritual gifts inventory, we used Bugbee's spiritual gifts assessments and gave opportunities for the expression of the gifts that were uncovered. The ministry experiment revealed clusters of spiritual gifts in the Bethel faith community. They were the gifts of faith, helps, mercy, and teaching. Ministries formed were prayer team ministries, praise and worship leaders, and a teacher's preparedness team.

Helping The Parents Of Middle School Students Communicate Biblical Truths Of Sexuality At The First Baptist Church Of Lenoir, North Carolina, Thomas Russell Hinton

Doctor of Ministry Projects

An educational program was developed to discover the role of the church in promoting healthy parent/child communication about sexuality. Believing scripture affirms sexuality as a blessing from God, parents and middle school youth were recruited and led through the study. Surveys measured attitudes, opinions, and understanding of biblical knowledge, anatomy, and communication levels. After the program the families were given two months to observe parent/child communication. Final surveys indicated that the church can play an active role in promoting parent child communication about sexuality, and participants reflected a positive outcome by recommending the continuation of this program as a part …

Toward An Integrated Youth Ministry: A Case Study Of The Application Of Principles From Ephesians Among Teens And Their Families Of The Collegedale Church Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Timothy Allen Cross

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

According to recent research on young adults in the Collegedale Church of Seventh-day Adventists, there has been an approximate 68% attrition rate (Rainer, 2009, pp. 5-6). This research revealed that 84% of the young people growing up in the Collegedale Church drop out and only 38% of those who drop out engage in another church. Consequently, of the young people who grow up in the Collegedale Church, this leaves a net result of 68% who drop out from church entirely. DeVries’ seminal work (2004), combined with Rainer and Rainer’s research (2008), demonstrate the potential of a significant increase in …

Implementing A Training Manual For Adventist Local Church Leaders In The Gauteng Region Of South Africa, Eugene L. Fransch

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The youth department of the Southern Affican-Indian Ocean Division of the Seventh-day Adventist church (SID) has noticed a growing trend of frustration and ineffectiveness among local church youth leaders in their yearly church planning. This has lead to a high turnover rate among them due to a lack of adequate materials, poor program planning, and a clear knowledge of the department’s objectives to guide them in their planning.

Methodology

The purpose of the research was to implement a Youth Leadership Training Manual for church youth leaders that would help them overcome their current frustrations and assist them in planning …

A New Youth Discipling Model For The Los Altos Chinese Seventh-Day Adventist Church, John Kangho Ang

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The Los Altos Chinese Seventh-day Adventist (LACSDA) church has not been able to effectively disciple and retain its American-born Chinese (ABC) members. Over the years, the LACSDA church has seen a gradual withdrawal of the ABC members from the church; most have either left the area to attend other Seventh-day Adventist churches, or have stopped attending church altogether. This attrition of membership was a serious problem for the LACSDA church and proper measures were needed if the trend was to be reversed.

Method. This research project led to the development and implementation of an innovative model of ministry that …

A Program Of Physical And Spiritual Practices For Youth At Takoma Academy, Anthony A. Medley

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Encouraging high school youth to embrace the long-term benefits of holistic Christian activities that foster healthy lifestyle outcomes is challenging. The values of today’s youth are focused on the short-sightedness of immediate gratification, with little regard of the long-term consequences from spontaneous and often harmful choices. Furthermore, the ideals of society advocate that the pleasures of life are to be obtained in the present without a critique of their values or consequences thereof. Through compartmentalization and individualized living, adolescents, without an understanding of the holistic life of physical and spiritual disciplines, are prone to make choices that so often …

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 …

Developing A Model For Spiritual Guidance And Peer Mentoring For Youth And Young Adults In The New Life Seventh-Day Adventist Fellowship In Berrien Springs, Michigan, Hollis H. Mceachrane

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Research has pointed out a factor essential to the spiritual guidance of youth and young adults in the Seventh-day Adventist Church: How teenagers think is dependent (Fields & Robbins, 2007) on how they are spoken to and how effective the messages are delivered; however, a majority of youth from New Life SDA Fellowship do not receive adequate mentoring that would pair them up as a support for each other or that would build good interpersonal relationships with their peers. While the Fellowship offers a designated staff for church services, there is no provision for youth to mentor each other …

Spiritual Growth Perceptions Of Students At Southern Adventist University, William Brennon Kirstein

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Seventh-day Adventist collegiate young adults are disengaging from the church in alarming numbers in North America today. In this context, the need arises for Adventist colleges and universities to be much more intentional about the relationships it forms with its students and the spiritual formation system it is promoting during these years.

Method

A comprehensive spiritual master plan, as well as an assessment process, was developed for Southern Adventist University in order to explore the perceived quality of campus spirituality and how it impacts the lives of students.

Results

In this study, students perceived the following three objectives to …

Family-Based Youth Ministry For Adventist Public High School Students In The Idaho Conference, John F. Bryson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. Research has indicated that there are three factors essential to the retention of young adults in the Seventh-day Adventist Church: Adventist education, the local church, and the home (Dudley, 2000, p. 79). However, a majority of high school youth from the Idaho Conference of Seventh-day Adventists family units are not receiving the spiritual nurture of Adventist education because they are attending public schools. While local churches offer curricula for spiritual education, there is no provision for compensatory family-based curricula for these students.

Method. As a means of addressing this problem, materials for family-based spiritual nurture of Adventist public high …

Implementation And Evaluation Of The Jesus Loves Jeans Initiative To Evangelize And Retain Youth For The Houston International Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Kendall Turcios

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Topic

The Houston International Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church has had significant challenges baptizing and retaining its youth. In the last five years, only a few youth have been baptized and nearly 50% no longer attend church. A primary contributing factor seems to be the lack of training to develop genuine biblical discipleship in the youth and young adults. Eims (1978) describes the process of discipleship as ―[taking a] person from the time of his conversion and helping him become a solid, dedicated, committed, fruitful, mature disciple who could in time repeat that process in the life of another‖ (p. …

The Development Of Leadership Competencies For Children And Youth For Implementation In Pathfinder Club, Hyungsik Ju

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Children and youth members in the Korean Adventist church have been steadily decreasing in numbers. Although there are many causes, the most serious problem is a lack of leadership development training for children and youth. And then, the lack of a leadership program for young people not only fails to promote an evangelistic passion, but also causes a deficit of training for future church leaders. In this sense, various leadership competencies should be applied and developed in order to nurture young people spiritually.

Method

Library research, a theological analysis, a contextual analysis of South Korea and the Korean Adventist …

A Strategy For Effective Youth Ministry In The Bantama Seventh-Day Adventist Church Ghana, Kofi Opoku Acheampong

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Young people comprise two-thirds of the 1,500 members of the Bantama I Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ghana. Despite a continuing increase in the number of young people, only a few of them attend youth activities. It appears that there may be a lack of formal programming or clear directions for youth ministry in the church. The result is a lack of spiritual connections between the youth and the church. In addition, there are behavioral problems among the young people when they are left to their own activities; consequently, parents are not allowing their children to attend youth-initiated activities, resulting …

Addressing Cultural Barriers To Youth Ministry In The East Congo Union Mission, Moyo Muzabazi

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the East Congo Union 60 percent of the membership is composed of youth between 16 to 30 years of age. However 61 percent of these young people are not actively involved in the mission of the church, and only 39 percent participate in youth activities. A contributing factor is the worldview, cultural forms and ingrained patterns that young people bring with them to the church. For example, the cultural view on gender sensitivity makes it difficult for young girls to share their faith.

Method

Based on the contemporary context in the East Congo Union Mission, an assessment of …