Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Psychosocial Support System For Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In West Indonesia, Edison Pandjaitan

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem The adjustment that many SDA Indonesian pastors go through in the early years of their ministry and the feeling on the part of some ministers that they lack essential psychosocial support suggest the importance of designing a systematic support system. Therefore the dissertation addresses the following questions: (1) How do SDA pastors in the West Indonesia Union indicate their need of a support system? (2) What resources are available to meet the needs of Indonesian pastors? (3) What can the minister, the local church, and the hiring organization do to strengthen this support system?

Method The project is descriptive-prescriptive. …

A Multi-Faceted Program To Recruit And Develop African Seventh-Day Adventist Writers, Enock Okari Omosa

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Although the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in Kenya has about 500,000 believers, most of the literature read and used by its members was originally written by Christians from the West. This study identifies some of the problems caused by the lack of African Adventist writers producing acceptable African Adventist literature for Adventist members and other Africans in Kenya, and points the way toward positive measures to remedy the situation.

Method

In order to design an appropriate program to recruit and develop African Seventh-day Adventist writers in Kenya, an attempt is made to examine the kind of literature needed and …

A Church Growth Study Of The Chachkapi Church In Bihar State Of India, Manohar Kujur

Professional Dissertations DMin

Chachkapi Church is the only growing church in its pastoral district. However, its growth is very slow. Adventism first came at Chachkapi in 1957 and by 1998 it had grown to 161 members. This shows its potential for growth. The church members are Oraon and the majority of the people who live around the area belong to the same community. Oraons were the first to accept Christianity in Chotanagpur South Bihar. Growth was by a people movement. According to present trends, churches among the Oraons are growing slower in comparison to the other tribals in Chotanagpur.

In an attempt to …

Scripture Memorization As A Discipline For Spiritual Formation, Robert H. Banks

Professional Dissertations DMin

Purpose

The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a seminar that will help Christians learn how to incorporate Scripture memorization into their devotional life. Biblical and scientific evidence is explored to encourage individuals to consider memorization as an important tool for improving their understanding of the Bible and their spiritual life. Further purposes include uncovering principles and techniques that aid memorization, and gaining a clear understanding of their Scriptural and scientific grounds. This project explains the content and reviews the effectiveness of a seminar designed to equip Christians with the means of incorporating this discipline into their devotional life. …

The Development Of A Worship Education Program, Neal Maynard Matson

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has never developed a theology of worship. Therefore, the members are unacquainted with the biblical principles of worship. Too often their patterns of worship renewal are often influenced more by sociological factors and methodology than by theology. There is a definite need of a worship education program for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Method

A syllabus was produced for a seminar presentation on the biblical principles of worship. The seminar was presented over a thirteen-week period. Worship patterns of the College Place Village Church were discussed. A survey employed to discover members’ worship knowledge and preferences …

A Health Evangelism Strategy For Reaching Rural Indians With Giffard Memorial Hospital As A Model, Measapogu Wilson

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Like many nations, India offers notable opportunities for church growth in spite of its diverse cultural and language barriers. The challenge is to understand the growing populations. Masses of Indians are suffering from disease, poverty, and ignorance. They desperately need to achieve health and learn how to maintain it. About 80 percent of the Indian population lives below the poverty line and many are ignorant of healthful living. Health evangelism work can break down prejudice as nothing else can. At the same time, India is resistant to the gospel. A recent census shows that there are only 2.43 percent …

Equipping Laity For Ministry In Multi-Church Districts In Brazil, Paulo Cesar Nogueira

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Most church districts in Brazil are comprised of many churches and companies. The average load of pastoral care is one pastor for seven congregations. In addition, members have high expectations their pastors and both lack a clear understanding of the role of lay ministry. Thus pastors feel a heavy work load.

Method

A survey of biblical insights, current literature, and other studies on the priesthood of all believers, lay ministry, and effective pastoral work was undertaken. A program designed to enhance pastoral work in multi-church districts in Brazil was developed.

Results

The concept of the priesthood of all believers …

Developing Bible Lessons To Reach Hindu Youth, Roy Jemison Injety

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The large number of non-Adventist youth who attend Seventh-day Adventist schools have a limited exposure to biblical teachings and, therefore, are unable to make a decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

Method

Bible study lessons were developed to provide youth with a more complete understanding of the Bible and lead them to take a decision for Christ. The lessons address issues relating to youth needs and topics that are common to the Hindu and Christian faiths. A survey questionnaire provided information about the needs, moral development, and Bible knowledge of the target group. A variety of teaching …

An Evangelistic Strategy For Reaching Baby Boomers In Rock Island County, Illinois, Clarence H. Small

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The Moline Seventh-day Adventist Church, with a regularly attending membership of approximately 65, has fifteen Baby Boomer members in a county of over 160,000, of whom at least 44,000 are Boomers, with over 30,000 of these being unchurched. This project sought to develop a strategy for attracting Baby Boomers to the Moline church.

Method

A strategy was developed and implemented to attract Baby Boomers to church based upon six valid and transferable principles drawn from existing literature and the successful programs of the Willow Creek and Saddleback churches-and the clearly established legitimacy of targeting specific groups for evangelism. This …

Creative Bible Teaching For Seventh-Day Adventist Youth Ages 13-18, Michael Kwaku Owusu

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Studies regarding how adolescents learn have found that the traditional approach of teaching as information or knowledge to be passed on with an emphasis on the mastery of content is not very effective. In view of this, many Christian educators and youth ministry specialists recommend a shift from the traditional methods of teaching the Bible to creative ways of teaching with a focus on active student participation in the teaching-learning process, and on meaning of Bible truths.

Method

The method used to complete this project was a review of representative literature dealing with theories and concepts of teaching and …

A Strategy For Ministry To The Homeless In North London, Carl Thorpe

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Despite the benefits that the English Social Security provides, many individuals fall out of the safety net into abject poverty. Every night hundreds of individuals sleep rough. Exposed to the elements, these people are in need of food and a permanent place. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North London is not providing an adequate ministry to meet the physical and spiritual needs of these people. This dissertation sets out to develop a strategy for ministry to the physical and spiritual needs of those who "sleep rough" in North London.

Method This study looks at various aspects relating to homelessness, …

Adventist Information Ministry: Historical-Missiological Foundations And An Evaluation Of The Chaplain's Role, Gregory A. Harper

Professional Dissertations DMin

Purpose

The aim of this dissertation was to: (1) investigate and record historical and missiological foundations of Adventist Information Ministry; (2) survey, analyze, describe, and evaluate perceptions about the AIM chaplain's role and present resulting recommendations; and (3) provide summaries and conclusions for the major topics and methodology revealed in the main body of this report.

Method

Following an investigation of historical documents, a qualitative survey based on Dillman's "Total Design Method" was implemented with six different groups of individuals associated with Adventist Information Ministry. Recorded input from sixty-five telephone interviews was analyzed and described according to pertinent group perceptions …

Development And Implementation Of A Youth Prayer Fellowship In Madras, Swamidass Johnson

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

Many youth in the Adventist Church in Madras do not participate regularly in church activities. Additionally they suffer from the effects of poverty, unemployment, and family tensions.

Task

The task of this dissertation was to develop a youth prayer fellowship that would address the problems of youth in the Madras Adventist Church.

Method

The biblical concept of prayer groups was studied to establish a basis for the prayer fellowship. In addition, the organization and effects of five Indian prayer fellowships were studied: Friends Missionary Prayer Band, Indian Evangelical Mission Prayer Fellowship, Christian Missionary Society Prayer Band, New Assembly Prayer …

Proyecto De Capacitación Laica Para La Iglesia Local, Hector Solera

Professional Dissertations DMin

The Christian Church has the duty of evangelizing all nations. This task requires that all church members participate actively in evangelism. However, not all church members get involved because they do not know how. This research initiated and evaluated a project to train the members of the Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with the purpose of enabling them to evangelize the city.

The project was developed in five different seminars during five consecutive weekends. The topics covered were the following: the priesthood of all believers, how to present the gospel in a Christ-centered fashion, the art …

A Christian Approach To Traditional Male Circumcision Customs In Malawi, Harry Godfrey Mtike

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

The Lorn we and Yao tribes in Malawi practice traditional male circumcision rituals which are damaging the Malawian society. While these rituals have value and fill key functions in society, they are at the same time troublesome. The lack of proper medical equipment and training in performing actual circumcision, as well as accompanying teachings which encourage sexual promiscuity, makes these ceremonies physically, spiritually, and morally dangerous. The AIDS epidemic in Malawi can also be partly traced to these rituals. This study seeks to find a Christian answer which preserves the value of these practices while avoiding the problems connected …

Development Of A Strategy To Reach The Folk-Buddha Lepcha Community Of Sikkim, Tudu Joseph

Professional Dissertations DMin

The majority of the Lepchas who live in the land of Sikkim are unreached with the gospel message. A preliminary investigation of current literature indicated that 70 to 80 percent of the Sikkimese are followers of folk-Buddhism.

The purpose of this dissertation is to develop a strategy to reach the Folk-Buddhist Lepcha community of Sikkim with the gospel message.

The dissertation traces the historical development of the Lepcha community in Sikkim,,its culture, economy, health situations, and education. Chapter 3 details the beliefs, practices, and world view of the Lepchas, discusses government restrictions against Christianity in Sikkim, and describes the growth …

Marketing And Mission: Applying Marketing Principles To Seventh-Day Adventist Mission In The Virgin Islands, Ruthven Joseph Roy

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem.

In many Christian circles, marketing management is viewed as irrelevant and irreligious because of the misconceptions that exist among Christians regarding this business discipline. There is, therefore, a very urgent need to clear up these misunderstandings and to create an awareness among Christians as to how marketing principles may be applied to the work of Christian mission and ministry, without violating the spiritual platform on which they stand. The purpose of this project, therefore, is to show how religious institutions can maximize their effectiveness by incorporating market-oriented thinking, planning, and action into their task of fulfilling the mission of …

The Development And Implementation Of A Program For The Assimilation Of New Members In The Lexington Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Tim Peterson

Professional Dissertations DMin

Problem

At the Lexington Seventh-day Adventist Church evangelism is important to church growth. However, better assimilation is needed to keep new members in the church. In the past, many people were baptized, but did not stay active. Therefore, this dissertation is an attempt to meet the needs of those who were baptized after an evangelistic meeting in October 1997.

Method

This project is the development and implementation of a program to assimilate new members into the Lexington, Kentucky, Seventh-day Adventist Church. Primary research focuses on the theology, theories, and currently employed methods of assimilating new members. The literature survey includes …

Depressive Symptomatology Among Hispanic Ministers Of The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Enrique Nicolas Calandra

Professional Dissertations DMin

The intensity of our work and living and the struggles we all experience have led to a dramatic increase in the incidence and severity of stress-related disorders, including depression. Ministers—as human beings and helping professionals—are not exempt from this reality. In fact, several studies have shown they are especially vulnerable to it. Although this is a sensitive issue, it needs to be discussed more openly, acknowledging its existence and taking steps to find causes and solutions.

This dissertation seeks to (1) measure and analyze the existence and the intensity of depressive symptomatology among Hispanic pastors of the North American Division …