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 …