Practical Theology Commons^™

Growing Inclusive Churches Of Belonging For Families Living With Autism In The Ontario Conference Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Elizabeth Rosete-Pule

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

An assessment of the 181 congregations in the Ontario Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church revealed that there were no churches, companies, or groups working towards the inclusion of families living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The lack of education, resources and ministry for ASD children and individuals isolates them from the life and ministry of the church community. In addition, there are no accommodations or supports available that are required for the wide range of developmental disabilities that ASD children have. Tools, education, training, and a resource guide are necessary to equip leaders and churches to grow inclusive …

The Creation Of Virtual Online Small Groups To Increase Member Participation And Build Community At The Redding Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Robert Fisher

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Many churches have struggled to continue to accomplish mission in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic while complying with the mandated restrictions. The Redding Seventh-day Adventist Church already struggled with no small group ministry prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the “stay at home” requirements for churches only increased feelings of isolation in the Redding Church members. These feelings of isolation created a hindrance to mission and resulted in a severe lack of biblical community.

Method

The research method employed in the design of this project was a qualitative one. It explored the question under examination by using NCD …

A Strategy To Increase Spiritual Maturity By Practicing Spiritual Disciplines At Berean Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Houston, Texas, Robert W. Norwood

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church has been a pillar in the Third Ward community of Houston since the 1900s. Berean has two distinctions. It is the only Seventh-day Adventist church in downtown Houston. It is also the only predominantly African American Seventh-day church in the area. Its DNA has always been community and civic minded. Like many other churches, Berean is a commuter church. There are two individuals who live near the church; however, the majority of the members who attend Berean commute to the church to minister to the community. Berean was established by individuals who had a desire …

Creating A Mission-Focused Stewardship Plan For The Shiloh Bilingual French Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Brooklyn, New York, Herode J. Thomas

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

A review of administrative data reveals that Shiloh French Seventh-day Adventist Church has lost 25% of its members over the past 5 years, while only 15% joined by baptism. Most new members come from transfers and profession of faith. The purpose of the present work is to address the issue of lack of motivation to carry out the mission of the worldwide church by asking the following question: How can a mission-focused stewardship plan help church leaders and members refocus? --

Methodology

Based on the context, theological reflection, and literature review, the initiative was presented in four phases: Mission-Focused …

Promoting Intergenerational Harmony At The Dedham Seventh-Day Adventist Church Of The Southern New England Conference, Yves Gerald Francis

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

This field research study explored the prevalence of lack of harmony among first and second-generation Dedham Seventh-day Adventist Church members. Consequently, families may be divided, and hard feelings and lost souls. Thus, a fundamental problem is an intergenerational and cultural lack of understanding.

Method

The research was a qualitative phenomenological study based on small groups and their activities. The Dedham Seventh-day Adventist Church provided a sample of 30 members, who were split into small groups of six each. For two weeks, the researcher and church leaders held small-group activities in the fellowship hall to impart the value of cooperation …

Premarital Education : A Comprehensive Approach For Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In The Italian Union, Roberto Ianno

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Although the Adventist Church upholds the importance of a Christlike and stable marriage, the Italian Union historically never developed a systematic and comprehensive approach to both premarital counseling and enrichment programs for married couples, whose preparation is aleatory and depends on both/either the pastor’s approach and/or the couple’s request. The results could be a weakening of both marital stability and marital satisfaction. We assume that the root problem is a naïve understanding of marriage which causes couples to put more effort into preparing for the wedding day rather than for the marital journey.

Method

An action research intervention was …

Seminario Para Fortalecer La Dadivosidad En Las Ofrenda En La Iglesia Adventista Del Séptimo Día De Perth Amboy, Nueva Jersey, Ricardo Cala

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Finances have suffered a collapse in the world economy and this experience has reached the local Church, leading to a decrease in the operational resources needed to function effectively. The Adventist Church in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, has been a faithful tithing congregation; however not so with offerings, which have declined in the past few years. The Perth Amboy church, being a multicultural church, is made up of members mostly from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Peru, Mexico, and has representation from other countries in Central America and the Caribbean. Just as language is a barrier for the majority …

Creating A Culture Shift In The Tracy Seventh-Day Adventist Church To Attract Millennials And Generation Z, Tyler Kraft

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Tracy Seventh-day Adventist Church is facing a shortage of committed leaders and volunteers. Most of the current ones have been serving for several decades and they desire to train and mentor potential replacements, but there are not enough people from the younger generations to take up the mantle. The demographics of the church do not represent the demographics of the community; older adults are overrepresented and younger adults are underrepresented. The church needs more youth and young adults to relieve the older members, or else the church's existence could be in jeopardy.

Method

In consultation with my advisor …

Finding A Voice: A Preaching Model To Address The Postmodern And Post-Soviet Young Adults At The Compass Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Tallinn, Estonia, Mervi Cederstrom

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In Northern and Eastern Europe, probably more than in any other part of the world, the gap between the inner culture of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and that of the surrounding culture has grown large, hindering the church’s ability to share the Gospel to young adults (ages 16-29) in a meaningful and clear way. It is especially true about people who have grown up in the Postmodern and Post-Soviet context of Estonia and have very little biblical knowledge. This present study concentrates on homiletics and how this culture gap can be bridged via preaching.

Method

A five-part preaching series …

A Lay Preachers' Training Program At Reading West Adventist Church Focusing On Preaching That Connects With Second Generation Seventh-Day Adventist Young Adults, Trevor A. Thomas

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The pastoral team and church members observed that most teenagers at Reading West up to the age of 18 attended church with their parents. However, from 18 to 25 years, the pastoral team and church members saw a drop in their attendance. Many attended universities in other cities. However, Reading, being a university town, should have attracted more Adventist young adults from other churches, and the young adults of Reading West should have returned during university term breaks. Sadly, most did not. Instead, they either visited other churches following popular youth preachers, attended other churches with a contemporary style …

Building Intergenerational Relationships With Mutual Benefits At North Port Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Breath Of Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church, And Conyers Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Paul David Lincoln Wilson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Within our churches, North Port Seventh-day Adventist Church (North Port, Florida), Breath of Life Seventh-day Adventist Church (Fort Washington, Maryland), and Conyers Seventh-day Adventist Church (Conyers, Georgia), there is a real problem between adults and youth. There is a need to build intentional intergenerational relationships and to examine their effects on spiritual growth/development on both adults and youth. As the adults and the youth of our congregations begin intentional intergenerational relationships (building greater intergenerational bonding) with each other, I believe that greater spiritual growth will be realized by both. While there are relationships that have been developed between the …

Developing Small Group Ministry Based On Spiritual Temperaments In The Olympic Korean Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Los Angeles, California, Young Rin Kim

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Pastoral observation revealed that members of the Olympic Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church struggle to develop their own spirituality due to a lack of understanding regarding spiritual temperaments. Discerning one's own spiritual temperament or style is needed at both the individual and the church level in order to understand that there are more styles than those in the corporate doctrinal focus reflected in Adventism. Approaches to relationships with church attendees and responses to church-sponsored activities can be transformed by a better understanding of these temperaments/styles. Steps must be taken to expand Adventism to accept all different styles. A variety of …

A Leadership Strategy To Identify And Reverse The Effects Of Consumerism On The Commitment To The Mission And Management Of The Village Seventh-Day Adventist Church Members, Ronald Paul Kelly Jr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Low levels of commitment have detrimentally affected many aspects of the Village Church's health and vitality. The present study was developed to see to what degree the leaders of the Village Church had imbibed consumer constructs of identity and ministry and to what degree those constructs could be changed when presented with a biblical construct of identity and ministry.

Method

A week of spiritual emphasis entitled "Built on the Rock" examined the principles of the church growth movement as manifest in the megachurch movement. By contrast, the scriptural paradigm of the church as a family was presented as a …

Strategy Implemented For Intentional Intergeneration Interaction At The Lacey Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Jason Canfield

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Like many other churches, ongoing tension between generations resulting in conflict or segregation in the Lacey Seventh-day Adventist Church necessitated further research to develop a strategy to foster maximum congregational buy-in that would reverse these natural tendencies and aid in developing a desire to be intentionally intergenerational. With minimal denominational research extant, an approach that aided members in seeing evidence from within their own congregation was necessary. Additionally, a biblical foundation that included an eschatological framework within the traditional paradigms and a historicist view that placed intentional intergenerational methods as needed in the last days was also needed to …

Programa De Discipulado Para Líderes De Las Unidades De Acción Del Distrito Misonero De "La Era" De La Iglesia Adventista Del Séptimo Día, Lima Este 2022, Hector Willy Roncal Salazar

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Since 2018, North Peru Union Mission (NPU) has promoted discipleship through the structure of the Sabbath School made up by the Action Unit teachers who shepherd their members through friendship, relationship, and the missionary action units that also have the function of small groups in the district mentioned above, the leaders of the action units focus on fulfilling traditional Sabbath School teachers and not on being leaders who shepherd their small group members. For this reason, the leaders of these units are required to have a disciple-makers profile. Several authors affirm that if you learn how to make disciples …

Programa De Capacitación Evangelística Para La Iglesia Adventista Hispana De Poughkeepsie, New York, Fernando Rosario Castro

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

An investigation conducted along with the church board revealed that the congregation has not had an evangelistic training program in the last 5 years. Consequently, only 5 of the 347 members are involved in the evangelistic work of the local community. An evangelistic training program has the potential to involve members fully equipped to evangelize the people in their community.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to develop an evangelistic training program to involve more church members in the evangelization of the community and to involve church members in holistic growth.

Methodology

This investigation belongs to the discipline …

Intergenerational Community Engagement Strategy To Minority Families In Urban Housing Developments Suffering From Generational Issues In The Pioneer Homes And Central Village On The Southside Of Syracuse, New York, Aaron V. Chancy

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the Seventh-day Adventist Churches Fundamental Beliefs, Fundamental Belief #13 The Remnant and Its Mission, pages 168-178 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual (Church Manual, 172), there is no mention pertaining to the closing versus of Matthew 28. Yet within the evangelism endeavors, there is a lack of the elements of intergenerational ministry to families in low-income housing as a methodology in which to fulfill this mission. While the adage "If we get the children, we will get the parents" has been used in attempts to do ministry among low-income households, the lack of a systematic intergenerational evangelistic method …

Using Christ's Method: Reshaping Evangelism In Milton Keynes International Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Sampson Osei Aboagye

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Milton Keynes International Seventh-day Adventist Church (MKI) is not able to evangelize its multiethnic/multicultural neighbors. This is because individual members of the church consider evangelism to be an annual event where speakers are invited from abroad to hold two- or three-week campaigns. Despite the high cost involved in this method, few people are baptized and even then, it is difficult to retain the new members. The culprit is the church's inability to connect with its multiethnic and multicultural community because of not using the evangelistic method of Jesus Christ effectively.

Method

A total of six hours over four Sabbaths …

Ministry Strategy For Retaining Youth And Young Adults In The Australian Union Conference, Jeffrey N. Parker

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Australia (known as the Australian Union Conference) there is a significant loss of membership continuance by youth and young adults that falls into the category of the so-called millennials. Church attendance and membership loss of millennials is a problem in the Australian Union Conference.

Method

After consulting Scripture and current literature on families and family values, this researcher developed a quantitative and qualitative survey for Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Australian Millennials. It used a professional survey program that guaranteed the anonymity of each person. Embedded within the 18-question survey was space for personal responses. …

Modelo De Discipulado Para Fomentar La Vida Espiritual En La Iglesia, Emilio David Mettner

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

A pastoral search revealed that a significant number of members lacked a solid spiritual life. Faced with this situation, it was considered necessary to promote growth in both spiritual life and spiritual intelligence.

Method

As a measure to reverse this condition, it was decided to implement a discipleship process, in a small group format, with the aim of fostering spiritual development and generating positive change in the members of the church. The research design was pre-experimental, with pre- and post-evaluation and statistical tests applied to the same group of people. It was of this nature because a discipleship program …

A Strategy To Improve Contextualization At Hope Channel International, Vyacheslav Demyan

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Hope Channel International was created by the Seventh-day Adventist Church with the mission “to offer God’s good news for a better life today and for eternity through the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s wholistic understanding of the Bible” (General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 2019–2020, 459). However, as many other evangelical media ministries in North America who are mainly “preaching to the choir,” creating their own “gospel ghettos” (Woods 2013, 22), Hope Channel’s audience mainly are the members of the Adventist Church. This compromises the scope of the existence of Hope Channel as a media brand. From the structural perspective, Hope Channel …

A Workshop On The Spiritual Disciplines: Teaching Church Members How To Listen To God Through Prayer, Meditation, Solitude And Journaling Developed For The Members Of Eau Claire Baptist Church Columbia, South Carolina, Steven Blair Bouknight

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Listening to God is so vitally important. This project includes five 75-minute teaching sessions where participants learn how to listen to God through use of the spiritual disciplines of prayer, meditation, solitude, and journaling. Participants take part in various home assignments to practice these spiritual disciplines in their personal lives throughout the week. Participants respond to surveys rating their progress weekly in practicing each of the disciplines mentioned above. Results indicated increased awareness of hearing God speak following the intentional use of the spiritual disciplines and the increased practice of these disciplines by participants.

Utilizing Personality Theory To Help High School Students Find Meaningful Spiritual Growth Practices At Portland Adventist Academy In Portland, Oregon, Jonny Wesley Moor

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Problem

Some students at Portland Adventist Academy (PAA) struggle to connect with God and many never develop personal habits of connecting with God or learn how to grow into mature relationships with God.

The Method

I developed twelve devotional habits designed for different personality types. Six of the habits focused on prayer and six on Scripture. I taught six religion classes for three weeks, collecting data from 100 junior and senior PAA students. Their ages spanned from 15 to 19: two students were 15 years old, thirty-eight were 16, thirty-eight were 17, twenty were 18, and two were 19. …

Seminario De Evangelismo Urbano Para La Iglesia Adventista Del Séptimo Día Hispana De Delancey, En El Bajo Manhattan, Rafael Omar Lebreault

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Jesus called the church to make disciples of Him among all people groups, and urbanization is a major issue to consider in the fulfillment of that mission. In 1950, only 30% of the world’s population was residing in urban areas; in 2018, urban dwellers were already 55% of the world’s population; and that number is projected to be at 68% by 2050 (United Nations, 2018, p. xix). As the world grows more and more urban, the church needs to be more and more intentional in reaching out to people in urban settlements, in order to reach people where they …

Leadership Skills And Strategies, And Their Effect On Processing Change In Light Of The Grand Prairie Seventh-Day Adventist Church Building Project, Danail G. Tchakarov

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem.

The Grand Prairie Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the oldest Seventh-day Adventist congregations in the state of Texas, and as such has given birth to numerous other congregations. Over time, however, the makeup of the surrounding community slowly changed and no longer reflected that of the church. Because of language, cultural, and socioeconomic differences, the church was slowly becoming irrelevant and incapable to minister to its immediate community. The building was 57 years old and in dire need of repairs. Adding to the challenge was the fact that the 1.88-acre property was completely surrounded by other properties; space …

Discipleship Coaching For Empowering Members At Norwalk Seventh-Day Adventist Church, John W. Strehle Jr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Based on members' feedback, there were concerns of judgmental and critical attitudes at the Norwalk Seventh-day Adventist Church. A study in 2009, “Christ’s Mission in Norwalk” by Monte Sahlin, Senior Consultant for Center for Creative Ministry, indicated a need for personal involvement in the Norwalk church in meeting the challenges of one another and the community. Yet, the judgmental and critical atmosphere was limiting the lay involvement. Likewise, the Natural Church Development (NCD) survey confirmed in 2014 that Loving Relationships was a minimum factor for the Norwalk Church. The survey showed that the community was not relying on friends …

Intentional Discipleship: Using A Personal Growth Plan With Microgroup Support As A First Step In Creating A Culture Of Discipleship At The University City Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Ryan Lee Ashlock

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There is a general lack of understanding and practice of discipleship within Western Christianity. This lack of discipleship can be observed within the University City Seventh-day Adventist Church. Many Christians view their relationship with Jesus as something that affects the afterlife but has little effect on the present. There is a grave need for the church to have a culture of discipleship in which people are encouraged to have a daily and lifelong connection with Jesus.

Method

Building on conclusions drawn from theological reflection and a review of relevant literature, an intervention was developed that sought to draw church …

An Evangelistic Approach To Children Of The Brantford Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Brantford, Canada, Alexander Gietsel

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Over the past five years (2015-2020) the Brantford Seventh-day Adventist Church has experienced a decline of baptism among young people ages 10-14. Some of them have been involved in church programs, and some have attended the local Christian school. According to Barna (2003a), children are more ready to accept Jesus at ages 10-14. At Brantford Seventh-day Adventist Church, this is the average range of the children. This church has more than 80 families and more than twenty-five children at that age group. After many of them leave for high school, they lose interest in baptism and in following Jesus. …

A Follow-Up Program For Public Evangelism Using Online Discipleship In The Indiana Conference, Eric Freking

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Traditional Adventist public evangelism in North America typically sees a large drop in attendance of new converts or potential converts shortly after the meetings end. I have personally held or been a part of around thirty evangelistic series in the past twenty years and have seen this pattern in each of them. The consequences are the loss of new or potential members, who, given more interaction with the evangelist, may assimilate into the church.

Method

An online discipleship program was created and launched in the Summer of 2020 in Indiana. Its purpose was to educate the participant on how …

Leadership Strategy For Sustaining Mission-Focused Vision In Years Seven To Ten Of Crosswalk Fellowship, Boyan Levterov

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In January 2007, my wife and I led a core team of passionate Christian believers to start Crosswalk Fellowship as a parachute church plant. The plant was a part of the local Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventist church planting initiative. The project had a successful start and reached the high standards to qualify for church status in the Texas Conference in less than one and a half years. Crosswalk continued to experience steady growth during the first five years of existence; However, in year five, people escaping crises happening simultaneously in the other two existing English Seventh-day Adventist churches …