Practical Theology Commons^™

Tv-Radio Spot Evangelism: An Experiment In Attitude Change, James David Chase

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Although marketing and advertising firms spend millions of dollars annually to determine which types of commerical radio spots are most effective in appealing to specific audiences, little of this research has been done by churches using the broadcast media. The objective of this project, therefore, was to discover which of the most commonly used radio production formats contribute most to credibility and acceptability of religious radio spots whose intended audience is either nominal or rion-Christian and to produce a thirteen-week series of daily public service, radio spots for evangelistic purposes based on this determination.

Method

A telephone survey of …

A Process Of Self-Assessment And Goal Setting For A Latin American Local Congregation As A Possible Means To Create The Necessary Conditions For Church Renewal, Fruitful Evangelism, And Effective Nurture, Ruben Pereyra

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Dropouts from church membership have increased during the 1960s among Christian denominations. Abundant literature has been circulating analyzing possible causes and suggesting remedies. The. picture is not yet clear. Meanwhile, several types of solutions have been proposed and tried with different degrees of success or failure. As the issue is also a concern among Seventh-day Adventists, a program considering the particular situation of this denomination, in a Latin-American setting, is presented. One way to a renewal experience that would help confirm members and thus prevent dropouts is suggested.

Method

As a first step, a review of the current literature …

The Church As Family: A Study Of Viability In The Smaller Local Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Kerry H. Hortop

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Small churches form such a large part of the Christian church, and of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in particular, that it was felt desirable that the viability of the small church should be examined. An examination is made of current theological thought relevant to the small church. This was followed by a study both of family-style motifs and family-style practice by the church in the New Testament. Sociopsychological factors which effect and also explain the operation and "personality" of the small church are noted from relevant recent literature and studies.

Some church-growth and organizational projects involving small churches are included …

Toward The Development Of A Theological Critique Of Church-Growth Principles From A Seventh-Day Adventist Perspective, Terence G. Joshua

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church perceives itself as having a unique eschatological mission. Numerical growth is an important part of the objective of the SDA Church. To attain this aim, the principles of the church-growth paradigm developed primarily at the "School of World Mission and Institute of Church Growth" at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California, has begun to be incorporated into the North American SDA mind-set.

There is minimal documented theological reflection upon church growth done from an SDA perspective. The analysis of the distinctive issues involved yields some concepts that are theologically consistent and some that are inconsistent with …

A Strategy For The Presentation Of The Principles Of Christian Stewardship To The Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In South America, Roberto R. Roncarolo

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the SDA Church in South America there are deficiencies in three clearly defined aspects of the educative phase of stewardship campaigns: (1) in the unilateral presentation of the doctrine of stewardship, (2) in the methods and procedures used in that presentation, and (3) in the persons that receive the benefits of said presentation. In this project, the problem of how to improve the efficiency of stewardship education is discussed.

Method

The purpose of this research is to develop and evaluate a series of Christian stewardship meetings that differs from the series now in use in South America in …

An Analysis And Evaluation Of The Program Of Pastoral Field Education In The Inca Union Seventh-Day Adventist College Against Selected Criteria On Ministerial Functions, Julio Diomedes Huayllara

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the territory of the Inca Union, served by Inca Union College, the Seventh-day Adventist church is experiencing accelerated growth. Since there is a shortage of pastors, it is usually expected of the graduates that they assume the pastorate of a church without the necessary time for an internship year. For this reason the theological education program of Inca Union College was readjusted in 1973 to provide more practical and experiential training to theology students. This study is an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of the pastoral field-education program as it has been conducted from 1974 to 1977.

Method …

Designing And Developing An Intentional Corporate Ministry In The Milwaukee Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Halvard B. Thomsen

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Milwaukee Central Seventh-day Adventist Church is a congregation of approximately 350 members. The purpose of this project was to assist the church members to design and develop their own corporate ministry. Based on a word study of "ministry" in the New Testament, ministry is recognized to be the function of every Christian, and is not limited to ordained and employed professionals. The project examines the relationship of the Minister to the members of the congregation as ministers, and summarizes his job as four-fold: 1. Enabling 2. Coordinating 3. Preaching 4. Envisioning

The church board appointed a steering committee which …

A Study And Analysis Of The Bible Lands Travelogue-Archaeological Approach In Public Evangelism, Victor A. Schulz

Doctor of Ministry Projects

To investigate the method of a selected number of evangelists who are using the Bible lands travelogue-archaeological approach, to ascertain what they consider as the most significant and seemingly effective characteristics of their methods was the purpose of this project. Then, incorporating these findings, to develop an approach that may help the author and other evangelists to use this method effectively in public evangelism, has been the problem under investigation in this study.

The project was organized into three main parts. The first searches for a justification for a Bible lands travelogue approach. The second analyzes the method as it …

Koinonia In The New Testament With An Investigation Of The State Of Koinonia In Seven Korean Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In United States, Hyun Chul Shin

Doctor of Ministry Projects

It is the purpose of this study (1) better to understand the New Testament concept of koinonia: the Biblical and theological meanings, as well as the experience of koinonia in the life of the saints in the New Testament community; (2) to contribute to the understanding of the meaning of Biblical fellowship, communication, participation, sharing, contributions, and common life as the meanings of Biblical koinonia; (3) to discover the life style of true Christian community as it relates to divine fellowship, liturgy, and sharing on the human level within the church, the body of Christ; and (A) to point out …

The Contextualization Of An Understanding Of Biblical Preaching Into The Jamaican Situation, Vassel George Kerr

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Preaching has always been an important function of the Christian church. It is the generating source of the Christian faith, and Paul struck the mark when he declared, "Faith comes by hearing" (Rom 10:17). Martin Luther burnished that mark, making it a hallmark of the Reformation: "Faith is an acoustical affair." The contemporary preacher cannot lose sight of the centrality of the Protestant pulpit. The biblical Keryxon ton logon (preach the word), is a mandate, a command, not a temporary injunction or a recommendation. Not only should the preacher proclaim the Good News, he or she1 is to make it …

Seminars For Professional Improvement: A Pilot Project In Continuing Education For Ministers, Ernest Johnson Stevenson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

For most of the ministers who are employed by the Seventh- day Adventist Church in the Republic of South Africa, there is little opportunity for continued education beyond the B.Th. level. Each year the limited resources of the bursary committee allow perhaps one minister the privilege of further study in the Theological Seminary at Andrews University. There is furthermore no existing system of in-service training apart from an extension school offered once every four years by the above-mentioned Seminary.

Methods

The methods used followed the classical developmental stages as follows: The support and acceptance of the Church Administration and …

Suggestive Guidelines For The Ministerial Internship Training Program In The West Indonesia Union Mission Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Boaz J. Dompas

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The ministerial internship program is an important part of ministerial education in the West Indonesia Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists. The absence of official guidelines for the ministerial internship training program in this area has resulted in the uncertainty of some, if not many, of the supervisors and the supervisees regarding their proper roles in the internship program.

Method

For the development of guidelines for ministerial internship training, data and information from the following areas have been studied: (1) The undergirding philosophy and the theological principles of supervision based upon the Bible and the relevant literature on field education; …

Baptism As Ordination Into The Gospel Ministry: With Practical Guidelines For The Strengthening Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Ministry In West Africa, Japheth Larwerh Agboka

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The study of baptism especially as it relates to the Cross gave the basis for the believer's new life in Christ. This new life having been incorporated into the Body of Christ, makes the Body a living organism. When the Body of Christ lives, it lives beyond its bounds in the spirit of its covenant relationship. God's Holy Spirit gives gifts to each member which are to be used for the ministries of the Church. Giving of these gifts does not depend upon academic training, how rich a person is, how old or young, whether male or female, but rather …

Health Evangelism: A Rationale And Practical Application To The West Indonesia Union Mission Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Jonathan Kuntaraf

Doctor of Ministry Projects

This Doctor of. Ministry Project report falls in a category described in the Seminar Bulletin as "Project II" in fulfillment of requirements for an alternate curriculum plan under which the candidate prepares two related papers--a theological position paper addressing some issue or problem in the church theologically, and a professional paper addressing this issue or problem from the standpoint of ministerial practice.

(No Abstract)

Practical Guidelines For Supervisors And Interns Within A Biblical Perspective Of Ministry, Mendel Reid

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The purpose of this project is to develop a program to guide ministers in the task of supervision and training of Seventh-day Adventist ministerial interns in the West Indies Union of Seventh-day Adventists. The project will deal with issues relating to the "apprenticeship" model rather than the "supervisory" model. While the latter does in some instances justify priority over the former, the present lack of resources and personnel and the average number of churches comprising a pastoral circuit could not make this program workable at this point in time; nor could it meet the most urgent needs of the territory.

The Introduction Of Management By Objectives Into The Buchanan, Michigan, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Oliver Lawrence Johnston Sr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The most urgent concern of the twentieth-century church is building an effective working team composed of pastor and laymen (or lay people) that will be responsive to the commission of carrying the gospel to the world. Methods must be discovered so that intentional pastors can help bring intentional congregations into being. In the context of management by objectives, self-assessment and goal setting may be the means by which intentional congregations are created. If this is true, the pastor needs to know how to apply the concept of management by objectives to his ministry.

To develop guidelines for the introduction of …

A Conceptual Model Of Seventh-Day Adventist Organization For The Local Church, Trevor J. Delafield

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In order for the Seventh-day Adventist church to accomplish fully its mission, the local church must be organized effectively to produce the results required by its mission. For this purpose, a conceptual model may be helpful. Until the present, no such model had been developed. The constant appearance of new techniques and processes in management call for development of instruments for evaluation by the church, and have at the same time raised the discipline to new heights of respectability. The question of the theology of the church is under study as never before. At least one Seventh-day Adventist theologian …

An Exploration Of The Needs Of, And Possibilities Of Ministry To, Geographically Isolated Seventh-Day Adventists, Thomas Hunter Ludowici

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There are some Seventh-day Adventist Church members who, because of mileage distance or other geographic reason, are unable to attend a local church regularly, and whose membership is listed on the conference church roll. If the church is to minister to all its members, this segment cannot be ignored. The geographically isolated members have received very little pastoral nurture, and they have experienced only limited fellowship. As a result, generally they have maintained a weakened connection with the church at large. Because the seventh- day Sabbath is a central aspect of belief and worship practice, it is meaningful for …

A Training Program For Leadership In Group Processes Designed To Help Establish New Members In The West Indies Sda Churches, John C. Palmer

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

To develop a program specifically aimed at integrating new converts into the church family in the churches of the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Method

The method employed in the prosecution of this project consisted of the following activities: (1) Review and evaluation of the relevant theological and instructional literature. (2) Organizing and structuring the relevant material in a training course design for ministers of the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. (3) Conducting, first a pilot scheme in group leadership on the campus of Andrews University, and then conducting this training course on the campus …

A Study Of Evangelism Of West Indian Immigrants In Five Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In Toronto, Canada, Aaron R. Hitlall

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

It is estimated that of the almost 20,000 West Indian immigrants who settled in the province of Ontario, Canada, from 1966 to 1975, fifty percent now reside in the city of Toronto. Of the total West Indian immigrants baptized in Toronto during the stated period, about 2,000 of them have become members of five local Seventh-day Adventist churches. An evaluation of Seventh-day Adventist evangelism during the ten-year period is necessary to determine the relative effectiveness of evangelistic programs West Indians perceived to have introduced them to Seventh-day Adventist doctrines, and influenced them most, to become members of the selected …

A Study Of The Concepts Of Worship Held By Korean Seventh-Day Adventist Youth Undergoing Cultural Shift In The United States, Kwang Rim Chough

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop a theology of corporate worship and to study the concepts of worship held by the youth of a specific ethnic group who are moving away from their native cultural background, and will inevitably be exposed to the new culture. The researcher of this project intends to apply these theological concepts of worship to a specifically situated group of youth, namely representatives of the second generation of the Korean Seventh-day Adventist churches in the United States.

This research and.investigation was carried out in a selected number of Korean Seventh-day Adventist churches in the …

A Strategy For Seventh-Day Adventist Public Evangelism Within A Roman Catholic Society Context In Hispanic America, Salim Japas

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The so-called "New School of Integral Evangelism" which has been operating in many countries of Hispanic America for the last few years has been demonstrated as quite successful in its evangelistic approach to Roman Catholic Hispanic Americans. To discover the nature of this approach has been the problem under investigation in this project.

Method This research is a description of the nature, strategies, and techniques that this particular method uses. This was done mainly by analyzing the San Pedro Sula, Honduras, campaign, which was the first Andrews University School of Evangelism conducted by the author in the summer of …

An Evaluation Of Selected Seventh-Day Adventist Sermons In Mexico Against Certain Criteria For Biblical Preaching, Samuel Donaldo Schmidt

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem.

Some of the Seventh-day Adventist sermons preached in Mexico appear to offer limited biblical content. It has been observed that overtaxed ministers often present material that does not correspond to some of the members' expectations. Since the word of God is central in the praise and adoration of God and constitutes the message to be proclaimed, it is important for preachers to understand better ways to preach the Good News.

Method

The purpose of this project was to explore current Seventh- day Adventist preaching in Mexico with respect-to sermon content. The theology of God's proclamation places great responsibility upon …

Preaching With Audio-Visuals, Ervin K. Thomsen

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The increasing usage of audio-visuals in modern communication has brought about an increase in communication efficiency, an efficiency that is sometimes lacking in sermons. Audio-visuals can be viewed by the Christian church as either legitimate or illegitimate means of communication in preaching. If the church accepts these media as genuine and valid vehicles of communication of its message, it must then discover ways of employing audio-visuals effectively and responsibly in preaching.

Methods

For the development of guidelines for the utilization of audio-visuals in preaching, data and information from the following areas have been studied and surveyed: (1) Scriptural data …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Program For Bible Evangelism To Be Used By Laymen Employing Small-Group Methods As A Basic Format, Johnny Durant Johnson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Theologically in the Old and New Testaments the laity or "God's own people" are commissioned with the responsibility of communicating the gospel to the world in word and life. However, the contemporary Christian church finds itself under growing criticism for its failure to fulfill this commission. Although the gospel of Jesus Christ offers solutions to man's inmost needs an increasing number of congregations seem unable to meaningfully promulgate their message. This study contends that a chief weakness is the lack of genuine Christian life and fellowship within the churches.

What approach or means can be taken to encourage and stimulate …

Home, The School Of Love: A Seminar In Family Spiritual Enrichment, Robert Howard Cowan

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The families of the Seventh-day Adventist Church must develop deepening love relationships with God, with each other, and with people outside their own homes if they are to fulfill the will of Christ. Three factors may be hindering the development of love on these three levels : (1) a lack of understanding about what love really is, (2) a lack of understanding of how love develops in human and divine/human interrelationships, and (3) a lack of understanding that the home is the central focal point where this love is to be developed.

Methods

The methods used involved three phases: …

An Analysis Of The Role And Functions Expected Of A Seventh-Day Adventist Pastor: As A Basis For Negotiating An Intentional Ministry, Victor Ralph Brown

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Since its organization in 1863, the Seventh-day Adventist denomination has grown from a small group to a significant religious movement in the world today. Originally all ministers in the church were evangelists. There were to be no "settled" pastors of local congregations. Local churches relied upon local talent selected from their own ranks for pastoral leadership. The change created by increased numbers and the demands of the laity has meant the role of the ordained minister in the local Seventh-day Adventist church has been considerably altered from its original concept. This has caused many to be confused as to just …

The Seventh-Day Adventist Family In Japan, Warren Ivan Hilliard

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There are indications that failure on the part of Christian workers in Japan to develop a family-centered strategy of evangelism based on a balanced appreciation of the cultural integrity of that country has contributed to the slow growth of Christianity. The Seventh-day Adventist Church, while stressing the importance of the family, has largely failed to understand the Japanese family and to realize its potential for evangelism.

Method

The project was organized in two parts. As the Seventh-day Adventist family in Japan was seen to be first of all Japanese, a review of the literature concerning the characteristics and development …

An Evaluation Of Selected Seventh-Day Adventist Sermons In Taiwan In The Light Of Criteria For Biblical Teaching, John Chun-Ming Lu

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Task

The project's, first task is to gain a view of the nature and purpose of preaching with special emphasis on the relationship of the Bible to preaching. Then it proceeds to survey- Seventh^-day Adventist preaching in Taiwan with respect to its strengths and weaknesses. And, finally, it makes an attempt to design materials for the teaching of preaching in Taiwan, keeping in mind the expressed needs and special situations confronted there.

Method and Organization of the Study

Chapter I is a theoretical study of a view of the nature and purpose of preaching based on an examination of the …

A Study Of Role Conflict In The Experience Of The Pastor-Bible Teacher In Seventh-Day Adventist Boarding Academies, Derrell K. Smith

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The pastor-Bible teacher in the Seventh-day Adventist boarding academy may be confronted with many role conflicts. His dual role as pastor and teacher multiplies the possibilities for conflict. What are some of the conflicts that may affect the pastor- Bible teacher's acceptance, or loss of acceptance, by the students as a shepherd-counselor? Are the conflicts such that the pastor- Bible teacher needs to experience anxiety concerning his dual role?

Methods

To better understand the problem and discover possible solutions to it, the following steps were taken: 1. A study was made of the nature of role conflict as generally …