Practical Theology Commons^™

Equipping The Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In Zimbabwe For Grief Ministry: A Culturally Sensitive Approach, Simbarashe Nyasha Musvosvi

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Problem

Zimbabwe faces a predicament in which the mortality rate is rising while support for grieving people is declining. At the same time the Zimbabwean culture is rapidly changing because o f the impact of Christianity, urbanization, Western influences, and HIV/AIDS. Church leaders are not always in agreement on what rites are appropriate for Christians. These factors often result in inadequate support from the extended family, the community, and the church.

Method

This dissertation discusses the challenges that confront the Seventh-day Adventist church in Zimbabwe in ministering to the bereaved. My purpose was to design a training program for …

Planting Adventist Communities Of Faith Among Muslims In Unentered Areas Of The Balkans, Milan Bajic

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The purpose of this research was to develop and equip the church for the implementation of a workable strategy for reaching a large population of about eight million secular Muslims in the Balkans who have never been systematically confronted with the gospel.

Method

This study describes the history, culture, and religion of the Balkans, analyzes socioeconomic and political developments of its Muslim population, examines methods of evangelism and suggests a strategy based on sound biblical and missiological principles for work among the Balkan Muslims.

Results

The outcome of this project will be the development of a contextualized method for …

Manos A La Obra: Un Seminario Para Fomentar El Trabajo En Equipo En La Iglesia Adventista Maranatha De Grand Rapids, Michigan, Basado En El Modelo De Liderazgo De Nehemías, Antonio M. Rosario

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to promote the use of work teams in the Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. A team is defined as a group of individuals who keep a reciprocal relationship and coordinate their tasks regularly in order to achieve a common goal. Unilateral decision-making and unidirectional communication are incompatible with the basic nature of the church.

This project develops a training program for team leaders at the local church, based on the leadership principles derived from the life and ministry of Nehemiah. In the study of the literature, Nehemiah stands out as a model …

Building A Place Of Worship: The Journey Of The Downsview Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Toronto, Kenneth Roy Campbell

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Purpose

The purpose of this dissertation is to outline the process of constructing a new place of worship for the Downsview Seventh-day Adventist Church in Toronto, Canada. It can also serve to help other church congregations design and build appropriate places of worship.

Problem

The Downsview Church had been renting worship space for more than sixteen years. The use of rented space made fulfilling the mission of the church difficult for a variety of reasons. A new physical place of worship for the church was essential.

Method

In this dissertation, I examine biblical and theological principles for building places of …

A Pilot Grief Ministry Program To Equip Grief Ministry Facilitators In The Local Adventist Churches, Joyce Marie Hatchett

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There is a need for a visible and effective Seventh-day Adventist Grief Ministry Training Program that is theologically sound and culturally sensitive that will serve the bereavement needs of both the local Seventh-day Adventist congregation(s) and others in the community.

Method

For this study, I used formative evaluation, sometimes referred to as pilot testing. Formative Evaluation has two goals: (1) To gain understanding through observation and soliciting responses of participants concerning how the curriculum and instructional processes might be improved; and (2) to develop strategies for improving the curriculum and instructional process. This pilot training program was held September …

A Strategy For Revitalization And Growth Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Iceland, Jorgen Eric Gudmundsson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Topic

This dissertation analyzes the growth pattern of the Adventist church in Iceland from its inception about a hundred years ago to the present and presents an objective portrayal of the future possibilities of church growth on the island and develops a practical strategy of revitalization of the church.

The Purpose

The proposed strategy presented in this project aims at increasing the quality of life of the Icelandic Adventist churches, raising their self-identity and sense of mission, and strengthening their ability to reach the community and to grow.

The Sources

A Biblical theological rationale for this program is set …

A Strategy For The Motivation Of The Uninvolved Church Member: A Pilot Project In The Gloucester Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Michael G. Hamilton

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the average Seventh-day Adventist church in the South England Conference the pastor is often not equipped with the time and the resources to conduct an adequate training and education program for the uninvolved member. Spiritual Gifts seminars, outreach, and witnessing seminars are often conducted away from the local church and are largely supported only by those who are already deeply committed, but the shy, introverted, and uninformed member is increasingly uninvolved in the work of soul winning and the local ministries, and is not involved in the training activities of the church.

Method

A church involvement survey was …

A Strategy For Developing Holistic Churches In London: A Case Study Of North Wembley Seventh-Day Adventist Community Church, Steve A. Thomas

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The lack of space for growing membership and to house ministries had allowed the members and officers to live with no clear picture of what they were supposed to be doing and where they were going as a church. The concept of developing a strategic plan and planning for progress was almost foreign to many. Because of these learned habits it was increasingly difficult to gain support for an increase in planned activities. Scheduled programs and activities were not supported. The laity was lacking in motivation for gospel work and had not been adequately trained for mission work. Members …

Developing A Strategy For Growth In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Finland Using The Natural Church Development Approach Based On A Case Study In The Turku Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Aimo Helminen

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The growth of the Adventist Church in Finland stagnated in the mid 1980s and after that the membership of the church began to slowly decrease. There is a need to look at the past growth patterns of the church in Finland to discover the reasons for the present decline in membership and develop and implement a strategy for church growth.

Method

Current literature was reviewed, including books and articles on the principles and strategies of church growth. These were studied in the context of the Turku Church in order to determine if the principles in the Natural Church Development …

A Contextual Analysis Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Norway, With Suggestions For Renewal And Growth, Kjell Aune

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Since 1979, when the membership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Norway peaked, the membership has declined. There are underlying, complex reasons. This project seeks the underlying causes for the decline, and suggests possible solutions.

Method

The study begins by establishing a theological basis for ministry. Norwegian society is then analyzed demographically followed by an analysis of the Adventist Church in Norway, that includes a historical and organizational analysis, a review of the database material for the Adventist Church in Norway, and by four questionnaires designed for (1) Active members, (2) Pastors, (3) Former members, and (4) Young non-Adventists …

A Model For Reaching African American Males In Southeast Atlanta With Seventh-Day Adventism, Ralph P. Peay

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Churches in America are on average 60-70 percent female. Attracting and integrating African American males into church life is a grave challenge. This study focuses on African American males in Southeast Atlanta and seeks to design a model for addressing their sociological and spiritual needs in anticipation of their accession into church membership.

Method

The setting for this study is the Atlanta Boulevard Seventh-day Adventist Church in Southeast Atlanta. The method employed in this project is an exploratory research approach that is designed to identify the social, economic, and other needs of African American males. In order to ascertain …

Presenting The Gospel Message In Thailand, Khamsay Phetchareun

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There are over 62,000,000 Buddhists in Thailand. Current Christian approaches to presenting the gospel message to Buddhist people in Thailand have not yielded satisfactory results. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has had negative growth during the past ten years. In addition to approaches currently utilized by Christians there is a need to develop more effective approaches to present the gospel in Thailand.

Method

Buddhist students at Mission College were chosen as a case study. A survey of Buddhist attitudes and a cultural analysis of Thailand form the basis for this strategy. Library research, questionnaires, interviews, and observations were all used …

Programa De Crescimento Da Igreja Para O Território Da União Sul-Brasileira, Jose Santos Filho

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Brazil Union territory (SBU) has become known for its quantitative growth. However, as one analyzes the population size of that region, the conclusion is that much more still needs to be done. Studies made by Christian Schwarz in several countries indicate that the number and quality of members may increase provided that certain biblical principles of church growth are implemented.

Method

The research was done through extensive analysis of previous studies regarding church growth. Biblical perspectives, as well as existent literature on the development of churches, lay ministry, pastoral leadership, training, and …

The Development And Implementation Of A Grief Support Program At Florida Hospital, Michael R. Lombardo

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

With little or no formal grief support provided at Florida Hospital, an intentional bereavement facilitation program was needed. Many of the problems individuals face can be traced back to unresolved loss. The grief support program at Florida Hospital provides numerous avenues for the grief process to take place. This study describes the development and implementation of a comprehensive grief support program at Florida Hospital designed to enhance the bereavement process for those in grief and to provide assistance to care-givers involved in bereavement facilitation.

Method

There were various methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of this program. All 219 …

Towards Heterogeneous Faith Communities: Understanding Transitional Processes In Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In South Africa, Alan Parker, Ph.D.

Faculty Works

This dissertation examines racial transition toward heterogeneity in three Seventh-day Adventist congregations in South Africa. This dissertation aims to uncover social factors involved in this change as well as to set forth a theological direction with application to the local faith community.

The first section examines recent studies and literature on multiracial congregations, indicating a possible breakdown between theory and practice. Using insights from Kuhn, Gadamer, Habermas, and Geertz, a critical correlational approach is proposed using narrative, community-based praxis, dialectical thinking, and eschatological vision. The theological methods of Groome and Browning are combined to suggest a four-phase approach to practical …

Promoting Financial And Spiritual Growth In The Seventh-Day Adventist Churches In The South Ghana Conference Through Stewardship Workshops, Alfred K. Adonu

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The task of this dissertation was to discover the reasons for the poor financial strength and to develop stewardship workshops to promote spiritual growth and sound financial performance in the churches of the South Ghana Conference. Since its organization in 1988, the South Ghana Conference has not experienced consistent growth in giving. By year-end 2001 it had a baptized membership of 41,747 with 101 organized churches and 235 companies. During the same period, the annual tithe was US$479,674 with a tithe per capita of US$12.18. However, there is wide spread suspicion that many return a partial tithe. In spite …

Programa De Discipulado Para La Iglesia Adventista Del Séptimo Día De Rio Grande, Albuquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Joel Soto

Doctor of Ministry Projects

A discipleship program is the key to maintaining a healthy church in constant growth. It also provides the opportunity to consolidate the believers in church philosophy, exercising faith through practice of spiritual life. The purpose of this dissertation was to elaborate a program that would retain new believers in the church, leading them to action in their spiritual life, and in the practice of lay activities.

The investigation revealed the causes for lack of participation in spiritual activities, in the practice and discovery of spiritual gifts, and intervention in missionary work. This program is expected to better-equip members so they …

Diseño De Una Estrategia Para El Evangelismo En Delmas, Puerto Princípe, Haití, Robert Jean-Marie Charles

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

At present more than half of the world's population lives in cities. These cities present the greatest challenge to world evangelization. The evangelization of Delmas is a great' responsibility for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The purpose of this dissertation was to design a strategy for urban evangelism in Delmas.

Methodology

The topic of urban evangelism was researched in the Bible, the writings of Ellen G. White, and other contemporary- authors. A survey of pastors and lay people in Port-au-Prince was done, together with in-depth interviews with key church pastors.

Results

Jesus greatly emphasized urban evangelism. Early …

Toward A Paradigm Of Servant Leadership For Seventh-Day Adventist Ministers In Korea, Youngsoo Chung

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Korean society retains a strong Confucian tradition, manifested by a strong devotion to family and an emphasis on hierarchy and vertical relationships. The Buddhist and Shamanist traditions provide a model of authoritarian leadership. These traditions have been modified to adapt to modem leadership concerns, but the hierarchal practice of power and authority-based leadership still prevails. The challenge facing Christianity is the prevalence of this existing leadership style. It is a barrier to the acceptance of the biblical model of servant-leadership. Effective leadership that is both biblically sound and culturally suitable is needed for the Seventh-day Adventist church in Korea. …

A Twenty-First-Century Approach To Empowering The Youth Of The Brooklyn Temple Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Newton Upanton Cleghorne

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In several churches in the Northeastern Conference and, in particular, the Brooklyn Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church, the adult membership has dominated the positions of leadership. Most of the potential youth leaders have painfully become spectators rather than players and leaders in the church. The goal of this dissertation, therefore, is to develop and implement a program to empower these youth through training, mentoring, positioning, and liberation.

The Method

Any theology that does not have a biblical foundation is suspect and, therefore, humanistic. A theology of youth ministry was developed within a biblical context. The intent of the study was …

Un Programa De Instrucción Y Capacitación Para Misioneros Voluntarios De La Unión Mexicana Del Norte, Jose M. Espinosa

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The term “lay person” is usually applied to church members to distinguish them from the “clergy.” The New Testament uses the tenn laos, from which “lay” is derived, to refer to all of God’s people and not only to those who are not clergy. Therefore, lay people are the church and not only a part of the church. The function that the New Testament assigns to the laos or people of God is to preach the gospel in order to make disciples, as Christ commanded. According to the New Testament, “disciple” is one who preaches and practices the teachings of …

Un Estudio Sobre La Vida Espiritual De Los Jóvenes Adventistas En Tabasco, México, Ervin A. Gonzalez Esteban

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Bible gives great attention to youth. Important Bible characters acted under divine direction, leaving teachings regarding leadership and obedience. The biblical terms most used in reference to young people are na 'ar, a young man possessing strength and vigor, and neos, a person full of youth and inexperience. Paul advised Timothy: “Let no one despise thy youth” (1 Tim 4:12). John saw young people as being strong through the word of God and overcoming the wicked one (1 John 2:14). Research of young people shows that in today’s society, generations follow each other approximately every twenty years. Each one …

La Iglesia Adventista Frente A La Disidencia En Colombia, Jose Evelio Garcia

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Colombia at this time is facing dissidence from the group Koinonia. This research was carried out in order to produce material to help pastors, ministerial students, and laypeople to understand and face this dissident movement. The Bible and the writings of Ellen G. White provide the principles on which the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been established. These principles have been applied in order to face the problem caused by the group Koinonia in Colombia.

In order to understand what Koinonia teaches and how it operates, a number of interviews were conducted with former Koinonia supporters, …

Estrategia Para Plantar Una Iglesia En Puebla, México, Moises Reyna Sanchez

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Church planting is one of the basic tasks to which God has called his disciples. The gospel commission of Matt 28:19, 20 implicitly calls for church planting. This dissertation presents biblical and theological foundations for church planting. In addition, it explores the writings of current authors, looking for appropriate church planting strategies. Success in church planting is achieved by applying certain strategies. These include having a clear vision of what God expects, completing a demographic study of the chosen location, pinpointing the place where the new congregation will begin, form the founding group and training them, having the first meetings, …

A Strategy For Evangelism Among The Bengali Folk Hindus Of Calcutta, Eric Kujur

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The purpose of this study was to develop a strategy to reach the unreached Bengali Folk Hindus of Calcutta. First, general information on the target group was presented. This included information on their lifestyle and traditional religious beliefs and practices. This is a large group of people who do not belong to the castes and do not enjoy the benefits of financial, educational, and political status. A brief review of what Roman Catholic and Protestant churches have done for the Folk Hindus of Calcutta, with their medical, educational, spiritual, and social services, helped us to understand the strengths and weaknesses …

Un Programa De Retención De Miembros En La Iglesia Adventista De Pueblo Nuevo, Solistahuacán, Chiapas, Moises Espinoza

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The goal of the Gospel Commission is to make disciples, not only to baptize them. Making a disciple out of a new convert requires the participation of the pastor and of mature church members. This results in the design and implementation of a program to retain members. The Bible emphasizes the retention of church members, using different Greek terms. The most common is mend. The Bible also presents examples of church leaders who affirmed the believers. Ellen G. White asks members and pastors to retain those who are new in the church. She suggests different methods. She speaks of the …

Strategies For Evangelizing The Upper-Class People In Ghana, Ampofo Benjamin Akyiano

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, which began its ministry in Ghana in 1888, is experiencing difficulty evangelizing upper-class people. The traditional method of soul-winning, public evangelism, has been successful to evangelize middle and lower social classes but not the wealthy and well-educated class. Currently, the church and the upper-class minority are far apart. The church must update its evangelistic methods to reach all classes to finish the gospel commission in Ghana.

Method

This study presents Ghana's upper-class, their social characteristics, lifestyles, world-views, population, and social and religious groups. Interviews and questionnaires were used to discover the factors that hinder the …

La Retención De Miembros En La Iglesia Adventista De La República Dominicana, Feliberto Paez Martinez

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Fulfilling the gospel commission brings as a result the incorporation of new members into the church. Yet a large number of them do not remain in the faith. The purpose of this dissertation was to discover the reasons why some members leave the church in the Dominican Republic, and to elaborate a plan to retain these members.

The Bible shows God's interest in establishing a close and permanent relationship with His children. The creation of man after God's image, the tree of life in the garden of Eden, the covenants made afterwards, the teaching of Jesus, and the emphasis the …

El Modelo Foto Eco-Narrativo: Elaboración, Implementación, Y Evaluación De Sermones Narrativos En La Iglesia Hispana Adventista Del Séptimo Día Vista, California, Haroldo Guizar-Whittemore

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The task of this project is narrative preaching in the context of the Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church, in Vista California. It is a present reality that different voices compete for its attention, and in such an environment God’s Word frequently goes unheard, and is not necessarily understood by the different generations of Hispanics in a given church. 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, narrative and narrative forms of preaching have particular power to assist individuals in …

The Rwandan Ethnic Crisis Of The 1990s: An Historical Analysis Of The Causes And A Strategy For Forgiveness And Reconciliation From A Seventh-Day Adventist Perspective, Hesron R. Byilingiro

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Statement of the Task

In 1994, the central Africa nation of Rwanda experienced a large-scale genocide in which thousands of people were killed. Many Christians including Adventists participated in these mass killings. It is the task of this study to investigate (1) the historical causes of the genocide, (2) why Seventh-day Adventist Christians participated in the genocide, and (3) propose strategies for forgiveness and reconciliation from an Adventist perspective.

Methodology

The study is an historical and analytical investigation of the country and people of Rwanda from precolonial to post-independence time. It draws on the personal experience and direct interviews of …