Professional Dissertations DMin

A Biblical Model Testing Visions And Dreams In Christian Ministry In The Bahamas

Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Project Report

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Doctor of Ministry DMin

First Advisor

Bruce L. Bauer

Second Advisor

Martin F. Hanna

Third Advisor

Bruce Moyer

Abstract

Problem

A survey conducted in Nassau, Bahamas, between December 2004 and January 2005, showed that of those surveyed, 80 percent believed in visions and dreams. This supports the idea that culturally, the majority of Bahamians accept most visions and dreams as divine in nature. However, many pastors show fear and doubt toward church members who are having such experiences which are viewed as wholly psychosomatic.

Method

The task of this dissertation is to develop and implement a biblical model for testing present-day visions and dreams. The model will be based on Bible principles and will be evaluated to determine its value among pastors and church members in Christian ministry in the Bahamas primarily, and in other fields of the Christian church.

Results

The results of the field-study indicated that in three different surveys conducted the biblical model was evaluated as: (1) ‘very helpful’ by 86% of the conference workers including, administrators and pastors; (2) ‘helpful’ by 93% of persons from mixed cultures, that is, North America, Africa, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico; and (3) ‘very helpful’ by 40% and ‘helpful’ by 28% of persons who responded in a random survey. Pastors are open to seminars and the use of the model within their churches.

Conclusions

Among the seven church groups surveyed it was unanimous that present-day visions and dreams are to be tested according to the Bible (Deut 13:1-5; 18:15-22; Jer 28:9, 32; Matt 7:15-22; and 1 John 4:1-3) in order to ascertain the true from the false. Testing visionary manifestations will affirm that God continues to speak to humans today by these means of communication in fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32.

Subject Area

Visions; Dreams; Church work--Bahamas

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dmin/387/

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