Professional Dissertations DMin

Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Project Report

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Doctor of Ministry DMin

First Advisor

Bruce L. Bauer

Second Advisor

Rudi Maier

Abstract

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 were not fully aware of the function and role of the body of Christ and were not well-mobilized. A Natural Church Development survey indicated that the church had several weaknesses (minimum factors) that needed attention if the church was going to be healthy and able to effectively minister to its members and its community.

Method

Core Value questionnaires, Margin Surveys, Reasons for attending North Wembley Seventh-day Adventist Community Church, and a Natural Church Development survey were administered to the North Wembley Seventh-day Adventist Community Church with the goal of developing a holistic Seventh-day Adventist Church in North Wembley.

Results

A strategy was developed to improve the health of the North Wembley Seventh-day Adventist Community Church. The strategy will be implemented and assessed partly through this Doctor of Ministry project. The strategy utilized a logical matrix framework and activity schedule.

The goal is to (1) build relationships with other members, verifiable by the number of members joining a small group, attending the ‘Learning to Love’ seminars, and participating in the church’s social activities; (2) strengthen relationships with Christ, verifiable by an increase in members attending the midweek prayer meetings; (3) involve church members in mission, verifiable by the number of people taking Bible studies and the amount of religious literature ordered annually; (4) member involvement in ministry, verifiable by the number of members holding church offices; (5) develop mission and vision statements; and (6) cure sociological strangulation, verifiable by the number of empty seats available during the main worship services

Conclusion

If the North Wembley Seventh-day Adventist Community Church administers the strategic plans of this project, the church health will improve and it will be able to minister effectively to its members and its community, and will be fulfilling the commission of Matt 28:19, 20.

Subject Area

Church management--Planning; Strategic planning; Seventh-day Adventists--England; North Wembley Seventh-day Adventist Church (London, England)

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dmin/699

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