Professional Dissertations DMin

Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Doctor of Ministry DMin

First Advisor

Pamela Consuegra

Abstract

Problem

The New Eden French Seventh-day Adventist Church in Neptune, New Jersey, has been facing the challenge of any church situated in the metropolitan area. One of most significant responsibilities for any parent is to raise their children according to God's will. New Eden French Church has a large number of children (birth to age eighteen) growing up in the church. Pastoral observation suggests a lack of understanding on the part of parents regarding fulfilling their biblical role as disciple-makers of their children. I noticed a lack parental cleverness and resources indispensable to address their issues. This lack of success hindered their aptitude for establishing healthful and solid parent/child relationships. --

Method

I implemented an eight-week enrichment program designed for the New Eden French Seventh-day Adventist Church to introduce parents to disciple-makers’ resources, skills, and strategies to help them improve their relationships with their children. To guide the process, I preached a sermon series on family during three consecutive sabbaths and five weeks of seminars to assist parents in becoming disciple-makers for their children. I subsequently used a post questionnaire for project evaluation. Twenty-five parents participated. Among those 25 participants were 14 women and 11 men. Most of the couples had young children growing up in the church. The participants were married couples, divorcees, single parents, separates, and grandparents.

Results

The study revealed post-survey, that every parent who participated in the study enjoyed a higher level of satisfaction overall with their parenting style. They also made positive improvements. As disciple-makers, the parents realized they are an example and model for their children, to teach and train them with love and respect. The parents felt better about fulfilling their role as disciple-makers of their children and better understood their God-given responsibility as co-creators and co-parents with God. It was also apparent they fully understood how this should impact their parenting style and foster a closer relationship with their children.

Conclusion

Those who participated in the research group testified that the enrichment program had an immediate positive impact on their God-given responsibility as disciple-makers for their children. They all requested that the program be repeated and hoped that more parents would be part of it. It is recommended that this parenting education program be continued at New Eden French Seventh-day Adventist in Neptune, New Jersey, with more participants from all categories of parents (single, married, divorced, or separated, and grandparents) invited.

Subject Area

Discipling (Christianity); Church work with children--Seventh-day Adventists; Children--Religious aspects--Seventh-day Adventists; Parenting--Religious aspects--Seventh-day Adventists; New Eden French Seventh-day Adventist Church (Neptune, N.J.)

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dmin/766/

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