Professional Dissertations DMin

Date of Award

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Doctor of Ministry DMin

First Advisor

Anton Kapusi

Second Advisor

Robert M. Johnston

Third Advisor

KLeyton Feitosa

Abstract

Problem

Although the members of the Ventura County Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church (VC KSDA) expressed interest in evangelism, the congregation had not shown evidence of evangelism during the past three years (2017-2020). As the pastor, I suggested that the members lacked a clear, planned, and structured program for outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for small group health programs. This study was to challenge the church to find ways to respond to the growing influence that the church wanted to have on the community.

Method

The program was designed and implemented at the VC KSDA Church in the fall of 2021 and sought to develop a health program for the whole church. I proposed that the theoretical framework for the project be the Love of God Model rather than the Information Model. The case study research methodology was selected and involved surveys, interviews, and participant observation. I wanted a methodology that was useful in exploring the research questions through an interpretation of the insights and experiences of a small, limited group of participants. The data included the participants' questionnaires and learning reflections, my field notes and evaluations, and the interviews of the attendees and the focus group. The data were evaluated using a qualitative case study research methodology and were enriched with a brief quantitative focus on analysis of their learning and practices. This project sought to initiate a small group program in the VC KSDA community. The idea of starting small groups was presented as an outreach method of a health ministry. In the context of spiritual experience, personal health, and development, the small group health ministry was presented as a relevant topic as a follow-up to the effects the COVID 19 pandemic had caused within the local community (see Appendix A).

Results

At the end of the program, the attendees reported a greater awareness of the role and importance of health ministry in their changed lives. They also described an increased sense of personal health principles and divine activity in their health practice that resulted in a deeper discernment of God's healing power. I found that 18% of the members were growing after the health program. Two people have returned to church, two people were baptized, and seven people have joined a small-group Bible study for baptism; there was a general sharing of such healthful life resources as health foods and health-related magazines, and some people also attended regular small group meetings which focused on those matters. In addition, the participants felt that learning and sharing with other people about health led to close relationships between the church and the community, allowing the latter to be connected with the church. I reaffirm my belief that many of the participants will see the health message as their mission. Engaging in health programs also gave the participants an appreciation for the potential that health ministry outreach tools could have in the wider missionary outreach of the commuity.

Conclusions

Based on the program attendees’ learning reflections, this developing small group ministry experience and its structured engagement with health appeared to have practical spiritual and physical benefits with transformational outcomes accruing for some participants. The attendees reported that this program seemed to give the invitation of Jesus and encourage His followers to come to Him, and was seen, in fact, to be the preferred path of healthful living and discipleship. This led to addressing the references to how Jesus "made him [an unwell person] whole" (Luke 17:14). Therefore, further exploration of this program as a part of 21st century outreach was merited and recommended.

Subject Area

Small groups--Religious aspects--Seventh-day Adventists; Church group work; Ventura County Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church (Newbury Park, Calif.)

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