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

Jorge Mayer

Second Advisor

Ricardo Norton

Third Advisor

David Penno

Abstract

Problem

Instructing parents about the education of children is a task that requires time, willingness, and commitment. Nonetheless, the literature suggests that educating parents on this subject tends to produce favorable outcomes in children (Finders et al. 2016; Nelson 2015; Barth and Liggeth 2014). The Bible also highlights the vital role parents play in educating their children (Deut 6:7; Eph 6:4). However, according to the records of the Indy Second Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church Board in Indianapolis, Indiana, no seminar regarding the education of children has been held in this congregation for the past seven years. In addition to the potential benefits for this local church and these parents in the knowledge and skill development of how to educate their children, lessons learned in the process of developing a project such as this one could also benefit other congregations facing similar realities.

Methodology

This study belongs to the area of applied theology, and its purpose is the implementation and evaluation of a seminar on parenting at the Indy Second Hispanic Seventh-Day Adventist Church. In order to fulfill the purpose, I undertook a study of concepts related to parenting in the Old and New Testaments, in the writings of Ellen White, as well as in contemporary literature. An analysis of the local church completed the framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of a seminar on parenting at that local congregation. Covert and overt internal observation (Stokes & Wall 2014, 151) and participant surveys (Saris 2014), among other assessment tools, helped evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative.

Results

The main tangible outcome of this project was the implementation of a seminar on the education of children at the Indy Second Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Internal observation of interactions and statements from participants and other church members indicate that the congregation, in general, and the participants, in particular, received the seminar with a positive and appreciative attitude. The surveys also revealed positive results regarding the acquisition and application of knowledge. When the parents were asked, for example, if they felt confident in their abilities as parents to raise their children, 6.7% of participants responded before the intervention that they “agreed” or “strongly agreed,” and that percentage increased to 95.5% after the intervention. When asked if they felt confident in their ability to discipline their children, that percentage went from 2.2% before the event to 95.6% after the event. When asked if they felt confident in their ability to develop spiritual skills in their children, that percentage climbed from 8.9% before the seminar to 100% after the seminar. In addition, 86.7% of the participants gave the seminar overall the highest rating available, and 75.6% gave the practicality of its content the highest rating.

Conclusion

The results of this project indicate that the implementation of a seminar on the education of children at the Indy Second Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church had a positive impact, improving participants’ knowledge in educating their children, in adequately administering discipline to them, and in developing their children’s spirituality. By inference, the results also indicate that such an initiative could be very beneficial for other congregations in similar situations.

Subject Area

Education--Parent participation; Parent and child--Religious aspects--Seventh-day Adventists; Seventh-day Adventist children--Indiana--Indianapolis; Indianapolis Second Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church (Indianapolis, Ind.)

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