Professional Dissertations DMin
Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Ministry
College
Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary
Program
Doctor of Ministry DMin
First Advisor
Norman Miles
Second Advisor
Jeanette Bryson
Abstract
Problem
Seventh-day Adventist church members need to be equipped to respond faithfully to injustice in their communities, beginning with an understanding as to how to respond to systemic racism rooted in White Supremacy.
Method
This Doctor of Ministry project implemented an adapted form of Jamar Tisby’s ARC model—Awareness, Relationships, Commitment—contextualized for a Seventh-day Adventist theological and ecclesial setting. The immediate goal was to move beyond raising awareness of racial injustice to equipping congregations to actively resist systemic racism and dismantle the lingering influence of white supremacy in church life and mission. Over six interactive sessions, 18 participants engaged in historical, theological, and relational practices designed to deepen biblical convictions about justice, foster cross-cultural relationships, and inspire sustained, actionable commitments.
Findings
Pre- and post-assessments revealed significant growth: theological understanding of justice increased by 35%, willingness to build cross-racial relationships rose by 28%, and commitment to confronting racism in personal spheres of influence grew by 41%.
Conclusions
While this project utilized the adapted ARC model, its findings and theological insights led to the development of the AARC model—Awareness, Anti-Racism, Relationships, Commitment—as a future framework. The AARC model adds an explicit Anti-Racism component, offering a replicable, biblically grounded process for churches to confront racism through theological reflection, active resistance to systemic injustice, and sustained, transformative discipleship. This framework positions congregations as catalysts for redemptive change in their communities and in the wider body of Christ.
Subject Area
Racism--Religious aspects--Seventh-day Adventists; Justice--Biblical teaching; White supremacy movements; Race relations
Recommended Citation
Tyler, Keenan, "Leading the Church out of White Supremacy and Toward Biblical Justice and Reconciliation: a Leadership Approach Using the ARC Model" (2025). Professional Dissertations DMin. 830.
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/830
Creative Commons License
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