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

Heraldo Vander Lopes

Second Advisor

Charles Fabian Costa

Third Advisor

Luis Amador Morales

Abstract

Problem

Since 2013, the Vilas do Atlântico Church has seen above–average growth compared to other churches in the Bahia Conference. However, at the same time, there has also been a significant attrition of members. This likely occurred because the local church lacked a discipleship strategy for growth and member retention. Although the evangelistic strategy produced significant results, it lacked a broader vision of discipleship as a process, both cognitively and relationally. Considering this, a discipleship strategy for growth and member retention was developed for this church, starting in 2022. This strategy sought to answer three questions. The first two refer to the strategy itself, and the third relates to the case study proposed in this research.

1. What has the discipleship strategy for growth and member retention at the Vilas do Atlântico Church consisted of since 2022?

2. What has been the numerical result of the Vilas do Atlântico Church's discipleship strategy for growth and member retention since 2022?

3. What has been the perception of local leaders and other members regarding the Vilas do Atlântico Church's discipleship strategy for growth and member retention since 2022?

Method

A discipleship strategy for growth and member retention was implemented and developed beginning in January 2022. This strategy was developed in harmony with the principles and practices of biblical discipleship, found in the New Testament and described in academic literature. Four dimensions were considered: spiritual nourishment, evangelistic awareness, leadership development, and spiritual growth with faithfulness. Sabbath School (SS) and Small Groups (SG) were the two structures specifically considered and analyzed. However, some complementary and more frequent activities in the life of the local church were also considered, such as public worship, Bible classes, mentoring, Pathfinder and Adventurer ministries, missionary companionships, and others.

The research is based on the phenomenological–interpretative paradigm, which seeks to understand reality from the perspective of participants. From this perspective, this research work is a case study, which is a mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology, that is, a mixed methodology that focuses on a single object of study, allowing for an in–depth and detailed analysis.

To this end, a questionnaire with different sections was developed, focusing on the SS and SG, covering the four dimensions of the research: spiritual nourishment, evangelistic awareness, leadership development, and spiritual growth with fidelity. This questionnaire was administered to leaders and members to assess their perception of the implemented discipleship strategy. Considering the questionnaire and document analysis techniques used in this work, content analysis was chosen. Thus, after collecting the data through the questionnaire, the data were described and compiled into the document. This was then used for data analysis. The responses were analyzed using various parametric and nonparametric analysis techniques.

Results

Considering the results of the technical analyses of leaders' and non–leaders' perceptions of the discipleship strategy for growth and member retention at the Vilas do Atlântico Church, as well as the results recorded in the ACMS (Adventist Church Management System), both in tithes, offerings, donors, and baptisms, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. Over the past three years, the Vilas do Atlântico Church has experienced significant growth in baptisms and tithes, offerings, and donors.

2. At the Vilas do Atlântico Church, all demographic data demonstrates homogeneity of perception between those in leadership roles and the other active members who responded.

3. Based on the homogeneity of perception, there is no difference between the benefits that the SS and the SG promote in the lives of leaders and members.

4. The SS and the SG are structures that complement each other to promote healthy church growth and member retention.

5. The perception of the contribution of the SG and SS alone does not vary significantly in any of the four suggested discipleship dimensions (spiritual nourishment, evangelistic awareness, leadership development, and faithful growth in Christ).

6. In the perception of most respondents, a SS and SG promote growth and member retention, but they are not the ones that contribute most to individual discipleship.

7. In the perception of most respondents, personal devotion, regular church service attendance, and member participation in some ministry contribute more to individual discipleship than SS and SG.

8. In the perception of the respondents, SG contributes more to individual discipleship than SS.

9. In the perception of the respondents, SG's greatest contribution to discipleship comes through interpersonal relationships and practical experience.

10. SS, in the perception of the respondents, contributes more through cognitive Bible study.

Conclusions

This case study of the discipleship strategy for growth and member retention in Vilas do Atlântico demonstrated that the SS and the SG are important structures for the biblical discipleship process. Both complement each other, as while the SS contributes to the cognitive aspect of discipleship, the SG contributes to the relational and missional aspects of this process. However, in the perception of leaders and members, personal devotion, worship attendance, and participation in some church ministries are factors that contribute more to individual discipleship than the SS and the SG. It is understood that this church perception does not underestimate the importance of structures, but neither does it consider them more important than other individual or collective actions.

Subject Area

Discipling (Christianity); Church growth; Church membership; Seventh-day Adventist Church of Vilas do Atlântico

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