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

J. Mercedes Espinosa

Second Advisor

Ricardo Norton

Abstract

Problem

The Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church El Camino a Cristo, in Los Angeles, California, recognizes the need to equip its members for active evangelism and effective spiritual leadership. Despite its congregation's significant potential, the church lacks a structured and intentional training program for personal evangelism. This gap limits members' involvement in outreach initiatives, reducing overall church growth, and mission impact. Consequently, there is an urgent necessity to implement a systematic training program, to empower members as competent evangelistic leaders.

Method

This doctoral project represents applied research in practical theology, specifically designed for the Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist congregation El Camino a Cristo in Los Angeles. The process began with an analytical exploration of biblical and theological foundations related to evangelism, focusing on key principles exemplified by prominent biblical figures and supported by Ellen G. White’s writings. Additionally, contemporary leadership and evangelistic literature were carefully reviewed to establish a robust theoretical and practical framework. These theological and theoretical insights provided a strong foundation for constructing an intentional training curriculum to equip church members for personal evangelism. -- Based on insights from the initial literature review and theological analysis, a comprehensive evangelistic training program was meticulously designed and organized into six distinct instructional modules. Each module included three biweekly interactive and participatory sessions, incorporating practical evangelistic skills development, leadership principles, and reflective group activities. Special attention was given to adult learning methodologies, ensuring active involvement, practical exercises, group interactions, and opportunities for experiential learning. The interactive components involved structured role-play scenarios, real-life evangelistic simulations, and reflective dialogues, facilitating participants' acquisition and integration of evangelistic competencies. -- To evaluate the program’s effectiveness comprehensively, the researcher applied multiple assessment methods, including surveys, structured interviews, and evaluation instruments administered before and after each training module. These tools measured participants’ knowledge acquisition, skill enhancement, overall satisfaction, and perceived impact on their spiritual growth and congregational engagement. Additionally, the church's and its members' demographic and contextual profiles were considered during the curriculum design and evaluation phases. Qualitative data collected through participant feedback forms, reflective journals, and group discussions enriched the evaluation, providing valuable insights that facilitated continuous program refinement and contributed to assessing its overall impact.

Results

After completing the training program, participants indicated a marked shift in their evangelistic perspectives, expressing a clear desire to adopt biblically grounded, intentional evangelism strategies. They reported a significant increase in confidence and preparedness, and many committed to actively engaging in ongoing evangelistic outreach within their community. Feedback highlighted the program's transformative impact on personal spirituality and family relationships, confirming its practical relevance and applicability. Participants affirmed the program as essential and highly beneficial for enhancing their effectiveness and dedication to evangelistic ministry.

Conclusions

The Personal Evangelism Training Program, implemented at the Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church, El Camino a Cristo, successfully addressed a critical need for structured evangelistic preparation among its members. The program significantly enhanced participants’ knowledge, practical evangelistic abilities, and spiritual enthusiasm, leading to a strengthened sense of mission and deeper congregational engagement. The positive outcomes observed through this intentional approach confirm the importance and effectiveness of systematic, biblically grounded training initiatives for empowering lay members in active evangelism. -- Finally, this project underscores that purposeful and structured evangelistic training can profoundly impact individual participants, their families, and the broader community. Continued application of similar educational frameworks is recommended to sustain and expand church growth and spiritual vitality. Moreover, ongoing evaluation and adaptation of training approaches will further reinforce leadership capabilities and evangelistic effectiveness, fulfilling the broader mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in contemporary ministry contexts.

Subject Area

Laity--Training of; Evangelistic work; Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Hispanic Church El Camino a Cristo (Los Angeles, Calif.)

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