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

Kleber de Oliveira Gonçalves

Abstract

Problem

The Central Pernambuco Conference (APeC), the regional headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) based in inland Pernambuco, Brazil, develops discipleship as one of its work programs through an organic network of leaders in small groups. -- However, pastoral ministry interns who join this region annually do not receive adequate training contextualized to the specific demands of the APeC discipleship network, which compromises the effectiveness of the initiative. -- Given this scenario, this study focused on developing, implementing, and evaluating a proposal for ministerial training that is contextualized to prepare pastoral ministry interns in the context of the discipleship model adopted.

Method

This research falls within the field of applied theology, focusing on the study of church growth. It adopted a qualitative approach, based on a contemporary biblical and literary review of discipleship and pastoral formation. The study was conducted through intervention research, considering the context of the pastoral ministry interns of APeC. -- The researcher acted as a facilitator of the meetings, promoting active listening and collaborative participation. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews in two phases with a focus group, and part of the intervention consisted of the application of a study plan with 13 lessons organized into three modules, focused on the practical and theological development of the interns in the implementation of a discipleship network model.

Results

The implementation of the “Connected to Grow” program, carried out with the pastoral ministry interns of APeC, resulted in significant changes in the understanding, practice, and vision of a discipleship network model. The data obtained indicate progress among the participants in developing a disciple-making culture. -- There was a significant change in the perception of the role of discipleship in the ministry for the interns. Before the program, 71% of them associated their ministerial satisfaction only with winning people as church members. After the program, 86% expanded their response by associating ministerial satisfaction with personal growth and that of their leaders, demonstrating a deeper and more strategic understanding of discipleship as an ongoing process of formation and development of people. -- Regarding the training previously received in theological seminary, 100% of the interns stated that they did not feel prepared to develop a discipleship process safely. Conversely, all of them positively evaluated the training provided by the program, highlighting the importance of mentoring, weekly monitoring, and the practical application of the content. -- The understanding of the concept of a discipleship network also showed significant growth. At the beginning, only 29% of the participants demonstrated familiarity with the topic. At the end, 100% were able to practice and describe the concept clearly, including the elements that characterize this discipleship model. -- Finally, the participants in the intervention recommended the continuation of the “Connected to Grow” training program, with the aim of continuing to prepare future interns for a better ministerial experience through a discipleship network with leaders who will be developed in their churches.

Conclusions

The implementation of the “Connected to Grow” program for nine months revealed significant changes in the understanding and practice of discipleship among the pastoral ministry interns at APeC. The improvement in the perception of discipleship as a relational and strategic process, combined with the appreciation of mentoring and practical training, revealed the positive impact of the intervention on the ministerial formation of the participants. -- The shift in the interns' focus from merely winning new members to developing people and fostering personal growth demonstrated theological and relational maturity. Additionally, the integration of the concept of a discipleship network and the unanimous endorsement for the continuation of the program reinforce the relevance of the proposal as an effective model for pastoral formation in the current context.

Subject Area

Discipling (Christianity); Pastoral theology--Seventh-day Adventists; Seventh-day Adventists--Clergy--Training of; General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. South American Division. Northeast Brazil Union Mission. Central Pernambuco Conference; Central Pernambuco Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

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