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

Elvis Diaz

Second Advisor

Ricardo Norton

Abstract

Problem

The Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church of Fresno faces a significant challenge in developing trained youth leaders capable of directing and sustaining the Youth Ministry. Despite having a large and active membership, the church lacks a structured leadership development process for young people between the ages of 18 and 35. This deficiency resulted in the inability of the Nominating Committee to appoint a youth director due to the absence of adequately prepared candidates. The lack of intentional leadership formation has limited the involvement of youth within the congregation.

Methodology

This Doctor of Ministry project employed an applied ministry approach focused on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a structured youth leadership training program. Methodologically, the study followed a mixed methods research paradigm, integrating both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.The intervention was conducted over a period of eight weeks, from August 23 to October 25, 2025, at the Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church of Fresno. The program combined theoretical instruction and practical application through weekly sessions addressing Adventist youth ministry philosophy, denominational history, spiritual leadership, event organization, and youth sermon preparation. Participants engaged in hands-on leadership experiences through Youth Program leadership, small group activities, and community projects. Data were collected using pre- and post-intervention questionnaires and participant interviews to assess growth in leadership competencies and spiritual development.

Results

The implementation of the youth leadership training program resulted in measurable improvements in participants’ involvement. Participants demonstrated increased readiness to lead youth activities, organize events, and contribute meaningfully to the life of the church. The program fostered greater engagement among youth and contributed to the development of a pool of emerging leaders capable of assuming leadership roles within the Youth Ministry. The findings indicate that intentional and structured leadership training positively influences youth involvement and leadership capacity within the local church context.

Conclusion

The results of this project confirm that a structured youth leadership training program is an effective intervention for developing competent and spiritually grounded leaders in the Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church of Fresno. Intentional leadership formation strengthens youth involvement, promotes leadership continuity, and supports the mission of the church. This model demonstrates potential for replication in similar Hispanic Adventist congregations seeking to address leadership gaps and enhance youth ministry effectiveness.

Subject Area

Christian leadership; Seventh-day Adventist youth--Training of; Fresno Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church (Fresno, Calif.)

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