Professional Dissertations DMin

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Ministry

College

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Program

Doctor of Ministry DMin

First Advisor

Ronald Costa

Second Advisor

Ricardo Norton

Abstract

Problem

A preliminary study, consisting of exploratory dialogues conducted with the church elders, revealed that the leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Jardín, Neiva, faced limitations in the development of their local leadership. Although the leaders received instruction regarding the specific functions of their departments, they lacked knowledge in broader aspects of leadership, such as biblical leadership and contemporary perspectives (nature, models, styles, and theories). This deficiency limited the effective leadership of the church departments.

Methodology

The present study was framed within the field of applied practical theology, as it intentionally sought to intervene in ministerial practice and evaluate its transformation within a real ecclesiastical context. The study was conducted under an action research approach, allowing for the diagnosis of a concrete need, the implementation of a formative intervention, and the evaluation of its outcomes in the life of the congregation. A mixed-method approach was adopted, combining quantitative and qualitative tools in order to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon under study. The design corresponded to a quasi-experimental single-group study with pretest–posttest measurements, which allowed for the comparison of results from the same group of participants before the intervention and after the completion of the seminar. The research was carried out at the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Jardín, in Neiva, Colombia. Participation was based on a voluntary response sample, as the leaders freely enrolled following an open invitation extended to all active church officers. Of the 33 leaders invited, 28 began the program and 25 completed all phases of the seminar and the final evaluation. The methodological process was developed in three clearly defined phases. In the diagnostic phase, a pretest instrument was administered to establish the initial level of understanding of leadership. In the implementation phase, the leadership seminar was conducted, grounded in biblical principles from the Old and New Testaments, the writings of Ellen G. White, and contemporary perspectives on leadership (models, styles, and theories). The intervention had a total duration of fourteen hours, organized into six modules and twelve instructional sessions, delivered through a theoretical–practical methodology that included lectures, participatory dynamics, and contextual application exercises. Finally, in the evaluation phase, a posttest instrument was administered to measure the changes produced by the intervention, complemented by participatory observations and the collection of open-ended responses. The quantitative instrument consisted of a structured questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale, designed to assess conceptual knowledge and attitudes toward leadership. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, specifically through the comparison of means and standard deviations. Qualitative data were interpreted through thematic coding, identifying evidence of conceptual and attitudinal growth among participants.

Results

The results showed a significant improvement in leadership knowledge and understanding. On the five-point Likert scale, the average score increased from 3.42 on the pretest to 4.48 on the posttest, reflecting a shift from a moderate to a high level. Inferential analysis confirmed that the difference was statistically significant, t(24) = 6.27, p < 0.001, with a large effect size (d = 1.25), indicating a substantial impact of the intervention. The instrument demonstrated high internal reliability (α = 0.86 on the pretest and α = 0.93 on the posttest), supporting the consistency of the measurements. The greatest gains were observed in areas where initial knowledge levels were lowest, particularly in transformational leadership and contemporary leadership models. Additionally, the impact was greater among less experienced leaders, and the satisfaction survey reflected high levels of approval regarding the content, participatory methodology, and clarity of presentation, as well as a genuine interest in continuing similar formative experiences. findings revealed a significant increase in the participants’ knowledge and conceptual understanding of both biblical and contemporary leadership. Average scores rose from 3.42 (pretest) to 4.48 (posttest), with a reduction in standard deviation, indicating more consistent learning outcomes. Satisfaction surveys showed high levels of approval regarding content, participatory methodology, and clarity of presentation, along with a genuine interest in continuing similar training experiences.

Conclusion

The seminar proved to be an effective tool for strengthening the leadership of the officers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Jardín, in Neiva, as evidenced by statistically significant improvements and a substantial impact on the participants. The results confirmed that training grounded in the Holy Scriptures, enriched by the contributions of Ellen G. White, and complemented by contemporary leadership perspectives fosters notable progress in knowledge, conceptual understanding, and practical application of leadership within the ecclesiastical context. Moreover, the greater impact observed among less experienced leaders suggests that this type of intervention is particularly effective as an initial formative process. Consequently, a biblical, spiritual, and contemporary leadership seminar is consolidated as an effective and replicable formative tool, whose sustainability could be further strengthened through follow-up processes at the medium and long term.

Subject Area

Elders (Church officers)--Training of; Christian leadership; Jardin Seventh-day Adventist Church (Neiva, Colombia)

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