bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultural and philosophical analysis of gender issue
Authors:   K. Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University, Mukhanbetkaliev Ye.E. , Mamazhanova E.K. ,   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
Published: June 2023

In this article, manifestations of the gender concept in human society as well as cultural and spiritual framework are analyzed from a philosophical perspective. Theoretical foundations of the postmodern paradigms of the gender concept are differentiated with the consideration of its definitions and main characteristics. Today, the concept of gender, including places and roles of men and women in the international process, is becoming a separate challenge, and the gender has turned out to be the most important issue of the legal system. The history of world philosophy shows that the gender issue bas been raised since ancient times. The article discusses the philosophical meaning of the concept of gender and offers an associative model. For the purpose of the philosophical analysis of the gender issue, the emphasis was placed on various scientific terms, and the content of the article and research methods were used. The article gives a comprehensive examination of both the concept of gender in the history of world philosophy and the process of its evolution in Kazakhstan. When studying gender-related questions in society, the focus has been made not on the physiological aspect only, but, to a much greater extent, on the spiritual and human nature. Although they are equal in legal terms, social, physiological, and psychological differences are also taken into account. It is determined that gender perceptions have a great impact on the cultural status of a person and that the social status of men and women in society is not limited to sexual relations. On the contrary, the most important values in the interaction between men and women are virtue, ethics, and morality.
Tendencies in digital ethics research (overview analysis of modern research)
Authors:   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Sadvokasov M.A. , Medeuova K.А. ,   L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University
Published: June 2023

The article presents discussions concerning the phenomenon of digital ethics. The terms, concepts, categories and criteria used in digital ethics are considered depending on the field of functioning – information ethics, computer ethics, and orthodox ethics. The cultural, social, industrial, philosophical and ethical aspects of the functioning of digital ethics are compared. A separate case concerning the impact of digital ethics on issues of interpersonal communication, including through the description of positive and negative scenarios for the use of digital ethics is considered.The genesis of previous, early, historical studies, approaches, ideas, concepts, somehow affecting ethical issues, especially digital ethics, is given. The resolution of contradictions between Western and Eastern ethical traditions applied to digital ethics has been carried out. The obstacles revealing the essence of the weak organization of ethical postulates are characterized. The need for a unified network of applied regulatory documents on digital ethics for the purposes of social well-being has been formalized and recognized. Various examples from the diverse layers of human life are given, allowing us to argue about the reference to digital ethics or ethics in general. The conclusion is made about the development of ethical concepts as a promising direction with significant evolutionary trends. A description of the methods, principles, and functions which the society can use for further research in this direction has been carried out.
Church Discipline and Grace
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Radu Stefan
Published: June 2023

Problem. Local churches are in general confusion about the meaning, importance, and function of church discipline. Hence, this biblical task is mostly ignored, or even opposed by many as being judgmentalism. As a result, baptismal candidates are poorly prepared and sometimes members are allowed to continue in sinful habits. This study sought to research and present material about why and how the church ought to work with sinning believers. Method. Based on a search of the Holy Scripture, the writings of Ellen G. White, and other theological literature, material for a seminar about church discipline and grace was produced. A shortened version was used for the seminar conducted in the Show Low, Arizona, Seventh-day Adventist Church. Results. The findings of the research, confirmed by long-time pastoral experience, are available to be popularized through similar seminars and in periodicals published by the church. Such an initiative can improve the general awareness about God's expectations regarding proper church discipline, which is designed to grow healthy congregations that are more successful in their witnessing. Conclusions. This research has discovered a widespread decline in practicing discipline in the Christian world, due, perhaps, to the contemporary societal trend against order and authority. Personal freedom is interpreted as unlimited permissiveness. As a result, church members falling in sin or committing acts of injustice are simply abandoned to their practices. Yet preaching the gospel is an insufficient work if it lacks serious followup for growing spiritual church members and successful evangelists. At the same time the research recorded a positive cry from many writers of various religious orientations and affiliations pleading for the reinstatement of this vital work in the Christian church. Church discipline is first justified by the fact that Christ and His disciples promoted it as essential for the health, influence, credibility, and development of the church. Discipline was obviously practiced in primitive Christianity and is indispensable for the church living prior to the return of Jesus Christ in glory.
Moving Seventh-day Adventist Churches Beyond the Two Hundred Barrier
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Ripley David
Published: June 2023

Problem. Seventh-day Adventist churches have found themselves largely unable to grow beyond the 200-in-attendance barrier. Book membership may continue to increase, yet attendance plateaus. Outside of the institutional setting, there are very few Anglo Adventist churches that have grown beyond the barrier. Method. The pastors of ten churches that were chiefly Anglo, 300-400 in attendance, and not in an institutional setting were surveyed. Ten churches with less than 220 in attendance and having a book membership of at least 350 were also surveyed. These were compared, looking for features that would make a difference. Results. Differences do occur between the two groups. The areas that showed the greatest differences were in visioning, staffing, worship style, evangelism, and small groups. These findings were applied to the Northwest Houston Seventh-day Adventist Church. The results were that it grew through the 200 barrier. Conclusions. If an Adventist church wishes to move through the 200 barrier, it must become a different kind of organization. Prayerful pastoral leadership is vital. Clear vision is critical. It must staff itself for growth. Evangelism should be more relational. Worship styles will tend to be more contemporary. The definition of small groups must be widened.
Developing a Cross-Generational Life-Transforming Worship Service: an Approach to Involving and Empowering Youth and Young Adults at the San Diego Filipino-American Seventh-day Adventist Church
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Robles Demetrio
Published: June 2023

The Problem. The worship services at San Diego Fil-Am were traditionally led by the older generations where most of the time the younger generations felt neglected to and left out in the planning and from experiencing a life-transforming worship. For some time, the younger generations sought opportunities to be involved in worship but the traditional practice of worship did not favor it. Advocates for children and young people in the congregation urge separate worship services for the youth and young adults but this is strongly opposed by the majority of leaders and senior members, many of whom hold leadership positions on the Church Board. This situation has affected the interest, the attendance, and the participation of the youth and young adults in worship. The Method. This project dissertation presents a survey of biblical foundation for a corporate cross-generational life transforming worship as well as guidelines and suggestions for developing a cross-generational, intergenerational, or multi-generational (CIM) model of worship with intentional involvement, training and equipping of the younger generations. It integrates methods and principles from current literature on CIM worship relevant to planning, implementing, and evaluating a CIM life-transforming worship at the San Diego Fil-Am SDA Church. Results. There were six people from younger generations trained and equipped as worship leaders. The involvement of the younger generations in planning and leading worship greatly contributed to a higher percentage of the younger members leading, noticeably the young adults, in worship. The worship attendance among the younger generations has increased. The more inspiring result of this process was manifested in the church members’ becoming more prayerful, more engaged in the ministry, more caring and loving to one another, more focused and alive in worship, and in serving others. The CGLTW was considered a process, a life-transforming experience, not only for the older and younger worship leaders, but for all generations in the congregation. Conclusions. The priority of this project is to develop younger generations in worship leadership, equipping them to assist or lead in improving worship services by designing, implementing, and evaluating life-transforming worship services that involves all the generations (all age groups) in the congregation. By giving the younger generations the opportunities to be involved they truly felt that they belong, their relationship to the church community was strengthened and their worship experience became life-transforming.
A Lay Visitation Program to Help Reclaim Inactive Members at the Hillsboro Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hillsboro, Oregon
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Salazar Rodolfo
Published: June 2023

Problem. There are many members in the Hillsboro Seventh-day Adventist Church who do not attend the weekly worship service on a regular basis. More than half of the members on the books are inactive. For the last 5 years, attendance at the Hillsboro Church has declined. The present study determined the impact of a visitation program on church attendance. In the program attending church members visited inactive members. Method. Theological considerations on the importance of the involvement of church members in visitation led to the development of a visitation program. This program was implemented at the Hillsboro Church and evaluated for effectiveness in increasing attendance. Results. Over 20 members of the Hillsboro Church were trained, equipped, and coached to do the work of visitation. Church attendance grew by 5% from the previous year to a level that was 3.1% higher than the average attendance for the previous 10 years. Two inactive members began attending church again. Members who no longer wanted to be on the church books were identified. And a culture of church attendance was started. Conclusions. The work of ministry is not for pastors only. The responsibility to reach out to inactive members in the local church falls on the active church members themselves. When these members are properly trained, equipped, and coached, they will be part of searching for those who are no longer attending church. These local church leaders are eager and willing to do the work of God if given the opportunity. Moreover, these leaders should make specific plans to reach the growing numbers of inactive members.
A New Evangelistic Paradigm: Using Foundational Theology Issues as an Apologetic Instrument for Evangelism in a Secular World
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Thomas David
Published: June 2023

The Topic. The topic of this project is evangelistic theory. Because of the large-scale secularization of Western society, the evangelistic method that has prevailed for decades is becoming less and less effective. Some adjustment to evangelistic process must be made if it is to remain effective in speaking to thinking, sophisticated modems. The Purpose. This project was to experiment with evangelistic theory, proposing and testing a new paradigm for speaking to secular people that uses a philosophical strategy. The Sources. The original source for this project was material presented in a doctoral class. It was augmented with pertinent literature from both books and periodicals. Data were also gathered from various testing procedures, and from several experiments with groups and individuals using the central ideas. Feedback was also obtained subsequent to the implementation of the new paradigm in a public setting. Conclusions. Conclusions about the effectiveness of this new paradigm in general public evangelistic endeavor are unclear. More work is needed before conclusions can be accurately drawn. An unanticipated and happy conclusion is that this new paradigm shows good evidence of being an effective method of affirming and solidifying the commitments of educated, questioning people of faith, both young and old.
Equipping Lay People With The Spiritual Gift For Preaching In The Collegedale Community Seventh-Day Adventist Church To Preach
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Arnold Jerry
Published: June 2023

Problem The Collegedale Community Seventh-day Adventist Church has never had a program to teach lay people how to preach. Preaching is one of God’s methods for sharing the gospel and winning souls for His kingdom. Teaching lay people to preach will increase the spread of the gospel. Method Spiritual gifts for preaching were used as the means of selecting lay people for the preaching class. They were taught how to study the Bible, discern sermon ideas, write out a sermon and how to present a sermon. Results The students learned how to study the Bible and share their findings in a sermon to church members. The methods of study have been adapted into their spiritual formation and are a continual blessing to them. Conclusions Using spiritual gifts as a means of selecting people for preaching has its limitations. Personality, education and life experiences are possibly of equal value in the selection process.
Desarrollo, Implementación Y Evaluación De Un Seminario De Encuentro Matrimonial Para La Solución De Conflictos
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Gonzalez Edison
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this project is to develop, implement, and evaluate a marriage encounter seminar for conflict resolutions, which was presented during a weekend to 48 couples of the Atlanta Metropolitan Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church. This project presents biblical fundamentals of marriage, as well as the most common marriage conflicts and their solutions. According to the Bible, God not only created man and woman in his “image,” but also united them in the state of matrimony in order for them to live peacefully and harmoniously in the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, the entrance of sin to this world ruined God’s plan for human beings; and today conflicts in marriage are a common reality that many couples have to confront. Conflicts in marriage are defined as disagreements in which both couples maintain different positions about a topic or a specific area affecting its harmony. If conflicts are dealt with inadequately, the process of resolving them could lead the couple to a divorce. Factors that create conflicts are identified in this project as well as the most common problematic areas among couples. The dissertation also analyzes each of the methods that are used to resolve conflicts by Christians and reviews five steps that couples should follow when looking to resolve conflicts in a constructive way. The project includes an informative summary about Gwinnett County, the location of the Atlanta Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church, and the history of the congregation. It also presents information about the couples that make up the church, as well as the explorative survey that was distributed among couples to uncover conflictive areas among them. The results are analyzed and presented in the table at the end of chapter four. The seminar “The Art of Conflict Resolutions in Marriage” was elaborated upon considering the teachings of the Bible, contemporary Christian literature, Ellen White writings, and the results obtained from the explorative survey into consideration. The Seminar is designed for couples that want to learn and develop techniques in the art of resolving conflicts in an appropriate way, in order to, preserve, strengthen, and guide the marriage relationship. It was structured into four sections and presented from February 29th to March 2nd of 2008, at the Atlanta Metropolitan Convention Center.
A Psychosocial Support System For Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In West Indonesia
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Pandjaitan Edison
Published: June 2023

Problem The adjustment that many SDA Indonesian pastors go through in the early years of their ministry and the feeling on the part of some ministers that they lack essential psychosocial support suggest the importance of designing a systematic support system. Therefore the dissertation addresses the following questions: (1) How do SDA pastors in the West Indonesia Union indicate their need of a support system? (2) What resources are available to meet the needs of Indonesian pastors? (3) What can the minister, the local church, and the hiring organization do to strengthen this support system? Method The project is descriptive-prescriptive. Primary research focuses on a questionnaire and its findings. The study also reports a survey of literature dealing with systematic support systems. The literature survey includes theological reflections from Scripture and the writings of Ellen G. White, as well as psychosocial principles and practices drawn from a variety of other sources. Results The questionnaire indicates that 90 percent of respondents found human relationships to be helpful in a general way. But one-fourth felt they had no one they were comfortable confiding in regarding specific problems. Less than half had meaningful experiences with mentors or conference administrators. A majority of the pastors desired an expansion of support resources in the areas of mentoring (79 percent), support groups (60 percent), sabbaticals (73 percent), continuing education (83 percent), the ministerial director acting more as an advocate (63 percent), and deeper relationships with lay members (93 percent). Conclusion Several aspects of psychosocial support can be implemented with little financial outlay, such as enhancing the role and skills of ministerial directors, and forming district support groups for clergy and clergy families. Other support resources require more substantial funding and would need to be implemented as funds became available.
The Student Missionary Experience and its Impact on Young Adults
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Fitzgerald Troy
Published: June 2023

Problem. While reputed to be valuable, the Student Missionary (SM) experience has not been studied to ascertain how a year of service impacts the college students who serve. Furthermore, there are no studies that show what aspects of the SM experience make a year of service transformational. Most of what is known about a year of service is anecdotal and begs for systematic study of the SM experience. Method. This is primarily a qualitative study where former SMs from four Adventist colleges and universities were interviewed. The Christian Spiritual Participation Profile (CSPP) was administered to SMs as an additional source of data. The CSPP shows the participants' dominant modes of spiritual development and their participation in the spiritual disciplines. Qualitative data were collected from a total of 113 participants, and 201 (50%) former SMs returned the CSPP. Results. The results from the qualitative data showed that the SM experience deepened their relationship with God, pushed them to depend on God, expanded their worldview, enhanced their commitment to service, and prompted them to mature as leaders. The SM experience was a holistic learning experience where SMs perceived personal and spiritual growth occurred. The results from the CSPP showed SMs scored significantly higher in all four modes on Kolb's learning cycle. The findings also showed four aspects of the SM experience that made the experience transformational: high expectations, enduring through adversity, collaborating with others, and participating in the spiritual disciplines. Results from the CSPP also showed that SMs participated significantly more than non-SMs in 8 of the 10 spiritual disciplines. Conclusion. In conclusion, a year of service transformed young adults personally and spiritually. The SM experience is recommended for college students as an opportunity to serve others and grow in various areas of life. Further study is recommended for similar types of service ministries such as summer camp staff, short-term missions, and local community service events. Finally, further study is recommended on what motivates young people to serve others. Various opportunities for experiential learning are recommended to be integrated in the curriculum of churches.
How To Have A Christ-Centered Youth Ministry In A Small Church Using Mentoring, Missions And Meetings
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Eckenroth Kris
Published: June 2023

Problem As of 2005, there was only one Seventh-day Adventist church within the Pennsylvania Conference that was providing consistent youth ministry. Many of the churches have seemed to have had difficulty finding individuals who have both the experience and the necessary training to lead a local church youth program. Due to the absence of local church youth ministry, the needs of the youth are being unmet and many are leaving the church. Method The method used to address this problem began in 2005. Training sessions were provided to potential leaders within the churches in the Pennsylvania Conference. There were five major training session weekends in which the foundational youth ministry elements of mentoring, missions, and meetings were used to help the local leaders develop a youth ministry at their church. In addition to these training sessions, the local leaders were given the opportunity to be mentored by the youth director for a period of one year. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of this local church youth leader development program. Eight youth leadership teams that were established as a result of this program filled out a twelve-question questionnaire that was used to retrieve date and measure results. Results The results showed the positive effect that this youth leader development program had on individuals from local churches who had a desire to have youth ministry in their church. Attendance from the training sessions showed that ten out of twelve churches that sent individuals to these trainings now have sustained local church youth ministries. Data received from the questionnaires revealed that many of the youth ministries are utilizing the areas of mentoring, missions, and meetings as foundational elements of their programs. The questionnaires also revealed that many of the youth ministries have not yet implemented all three foundations into their youth ministries. Conclusions This youth leader development paradigm is an effective program in developing youth leaders for the local small church who are capable in developing and sustaining a youth ministry program. The success of this program lies in more than just implementing programming based in mentoring, missions, and meetings. The training sessions and mentoring by the youth director empowered the adults to initiate a youth ministry program based in relationships.
Analisis de Razones por las que los Jovenes Abandonan la Iglesia Adventista Del Septimo Dia en Argentina
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, De Sousa Matias Jorge
Published: June 2023

Problem. A 65% of the new Church members in the Argentinian Union Conference (UA) are below 30 years old. However, 35% of them leave the Church annually. This generates the following question: what are the reasons by which such a high%age of young people leave the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDAC) in the UA? Methodology. Three surveys were conducted. The first survey was applied to 146 distrital pastors, the second one to 319 young Adventist members, and the third one to 52 apostate young members. Results. The pastors that answered the first survey recognized that they do not have a permanent retention program. One of the questions that all of them answered satisfactorily was in regards to the number of baptisms they had had in the last three years. They were then asked about the number of seats they had added to their congregations during that same period of time. Their answer was very different. This indicates that there is no net growth when comparing the number of baptisms with the number of seats that should have been added to each church. Among young people that answered the second survey, 65.2% perceived that the goal to increase the number of Church members is greater than caring for the ones that are part of the Church. The last group surveyed indicated that their separation was due to the following facts: 76.9% recognized that they neglect their personal devotional life; 75% expressed there was too much hypocrisy between the members of the church; 48.1% said the Church was unable to fulfill his/her expectations or even solve his/her problems; 46.2% was affected by his/her relations with people outside the church; 42.3% admitted to have had illicit sexual relationships. The conclusion of this study is that the great rate of apostasy in the SDAC in the UA is due to the lack of a permanent program to retain young people in the Church as well as the lack of showing true Christian love among the believers.
Equipping Church Members in Community: a Follow-up Strategy for Spiritual Body-Building Groups in the Brandon Seventh-day Adventist Church
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Dixon Paull
Published: June 2023

This dissertation evaluates a strategy that was developed for equipping church members in the Brandon Seventh-day Adventist Church using the Spiritual Body Building Lessons and an intentional follow-up process. One of the greatest needs of church members is to truly experience body life in the church: having a sense of belonging and a meaningful, significant ministry in which one receives support and encouragement. Spiritual Body Building Groups were designed as a launching pad to equip church members in how to be church as well as how to do church. There were two phases of this project implemented in the Brandon Church. An evaluation was made of the impact that the Spiritual Body Building Lessons and group experience had in the lives of church members. Thirty-four members attended one of four groups conducted between the Spring of 1997 and the Fall of 1999. They completed two surveys in August 2000. A follow-up strategy for the Spiritual Body Building Groups was implemented and evaluated which included community-building and ministry-support interventions, namely: strategic planning, group leaders’ meetings, Making Friends for God Seminar, Prayer Warriors Seminar, eight-week evangelistic series, spiritual-guardian program, Biblemarking class, Spiritual Gifts Seminar, ministry fair, and ministry-placement process. The research on the Spiritual Body Building Groups revealed that there was positive change that was statistically significant at p < .001 in five key areas of discipleship: (1) relationship with God, (2) pastor/member roles, (3) community, (4) spiritual gifts and, (5) ministry of nurture. The concepts and processes used in Spiritual Body Building are highly effective and are a powerful resource which could greatly benefit local churches. The research on the follow-up strategy revealed a slight increase in the sense of community experienced as a result of the interventions. The data to measure the perception of ministry support resulting from the intervention were skewed but did reveal the need for more intentional work in this area. Body life is not something that can be taken tor granted in a church. It requires prayer, planning, and a persistence in following biblical principles and practices.
Desarrollo De Una Escuela De Discipulado En La Iglesia Del Séptimo Día De Chino, California
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, de la Cruz Misael
Published: June 2023

The biblical concept of discipleship consists in training and equipping people so they can become responsible Christians. The idea of equipping church members for the ministry appears often in the New Testament. According to Paul, the work of equipping is a joint effort between the Deity and the Christian leader: “And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry” (Eph 4:11, 12, NIV). The word “equipping” comes from the Greek katartizo, which means to prepare, equip, or perfect, as translated in other Bible versions: “For the perfecting of the saints for the work of ministry” (Eph 4:12, KJV). The Scriptures indicate that the work of perfecting belongs to God (1 Pet 5:10). Equipping members based alone on human strategies and methodologies does not meet the biblical discipleship teachings and lacks God’s perfecting power. Finite, imperfect men do not have the capacity to make perfect other human beings. The Chino Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church developed a school of discipleship to respond to Jesus’ Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt 28:19). This school integrates human methodologies while encouraging activities that elicit God’s intervention and perfecting power. The idea of establishing a training school in the local church is very Adventist. In 1905, Ellen G. White wrote: “Every church should be a training school for Christian workers. Its members should be taught how to give Bible readings, how to conduct and teach Sabbath school classes, how best to help the poor and to care for the sick, how to work for the unconverted.” The Chino training school began officially in January 2002 with a recruitment program. Classes began to be taught in March of the same year, with thirty-five students who showed a contagious interest with their punctual attendance and active participation in the training sessions. To measure the effect of the school on the retention and addition of new church members, statistics for the first two years of the operation of the school were compared with the previous seven years, before the existence of the school. The results in member retention were positive. The average rate of apostasy and missing members among church members during the seven years previous to the establishment of the school was 20.5 lost for every 100 who entered the church. In contrast, the losses were only 2.5 per 100 during the two years after the school began to operate. Other benefits of the school are seen in the establishment of new structures of participation, where a greater number of members can be actively involved in ministry, the attraction of inactive church members to church activities, and the formation of a new church in the neighboring city of Montclair. This church is growing numerically at a faster rate than the mother church.
A Non-Pastor Dependent Model For Churches In The Greater New York Conference
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Marker Richard
Published: June 2023

Problem Pastors tend to hover over the churches and many of the functions of ministry within the local church. Church members demonstrate little personal spiritual growth or activity in witnessing to their communities. A specific church in New York City will be selected as a laboratory for experimentation with the premise that a non-pastor dependent church can achieve better than average growth. Method A systematic study of the Bible, Spirit of Prophecy, commentaries, books, and articles concerning the development of church leadership and growth was reviewed. Once theological and historical data on non-pastor dependent churches and church growth was identified, it was utilized for training, equipping, and empowering lay members. A program of teaching and training was used to create a culture of non-pastor dependence in a New York City church in a diverse urban community. Results The model church experienced a revitalization. Members learned spiritual leadership which was demonstrated in their taking the initiative in forming various ministries, experiencing above average church growth and planting new churches. Conclusions A non-pastor lay empowered church can be created through education, training, and coaching in a diverse urban environment. Apparently such a church can demonstrate a high rate of growth when compared with similar churches in the same territory.
A Model For Reaching African American Males In Southeast Atlanta With Seventh-day Adventism
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Peay Ralph
Published: June 2023

Problem Churches in America are on average 60-70 percent female. Attracting and integrating African American males into church life is a grave challenge. This study focuses on African American males in Southeast Atlanta and seeks to design a model for addressing their sociological and spiritual needs in anticipation of their accession into church membership. Method The setting for this study is the Atlanta Boulevard Seventh-day Adventist Church in Southeast Atlanta. The method employed in this project is an exploratory research approach that is designed to identify the social, economic, and other needs of African American males. In order to ascertain basic information for this study, I pursued a number of steps. I designed an African American Male SDA Membership Questionnaire. I administered the questionnaire to all the males (115) in the Atlanta Boulevard Church. I collected and analyzed the questionnaires before developing the African American Male Study Guides. Members shared the study guides with relatives and friends and reported on responses to the study guide prospects. The research method facilitated the development, implementation, and evaluation of a model mandated by both the African American Male SDA Membership Questionnaire data and my overall findings. Results Forty-nine members received study guides to share with relatives and friends. A total of seven students completed the series of twenty lessons. Five of the seven indicated an interest in Seventh-day Adventist membership. Two persons have been baptized. This ratio of baptisms to study guide completion is 28 percent. It appears that African American males will respond positively to the Gospel when approached by friendly, affirming persons with culturally sensitive materials addressing the Black man’s needs for physical survival. Conclusions This document describes and records the development, implementation, and evaluation of a model for reaching African American males in Southeast Atlanta with Adventism. It has been evaluated as to its practicality and potential for successful evangelism among Black males. The result is the conclusion that the African American Male Study Guides achieved their intended purpose. This model is an approach that complements rather than competes with other methods to draw males into the congregation. The experience of the Atlanta Boulevard Church is one that may be adapted to the needs of other congregations with customized revisions.
Marketing and Mission: Applying Marketing Principles to Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Virgin Islands
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Roy Ruthven
Published: June 2023

Problem. In many Christian circles, marketing management is viewed as irrelevant and irreligious because of the misconceptions that exist among Christians regarding this business discipline. There is, therefore, a very urgent need to clear up these misunderstandings and to create an awareness among Christians as to how marketing principles may be applied to the work of Christian mission and ministry, without violating the spiritual platform on which they stand. The purpose of this project, therefore, is to show how religious institutions can maximize their effectiveness by incorporating market-oriented thinking, planning, and action into their task of fulfilling the mission of God in the world. In order to accomplish this, the project focuses on the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the United States Virgin Islands—showing how a responsible application of the principles of marketing management can assist the church in conducting a more holistic, viable, and successful mission outreach to the people of that region. Method This project approaches the topic of mission from a marketing perspective. The study begins by showing how some current trends contribute to the ongoing discussion about the applicability of marketing tools to the operation of nonprofit organizations and religion, in particular. After discussing some of the major criticisms leveled against marketing by religious thinkers and organizations, the section ends by showing how marketing relates to mission and ministry. It does so by portraying biblical images of a few core marketing concepts, supported by the writings of Ellen G. White. Next, a brief survey of Adventist mission in the Virgin Island is presented, and the implications that Adventists’ self-understanding and claim to "remnancy" have for the present and future mission of the church in the region are explored. Then, the challenge of adjusting the typical Seventh-day Adventist mind-set in the Virgin Islands is investigated, and a biblical basis for shifting Adventist mission paradigm to a more strategic, need-centered orientation is outlined. Growing out of this, I show how the strategic marketing planning process can assist the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Virgin Islands in coordinating its operations and activities to effectively accomplish its mission objective. Conclusion Even though marketing can be a very useful tool for mission and ministry, it must not be handled as a panacea to all the challenges facing the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Virgin Islands. Its application, in most cases, will be limited to organizational efficiency and effectiveness, creating points of contact for mission and ministry, and developing a mental framework that focuses on people and their needs—i.e., physical, spiritual, social, and otherwise.
Hogar Iglesia: Implementacion de un Programa para el Crecimiento de la Iglesia Adventista Hispana de Alexandria, Virginia
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Esposito Forciniti Jose
Published: June 2023

Problem. Alexandria church has not successfully executed a long-term program for small groups that achieved the involvement of members in missionary work. Throughout the years, it has not been able to establish a fixed growth rate for such involvement, which in turn should transform into a new lifestyle of testimony. When this strategy for small groups was implemented, there were significant results, however the program’s leaders became frustrated and skeptical after not being provided with a set plan for follow-up, solidification, and continuity. The purpose of this investigation was focused on developing and implementing a program for church growth, based on small groups, that rouses a unified and effective response in church members to accomplish healthy and steady increase not only in local membership, but also causes the establishment of new churches, and a spike in tithes. Consequentially, the small groups would not be merely a temporal strategy, but would also serve as a healthy new way of life for entire church, which wouldn’t be affected by pastoral rotations, or any other change in local leadership. The bibliographic revision required the extraction of similar situations by other authors. The Bible concepts and Ellen G. White’s writings were considered basic in this study. In reference to the detected ecclesiastical problem and the literary study, a church growth program based on the biblical model, known as “small groups” in the contemporary age, was developed. The program designed for and implemented in Alexandria Spanish SDA Church was titled “Home churches, a joyous experience.” Results. The plan was evaluated according to five variables: 1. The numeric growth of membership as a direct consequence of the home churches and discipleship program. Alexandria Spanish SDA church experienced an average growth of 207%. 2. The increase in tithes. A growth of 448% was achieved. 3. The establishment of new congregations. At least three new churches were founded. In 1996, after 40 year’s work, there were a total of 15 Spanish churches in the Potomac Conference territory. In 2006, after only 10 year’s work, that number grew to over 50 Spanish churches and congregations. 4. The number of Small Groups involved in Evangelism per year. An average of three to four evangelistic campaigns were held by each home church annually. This represented approximately 34 campaigns per home church, for a time of ten years. 5. The purchase of an adequate church building to definitively establish the church. This was achieved in October 2000.
A Church Growth Study of the Chachkapi Church in Bihar State of India
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Kujur Manohar
Published: June 2023

Chachkapi Church is the only growing church in its pastoral district. However, its growth is very slow. Adventism first came at Chachkapi in 1957 and by 1998 it had grown to 161 members. This shows its potential for growth. The church members are Oraon and the majority of the people who live around the area belong to the same community. Oraons were the first to accept Christianity in Chotanagpur South Bihar. Growth was by a people movement. According to present trends, churches among the Oraons are growing slower in comparison to the other tribals in Chotanagpur. In an attempt to find a way to help the church grow this study looks carefully at two things: first, the Oraon community is carefully analyzed. Special attention is paid to their world view, cultural beliefs, practices, and needs. Second, the Oraon church a't Chachkapi is examined historically to discover growth patterns as well as reasons for both growth and stagnation. Based on this analysis, a detailed strategy aimed at promoting church growth is proposed which has three major parts: (1) a plan to meet temporal and spiritual needs by community caring and close identification, (2) evangelism methods which hope to foster a people movement, and (3) follow-up training and equipping new members for service and evangelism. The paper concludes with specific recommendations for further use of this strategy.
Motivating and Training the Laity To Increase their Involvement in Ministry in the Ouaga-Center Adventist Church in Burkina Faso
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Sanou Boubakar
Published: June 2023

Problem. In many Christian religious circles, the subject of clergy and laity has received much attention because of a sharp distinction between them. In Africa, the laypeople are expected to give allegiance to the clergy and also to depend on them for spiritual guidance and help. Although the New Testament teaches the concepts of the priesthood of all believers (1 Pet 2:5, 9-10) and the priestly ministry of the church as the function of the total church membership, there is still a persistent tendency to create a dichotomy between clergy and laity. This practice clearly shows two classes of believers: a special order, the clergy, who monopolize ministry and a second-class order for believers, the laity, who are ministered to. As a result many pastors are worn out, discouraged, and in need of affirmation, and members are not maturing in their Christian experience. Method. Literature on a biblical understanding of church, ministry, and the role of the laity has been reviewed through library research. Other Christians’ approaches to motivating their members for involvement were looked at through observations, informal interviews, and library research. Resources needed for the implementation of the project were developed. Seminars and workshops were conducted to impart knowledge to the church members to help them develop skills and influence change. Results. Despite time constraints, six seminars were completed with an average of fiftyone church members attending each seminar. Feedback on seminars indicated a positive change of attitude of the participants. The project is ongoing and church officers are very supportive of it. Conclusions. The involvement of church members in this project was influenced by several factors such as former religious affiliations, search for significance, and appropriate training. Church members who continue to be uninvolved in church activities may need a personal invitation, affirmation, or one-to-one coaching to become more involved.
A Strategy for Pastors to Mobilize and Equip Lay Members for Evangelism in Tanzania
Authors:   ,   Andrews University, Mhando Herry
Published: June 2023

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist church membership in Tanzania is only over 200,000 while the population is more than 32 million. There is a need of a strategy to reach these millions with the gospel. Second, there are about 250 pastors, each taking care of an average of six to ten churches. This heavy pastoral responsibility makes it difficult for them to fulfill their evangelistic responsibilities. The only solution appears to be motivation and equipping of the lay members for evangelism. Method. With the help of biblical resources and selected literature on the subject, this project focuses on the theology, theories, and methods currently employed in the field of evangelism, to foster mobilization of lay members for penetration to reach the unreached in Tanzania. Christ’s method was examined, as well as the methods used by the apostolic church to evangelize their generation. This forms the basis for this strategy: the intentional approaches to saturate the population with the gospel. Conclusion. This study has accomplished two things. First, it has increased my awareness of intentionality in evangelism in my own life, as well as mobilizing others to do evangelism purposefully. As a result, it is my intention not only to promote it in Tanzania, but do hope that it can be a tool that will be used to evangelize the continent of Africa and the world. Second, it has given me a new confidence in the practice of evangelizing that has taken me around the globe. Equipped with the results o f this study, I hope to help other evangelists, whether they be pastors or laity, to sense the same assurance I feel, as they labor to bring a knowledge of Christ to their world.
ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ ЕКОСИСТЕМ БІГТЕХ-КОМПАНІЙ У ПЛАТІЖНІЙ СФЕРІ НА ФІНАНСОВОМУ РИНКУ
Authors: Борисюк Олена , Дацюк-Томчук Марія
Published: June 2023

Актуальність статті обумовлена розв'язанням проблем експансії діяльності бігтех-компаній у сфері платежів, які наразі мають місце на фінансовому ринку. У ході дослідження проаналізовано поточні підходи до визначення екосистем та цифрових платформ та запропоновано їх інтерпретацію. Виявлено основні переваги, пов'язані з участю екосистем у фінансовому та платіжному посередництві. Зроблено висновки, що екосистема є новою інституційною одиницею, яка має переваги у порівнянні з традиційними фінансовими установами: наявність глобальної клієнтської бази, можливість швидкої реалізації мережевих ефектів, відсутність надмірного регуляторного навантаження. Об'єктивними критеріями, що дозволяють віднести компанію до екосистеми є: загальні та специфічні критерії, що враховують особливості ведення бізнесу, рівень розвитку фінансового ринку, інформаційних технологій.
Reseña
Authors:   Universidad de Guadalajara, del Rosario Valdés Orejas María Mélida
Published: June 2023

Reseña de Chun Wei Choo (1999). La organización inteligente: el empleo de la información para dar significado, crear conocimiento y tomar decisiones (trad. Daniel Rey Díaz). México: Oxford University Press.