Training Members of the Muskegon, Michigan Seventh-day Adventist Church to Conduct

174 Pages·2017·1.76 MB·English

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Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research
2014
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Ryan Dean Counsell
Andrews University
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Counsell, Ryan Dean, "Training Members of the Muskegon, Michigan Seventh-day Adventist Church to
Conduct Evangelistic Meetings: the Leadership Practices Involved" (2014). Dissertation Projects DMin.
34.
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/34
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ABSTRACT
TRAINING MEMBERS OF THE MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH TO CONDUCT
EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS: THE LEADERSHIP
PRACTICES INVOLVED
by
Ryan Counsell

Adviser: Ron du Preez, DMin, Th.D.
ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH
Project Document
Andrews University
Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Title: TRAINING MEMBERS OF THE MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN SEVENTH-DAY
ADVENTIST CHURCH TO CONDUCTEVANGELISTIC MEETINGS: THE
LEADERSHIP PRACTICES INVOLVED
Name of researcher: Ryan Counsell
Name of adviser: Ron du Preez, DMin, Th.D.
Date completed: June 2014
Problem
The Muskegon, Michigan Seventh-day Adventist Church’s mission statement
encouraged members to use their spiritual gifts. Unfortunately, most members with the
gift of evangelism did not know how to conduct lay evangelism relying rather on
conference evangelists. Due to Michigan Conference staff reductions, in going from four
to two full time evangelists with associated budget limitations; there was a waiting list for
conference evangelists to hold meetings in the churches, which made the situation more
desperate. The result was that laity, who possessed the gift of evangelism, were awaiting
conference evangelists rather than conducting their own lay evangelistic meetings. A
major contributing factor was the lack of lay members who had been trained to conduct
public evangelistic meetings. This study project seeks to address this challenge by
conducting a lay training program in evangelism at the Muskegon Seventh-day Adventist
Church.
Method
The project sought to equip local leaders for evangelistic ministry in the context
of small groups, so that they would conduct their own evangelistic meetings throughout
West Michigan. The equipping process went throughout the winter of 2010–2011.
Members were equipped in the utilization of several resources including Dr. Russell
Burrill’s Field Evangelism manual. Upon completing the training course, each of the five
teams conducted their own respective evangelistic campaigns. Opening in five locations
throughout West Michigan, the meetings began simultaneously on the evening of
February 22, 2011. A qualitative evaluation on the training and the success of these
Muskegon meetings was done with focus groups in July of 2011.
Results
The theological foundations in leadership theory arise primarily from my
investigation of the lives of Barnabas and also Paul and Jesus. Thirteen practices were
discovered and integrated in the training process. These 13 Biblical principles, hereby
referred to as the “applied principles” are highlighted: (a) choose loyal leaders; (b)
choose encouragement leaders; (c) give leaders an unconditional opportunity (d) choose
leaders who are transparent Christians (e) choose leaders who are willing to learn from
failure; (f) choose leaders who can deal with conflict and resolution; (g) choose some
leaders by following the principle of multiplication; (h) choose leaders who want to
develop their Spiritual gift of evangelism; (i) choose leaders by being gender inclusive (j)
choose leaders who are willing to learn discipleship; (k) teach leaders to use the principle
of oikos evangelism; (l) choose leaders who will use compassion to lead to mission and
(m) choose self-sacrificing laity to preach.
As to secular leadership theory, the ones that were employed in this project
included; influence theory, University of Iowa behavior theory, Ohio State University
behavior theory, Path-Goal theory, charismatic leadership and servant leadership.
Drath’s (2001) principle of interpersonal Influence did have a positive effect. Also, in the
University of Iowa study, various styles proved effective rather than a “one-style to fit
all” approach. In the Ohio study theory, the two behavior traits were “consideration” and
“initiating structure” and this theory did prove conclusive. Another theory, the Path-Goal
theory, also proved conclusive in this project. The focus was to remove barriers as much
as I could so that the “path” was clear for the speakers. Charismatic leadership also
played a role by my aspiring to the dreams and goals of the speakers to encourage them
forward. The most conclusive was servant leadership and its focus on teaching the
people to follow Jesus and to make disciples. Furthermore, speakers of both ordinary and
those of less favorable backgrounds became spirit filled and used the gift of evangelism
to conduct their meetings and taught others about Jesus.
Conclusions
Anyone who is going to train lay leaders needs to be careful in the following
areas: Developing, recruiting, discipling, equipping, training, budgeting and planning,
scheduling, vision casting, fund raising, encouraging and leading. As a result of this
study and the application of these principles, we have concluded the following: The
methodologies in this project can effectively train lay people to use their gifts of
evangelism; also, when church members are effectively trained to use their gift of
evangelism, it will energize the church; also, by a church having an evangelism
equipping program, members may utilize such a training school as a place for them to
employ their spiritual gifts. In conclusion, the Muskegon Seventh-day Adventist Church
is a stronger church today in that it has additional trained laity to do evangelism. As a
result of the project, the 17 lay leaders have become stronger speakers and leaders in the
church. They all have experienced the joy and trials of holding evangelistic meetings and
all have witnessed the baptisms that came from their labor.
ANDREWS UNIVERSITY
Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary
TRAINING MEMBERS OF THE MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH TO CONDUCT
EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS: THE LEADERSHIP
PRACTICES INVOLVED
A Project Document
Project Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Ministry
by
Ryan Dean Counsell
June 2014
Copyright by Ryan D. Counsell 2014
All rights reserved
TRAINING MEMBERS OF THE MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH TO CONDUCT
EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS: THE LEADERSHIP
PRACTICES INVOLVED
A project document
presented in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Ministry
by
Ryan Dean Counsell

APPROVAL BY COMMITTEE:

_________________________________ ____________________________
Adviser, Director, DMin Program
Ron du Preez Skip Bell

__________________________________ ______________________________
Eduard Schmidt Dean, SDA Theological Seminary
Jiří Moskala

___________________________________ ______________________________
Marc Woodson Date approved