A Strategy to Train Local Church Elders for Effective Assimilation And
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Project Documents Graduate Research 2014 A Strategy to Train Local Church Elders for Effective Assimilation and Nurture of New Converts Enock Chifamba Andrews University This research is a product of the graduate program in Doctor of Ministry DMin at Andrews University. Find out more about the program. Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Chifamba, Enock, "A Strategy to Train Local Church Elders for Effective Assimilation and Nurture of New Converts" (2014). Project Documents. 262. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/262 This Project Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Project Documents by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. ABSTRACT A STRATEGY TO TRAIN LOCAL CHURCH ELDERS FOR EFFECTIVE ASSIMILATION AND NURTURE OF NEW CONVERTS by Enock Chifamba Adviser: Bruce L. Bauer ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: A STRATEGY TO TRAIN LOCAL CHURCH ELDERS FOR EFFECTIVE ASSIMILATION AND NURTURE OF NEW CONVERTS Name of researcher: Enock Chifamba Name and degree of faculty adviser: Bruce L. Bauer, DMiss Date completed: October 2014 Problem In most multi-church districts the pastoral burden rests with the local church elders. However, these elders receive little or no training concerning the important pastoral duty of assimilation and nurture of new converts into a local church fellowship. Thus, new converts often feel isolated and neglected and some either backslide or remain inactive in their new-found faith. In the East Zimbabwe Conference 18,349 new members were added in 2010 bringing its membership to 247,935 with only 56 district pastors. The conference needs a cost effective strategy to nurture new members. Method The role of elders as pastoral care givers in the local church was established by examining Old and New Testament texts, E. G. White writings, and other Christian authors. This material was used in seminars to train and equip elders for effective assimilation and nurture of new converts. A logframe and a Gantt chart were employed to plan and monitor this project. Results The results of the final questionnaires to new converts and elders indicate an improvement in the involvement of elders in nurturing new converts after the intervention. There was also a greater involvement of new converts in witnessing and participation in other church programs. The percentage of new converts who owned Bibles, hymnbooks, manuals for Bible doctrines, and Sabbath School study guides also increased by the end of the program. Conclusions Local church elders, when rightly trained, can bridge the pastoral gap created by pastors having too many churches in a district and the rapid church growth in Africa that often leaves new converts with little or no post-baptismal care. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary A STRATEGY TO TRAIN LOCAL CHURCH ELDERS FOR EFFECTIVE ASSIMILATION AND NURTURE OF NEW CONVERTS A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Enock Chifamba October 2014 © Copyright by Enock Chifamba 2014 All Rights Reserved A STRATEGY TO TRAIN LOCAL CHURCH ELDERS FOR EFFECTIVE ASSIMILATION AND NURTURE OF NEW CONVERTS A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Ministry by Enock Chifamba APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: ________________________________ _________________________________ Adviser, Director, DMin Program Bruce L. Bauer Skip Bell ________________________________ _________________________________ Nancy Vyhmeister Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Jir̂í Moskala ________________________________ _________________________________ Boubakar Sanou Date approved I dedicate this dissertation to my Lord and Master Jesus Christ who called me into the ministry and to my beloved wife Constance who encouraged me to join the Doctor of Ministry program. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ...................................................................................... vii LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ...................................................................... 1 Statement of Task .................................................................................. 2 Justification for the Project .................................................................... 2 Delimitations .......................................................................................... 3 Personal Basis for Ministry .................................................................... 3 Introduction ...................................................................................... 3 General Background ........................................................................ 4 Specific Personal Assessments ........................................................ 8 Conversion and Assurance of Salvation .................................... 8 Time and Resources ................................................................... 9 Spiritual Path .............................................................................. 10 Worldview.................................................................................. 13 Temperament ............................................................................. 14 Damage Factor ........................................................................... 15 Assessments in Relation to Others ................................................... 17 Spiritual Gifts ............................................................................. 17 Leadership/Interaction Styles..................................................... 18 Task Type Preferences ............................................................... 18 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 19 Overview of the Paper ........................................................................... 21 2. A THEOLOGY OF PASTORAL CARE BY LOCAL CHURCH ELDERS ........................................................................................................ 22 Principles From the Old Testament ....................................................... 23 Heathen Kings .................................................................................. 23 The Leadership of Moses ................................................................. 26 The Analogy of a Shepherd for Spiritual Leaders ................................. 31 Principles From the New Testament ...................................................... 34 iv Roman Government ......................................................................... 34 The Ministry of Jesus ....................................................................... 35 Elders in the Ministry of Paul .......................................................... 40 Elders in the Ministry of the Apostle Peter ...................................... 48 Conclusion ............................................................................................. 51 3. THE POLITICAL, CULTURAL, AND RELIGIOUS ANALYSIS OF EAST ZIMBABWE CONFERENCE Introduction ............................................................................................ 54 Description of the Project Context ......................................................... 54 Geographic Description ................................................................... 54 History and Political Context ........................................................... 56 Colonialism ................................................................................ 57 Independent Zimbabwe .............................................................. 58 Demography ..................................................................................... 60 Socio-Cultural Context .................................................................... 62 Culture........................................................................................ 62 Kinship and Marriage ................................................................ 63 Urbanization and Globalization ................................................. 64 Religions Context............................................................................. 65 Seventh-day Adventist Church in East Zimbabwe Conference ............. 67 History.............................................................................................. 67 Growth Patterns ............................................................................... 68 Conclusion ............................................................................................