Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research 1988 An Approach to a Holistic Ministry in a Seventh-day Adventist Urban Church in Uganda Nathaniel Mumbere Walemba Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Missions and World Christianity Commons Recommended Citation Walemba, Nathaniel Mumbere, "An Approach to a Holistic Ministry in a Seventh-day Adventist Urban Church in Uganda" (1988). Dissertation Projects DMin. 241. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/241 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 Dissertation Projects DMin by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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ABSTRACT AN APPROACH TO A HOLISTIC MINISTRY IN A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST URBAN CHURCH IN UGANDA by Nathaniel Mumbere Walemba Adviser: Norman Miles, Ph.D Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH A Project Report Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: AN APPROACH TO A HOLISTIC MINISTRY IN A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST URBAN CHURCH IN UGANDA Name of Researcher: Nathaniel Mumbere Walemba Name and degree of faculty Adviser: Norman Miles, Ph.D. Date completed: August 1988 Problem The SDA church in Uganda started in rural areas among rural people. But the situation has changed. Although the majority of the church membership nationwide is still rural, a large percentage is now urban in the real sense of the word. Moreover, it is estimated that by the year 2000, membership in city churches will have doubled. This urbanised membership requires an urbanized approach to ministry. Furthermore, as in any devoloping country, Ugandan urba nites have many needs which can be met onlyby a holistic approach to ministry. This study is 1 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. undertaken to make a contribution toward achieving that goal. Method A description of ministry is made to create a better concept of ministry. Also an attempt is made to investigate the current pattern of ministry. Questionnaires were used to help determine the strength and weakness of the present approach. Based on the analysis of these instruments, suggestions are made for possible improvement. These recommendations are informed by the current literature on urban ministry, the researcher's understanding of biblical ministry, and his personal experience as a minister in the country under study. Results The study shows that the Bible teaches a holistic approach to the ministry (diakonia) of the church. It is the method Christ used. But there seems to be a deficient concept of biblical ministry, especially as it relates to non-spiritual needs. The needs that exist require creative leadership and total mobilization of all church members. The study reveals that the latter is presently a difficult task. Moreover, there is a possibility that the pastors do not have the skills and tools needed to train and moblize the lay people for ministry. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Conclusion Investigation shows that several things must be done to effect a holistic urban ministry in the SDA churches in Uganda. First, there must be a better understanding of ministry. Pastors and members alike must understand that ministry is inclusive of every service that positively affects every aspect of human life. Second, church members (lay people) must be helped to realize that they too have a part to play in the servanthood of the church and to do it. Third, both pastors and lay people must be trained to enable them to play their respective roles in a way that is rewarding to them and beneficial to their community of faith and the larger community around them. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary AN APPROACH TO A HOLISTIC MINISTRY IN A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST URBAN CHURCH IN UGANDA A Project Report Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Nathaniel Mumbere Walemba August 1988 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3096507 UMI__ ____ __ <g) UMI Microform 3096507 Copyright 2003 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. AN APPROACH TO A HOLISTIC MINISTRY IN A SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST URBAN CHURCH IN UGANDA A project report presented in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree Doctor of Ministry by Nathaniel M. Walemba APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: Adviser, f .Dean, Norman K. Miles SDA Theological Seminary C. Raymond Holmes Reuben A. Hubbard Date approved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. IN LOVING DEDICATION In memory of George W. Murphy, who knew me not, yet adopted me as his son and made me feel at home in a foreign land. His unselfish, sacrificial love for me will never be forgotten. To my loving wife, Ruth, who endured the typing and printing noise while she tried to sleep after working all day in order to support all of us in the family. To our dear children, Jocelyn, Elvin, Elvis, Eldridge, for whom I had no time during my devotion to the research and typing of this project, and to Fred, whose living without parents was prolonged by the completion of this project. To my friend Moses Kumalaki, without whom I would not have been able to come to the United States to study. To Dr. and Mrs. Seth Lubega whose encouragement, confidence, and love have been a driving force behind my scholarstic endeavors. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .................................. ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................ X GENERAL INTRODUCTION ............................ 1 Purpose of the P r o j e c t ....................... 1 Justification of the Project ................. 1 Description of the Project .................... 3 Limitation of the Project ..................... 5 Expectations of the Project ................... 5 Mothodology .................................... 6 Chapter I. INTRODUCTION ............................. 7 The Beginning of the SDA Church in Uganda 7 A Rural Beginning ................... 8 Social Structure ..................... 11 The Unitary Authority System .. 13 The Multi-chieftain Authority .. 14 The Age-class S y s t e m ........ 14 The Effects of Social Systems on the Planting of the Church .......... 15 Methods Used to Plant the SDA Church in U g a n d a ........................... 16 Evangelism....................... 21 Public Evangelism............ 21 Personal Evangelism ............... 23 Literature Evangelism......... ... 25 Health Evangelism ................. 27 Educational Evangelism ...... 29 O p p o s i t i o n ......................... 30 The Mission of the SDA Church in