Strategy for Holy Week Incarnational Evangelism for the West Puerto Rico Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research 1988 Strategy For Holy Week Incarnational Evangelism For The West Puerto Rico Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists Efren Pagan Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Pagan, Efren, "Strategy For Holy Week Incarnational Evangelism For The West Puerto Rico Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists" (1988). Dissertation Projects DMin. 212. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/212 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]. ABSTRACT STRATEGY FOR HOLY WEEK INCARNATIONAL EVANGELISM FOR THE WEST PUERTO RICO CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS By Efrén Pagán Advisor: Elias G. Gómez ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Project Report Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary TITLE: STRATEGY FOR HOLY WEEK INCARNATIONAL EVANGELISM FOR THE WEST PUERTO RICO CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS Name of researcher: Efren Pagan Name and degree of faculty adviser: Elias G. Gomez, D.Min. Date completed: July 1988 Problem Most of the people living in Puerto Rico claim or are claimed to be Catholics by the Catholic leadership of the Island. Most of them have only a form of religion, having lost sight of the power of Christ's religion. They need to be led back to Christ, even though they are uncon scious of their situation or of their spiritual need. Method Each person is unique, but some characteristics are similar to most of the people in a specific group. Catholics constitute a large group in Puerto Rico. To reach them, one must understand them and approach them in the proper way. With this in mind, incarnational evangelism should be done, and Holy Week is the most advantageous time of the year to do it. Results Holy Week is the best time of the year to bring Cath olics to public evangelistic meetings. Holy Week evangelism has also proved to be the most effective method for bringing them into the evangelical community of believers in Christ. For several years Holy Week has been the time of year when more people from a Catholic background have been baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist church in the West Puerto Rico Conference. Conclusions The West Puerto Rico Conference of Seventh-day Adventists should adopt a standard and permanent plan for evangelism during Holy Week. This means six to seven months of aggressive evangelism, enough to reach the baptismal goals of the whole year. The rest of the year could be dedicated to a follow-up program on behalf of the new converts.1 •^Even when a follow-up program to evangelism is extremely important, its consideration is not within the scope of this project. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary STRATEGY FOR HOLY WEEK INCARNATIONAL EVANGELISM FOR THE WEST PUERTO RICO CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS A Project Report Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Efren Pagan July 1988 Copyright by Efrén Pagan All Rights Reserved STRATEGY FOR HOLY WEEK INCARNATIONAL EVANGELISM FOR THE WEST PUERTO RICO CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS A Project Report presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Ministry By Efren Pagan APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: DEDICATION After several years of study and practice, I feel a debt of gratitude to God for the results reached. To His glory this project is dedicated and to the benefit of all those beloved Catholic people who could be saved as a result of accepting the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ...................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES....... x LIST OF ABREVIATIONS..... ......................... •• xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............... xii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION............. 1 Justification of the Project.................. 1 Purpose........ .............................. 5 Scope of the Project........................... 5 Limitations.................................... 7 Definitions of Terms................... 8 II. THE PRINCIPLE OF INCARNATIONAL EVANGELISM... 9 Introduction................................... 9 Christ's Incarnation........................ 9 Dimensions. .................................. 10 Necessity................................ 11 Purpose..................................... 12 Incarnational Evangelism........ 14 The Principle of Evangelism................ 14 A New Testament Concept.................... 17 Necessity................................... 19 Purpose..................................... 22 Aspects That Should Be Taken into Consideration............................. 24 What Does It Consist Of .................... 25 Paul's Example............................ • 3 0 How Should One Do It?...................... 38 Limitations................................. 4 2 The Place of the Holy Spirit............... 43 Conclusion........... 44 III. UNDERSTANDING AND RELATING TO PEOPLE FROM A CATHOLIC BACKGROUND................ 45 The Challenge.................................. 45 Reasons for a Strategy to Reach Them with the Gospel.................................. 47 General Characteristics........................ 50 iv Classifications................................ 55 Understanding Catholics....................... 57 Movement of Members within the Catholic Church............................. 63 How to Approach Catholics..................... 76 Make Contact with Them..................... 76 Live What You Teach and Preach............. 78 Devolop Good Characteristics............... 79 Assume a Correct Attitude.................. 80 Present a Sound Doctrine................... 84 Be Practical... ....... ..................... 87 The Problem of Prejudice against the Evangelist..... ........................... 90 Definition of Prejudice.................... 90 The Necessity for Recognizing Prejudice.... 91 Types....................................... 92 Causes...................................... 92 Results..................................... 93 How It Is Revealed.......................... 94 Common Prejudices against Protestants..... 94 How to Approach Prejudice.................. 95 Conclusion..................................... 97 IV. ORIGIN, DEVELOPMENT, TRADITION AND ACTUAL OBSERVANCE OF HOLY WEEK AMONG CATHOLICS IN PUERTO RICO...................... 99 I nt r oduct ion................................... 99 Background..................................... 100 The Liberation of the People of Israel from the Egyptian Bondage................ 100 Passover.................................... 101 Purposes of the Passover................. 104 The Passion Week of the Lord Jesus Christ.......................... 106 Importance of the Passion Week Events.... 110 The Celebration of Holy Week.................. 112 Importance.................................. 113 Purposes..... ........................... 117 Origen...................................... 119 The Observance of Holy Week .............. 121 The Quartodeciman Controversy............ 121 Events........................... 126 Before the Council of Nicaea............. 126 After the Concil of Nicaea............... 127 Traditional Events....................... 127 Impact of Holy Week as Seen through Mass Media and Religious Meetings....... 132 Press........................................ 133 Television................................ 133 Cinemas and Theater......................... 133 Video Clubs...... ,.......................... 136 Radio....................................... 136 Religious Meetings.......................... 137 v Conclusion..................................... 138 V. A STRATEGY FOR HOLY WEEK PUBLIC INCARNATIONAL EVANGELISM...................... 139 Introduction............... 139 Some Methods of Public Evangelism............. 140 Small Groups................................ 140 Public Evangelistic Lectures............... 141 Bible Class................................. 141 Baptismal Class......................... 142 Combination of Methods.... ................. 142 Why Choose Holy Week?....... 142 Objectives for the Evangelistic Celebration of Holy Week ................................ 144 How to Reach Catholics..................... 144 Two Stages in Holy Week Public Evangelism.... 145 First Stage................................. 145 Second Stage................................ 151 Some Examples............................... 153 How to Bring Catholics to Public Evangelistic Meetings.................. 154 Venerated Personalities among Catholics...... 160 The Blessed Virgin Mary.................... 160 Saint Joseph.................. 162 The Apostle Peter.......................... 164 Church Fathers...... ............ ....... 169 Deuterocanonicals........................... 169 A Plan for Holy Week Evangelism............... 170 Preparation for the First Stage. ...... 170 First Stage or Lent Evangelism............. 172 Preparation for the Second Stage........... 174 Second Stage........................... 176 Special Dates for Fasting and Prayer...... 177 Special Activities for the Evangelistic Celebration of Holy Week ................... 178 Palm Sunday................................. 178 Holy Monday................................