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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research 1998 Teamnet Ministries: An Empowerment Paradigm for Every- Member Ministry in the Hamlet Seventh-day Adventist Church, Amelia, Ohio Loren L. Fenton Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Fenton, Loren L., "Teamnet Ministries: An Empowerment Paradigm for Every-Member Ministry in the Hamlet Seventh-day Adventist Church, Amelia, Ohio" (1998). Dissertation Projects DMin. 565. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/565 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 TEAMNET MINISTRIES: AN EMPOWERMENT PARADIGM FOR EVERY-MEMBER MINISTRY IN THE HAMLET SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AMELIA, OHIO by Loren L. Fenton Adviser: James J. North, Jr. ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: TEAMNET MINISTRIES: AN EMPOWERMENT PARADIGM FOR EVERY-MEMBER MINISTRY IN THE HAMLET SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, AMELIA, OHIO Name of researcher: Loren L. Fenton Name and degree of faculty adviser: James J. North, Jr., D.Min. Date completed: April 1998 Problem The Hamlet Seventh-day Adventist Church, located near Amelia, Ohio, experienced a period of significant congregational decline during the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. Several contributing factors con­ verged during this time frame to cause much discouragement and burn-out among the church members. Many left to join other congregations, or simply dropped out completely. Attendance dropped from the 120-150 range to an average of 35-40 at worship each Sabbath. By 1992 there was a serious leadership vacuum, coupled with a high level of mistrust, misunderstanding, and factional splintering permeating the church. Method In May 1992, I arrived as senior pastor for the struggling church. In April 1995, after several years of following the traditional nominat- ing committee method of staffing church offices, I introduced the con­ cept of a standing personnel committee to the church at a church busi­ ness meeting. The authorization by the church to proceed in the new direction resulted in the emergence of the Teamnet Ministries System, a paradigm for the empowerment of every member to active ministry. Results A survey conducted approximately two-and-a-half years following the initial introduction of the system to the Hamlet church revealed that the system was a significant factor in the ministries of those members actually involved in ministry, but that it had little impact on those who remained inactive. Satisfaction levels were increased for the people who were working as team leaders or team members. Some who remained inactive apparently were not involved because they were con­ fused about the Teamnet Ministries System or did not understand it. Conclusions The experiment met with some success, but encountered some sig­ nificant resistance among the cultural gatekeepers of the congregation, due in part to the natural homeostasis inherent to any system, and also due partly to insufficient education and communication from proponents of the new Teamnet Ministries System. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary TEAMNET MINISTRIES: AN EMPOWERMENT PARADIGM FOR EVERY-MEMBER MINISTRY IN THE HAMLET SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AMELIA, OHIO A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Loren L. Fenton April 1998 TEAMNET MINISTRIES: AN EMPOWERMENT PARADIGM FOR EVERY-MEMBER MINISTRY IN THE HAMLET SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AMELIA, OHIO A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Ministry by Loren L. Fenton TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Chapter I. INTRODUCTION ............................................. 1 Statement of the Task .................................. 1 Definition of Terms .................................... 1 Justification for the Project .......................... 3 The Need for Training in Ministry ............ ..... 3 The Hamlet Opportunity ............................. 3 Societal Changes Affecting the Hamlet- Congregation ............................. 4 An Opportunity for Change .......................... 5 Description of the Project ............................. 5 The Theological Base ............................... 5 The Effectiveness Paradigm . ...................... 6 The Empowerment Process .............. 6 The Hamlet Experience .............................. 6 Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations .......... 7 Limitations of the Project ............................. 7 Expectations from the Project .......................... 8 II. THE RESIDENT GOD: A THEOLOGY OF EMPOWERMENT .............. 9 An Analysis of Power ................................... 9 The Granting of Authority .......................... 10 The Supplying of Resources ......................... 11 Education and Training ............................. 12 An Empowerment Illustration ........................ 14 Empowerment from the Resident God ...................... 15 Creation ........................................... 15 God Empowers Humans ............................. 15 God Dwells With Humans .......................... 16 The Wilderness Sanctuary ....... 17 God As Our Neighbor ................... 17 God Takes Up Residence .......................... 17 Incarnation ................................... 17 God in Human Flesh .............................. 17 Forever One With Us ............................. 19 Holy Spirit Empowerment ............................ 21 God in the Body Temple .......................... 21 The Mystery of the Ages ......................... 22 i n III. THE EFFECTIVENESS PARADIGM ............................... 26 Purposeful Ministry ........................ 26 The Lesson for God's Church ........................ 27 Purpose and Success .....................•.......... 29 Effective Ministry ..................................... 30 Systems Thinking ....................................... 30 Systems Theory Concepts ............................ 31 Synergy ......................................... 31 Reciprocity ..................................... 32 Wholism ......................................... 32 Cohesion, Differentiation, and Interdependence ........................... 33 Homeostasis ..................................... 34 The Church as System ............................... 34 Koinonia Covenants .............................. 35 Theology and Koinonia ........................... 36 Social Organizational Models ........................... 38 Economics and Organizational Models ................ 38 Small-group (Campfire) Model .................... 39 Hierarchical (Agricultural) Model ............... 39 Bureaucratic (Industrial) Model .................. 40 Networking (Informational) Model ................ 40 Linear vs. Random Thinking ......................... 41 "Learning" vs. "Controlling" Organizations .......... 42 Connected Learners .............................. 42 Need for a Paradigm Shift ....................... 43 IV. THE EMPOWERMENT PROCESS ................................... 4 4 The Leader's Foundation for Leadership ................. 44 Character vs. Personality .......................... 44 An Attitude Shift Regarding Success ............. 44 Church Responses to the Shift ................... 45 Personal Integrity ................................. 46 Character Demands Integrity ..................... 46 Character Honors Others as Peers ................ 47 Vision ............................................. 48 Defining "Greatness" ............................ 48 Empowerment Through Vision ...................... 49 Personal Spirituality .............................. 50 The Source of Character ......................... 50 The Influence of Spiritual Leadership ........... 51 Cultivating an Empowering Environment .................. 53 The Need for Cultivation ........................... 53 Church Culture .................................. 53 Organizational Inertia .......................... 53 An Atmosphere of Trust ....... 54 The Primacy of Trust ............................ 54 Fostering Trust ................................. 55 The Ownership of Stewardship .................... 56 Two Levels of Ownership: Ownership and Trust ...... 56 The Church and Stewardship ...................... 57 A Shared Vision and Covenant of Mission ............. 58 Shared Vision ................................... 58 Covenant of Mission ............... 59 Rewards, Reinforcements, and Feedback ............... 60 Rewards in Networking ........................... 60 Mutual Encouragement and Reinforcement .......... 61 IV V. THE HAMLET EXPERIENCE ..................................... 62 Narration .............................................. 62 The Early Days ..................................... 62 Community Services ................................. 63 Hamlet SDA Elementary School ....................... 64 Church Growth and Decline .......................... 64 Pastor Loren Fenton ................................ 65 Net '95 65 Leadership Vacuum ............................... 65 Teamnet

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