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Developing, Planting, and Multiplying an Adventist House Church Using Principles of Missiology in the Florida Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists

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Developing, Planting, and Multiplying an Adventist House Church Using Principles of Missiology in the Florida Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research 2009 Developing, Planting, and Multiplying an Adventist House Church Using Principles of Missiology in the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists W Milton Adams Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Recommended Citation Adams, W Milton, "Developing, Planting, and Multiplying an Adventist House Church Using Principles of Missiology in the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists" (2009). Dissertation Projects DMin. 2. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/2 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]. 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 DEVELOPING, PLANTING, AND MULTIPLYING AN ADVENTIST HOUSE CHURCH USING PRINCIPLES OF MISSIOLOGY IN THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS by W. Milton Adams Adviser: Kurt Johnson ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: DEVELOPING, PLANTING, AND MULTIPLYING AN ADVENTIST HOUSE CHURCH USING PRINCIPLES OF MISSIOLOGY IN THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS Name of researcher: W. Milton Adams Name and degree of faculty adviser: Kurt Johnson, D.Min. Date Completed: October 2009 Problem Church attendance is steadily declining throughout North America. Nevertheless, people are still seeking God, but it is occurring outside the church walls. The same trend is occurring in Florida where church attendance is below the national average. In response to this trend this project was to establish an Adventists house church within the Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists to assess a house church model’s front-line missionary viability. Method Following pre-launch work, one house church was launched in the North West Orlando area with two families (four adults and five small children). The project was evaluated for health, using Natural Church Development, and for effectiveness of front- line missionary viability. Results Following ten months of work the following were observed: (1) average attendance was twenty-nine people (seventeen adults and twelve children); (2) thirty percent of adult attendance were unchurched people; (3) sixty-five percent of unchurched people returned a second time; (4) eight Adventist adults were trained to launch their own house church in a new location; (5) six baptisms were celebrated; (6) tithe and offerings totaled, $47,469.79 ($31,512.31 and $15,957.48 respectively); (7) two new house church locations were launched; (8) total attendance, since inception, averages for each of the three locations was twenty people, totaling a weekly Simple Church attendance of sixty people; (9) the Florida Conference received 100 percent of tithe; (10) no financial support (i.e., pastor’s salary) was received from the Florida Conference; and (11) approximately 90 percent of local offerings were used to help unchurched people and occasional emergency needs among house church participants. Conclusions House churches, specifically Simple Church, operate out of a decentralized, grass- roots paradigm that is faithful to the Seventh-day Adventist mission. This paradigm intentionally recaptures the New Testament and early Adventist roots by eliminating the professional clergy/lay person distinction. This elimination, in and of itself, naturally empowers lay-people to become Adventist front-line missionaries. Lay people realize that if they do not become missionaries, there are no professional clergy or Bible workers to whom they can shift their missionary responsibility. This awareness both calls and invites lay people to step up to the plate and once again take ownership of the unique message God has invited Seventh-day Adventists to share with the world–beginning with their unchurched neighbors. Future Development The nature of this project carries with it ongoing development, change, and modifications. This project was officially completed March 31, 2009. Descriptions and explanations contained within this document are subject to change as the development of the Simple Church Network, which was the outcome of this project, continues to expand. Please contact the author by visiting http://www.SimpleChurchAtHome.com for update information on items found within this project dissertation. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary DEVELOPING, PLANTING, AND MULTIPLYING AN ADVENTIST HOUSE CHURCH USING PRINCIPLES OF MISSIOLOGY IN THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS A Dissertation Presented In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by W. Milton Adams October 2009 © Copyright by W. Milton Adams 2009 All Rights Reserved DEVELOPING, PLANTING, AND MULTIPLYING AN ADVENTIST HOUSE CHURCH USING PRINCIPLES OF MISSIOLOGY IN THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Ministry by W. Milton Adams APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: _________________________________ _________________________________ Adviser, Director of D.Min. Program Kurt Johnson Skip Bell _________________________________ _________________________________ Adviser, Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Donald C. James J. H. Denis Fortin _________________________________ _________________________________ Russell Burrll Date approved TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .......................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................. ix Chapter I. PROJECT INTRODUCTION .............................. 1 Introduction ......................................... 2 Background to the Problem ............................. 2 Constantine’s Contribution .......................... 4 Adventist’s Contribution ............................ 7 Adventist Roots ................................ 8 Spiritual Development, Aggressive Service . 12 Statement of the Problem............................... 15 Specific to North America ........................... 15 Specific to Adventism in North America . 16 Specific to Florida ................................. 18 Justification ......................................... 19 Methodology ........................................ 21 Definition of Terms ................................... 22 Limitations .......................................... 25 Personal Limitations ............................... 25 Limitations ....................................... 25 Summary ........................................... 26 II. BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS .............................. 27 A Theology of Missions................................ 27 God: The Inventor of Mission . 28 Jesus: The Illustration of Community . 30 Church: The Expression of Community . 31 Holy Spirit: The Empowerer of Community . 34 Adventists: A Missional Community . 36 “Greet the Church That Meets In His/Her Home” . 41 Jesus’ Use of Homes ............................... 44 Oikos–Ekklesia Connection .......................... 45 Romans 16 .................................... 45 iii 1 Corinthians 16:19 ............................. 52 Colossians 4:15 ................................ 53 Philemon ........................................ 54 Summary ..................................... 56 Worship Elements Observed in the New Testament . 56 Summary ........................................... 61 III. LITERATURE REVIEW.................................. 63 Introduction ......................................... 63 House Church Networks in North America . 63 House Church and House Church Network Characteristics . 66 Denominational House Church Networks . 71 Southern Baptist Model ............................. 71 Georgia-Cumberland Conference’s Model . 72 Networks and Movements .............................. 73 Cell Churches, A Close Cousin .......................... 78 Summary ........................................... 78 IV. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................ 80 Launching the First House Church . 80 A Holy Discontent ................................. 80 If I Were a Missionary .............................. 81 A Dream Is Born .................................. 82 Pre-Launch Work.................................. 84 Conference Invitation............................... 84 Finding My CORE4................................ 85 Monthly CORE4 Meetings .......................... 87 Florida Conference Executive Committee Vote . 88 Getting Started ....................................... 89 Simple Church–Not a Practice Session . 90 The Name “Simple Church” ......................... 91 Training of Trainers ................................ 94 Annual Shared Ministry Vision . 97 Biblical Qualifications for CORE4 Church Planters . 98 CORE4 Responsibilities and Job Description . 98 The “Formal” Training.............................. 98 Experiencing God Workbook ........................ 99 Multiplying New Simple Churches . 100 Simple Church Network Participation . 101 Sabbath Gathering Flow...............................
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