CONGREGATIONAL AND MISSION STRUCTURES AND HOW THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH HAS RELATED TO THEM by Bruce L. Bauer A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the School of World Mission And Institute of Church Growth FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Missiology June 1982 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Writing a dissertation is at times a lonely and frustrat- ing task, but like so much in life it is a team effort. Many have cooperated and helped in the shaping of this paper. I am indebted to all the professors at the School of World Mission of Fuller Seminary for all they have taught me. Specifically I want to thank the members of my dissertation committee: Paul Pierson, Peter Wagner and Robert Clinton. Dr. Pierson, who served as my mentor, provided both helpful criticisms and encouragement. I also greatly appreciated the fact that he was always accessible. During ten days spent doing research in the Archives at the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Wash- ington D. C. I was given complete access to all records deal- ing with the early Adventist missions. Bert Haloviak and Don Yost gave hours of cheerful assistance that allowed me to quickly gather the information needed. The Far Eastern Division of Seventh-day Adventists granted me a study leave in addition to the normal furlough, paid my tuition and also provided transportation expenses to Washington D. C. for research purposes. Don Roth in the Secretariat Department in the General Conference has been a constant encouragement and friend throughout the whole pro- cess and has been a real source of strength. 111 My family has also cooperated by allowing me to work without interruption in a quiet corner and by accepting de- finite limitations on family activities. Linda, my wife, has been the greatest help, typing, retyping and always being willing to act as a sounding board for my ideas. To all these, and the many others who I have not spe- cifically named, I want to express my deep gratitude. Above all, I want to thank the Lord for making possible this time for study and reflection. • • Congregational and Mission Structures and How the Seventh-day Adventist Church • Has Related to Them, by Bruce L. Bauer Fuller Theological Seminary School of World Mission, Doctor of Missiology, 1983 (expected date of graduation) ABSTRACT This dissertation suggests that the Christian Church has expanded most rapidly when the outreach and nurture func- tions of the Church have been organized and promoted by sep- arate structures that relate to each other in three ways: (1) they are semi-autonomous in decision making, (2) they share a common purpose and objective, and (3) they have an agreed upon common reference point. This model for semi-autonomous congregational and mis- • sion structures is then supported by detailing the relation- ship between the Antioch Church and Paul's apostolic bands. Similar cases of semi-autonomy between the two structures in church history are then cited to further support the thesis. Part II of this dissertation details Seventh-day Adven- tist missions during three periods: (1) The Foreign Mission Board era, 1889-1903, (2) The Daniells/Spicer era, 1901- 1930, and (3) The present era, 1946-1980. The interrelation- ship of the congregational (nurture) structure and the mis- sion (outreach) structure is examined for each period with weaknesses and strengths pointed out. Finally the present decline of Seventh-day Adventist missions is detailed, followed by specific suggestions to • reverse the decline. Mentor: Paul E. Pierson TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii ABSTRACT iv LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS ix LISTS OF TABLES PART I. CONGREGATIONAL AND MISSION STRUCTURES DESCRIPTION AND HISTORICAL SUPPORT Chapter INTRODUCTION 2 Purpose of this Research 2 Methodology 4 Procedure 6 Participant observer 6 Archives 6 Books, articles and lecture notes 7 Scope of the Study 7 Qualifications and Restrictions 9 CONGREGATIONAL AND MISSION STRUCTURES--TWO STRUC- TURES THAT CONSTITUTE THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH . 11 Terms Used to Describe the Two Structures 11 Characteristics of the Two Structures . 13 Congregational structures 13 Multi-faceted concern 13 Consolidates gains 14 Nurture 14 Unity 15 Runs on consensus 15 Longevity and continuity 16 People-orientated 16 Check and balance, authenticates 16 Resource base 17 Concerned with organizational development 18 Tends to be authoritarian, dominating and tends to swallow mission structure . 19 Mission structures 20 Narrow concern 20 Task-orientated 21 • Outreach 21 High commitment expected 23 Innovative and open to change 24 Helps renew congregational structure . 24 Leadership style 25 Interrelationship of the two structures . 27 Leaders of both structures need to under- stand each structure's function . 27 Both structures should be semi-autonomous. 28 Semi-autonomy, not independence 30 Problems associated with one-structure de- nominations 32 Problems associated with church-less mis- sion societies 33 Both structures should have a common re- ference point 38 THE NEW TESTAMENT BASIS FOR SEMI-AUTONOMOUS STRUCTURES 45 "Church" in the New Testament 45 "Apostle" in the New Testament 48 Greek background 48 Hebrew equivalent of apostolos 49 New Testament meanings SO • The Twelve 51 Apostleship not restricted to the Twelve . 52 Function of New Testament Apostles 52 Missionary Bands in the New Testament . 54 Biblical basis for mission structures . 58 Mission structures initiated by the Holy Spirit 58 Early mission structures were semi-autono- mous 62 SEMI-AUTONOMOUS MISSION STRUCTURES IN CHURCH HISTORY 67 Introduction 67 The Synagogue pattern replaced by the dio- cese 67 The apostolic bands replaced by the monas- teries 68 The Medieval Period 69 Monasteries became a source of renewal . 70 Monasteries became centers of quiet and learning 70 Monasteries operated semi-autonomously from the diocese 71 Monasteries became a missionary force . 73 The Reformation Period 76 Protestants largely ineffectual 77 v i Catholics largely successful 77 The Modern Period 80 Factors that encouraged Protestant missions 81 Religious factors 81 Sociological factors 82 Promotional factors 86 Protestant mission societies 93 Protestants struggle with the concept of semi- autonomous mission structures 94 Centralization leads to mere inter-church aid 97 Both congregational and mission structures are needed 99 PART II. A CASE STUDY: THE TWO STRUCTURES IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH V . THE TWO STRUCTURES IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, PART I--FOREIGN MISSION BOARD ERA, 1889- 1903 104 Beginnings and Structure of FMB 104 Relationship of the FMB to the General Confer- ence 108 Points of conflict between congregational and • mission structures 109 Sources of Funds for FMB 111 Development of Mission Strategy By FMB 114 The FMB was aware of current missionary think- ing 114 FMB members were sent on world survey trips 115 The FMB developed priorities 116 The FMB set future policy 119 Responsibilities of the FMB 119 The FMB promoted missions 120 The FMB appointed, instructed and supervised personnel 124 The FMB supervised overseas work 125 Means Used By the FMB 132 Publishing work 132 Medical work 134 Lay missionaries 135 Self-supporting missionaries 136 Conference supported missionaries 137 Board supported missionaries 140 Seeds For Future Decline 140 The FMB turned mission territory over to union conferences 140 The FMB did not develop mission structures • overseas 142 vii THE TWO STRUCTURES IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVEN- TIST CHURCH, PART II--DANIELLS AND SPICER ERA, 1901-1930 146 Reorganization 147 Adventist Missions: 1901-1930, Day By Day Op- eration and Promotion 152 Daniells made the General Conference Com- mittee into a virtual mission board . 153 Daniells promoted missions 154 The GC Committee did the same work as the FMB 158 Growth of Missions 165 Total giving to missions 165 Number of missionaries sent overseas 169 Countries entered 170 Overseas membership and evangelistic work- ers 171 Finance of Missions 173 Developments in the use of tithe for for- eign missions 174 Money from wills donated to missions 181 Development of harvest ingathering . 182 Seeds For Future Decline 184 Reorganization 185 Centralization and the development of poli- cies 189 THE TWO STRUCTURES IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, PART III--THE PRESENT ERA 193 Adventist Missions Today 194 Present relationship between the two struc- tures 194 Promotion of Missions 199 Offerings 201 Missionaries sent 203 Type of missionaries sent 206 Attitudes Towards Missions 214 Attitudes of the general membership . 214 Attitudes of GC leaders 216 Attitudes of overseas church leaders 218 SUGGESTED RESTRUCTURING FOR SEVENTH-DAY ADVEN- TIST MISSIONS 221 Establish A Semi-Autonomous Mission Board . 221 Characteristics That Are Necessary For A Semi- Autonomous Mission Board 224 Power to promote 224 Power to raise funds 225 viii Power to survey the world field 226 Power to pick and appoint a mission board team 229 Suggested Changes in Present Practices . 231 Mission leaders must be up on current mission thinking 231 Change emphasis from inter-church aid to pio- neer work 233 APPENDICES 236 REFERENCES CITED 251 INDEX 260 VITA 267 • • LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ABCFM American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis- sions AMB Adventist Mission Board DGR Decadal Growth Rate FMB Foreign Mission Board GC General Conference GCC General Conference Committee IMMBA International Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association LMS London Missionary Society MMB Medical Missionary Board NAD North American Division SDA Seventh-day Adventist LIST OF TABLES I. Growth of SDA Institutions, 1901-1930 161 II. Comparison of North America Tithe & Mission Giving, 1889-1903 166 III. Comparison of North America Tithe & Mission Giving, 1904-1930 167 IV. Missionaries Sent Overseas By 5-year Periods, 1901-1930 169 V. Number of Countries Entered Each Decade . • • 171 VI. North America and Overseas Membership Figures With Decadal Growth Rates, 1870-1980. • • • 172 VII. Evangelistic Workers, 1870-1930 173 • North American Mission Giving, 1889-1981.