Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertation Projects DMin Graduate Research 1977 An Evaluation Of Evangelism In The Seventh-day Adventist Churches Of The Southern California Conference Russell Edward Johnson Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin Part of the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Johnson, Russell Edward, "An Evaluation Of Evangelism In The Seventh-day Adventist Churches Of The Southern California Conference" (1977). Dissertation Projects DMin. 422. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/422 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 AN EVALUATION OF EVANGELISM IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCHES OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE by Russell Edward Johnson Chairperson: .Robert Moon Problem The recruitment of new members is a major objective of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Many of the departments within the Church compile reports including the number of baptisms which have resulted from their programs. Data from these departments frequently overlap, lack detail, and are of questionable value in evaluating the relative effectiveness of various evangelistic methods. An evaluation of current Adventist evangelism is needed to determine the relative effectiveness of evangelistic methods that the new members perceive as having influenced them to join the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Method The methods used divided the study into three areas: (1) the preparation of a brief theological and historical description of the significance of evangelism in the Seventh-day Adventist Church; (2) the collection of data by means of a questionnaire administered by personal interviews and through the mail from a randomly selected group of new church members in the Southern California Conference; and (3) the organization of the gleaned information into tables giving frequencies and percentages. In order to improve the effec­ tiveness and broaden the scope of Church evangelism, the data were analyzed to identify the relative effectiveness of the various evan­ gelistic methods upon new members' decisions to join the Church. Results The results were related to five research objectives. The majority of new members first learned about the Adventist Church through a family member or relative. The greatest personal influence on the new member's decision to join the Church was a family member or relative, while the greatest evangelistic factor was Bible studies with the pastor. Sixty-seven percent of the new members indicated that a church doctrine had "very much" influence on their decision to join the Adventist Church. The data further revealed the influence of evangelistic methods on the new member's decision to join were primarily Adventist doctrines, secondarily Adventist people, and thirdly evan­ gelistic factors with a dominant Bible-study component.. Conclusions Some of the conclusions of the study are: (1) the Seventh-day Adventist Church should use evangelistic methods which present distinc tive Adventist doctrines and which have significant personal and/or Bible-study components; (2) an evaluation instrument should be devel­ oped for ongoing Church and/or Conference use which would aid in plan­ ning for evangelism; and (3) a theology of evangelism is needed to serve as a basis for guiding evangelistic methodology. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary AN EVALUATION OF EVANGELISM IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCHES OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE A Project Report Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry by Russell Edward Johnson July 1977 AN EVALUATION OF EVANGELISM IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCHES OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE A project presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Ministry by Russell Edward Johnson APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . ............... vi LIST OF T A B L E S ............ .................................vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................ x Chapter I. INTRODUCTION ........ ............ 1 Need of the Study . ......... ] Statement of the Problem . 5 Objectives............ ... 6 Personal Objectives . ..... ... 6 Definitions and Explanations of Terms . ; 7 Overview of the Study ..... 9 II. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EVANGELISM IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH . ..... 10 Chapter Outline . .... • • 10 Historical Origin and Distinctive Mission v • • 10 Importance of Evangelism at the 1975 General Conference S e s s i o n ............ ... • • 15 Scriptural and Spirit of Prophecy Context for Adventist Evangelism . ., • • 17 The Scriptural Context . Ellen White's Emphasis on Evangelistic Methods Relationship between the Gospel Message and the Communication of the Gospel . 29 The New Testament Relationship ............ 29 The Gospel Message and Its Communication Today . 30 Sumnary . 32 III. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ...... ..... 34 Introduction ............................... ... 34 Chapter Outline . 3 4 Contributing Factors to the Religious Revival . 3 5 Initial versus Ongoing Motivations to Join a Church . 3 5 Three Avenues to Evangelical Church Membership .... 39 Conservative Church Recruitment . 40 Pentecostal Recruitment . 4 2 The Fundamentalist Church . 44 Religion as Socialization . 4 5 iii Conclusions . 131 Recommendations . .... 133 Recommended Questions to Guide Adventist Evangelism in the Communication of the Gospel . 134 Implications for Me as a Pastor . ,. 135 APPENDICES . ...... ... 137 Appendix A Written Responses to the Open-ended Questions . 138 Most Important Influence............ ... 139 Suggestions for Evangelistic Meetings . 157 Circumstances Surrounding Decision ...... 162 Appendix B Cover Letter, Reminder Letters, and Return Card Used in Data Collection . 200 Appendix C The Questionnaire . 207 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................. 216 VITA ......................................................... 226 . v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 5.1 Comparison of Age Distribution by ACH and Non-ACH Environment . .-.............. ............. 77 5.2 Comparison of Yearly Family Income of Total Sample by ACH/Non-ACH Environment ........................ 81 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 4.1 Timetable for Completed Questionnaires . ...... 69 5.1 Age of New Members by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment . ............... 75 5.2 Occupational Status of the New Members by Total Sample ACH/Non-ACH Environment........ .. ............. 78 5.3 Occupational Status of Head of Household by Total Sample ACH/Non-ACH Environment . ............ .............. 78 5.4 Total Yearly Family Income by Total Sample ACH/Non-ACH Environment ........... ............ ... 80 5.5 Formal Education by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment .................... 82 5.6 Size of Household by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment . .................. 82 5.7 Adventists in Household by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment ................ ........ ...... 83 5.8 Birth or Adoptive Rank in Family by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment .......... 85 5.9 Ethnic Background of New Members by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment............... 85 5.10 Religious Influence in Younger Years (Ages 1-8) by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment . .... 87 5.11 Previous Religious Non-SOA Affiliation by Non-ACH Environment ................................ 87 5.12. First of the Personal Influences Which Provided Information about the Church, by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment .................. ...... 91 5.13 First of the Evangelistic Factors Which Provided Information about the Church, by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment. ............. v n 5.14 Greatest Personal Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment . 94 5.15 Greatest Personal Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Age of the Total S a m p l e .......... .. 96 5.16 Greatest Personal Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Sex and Marital Status of the Total Sample . 98 5.17 Greatest Personal Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Yearly Family Income of the Total Sample . 99 5.18 Greatest Personal Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Ethnic Groups of the Total Sample ........ 100 5.19 Evangelistic Factor with Greatest Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment.......... ........................ 102 5.20 Evangelistic Factors with Greatest Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Age of the Total Sample .... 103 5.21 Evangelistic Factors with Greatest Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Sex and Marital Status of the Total Sample.................................... .. 104 5.22 Evangelistic Factors with Greatest Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Yearly Family Income of the Total Sample ................................... 105 5.23 Evangelistic Method with Greatest Influence on Decision to Join the Church by Ethnic Group of the Total Sample . ....................................... 107 5.24 Second in Importance among Personal Influences on Decision to Join by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH Environment . ............................. 108 5.25 Second in Importance among Evangelistic Factors on Decision to Join by Total Sample, ACH/Non-ACH