Faith Development Within the Campus-Based Youth Ministry Model of the English Oaks Adventist ...

103 Pages·2016·0.8 MB·English

Andrews University
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Project Documents Graduate Research
2014
Faith Development Within the Campus-Based
Youth Ministry Model of the English Oaks
Adventist Church
Scott R. Ward
Andrews University
This research is a product of the graduate program inDoctor of Ministry DMinat Andrews University.Find
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Recommended Citation
Ward, Scott R., "Faith Development Within the Campus-Based Youth Ministry Model of the English Oaks Adventist Church" (2014).
Project Documents. 146.
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dmin/146
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ABSTRACT

FAITH DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CAMPUS-BASED
YOUTH MINISTRY MODEL OF THE ENGLISH
OAKS ADVENTIST CHURCH

by
Scott R. Ward

Adviser: Allan Walshe
ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH
Project Document

Andrews University

Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

Title: FATH DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CAMPUS-BASED YOUTH
MINISTRY MODEL OF THE ENGLISH OAKS ADVENTIST CHURCH

Name of the researcher: Scott R. Ward

Name and degree of faculty adviser: Allan Walshe, DMin

Date completed: July 2014

Problem
Experts have stated that youth ministry for the past 25 years has revolved around
a fun and games methodology which did not result in the youths continued participation
in ministry activities. During this same time period under the fun and games ministry
orientation, more than half of evangelical youth involved in youth ministries have left or
are leaving the church once they graduate from high school, including those of the
Seventh-day Adventist denomination.
Method

A faith development program was implemented that involved analyzing the
spirituality of the youth leader and its impact on his ability to lead youths spiritually and
also included teaching students a specific set of devotional habits that involved Bible
reading, prayer as conversation, praise, thanksgiving, times of unplugging, and provided
outreach opportunities. This project was implemented for one school year by the Lodi
English Oaks Adventist Church campus ministries at Tokay High, Lodi Academy, and
Lodi Adventist Elementary for seventh and eighth graders and was analyzed by
conducting focus groups on each campus to determine the levels at which students
engaged and benefited from the project.

Results

Key results of the study were that students prayed more regularly, and talking to
God had become a greater part of their lives; they read their Bibles more regularly and
listened to more Christian music and less secular music. Students encouraged their
parents to have family worship, enjoyed listening to sermons more at church, and got
more out of the sermons. Having campus-based ministry provided another way for
students to connect with God and to bring more spirituality to their secular campus. By
participating in on-campus ministry, students felt like their faith was no longer separate,
but was now infused throughout the day. It also provided them a place to be separate and
stand out at school rather than just being a part of the crowd. Students felt that being a
part of this group at school was a witness and let others see their faith.
As the youth leader, the methods in this study, the journaling of my own progress,
and teaching the students all of my spiritual devotional habits helped me to grow more
spiritually than I had in many years. I also felt more genuine and transparent in my
ministry by leading from a more personal level.

Conclusion
This study finds that more devotional time encourages more outreach, and
conversely, more outreach encourages more devotional time. The study concludes that
students experience spiritual growth under the mentorship of a youth leader who is
growing spiritually as well. Youth leaders that monitor their own spiritual journey
become more consistent in their devotional lives and tend to have more spiritual thoughts
and experiences to share with the students they minister to.
Andrews University
Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary

FAITH DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CAMPUS-BASED
YOUTH MINISTRY MODEL OF THE ENGLISH
OAKS ADVENTIST CHURCH

A Project Document
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Ministry

by
Scott R. Ward
July 2014
© Copyright by Scott Ward 2014
All Rights Reserved
FAITH DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CAMPUS-BASED
YOUTH MINISTRY MODEL OF THE ENGLISH
OAKS ADVENTIST CHURCH

A project document
presented in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Ministry

by
Scott R. Ward

APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE:

______________________________ ______________________________
Adviser, Director, DMin Program
Allan Walshe Skip Bell
______________________________ ______________________________
Kenley Hall Dean, SDA Theological Seminary
Jiří Moskala

______________________________ ______________________________
Tom Evans Date approved
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION. ............................................................................................... 1
Personal History...... ...................................................................................... 1
Purpose .................................................................................................. 3
Statement of the Problem.... .......................................................................... 4
Justification for the Project ............................................................................ 4
Expectations of the Project. ........................................................................... 5
Delimitations. ................................................................................................ 5 Limitations 5
Definition of Terms ...................................................................................... . 6
Description of the Project Process ................................................................. 7

2. THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS..................................................... ................ 8
Introduction .................................................................................................. 8
Understanding God’s Relational Nature ....................................................... 8
Using Scripture to Nurture our Relationship With God ................................ 12
The Lord is my Shepherd................................................................ ....... 13
I Shall not Want............................................................................... ....... 14
He Maketh me to lie Down in Green Pastures: He Leadeth me Beside
the Still Waters. He Restoreth my Soul. ......................................... 15
He Leadeth me in the Paths of Righteousness for His Name’s Sake ..... 16
Yea, Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I
Will Fear no Evil: for Thou art With me; Thy rod and Thy Staff
They Comfort me............................................................. ............... 17
Thou Preparest a Table Before me in the Presence of Mine Enemies;
Thou Anointest my Head With oil.. ................................................ 19
My cup Runneth Over. Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow
me all the Days of my Life: and I Will Dwell in the House of
the Lord for Ever ............................................................................. 20
Corporate Devotional Practices Found in the Book of Acts.. ........................ 21
Fellowship in the Holy Spirit.... ....... ...................................................... 22
Listening to the Word.. .......... ................................................................. 23
Talking to God in Prayer....... ....... .......................................................... 24
The Empowered Missionary’s Testimony to the World... ....... .............. 25
Reviving Primitive Godliness... ......... ............................................................ 26
Relationship Theology and the Postmodern Shift... ........ .............................. 30
Living Like Jesus in our World Today.. ........ ................................................ 33
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