Roger Dudley
Roger Dudley, Ed.D., is director of the Institute of Church Ministry, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan.
Women of Mission
Recently the Association of Adventist Women sponsored a conference on the campus of Andrews University. Drawing people from all over the world, it balanced concern with some aspects of women s position in the Adventist Church today with celebration of what women have done and are doing in the church. Roger Dudley concludes the following report on that conference by listing what he understands Adventist women would appreciate from their church.
Morale in ministry—a study of the pastor as a person
What are the greatest sources of frustration for the Adventist pastor? What areas cause the most satisfaction? How seriously does family life affect pastoral morale? A recent sampling indicates that personal factors, even more than professional expertise, may determine effectiveness and contentment in pastoral ministry.
How Churches Grow
Within the same denomination, some local congregations are growing while others are not. Why? A recent scientific sampling of white, black, and Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist churches across North America indicates some expected (and some unexpected) factors that definitely influence how a church grows.
A new view of the pastor's wife
According to this survey, most pastors' wives are dedicated Christians, actively assist their husbands in church work, and do not feel that the demands of the pastorate are excessive. But all is not well in the parsonage.
Interns and supervisors view each other
A recent study indicates broad agreement on the purpose and benefits of the internship program. But the view of what is actually happening varies between interns and supervising pastors.
Who reads Ellen White?
Do church members who regularly read the writings of Ellen White differ significantly from those who seldom do? A recent church growth study in North America yields profiles of each group and indicates that although it may not be possible to establish a cause-and-effect relationship, differences do exist.
Personality and church growth?
Here are the results of a survey of 1 66 Seventh-day Adventist pastors and their churches to determine whether there's a correlation between the pastor's personality and church growth.
Whom are we winning?
How do you evaluate tine evangelistic outreach of your church in order to use it most effectively? The authors introduce their New Member Survey, showing what information it makes available and how that information may be used to target a particular kind of evangelism to the audience with which it is most effective.
Ordination of women: a question of status or function?
Is the issue of women s ordination sociological or theological? Are women being denied certain privileges simply to keep them "in their place"?
Adventist values: flying high?
Most Adventists, young and old, affirm basic Christian beliefs and such ethical values as love and justice. But what about the lifestyle values distinctive of Adventism? How effective have our churches, schools, and families been at transmitting these values? The authors report the findings from a survey of 712 individuals in 247 families across the United States and comment on the implications.