DISSERTATION ABSTRACT

Volta South Ghana Mission faces a challenge of evangelism due to lack of

manpower and resources. Most of the churches in VSGM worship under trees and in

classrooms and the very few church buildings there are in deplorable states. This, to a

larger extent, makes the church unattractive to the un-churched. At the sametime the

church in Accra City Conference has many young adults who are underutilized due to

lack of mobilization and involvement for mission in other field. This paper addresses

that challenge by developing a strategy to mobilize young adults in Accra City

Conference to embark on mission in Volta South Ghana Mission territory through

voluntary service.

TITLE: MOBILIZING YOUNG ADULTS IN ACCRA FOR EFFECTIVE

MINISTRY IN PEKI DISTRICT OF VOLTA SOUTH GHANA MISSION

Researcher: Alfred Kwasi Asiem

Advisor: Samuel Adama Larmie, DMin.

Date completed: October 2022

 Adventist University of Africa

Theological Seminary

MOBILIZING YOUNG ADULTS IN ACCRA FOR

EFFECTIVE MINISTRY INPEKI DISTRICT
OF VOLTA SOUTH GHANA MISSION

A dissertation

presented in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree

Doctor of Ministry

by

Alfred Kwasi Asiem

August 2022

2
 MOBILIZING YOUNG ADULTS IN ACCRA FOR
EFFECTIVE MINISTRY IN PEKI DISTRICT
OF VOLTA SOUTH GHANA MISSION

A dissertation

presented in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree

Doctor of Ministry

by

Alfred Kwasi Asiem

APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE:

Primary Advisor, Program Director, DMin

Samuel Adama Larmie, DMin Jongimpi Papu, PhD, DMin

Secondary Advisor, Dean, Theological Seminary

Emmanuel Harrison Takyi, PhD Robert Osei-Bonsu, PhD

Extension Center: Babcock University

Date: July 2022

This project work is dedicated to God Almighty who through His strength and

wisdom has brought me thus far, and also to the Asiem Family, most

especially my wife Esther and my two dear beautiful, Ellen and Lois,

who have been my supporters in my ministry. To my Advisor,

Dr. Samuel AdamaLarmie, the Southern Ghana Union

Conference and all loved ones, colleagues in the

ministry, and the DMin program (AUA) for

impacting my life. May the Almighty

God bless all of you.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES...................................................................................................x

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................................................................xii

CHAPTER

1. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................1

Description of the Ministry Context..............................................................1

Statement of the Problem...............................................................................6
Statement of the Purpose................................................................................7
Justification......................................................................................................7
Delimitation.....................................................................................................8
Methodology....................................................................................................8
Expectations.....................................................................................................9
Definition of Terms.......................................................................................10

2. THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION FOR EFFECTIVE YOUNG ADULT

OUTREACH MINISTRY.............................................................................12

Models of Young Adults Outreach Ministry in the OT............................13

Young Adults as Priests and Prophets...............................................13
Samuel............................................................................................14
Ezekiel............................................................................................15
Young Adults as Leaders....................................................................15
Joseph:A Model in Saving Lives.................................................16
David: ACourageous Young Adult.............................................17
Esther, the Young Queen..............................................................18
Young Adults as Missionaries in the OT..........................................19
OT Instruction for Training of Young Adults for Mission.......................20
Training Young Adults........................................................................20
Mobilizing Young Adults...................................................................21
Motivating Young Adults...................................................................22
Mentoring Young Adults....................................................................23
Empowering Young Adults................................................................24
NT Theology of Young Adults Outreach Ministry...................................24
Mary: AVessel of Honor.....................................................................25
John the Baptist,aForerunner..............................................................26
Jesus Christ the Savior and Messiah..................................................27
Young Adults as Missionaries in the NT..........................................28
John Mark.......................................................................................28
Timothy..........................................................................................29

v
 Barnabas.........................................................................................29
NT Instruction for Training of Young Adults for Ministry......................30
Mobilizing the Young Adults.............................................................30
Motivating the Young Adults.............................................................31
Discipling and Empowering Young Adults......................................31
Mentoring the Young Adults..............................................................32
NT Instructions on Spiritual Gifts...............................................................33
Managing Spiritual Gifts.....................................................................34
Unity and Importance of All Gifts.....................................................35
Spirit of Prophecy and Mobilizing Young Adults for Effective
Ministry.......................................................................................................36
Summary.........................................................................................................40

3. LITERATURE REVIEW..................................................................................41

Selected Religious Literature.......................................................................41

Catholic Church...................................................................................42
Discipleship....................................................................................43
Participation...................................................................................43
Growth............................................................................................44
Methodist Church................................................................................44
PresbyterianChurch.............................................................................46
History and Development of SDA Youth Ministries.......................47
Current divisions of the Adventist youth ministries..................50
Objectives of the young adults ministry.....................................51
Principles for Mobilizing Young Adults for Service in Secular
Circles..........................................................................................................51
Boy Scout Association........................................................................51
The Youth Council..............................................................................52
The National Youth Authority............................................................54
Principles and Models for Mobilizing Young Adults for Effective
Mission........................................................................................................55
Mobilizing Young Adults for Mission........................................................56
EquippingandTraining Young Adults for Mission...........................58
Mentoring Young Adults....................................................................60
Discipling.......................................................................................62
Spiritual director............................................................................63
A mentor counselor.......................................................................64
A mentor teacher...........................................................................64
A mentor sponsor..........................................................................64
The mentor model.........................................................................64
The mentor ideal............................................................................64
Empowering Young Adults................................................................65
Young Adults Involvement in the Life of the Church.....................67
The church commitment...............................................................68
Relationship...................................................................................69
Young Adults as Missionary Volunteers..........................................70
Summary.........................................................................................................71

vi
 4. STRATEGY FOR MOBILIZING AND HARNESSING TALENTS OF
YOUNG ADULT VOLUNTEERS...............................................................74

Presentation of the Project Context.............................................................74

Background...........................................................................................75
Accra Metropolis.................................................................................75
Demography of Accra Metropolis.....................................................76
Accra City Conference of S.D.A. Church.........................................77
Demography of South Dayi District..................................................79
Population.......................................................................................80
Social and cultural structure.........................................................81
Chieftaincy.....................................................................................81
Language and ethnicity.................................................................81
Religion..........................................................................................82
Economy.........................................................................................82
Agriculture.....................................................................................82
Industry...........................................................................................82
Education........................................................................................83
Background of Adventism in the Volta Region.........................................83
South Ghana Conference of SDA Church........................................83
Volta South Ghana Mission of S.D.A. Church.................................84
Peki District of S.D.A. Church...........................................................86
Research Methods.........................................................................................86
Rationale for Selection........................................................................87
Appropriateness to This Study...........................................................87
Permissions...........................................................................................87
Membership and Sample of Participants...........................................88
Instrumentation..............................................................................88
Distribution of questionnaires......................................................89
Responses from churches.............................................................89
Data Collection Procedure..................................................................94
Project Evaluation.........................................................................................94
Analysis of Data - ACC Response.....................................................94
Suggestions and Remarks from ACC Respondents.........................96
Analysis of Data - VSGM Responses..............................................101
Suggestions and Remarks from VSGM Respondents...................103
Comparative Study – ACC and VSGM....................................................104
Interest in Community Outreach (Local, National, International)
.......................................................................................................104
Underutilization of Talents and Feeling of Inadequacy................105
Program Design, Preparation and Implementation..................................107
Goal of the Project.............................................................................107
Objectives of the Project...................................................................107
Resources for the Project..................................................................109
Preparation..........................................................................................110
Implementation..................................................................................110
Post-Implementation Activities........................................................111
Project Reporting.........................................................................................111
Limitations of the Project...........................................................................111
Summary.......................................................................................................112
vii
 5. PROJECT NARRATIVE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGY.....114

Project Narrative..........................................................................................114
Findings from the Survey..................................................................117
Target group.......................................................................................118
Project context....................................................................................118
Stages of the Project....................................................................................119
Preparation Stage...............................................................................119
Resources for the project............................................................119
Mobilizing and training of young adults and facilitators........120
District awareness program........................................................121
Implementation Stage........................................................................121
Ten days evangelistic campaign................................................122
Daily campaign topics and objectives.......................................123
Post program facilitators and leaders meeting.........................126
Follow-ups....................................................................................126
Post Implementation Stage...............................................................127
Monitoring..........................................................................................127
Post Program Interview and Analysis.............................................127
Evaluation.....................................................................................................128
Initial Evaluation................................................................................128
Second Phase of Evaluation..............................................................130
Reporting......................................................................................................133
Summary.......................................................................................................134

6. SUMMARY, EVALUATION, CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................135

Summary of the Dissertation......................................................................136

Final Evaluation...........................................................................................138
Outcomes......................................................................................................139
Conclusions..................................................................................................140
Lessons Learned..........................................................................................141
Recommendations.......................................................................................143

APPENDICES......................................................................................................145

A. PERMISSION LETTERSTO ACC AND VSGM TO CONDUCT THE

RESEARCH................................................................................................146

B. PERMISSION LETTERS FROM ACC AND VSGM..................................148

C. PERMISSION LETTERSTO ACC AND VSGM TO IMPLEMENT

RESEARCH INTERVENTIONS...............................................................150

D. PERMISSION LETTERS FROM ACC AND VSGM TO IMPLEMENT

RESEARCHINTERVENTIONS................................................................152

E. RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRES................................................................154

viii
 F. TIMELINES OF OUTLINED ACTIVITIES FOR THE PROJECT..............158

G. BUDGET FOR THE INTERVENTION PROGRAM...................................159

H. SAMPLE OF THE PROJECT BANNER......................................................160

BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................161

VITA....................................................................................................................168

ix
 LIST OF TABLES

1. Responses from Churches– ACC.............................................................................90

2. Responses by Age Groups - ACC............................................................................90

3. Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents - ACC...................................90

4. Community Outreach and Missionary Work Responses - ACC..............................91

5. Underutilization of Talents and Feeling of Inadequacy – ACC...............................91

6. Spread of Adventist Churches and Adequacy of Human Resources - ACC............91

7. Involvement in Church Activities and District Leadership - ACC..........................92

8. Personnel for Evangelism - ACC.............................................................................92

9. Feeling of inadequacy and qualification for evangelism - ACC..............................92

10. Lack of Training and Mentorship - ACC...............................................................93

11. Training and Mentorship for Missionary Work - ACC.........................................93

12. Busy Young Adults - ACC....................................................................................93

13. Lack of Motivation and Encouragement - ACC....................................................93

14. Lack of Involvement of Church Activities - ACC.................................................94

15. Distribution of Respondents by Churches - VSGM...............................................98

16. Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents - VSGM..............................98

17. Number of Young Adults and their Church Involvement - VSGM.......................99

18. Young Adults and Evangelistic Programs - VSGM..............................................99

19. Church Members and Young Adult’s Capabilities in Evangelistic Activities -

VSGM................................................................................................................99

20. Lack of Adequate Personnel and Logistics - VSGM...........................................100

21. Personnel Available For Young Adults - VSGM................................................100

22. Support for Evangelistic Activities - VSGM.......................................................100

x
23. Lack of Young Adults to Serve............................................................................101

24. Lack of Training Makes Them Feel Unqualified.................................................101

25. Perception About the Adventist Church..............................................................101

26. Zonal Groupings...................................................................................................120

27. Daily Program Outline for the 10 days Program.................................................123

xi
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research work would not have seen light without the immense contribution of

the Southern Ghana Union Conference, Accra City Conference and Volta South Ghana

Mission of the Seventh-day day Adventist Church. The Southern Ghana Union Conference

sponsored me fully to pursue my studies in this Doctor of Ministry program, whiles the Accra

City Conference and Volta South Ghana Mission offered me the needed supported in running

my research surveys and interventions. I duly acknowledge the lecturers of AUA, the Young

Adults and other church members for their support and cooperation in assisting me with the

needed information for this research work. I am also most importantly very thankful to my

lovely advisor, Dr. Samuel Adama Larmie who keenly and untiringly saw to it that this

research work will meet all the academic requirements, as well as Professors Emmanuel

Takyi, Kelvin Onongha, and Sampson Nwaomah who were the committee members for the

program. Furthermore, to all my course mates and all my Ghanaian friends, Agyei Baah,

Edward Nyarko and Maxwell Ntim Antwi for their moral support and encouragement in and

through my DMin studies and to come out with this research work. May the Almighty God

bless you abundantly. All the glory goes to God.

xii
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Description of the Ministry Context

Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana. It is the administrative,

economic, and educational center of Ghana. Accra can be roughly divided into four

neighborhoods - Central Accra, North Accra, East Accra, and West Accra. Due to

emigration from rural areas, this city has expanded with no regard to zoning, giving it

a scattered attribute. The city of Accra which is politically described as the Greater

Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), has a total area of 173 km2 (67 sq mi), and has 7

major administrative districts such as, the Accra Metropolitan District, Ga South

Municipal District, Ga East Municipal District, Ga West Municipal District, Adenta

Municipal District, Ashaiman Municipal District, and the Ledzokuku-Krowor

Municipal District.

This cosmopolis is bounded on the west by the Lafa stream and Mallam

junction, on the north by the Great Hall of the University of Ghana, on the east by the

Nautical College, and on the south by the Gulf of Guinea.1 Accra has a population of

2,905,726. The Metropolis’ age structure is still a youthful one, which is a

characteristic of most developing countries. The people in the age group 20-24 form

the highest proportion and are followed by those in the age group 25-29 years.

These are more than expected and can be attributed to the influx of in-

migrants into the metropolis perhaps for employment purposes. This presents how the
1
Capital of Ghana, “Accra Map,” Map of the World, accessed 7 April 2018
https://www.mapsofworld.com/ghana/accra.html, June 29, 2017.

1
populace is very youthful,with 56% being under 24 years of age. This youthful

predominance is not expected to decline in the foreseeable future.0 The figure below

shows the map of the Accra.0

Figure 1. Map of Accra

It is in this terrain that the Accra City Conference (ACC) of the Seventh-day

Adventist (SDA) Church is sited. In fact, the conference’s field covers the entire Accra

cosmopolitan area. It has 84 churches and 48 companies, and a total membership of 26,

0
Ghana Statistical Service, “2010 Population & Housing Census Report: District
Analytical Report,” accessed 7 April 2018,
https://www2.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010_District_Report/Upper%20West/Wa
%20West.pdf

0
“Map of Accra Metropolis (Google Map).” Accessed 1August 2019,
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-Accra-Metropolis-Google-Map_fig1_323676238.

2
798.0 It is assumed that more than half of this membership is youthful being under 20

years of age.

Experience gained with the youth ministries as the youth director since 2001

in South-West Ghana Conference (SWGC), and now as the Director for the Youth

Ministries of the Southern Ghana Union Conference (SGUC) of SDA Church has

impacted me positively. The aim, “the advent message to the world in my generation”

and the motto, “for the love of Christ constrains me,” have always been a source of

motivation that compels me to encourage and motivate young people to use their

abilities to share the Word of God beyond the borders of the church.

This experience has revealed thatthe young adults in the church are endowed

with zeal, passion, and energy for mission, and young adults in ACC are no exception.

As such, they have the burning desire in them to engage in mission. This desire of the

young adults became more glaring to mewhena group of young adults in the Union

led out in a Jungle Missionary Project. The project was aimed at mobilizing young

adults with evangelistic talents of church planting to engage in a ten-day evangelistic

outreach. While this outreach was ongoing, a section of the team who had the skill

forbuilding was laboriously putting up a lamp shelter to house the new converts.

Thus, upon completion of the evangelistic outreach, there was already a church to

house them.

Ellen G. White correctly stated “With such an army of workers as our youth,

rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-

coming Savior might be carried to the whole world.”0 This suggests that the young

0
Southern Ghana Union Conference, Third Quarter Statistical Report, 2018.
0
Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People. (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 1930),
7.3.

3
people need to be mobilized, empowered, and given the necessary support before they

can do mission for the church. The role of young adults is critical to the church's

evangelistic program. It also implies that they must take an active role if the gospel is

to be spread throughout the world.This has necessitated the craving and quest to find

out what can be done to further encourage the young adultsin ACC to use their

youthful exuberance and numerous talents to do effectiveoutreach ministry beyond

the borders of Accra. Thestudy is particularly aimed atACC but would be

implemented in Peki District of VSGM of SDA in Ghana, a region earmarked by the

SGUC as its evangelistic and church planting field due to its peculiar challenges.

Peki district is located in the political district known as South Dayi with the

district capital at Kpeve. The South Dayi District is bounded by Lake Volta to the

west and south, Ho municipal and Adaklu-Anygbe District to the East, Kpando

municipal and Afadjato South District to the north. South Dayi district’s current total

population stands at 46,661 with 47% and 53% being males and females respectively,

with an annual growth rate of 2.5% per year over seven years.0

About 60 percent of the total population in the South Dayi district is found in

the Peki Traditional Area. The district also covers the Kpalime, Kpeve and Tongor

Traditional areas. The other main towns in this district include Kpeve the capital, Peki

Adzokoe, Peki Blengo, Peki Tsame, Peki Avetile, Peki Dzake, Peki Wudome, Peki

Dzogbati, Peki Sanga, Todome, Wegbe Kpalime, and Dzemani among others.

Peki district is one of the districts in VSGM which was created on March 29,

2015. The district began with six companies with a church membership of one

hundred and eighty-three (183). After almost five years in existence, the district now

has church membership of two hundred and forty-one (241), with seven companies

0
“Ghana: Administrative Divisions, Regions and Districts.” Accessed 4 August 2019,
https://www.citypopulation.de/php/ghana-admin.php.

4
and one organized church. Due to migration to the big cities for employment and

livelihood, the young adults do not stay to support the district in its evangelistic

endeavors. As a result of that, the district does not havea well organizedYouth

Ministries Department compared to other Adventist church districts in VSGM and

ACC.0

Considering the number of towns and villages and the population within Peki

Traditional area where Peki district is located, and the slow pace at which the church

is growing in the area, it suggests that the district needs external support in terms of

workforce and resources to be able to evangelize the numerous unenteredtowns and

villages within its territory. The image below shows the Map of Accra to Peki

Township.0

Figure 2. Map of Accra to Peki Township

0
Charles Takpuie, District pastor, Peki District, interview by the author, July 24, 2019.

0
“Map of Accra to Peki Township,” accessed 17 July 2019,
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-Accra-Metropolis-Google-Map_fig1_323676238.

5
I am given the opportunity to the young asults to be involved in mission. To be transforted
to VV as missionary trainee and put them to work to establish churches. Taking from accra
city to go do mission to

Statement of the Problem

Although the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in the VSGM, has been in

existence for 74 years, her presence in this mission field is extremely negligible.

Evangelism, which is the core mandate of the church faces many challenges,

including a lack of manpower and resources. Most of the churches in VSGM worship

under trees and in classrooms and the very few church buildings there are in

deplorable states. This, to a larger extent, makes the church unattractive to the un-

churched. Meanwhile, the church in the ACC is thriving. The church is highly

populated with most of the churches having decent church buildings. However, there

are many young adults in this conference who have the desire and talents to engage in

mission. Due to the scarcity of mission fields, among other reasons, these interests

and talents are being underutilized, leading to idleness. Thus, the challenge this

project seeks to address is how to mobilize talented young adults in ACC to embark

on effective ministry in highly unentered VSGM territory through voluntary service.

Statement of the Purpose

The purpose of this project is to develop a strategy that would mobilize, train,

and equip young adults in ACC as missionary volunteers. The implementation will be

through sending the young adults into mission fields for evangelism and church

building ventures. This will be evaluated through the increase in the number of

missionary volunteers in the ACC.

Justification

6
The Study is justified by the following factors,

A. Many young adults who have the zeal, passion, and talents that can be

used for a mission in ACC have expressed the desire to engage in mission

in places where the Lord directs, and many more wish to engage in the

mission but feel they are inadequately prepared and lack the requisite

training and preparation.

B. The needs of the church in VSGM with regards toevangelism and church

buildings are overwhelming and calls for concerted efforts from other

fields to support them in evangelism.

C. The presences of orthodox and charismatic churches in the mission field

that have not only large congregations but also beautiful church buildings

pose a great challenge.

D. The Gospel Commission of Mathew 28:18-20 entails call to all Christians,

including young adults, to engage in mission.

E. We are also instructed by White, to train and equip the young adults who

have the vigor, zeal, and courage to aid in the advancement of God’s

cause.

Delimitation

Many conferences and missions in SGUC are grappling with the issue of

mobilizing young adults for effective outreach ministry among modern SDA youth.

However, this project will draw young adults from ACC in Accra to join and train

young adults in Peki District in VSGM in Volta Region for evangelism. The

mobilization will be limit to five big churches in Accra, New Life, Mataheko, New

Town, Darkuman and Teteogbu.The target group is the young adults of both sexes

7
between 22-30 years. It is anticipated that this project would be finished by October

2022.

Methodology

In the process of this project, a theology of young adults’ ministry will be

developed based on the following concepts: young adults are talented in many ways,

and when rightly mentored and mobilized and trained for service to God, they can

serve as God’s missionaries . The research will also explore other Christian literature

to gain more insight.

Based on the theological and practical foundations for young adults in service

for God, the researcher will adopt the mixed method of research to get the information

from the respondents.

A total of sixty young adults (30 females and 30 males) from each of the five

churches selected in ACC will be engaged to respond to questionnaires on the cause,

effect, and strategy to be adopted in mobilizing young adults for evangelism.

One hundred and fifty church members from the nine churches in Peki District

of SDA Church would also be engaged to respond to questionnaires to help ascertain

the real challenges as highlighted above.

A letter for permission will be written to the leadership of ACC and VSGM, to

seek their permission to conduct this research.

Based on the theological and theoretical findings, including questionnaires,

and focus group discussions, the following would be done:

A strategy to mobilize young adult for effective outreach ministry will be

developed. The strategy will be presented to VSGM to seek their permission for its

implementation in Peki District of SDA Church.

8
 Upon passing on the information about the strategy and permission sought, the

young adults would implement the strategy in Peki District of SDA Church. The

strategy will be monitored for a quarter (3 months) to observe how it works.

Personal and focused group discussions will be used to collect data from the

group of young adults who will implement the program, the Peki District pastor, the

beneficiary churches, and the leadership of VSGM and ACC.This data would be

analyzed and critically evaluated, and the subsequent results submitted to the ACC

and VSGM, SGUC, and the respective districts.

Upon passing on the information about the strategy and permission sought, the

young adults would implement the strategy in Peki district through evangelism and

building of churches.

Expectations

It is hoped that this project when completed, will be used as a working tool in

finding effective means of mobilizing young adults, harnessing their talents and

motivating them to do effective outreach ministry in VSGM.

The young adults would be encouraged to use their expertise to do voluntary

outreach ministry to help expand the kingdom of God, thereby enhancing their

spiritual growth and skills.

It is envisioned that this project would increase the numerical strength and the quality

of church buildings in the VSGM.

It also anticipated that the project wouldimprove the mission of the Church in ACC

and VSGM since it will encourage more young adults to employ their talents into

missionary services within communities.

Although the VSGM stands to greatly benefit from this strategy, it would also

serve as a blueprint for other conferences in SGUC that may have a similar challenge.

9
This project will enhance the knowledge of the researcher as well as the readers.

The researcher’s objective of contributing to academia, the church and youth and

young adults’ ministry would be realized.

Definition of Terms

The Southern Ghana Union Conference (SGUC) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

is the union of conferences that oversees the administration of all the conferences in

the southern part of Ghana.

Volta South Ghana Mission (VSGM) –is the Mission that oversees the administration

of the Districtswithinthe southern part of Volta Region.

Accra City Conference (ACC) – is a conference that oversees the administration of

the Districts within the city of Accra.

District - is a sisterhood of churches in a local area or small territory within a

Conference, commonly led by a pastor.Young Adult – is a young person, male or

female, between ages 22-30years who can be regarded as a regular member of the

Youth Ministries.

Spirit of Prophecy (SOP) – a collection of Ellen G. White's writings, believed to be

inspired by God and mostly used and regarded as counsel by Adventists.

Unentered Area – is an area or town, city, country which does not have the Seventh-

Day Adventist Church presence.

Old Testament (OT) – the first part of the Christian Bible comprising thirty-nine

books which corresponds with the Hebrew Bible.

New Testament (NT) – the second part of the Christian Bible

10
11
 CHAPTER2

THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION FOR EFFECTIVE

YOUNG ADULT OUTREACH MINISTRY

The Youth Ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a part of the

church's mission program that is run through the youth department for and with young

people, with a concentration on the salvation of the youth through our Lord Jesus, to

prepare and involve them in the church's mission.. The proclamation of the

everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ in the context of the three angels’ messages of

Revelation 14:6-12 and the gospel commission of Matthew 28:19-20 and 24:14 with

the sole aim of bringing salvation to allisits mission. The Youth Ministries

department, therefore, works to bring salvation to the young people in the church and

employ them to reach other young people outside the church through fellowship,

nurture, worship, and mission. The department also mobilizes the youth and young

adults to support the ministry of the church in winning, nurturing, integrating and

reclaiming its young adults for salvation and service.0

Though the term Young Adult Ministry is not emphatically established in the

Bible, it has its basis or foundation from the Bible. In the Bible, God made use of

young adults in their various capacities for his salvific mission. Services of young

adults were engaged as prophets, priests, kings, queens, saviors, missionaries, leaders

apostles, and disciples. This idea of getting the young adults engaged in the service of

God is the focus of the Youth Ministries department of the church. From the
0
Ibid.

12
perspective of the Bible, young adult denotes a stage in one's life and represents one's

moral, spiritual, and social standing.0 Proverbs 20:29 notes that the glory of young

men is their physical strength – an exceptional characteristic of the youth.0

Given the above, the researcher will explore the Bible to bring to light the

various biblical expressions for young adult - how they were called, trained,

mentored, empowered, engaged, and motivated for God’s ministry. Some Bible

characters (as model) and their various ministries to move forward God’s missionary

work will be explored.

Models of Young Adults Outreach Ministry in the OT

This part of the research work provides the OT perspective of characters and

how they played various outreach roles during their young adult age. A short memoir

of some of the OT models will be used to demonstrate the impact of their ministry.

Young Adults as Priests and Prophets

The OT explicitly reveals how Jeremiah, Samuel, and Ezekiel performed the

dual functions of priest and prophet in their young adult age. To further buttress this

twofold ministry Hassell Bullock comments that, “the degree to which the prophetic

and priestly roles in ancient Israel were mutually cooperative or exclusively resistant

is still an open question in the OT studies. Most likely, there was something of both in

the history of prophecy.’’0

0
Leland Ryken et al, eds. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 1998), 975.
0
Ibid.
0
C. Hassell Bullock, An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets Books (Chicago, IL:
Moody Press, 1986), 227.

13
 Samuel. Samuel, for instance, played this dual role in his young adult age.

The meaning of his name, “heard of God”0 and as his mother intended it to mean

“God has heard”0 denote how God heard her request for a child (1 Sam 1: 21) for he

was born as a result of the answered prayer of the mother, Hannah. The OT and other

Bible commentaries project Samuel as a priest called to replace Eli, the priest, and

also as a prophet and a last judge of Israel.0

As stated in 1 Samuel 3: 1-4, Samuel served the LORD before Eli. “And the

LORD's word was precious in those days; there was no open vision... that the LORD

called Samuel: “Here I am!” he replied. Again, 1 Samuel 3:10 demonstrates how the

Lord called the young lad Samuel on various occasions. In all the occasions Samuel

responded in affirmation,”Speak; for thy servant heareth.” It was through these means

that God affirmed his call to the young lad as his replacement of Eli, the priest.

Although the Bible does not specify Samuel's age at the time of his call, Josephus

believes he was twelve years old when he began to prophesy.0

The reference in Deuteronomy 10:6 and 1 Samuel 4:18, unequivocably proves

that spiritual leaders such as high priests seemed to be reasonably mature, yet Samuel

at his tender age began to receive direct messages from God while he was only a

young person (1 Samuel 3:7-9). Even in the priesthood, God demonstrated that young

people could have a part to play in his ministry.

Ezekiel. Ezekiel was another young adult model who “exercised a dual

ministry” of priest and prophet. His given name means “God will strengthen” or “God

0
Young, s. v. “Samuel”.
0
SDABD, s. v. “Samuel”.
0
Young, “Samuel”
0
Josephus, 348.

14
is strong.”0 Ezekiel introduced himself in Ezekiel 1: 1-3 with a narration of his call to

the prophetic office by God through a vision in which he saw the heavens opened and

he saw visions of God. Verse 1 gives his age at the time of his call into both prophetic

and priestly ministryas thirty. Ezekiel’s call was distinct from the other Bible

characters, where there was no clear indication of their actual age when they

commenced ministry. But some theologians believe that when Ezekiel mentioned that

“in the thirtieth year” (1:1), he “referred to the 30th year of his life”0 based on the

importance the Hebrews attached to age 30 in the life of a young adult as matured.0

In relation to the description of Taylor and SDABC and confirmation in

Ezekiel 1:1, Num 4: 3 that it was at this age that the Levites officially commenced

their temple or priestly duties. Therefore, if the 30 years mentioned in Ezekiel 1:1 and

Numbers 4:3 are right age of Ezekiel, then we can confidently state that Ezekiel’s

twofold ministry began when he was at his young adult age even in captivity.

Young Adults as Leaders

In the OT, God has demonstrated his leadership role in the lives of his people.

Nevertheless, on numerous occasions, he also used human agents, to play such

functions,and young adults were not excluded.

Joseph: A Model in Saving Lives. Joseph played the role of a savior in Egypt

as a young adult in a foreign land of Egypt. He was the first son of Rachel and

eleventh son of Jacob, and lived in B.C. 1745-1655.0His name yasaph means ‘may he

0
Young, s. v. “Ezekiel”
0
“Thirtieth Year,” SDABC, 4:574
0
“Thirtieth Year,” SDABC, 4:574.
0
Robert Young, Analytical Concordance to the Bible, 1982 ed., s.v. “Joseph.”

15
add’ or ‘to add’0 or ‘the Lord shall add to me another son’ (Gen 30:24). At age

seventeen he was sold by hisjealous brothers. His faithfulness and trust in the Lord

came to play when he was persistently and forcefully tempted by Potiphar’s wife. His

refusal response, “because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness,

and sin against God? (Gen 39:9) led him to the prison of the Egyptians. His divine

ability to dream and interpret of dreams became clear when he interpreted the dreams

of his fellow-prisoners, a butler, and abaker(Gen 40). The interpretation of Pharaoh’s

dreams and his counsel to Pharaoh to store enough food during the seven plenteous

years against the seven years of famine eventually saved the whole nation of Egypt

from famine (Gen 41:28-36). Though a slave and a foreigner, he received favors from

Pharaoh to the extent that Pharaoh remarked that there was no man that had wisdom,

discernment and the Spirit of God than Joseph (Gen 41:39).

The Bible records that “the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy . . .”

(Gen 39:21). After thirteen years of wandering as a slave and a prisoner, Joseph, at

thirty, became the prime minister of Egypt (Genesis 41:38-46).0Josephus also

maintains that ‘‘JOSEPH was now grown up to thirty years of age, and enjoyed great

honors from the king, who called him Zaphenath-Paneah, out of regard to his

immense degree of wisdom.”0

A critical analysis of the Genesis account reveals that Joseph, as a young adult

through his interpretation of dreams and counsel led to the preservation or salvation of

lives. As a result, it can be concluded that Joseph, despite his slavery in Egypt,

became a deliverer to his people and several other people during a time of global

0
SDABD, s.v. “Joseph.”
0
Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets (Washington DC: Review and Herald, 1890), 221.
0
Flavius Josephus, The Complete Works of Josephus, trans. William Whiston (Grand Rapids,
MI: Kregel Publications, 1981), 49.

16
famine. Again, as a young adult, he proved to the pagan nation and the world at the

time that his God is capable of using even young men to accomplish his purposes.

David: ACourageous Young Adult. David was the youngest of Jesse’s eight

sons (1 Sam 17:12) but was anointed by Samuel as the king of Israel.The name David

was interpreted to denote ‘beloved,’and according to Young’s Analytical

Concordance, the name also implies‘chieftain’ or ‘commander’ as expressed on the

Moabite Stone and Mari texts.0 Much as he was young and not the first king of Israel,

he was recorded to be the most renowned and revered king of Israel.0 The Bible and

many scholarly books based on his numerous accomplishments have depicted him as

a courageous man, a leader, a great warrior/conqueror, anda prolific

psalmist/musician.0 This work will focus on his young adult life.

As recorded in 1 Samuel 16: 11, Samuel,the priest asked Jesse,”Are here all

thy children?” And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth

the sheep.” So David was called. “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him

amid his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day onwards”

(vs. 13). When Saul led the Israelites to war against the Philistines, and no man from

the army of the Isarelite were able to face Goliath, David, though not invited and not a

member of the Israelite army for the battle opted to face Goliath. But when the leader

of the Philistines saw David, he confirmed that ‘he was only a youth, ruddy and good-

looking (1 Sam 17:42). King Saul also affirmed it when he asked Abner, the army

commander “whose son is this youth?”(1 Sam 17:55). Saul again referred to David as

0
SDABD, s. v. “David”.
0
Young, s. v. “David”
0
Dan Kwaku Owusu-Ansah, “Increasing and Sustaining Youth Participation in Church
Programs,” (Doctor of Ministry Dissertation, Adventist University of Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 2016),
17.

17
a young man after he had courageously killed Goliath with a sling and simple stone.

He asked David, “Whose son are you, young man?”(1 Sam 17:56, 58).

Though he was a young man; he brought hope to the camp of the Israelites

when Israel had lost hope because no one could face the Philistines’ giant. By offering

himself to face Goliath, he brought hope to the camp (1 Sam 17:32). Through a firm

faith in the power and might of the Lord (vs. 37), he faced Goliath, the champion of

the Philistines, with courage and confidence, and defeated him (vs. 48-51).

Though ayoung adult, his boldness and faith in God glorified the Lord before a pagan

nation. The above references infer that although a young adult, David became a

leader, a mighty warrior, and deliverer of his people.

Esther, the Young Queen. The life of Esther, a Jewish beautiful young

woman, gives a strong biblical basis for mobilizing and engaging young adults in the

affairs of the Lord. The book portrays of Esther 2:5 the original name of Esther as

Hadassah, and that she was a relative of Mordecai because she was the ophan

daughter of Mordecai’s uncle. Mordecai, the Jew and a Benjamite by tribe, took

Esther as a daughter when her parents died. Both Mordecai and Hadassah lived in

Shushan the stronghold of the kingdom during the reign of King Ahasuerus. Her

beauty won the favor of king Ahasuerus and was brought into the royal house and

made the “queen instead ofVashti” (Esther 2:17).

It is through her contribution and orchestration that God wrought deliverance

to the Jews from the evil plot of total execution and expropriate of their property by

Haman (Esther 3: 7-15). She found something to lay down her life for and went to the

king against the law to put her petition before the king for the liberation of her people.

With strong faith she said, “if I perish, I perish,” Esther entered the presence of the

King and obtained his favor (Esther 4:15; 5:2). God used her spirit of bravery and

18
commitment to bring salvation to His people throughout the borders of the Persian

Empire (Esther 4-9). Consequently, Esther is not just a young attractive queen or a

brave woman in the Bible, but a channel of salvation who endangered her life for the

liberation of her and God’s people in their sufferings.

Young Adults as Missionaries in the OT

The OT outlines numerous instances where the young ones were involved in

missionary work in witnessing to heathen nations about God. Example is seen in the

life of the nameless Hebrew young maiden captive whose ministry brought healing

and freedom to her master Naaman. 2 Kings 5: 1 portrays how Naaman, who was the

leader of the Syrian army, a colosus man, great and well esteemed by the king, was

healed upon the counsel of this slave captive. Despite all these good qualities,

Naaman suffered leprosy, a chronic transmittable disease that had been with him for

years. The young Hebrew slave’s counsel and suggestion to see the prophet Elisha

and the prophet’s prescription to bathe in river Jordan seven times brought healing to

Naaman.

Though her testimony seems concise and straightforward, the effect is

substantial and full of faith. The result of her witnessing or testament brought

salvation. Through the faith and ministry of this young girl, God’s redeeming grace

was revealed in a heathen land and was heard beyond the borders of Syria. The

SDABC has it that the young girl was hopeful when recollecting the amazing works

God has wrought through the prophet Elisha in her homeland, and she believed that

God could do samefor others of foreign race like her masters.0

OT Instruction for Training of Young Adults for Mission

0
“With the prophet,” SDABC, 2:875.

19
 The OT provides explicit instructions to parents, and leaders, to mobilize,

train, mentor, and motivate young adults for effective ministry Gen. 18:19; Deut. 49).

This part will dwell on some examples in the OT.

Training Young Adults

Trainiging is the act of instructing someone to become qualified or skillful.

Providing training to the young adults is a biblical instruction. In Gen. 18:19 God

instruct parents to train their the young ones, “For I have known him, in order that he

may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the

LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what

He has spoken to him.” The phrase ‘he may command’ refers to the training of

principles and good examples.’0 The passage also refers to parents and households to

build capacity through which others can be blessed.0 God instructed parents in Deut 4:

9 to be diligent and principled in themselves and teach same to the children and

grandchildren.

In Deuteronomy 6:4-9, God again through Moses gave a divine instruction to the

parent to mentor their children through “teaching them diligently” and living an

exemplary life in their love for God (vs. 4). This instruction to parents means God

wants them to play a role in mobilizing, training and mentoring of young adults to

become agents of the gospel to the world. It also means that Disciple-Making begins

at home and continues for a life time and even goes beyond to discipling all others

even outside of the family circle.

0
“For I know him”, SDABC, 1:329.
0
Angel Manuel Rodriguez, Andrews Bible Commentary. (Berrien Spring, MI: Andrew
University Press), 163

20
 This principle shows who God has in mind to teach His truths to succeeding

generations and how they were to be taught. In the OT, the young adults, through

active participation and mentorship, played a major role in the mission and ministry of

God. Therefore, the OT supports ministry to the young adults and encourages the

church and parents to keep impacting the young adults through teaching and training

to resource them for ministry.

Mobilizing Young Adults

Mobilization has to do with assembling people in an organized manner to join

God and the Church on mission to the people of the world. Ministering to the young

adults includes mobilizing and involving them in various endeavors. In his debate

with Pharaoh prior to the exodus, Moses replied in Exod 10:9, “We will go with our

young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds, for

we must hold a feast to the LORD.” From this text, it can be inferred that Moses made

mention of young ones first before adults. He also mentioned again that ‘our sons and

daughters’ need to hold a feast to the LORD, meaning they are also included and

have a role to play in the ministry and mission of God.

Through Abram’s mobilization of his servants, he was able to deliver his

nephew Lot from his enemies. As recorded in Gen 14:14, when Abram learned that

his brother had been captured, he equipped his trained servants,...three hundred and

eighteen, and chased the captors. The fact that the servants were trained suggest that

Abram intentionally mobilized and trained his own servants from his household into

an organized manner for action and therefore they could be armed to support Abram’s

rescue mission of his nephew. These three hundred and eighteen included young

21
adults since in the Israelite custom, only men at the ages of twenty and above could

go to war (Num 1:45).

Again, we see a mobilization of people which included young adults in

Nehemiah’s attempt in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Neh 2:5). Nehemiah’s

appeal to the Jews to come together and help him to build the wall of Jerusalem (Neh

2:17), the Jews affirmative response in vs 18, and even to the extent that “they

strengthened their hands for this good work (vs 18) was a clear indication of their

readiness to support. This is also an indication of how they were mobilized and

trained for the task. The list of families who devoted their strengths and resources to

the building of the walls in chapter 3 also denote how well they were organized for

the task. It also means that there were young people involved in the work since every

family or household includes young people and a work of such nature requires men

with great strength.

Motivating Young Adults

Motivation is the process of bring up a challenge that will cause the young

adult to act towards the challenge. The young adults need inspiration and motivation

from the adult group in many situations especially with regards to doing ministry for

the Lord. Isaiah 35:3-4 clearly instructs the strong to “strengthen the weak hands, and

make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not

fear! Behold, your God will come. . . He will come and save you.’” A clear evidence

of this in the OT is expressed in 2 Kings 6: 8-23, where at Dothan the prophet Elisha

encouraged his servant not to be fearful when they were surrounded by the Syrian

army. In verses 15-17, when Elisha's servant arose and went out, an army surrounded

the city with horses and chariots. “Alas, my master!” said Elisha's servant. “What

22
should we do?” “Do not be afraid,” Elisha replied, “for those who are with us are

more than those who are with them.” Elisha prayed, and the Lord opened the young

man's eyes to see that the mountain was surrounded by horses and chariots of fire. As

Elisha encouraged his young servant in the face of a deadly threat, so must adults

today do to the young ones. The adults must be intentional about encouraging the

young adults to move into deeper areas of service in the church no matter the

challenges they will face. The adults just like Elisha must use their experiences and

faith in the Lord to motivate the young adults who desire to engage in mission in

places but feel inadequate and unqualified to help expand the kingdom of God,

thereby enhancing their spiritual growth and skills. THERE ARE BETTER WAYS

OF MOTIVATING PEOPLE!

Mentoring Young Adults

The act of providing a one-on-one relationship, where the one (mentor) is

more experienced individual who takes on the tutelage of a younger individual

(mentee) is a biblical practice since primordial times. It has been a Bible practice for

the older and experienced ones to mentor young ones, and it is still of theological

significance today. Exodus 17: 8-16 assert that Moses (mentor) during the exodus,

chose Joshua (mentee) to understudy him and thereforeJoshua became Moses’ aide

and successor (Num 27:18ff). He was also encouraged by Moses to be strong and

courageous to the task of leading the children of Israel to the land (Deut 31:23).

The boy Samuel began his ministry when “he was a child” (1 Sam 2:18), but

he was mentored under Eli the priest 1 Sam 3:1-19). The prophet Elijah served as a

mentor for Elisha (2 Kgs 2: 1-15). Elisha the prophet also had a number of young

23
adults or sons of the prophets0 including Gehazi under his mentorship as recorded in 2

Kings 5:20-27; 6:1-18.

Empowering Young Adults

Empowering young adults is a process in which young people are encouraged

to develop their skills so that they can take control of their lives. They accomplish this

by focusing on their conditions and then taking the necessary steps to enhance their

control of their resources to help them change their situations. Empowering young

adults is a matter of concern to God. This is the reason why God promised through the

prophet Joel of empowering the young adults for his work through the Holy Spirit. He

promised that He will pour his Holy Spirit on all people so that the young people

could prophesy and see visions (Joel 2:28). So when God calls, he empowers, and he

expects spiritual leaders and parents and the young adults to cooperate with his

guidance and power towards the accomplishment of his mission on earth.

The training, mobilization, motivation, mentoring and empowerment of young

adults in the OT is fundamental to ministry. The work of young adults, as expressed

in the OT, shows how young adults can be influential if they are well mobilized,

trained and mentored by parents, leaders, and teachers. These young people have

talents and skills which,if properly employed, can be of great service to God and

humanity. The next section just like the OT provides the NT perspective of characters

and the roles they played in outreach ministries during their young adult age.

NT Theology of Young Adults Outreach Ministry

Similarly, the New Testament is filled with instances of young people who

devoted their time to serve the Lord. They are described as playing diverse roles in the
0
“Servant,” SDABC, 2:884.

24
mission of God. The word neos is an adjective describing the youthfulness of

something or someone.0 In several cases in the NT, when used as a substantive, it

refers to a person in the young age (Mark 14:51; Luke 7:14) or comparatively to a

younger age (Luke 15:12, 13, 1Tim 5:2, and Titus 2:4). The word neanias, closely

similar to neaniskos, means young man (Acts 7:58; 20:9; 23:17, 18) and is sometimes

used to mean someone in the prime years of life (Acts 7:58).0 More than indicating a

strict younger age, it emphasizes the age of vigor because “neanias, like neaniskos,

was applied to men in the vigor of manhood, up to the age of 40 years.”0

In all these usages, the idea of a young adult is also portrayed as persons who

contributed immensely to the mission of God in their time. This section of the paper

will consider some of the various roles young adults played to help the work of God

Mary: A Vessel of Honor

The young maiden Mary is among the few women who were mentioned in the

NT. The Greek word for Mary is, Mariam and Maria and the Hebrew Miryam

possibly mean “the beloved one.”0 Mary depicts a young maiden who was used to

fulfill God’s prophecies concerning the Messiah. Mary, the mother of Jesus, kept

herself pure and holy. Luke 1:26-31 describes her as a virgin who lived in the city of

Galilee known as Nazareth and was called on by angel Gabriel with the information

of becoming the mother of Jesus Christ though she was not yet married.

0
The Lexham Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (Logos Bible Software,
2011).

0
Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early
Christian Literature (BDAG), translated and adapted by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur
Gingrich, 3rd ed., rev. and augmented by F. Wilbur Gingrich and Frederick W. Danker
(2000), s.v. “neanias.”

0
S. T. Bloomfield, A Greek and English Lexicon to the New Testament (London:
Longman, 1840), 279.
0
SDABD, s. v. “Mary”.

25
 Mary’s response to angel Gabriel, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it

be to me according to your word” portrayed her readiness to do God’s commands and

her willingness to accept the responsibility of a mother to care, nurture and support

the Son of God. The SDABC comments that:

With no uncertainty, Mary was chosen mostly because at the appointed time

(Dan. 9:24-27; Gal 4:4) her character reflected more closely the divine ideals of

motherhood than the other daughters of David. She was among the minority who were

“waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25, 38; Mark 15:43; cf. Heb. 9:28). It

was this hope that made her reserve her life (cf. 1 John 3:3) and qualified her for her

revered role.0 Through faith, she accepted to be a vessel through which the Savior of

the world would be born (Luke 1:38).

Also, as a young mother, she supported her son’s ministry as she preached and

admonished people to listen and obey her son, Jesus Christ (John 2:5). Mary is a

model of young adults’faith in action. Mary was not only the mother of the Savior,

she also believed that Jesus is the Son of God and, thus, preached about his divinity.

As a vessel of honor, Mary became a channel through which God’s plan to redeem

humanity was accomplished.

John the Baptist, a Forerunner

It was during his young adult stage that, John the Baptist became the harbinger

as was prophesied in Isa 40:3, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare

ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God”and

fulfilled in Luke 1:13-17. The Biblical record revealed in Luke 1:36 that John the

Baptist was six months older than Jesus at conception and at birth. 0, and they were

0
“Mary”, SDABC 5:281.
0
SDABD, s. v. “John”.

26
relatives. Due to his zeal in outreach ministry, it is recorded in Matt 3: 1, 5 that he

preached in the wilderness of Judea, Jerusalem, and all the regions round about

Jordan. It was through his ministry in the wilderness that Jesus Christ was baptized

before he began his ministry (Matt 3:11-17). As a result, both John and Jesus began

their ministries as thirty-year-old young adults ( (Luke 3:23).

Even though John’s ministry was short, all the four Gospels gave evidence of

hisgreater achievements because he did aremarkable work. His ministry can be

summarized as a forerunner and herald who boldly preached the gospel of repentance

and God's kingdom and baptized many people for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4,7-

9; Matt 3:1-13; Luke 3:3-14; John 1:15-36). John the Baptist is a model of young

adult evangelists and teachers. He preached the truth and stood for it till his death as a

prisoner (Luke 3:20; Matt 14:10, 11).

Jesus Christ the Savior and Messiah

The ministry of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is a model of what young adults can

accomplish for the Lord today. Showing up at age twelve in the temple of the Jews,

Jesus exhibited extraordinary wisdom and love for God’s word (Luke 2:46-47).

Following hisbaptism at age thirty, Jesus went forth to many cities and villages as a

preacher and teacher of righteousness. Calling people to repentance, Jesus baptized

more people than John the Baptist through his disciples (John 4:1, 2). Though a young

adult, He carried the sins of the world on the cross of Calvary. Jesus Christ is a

demonstration of what young adults can do for God and the Church through their

reliance on the power of God.

The Messiah also had a short earthly ministry. His remarkable achievement is

comparable to none as documented in all the Gospels (Matt 1:21; 9:35-36; Mark 1:39;

27
Luke 4:15, 18-19; John 1:29, 35; 10:10). The power and the results of His public

ministry were much felt as He “went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,

and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all

kinds of disease among the people. . . And those who were demon-possessed. . . .Then

His fame went throughout all Syria, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and beyond the

Jordan” (Matthew 4: 23-24).

Young Adults as Missionaries in the NT

The NT recognizes and made mention of the work of both John Mark and

Timothy who as young adults, diligently worked with elderly apostles in the

missionary work of the gospel commission.

John Mark. Acts 12:25 attests to the fact that, despite being a young adult,

John Mark accompanied Barnabas and Saul (Paul) on their first missionary journey.

Despite withdrawing from them in Pamphylia (Acts 15:36-41), he never abandoned

his missionary work, which he continued with his cousin Barnabas. Later, Paul

described him as a “fellow prisoner” (Col 4:10), “fellow laborer” (Phlm 24), and

“profitable for the ministry” (2 Tim 4:11). It is considered that John Mark established

a church at Alexandria in Egypt, and as he showed in his Gospel, he served as Peter’s

interpreter.0

Timothy. Another remarkable young adult who also played a significant role

as a missionary was Timothy. It is believed that he and his entire family were converts

of Apostle Paul, and worked with Paul as a companion and helper.0 Though a young

adult, Paul referred to him as his son (1Tim 1:2; 2Tim 2:1). Again, Paul referred to

him as a young person when he was writing his first pastoral epistle. He encouraged

0
SDABible Dictionary (SDABD) (1960), s. v. “John Mark.”
0
SDABD, s. v. “Timothy.”

28
him to be a good servant to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in

faith, in purity” (1 Tim 1:12). Paul commended him and his family for their

faithfulness and commitment. He confessed that he was persuaded in himas well. (2

Tim 1:5). Paul engaged young Timothy in the ministry by way of training him so that

he could continue with the baton when he (Paul) is old or no more. Due to his hard

work in the Christian outreach ministry, Paul thought it wise to name his pastoral

epistle after Timothy. Timothy can be considered as a model forcontemporary young

adultmissionary.

Barnabas. Another notable young adult who used his talent to serve God is

Barnabas. The book of Acts portrays him as a model of character and honesty,

through whom many people were added to the church (Acts 11:24), a prophet and

teacher (Acts 13:1), an apostle (Acts 14:14), and one through whom God performed

miracles (Acts Acts15:12). It recounts how many times he faced persecution (Acts

13:50) and risked his life for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts15:25,26). He

believed Saul had truly been converted (Acts 9:27) and saw John Mark's potential

(Acts 12:25), and went on missionary journeys with both of them at different times

(Acts11:25-26,13:1-4, 15:36-41). In order not to burden the congregation in which he

was serving, Barnabas and his protégé Paul did personal work to support themselves

in ministry (1 Corinthians 9:6). The apostles gave him the name Barnabas, meaning,

“Son of encouragement,” probably because of his encouragingcharacter (Acts 4:36).

Today young adults, like Barnabas, can also team up with older and more experienced

missionaries and church workers to plough and sow the land for the Lord’s harvest.

NT Instruction for Training of Young Adults for Ministry

29
 The NT mandates parents and church leaders to mobilize, motivate, and

mentor the young adults for effective ministry. This section will shed more lighton

some biblical examples in the NT.

Mobilizing the Young Adults

The young adults, when mobilized, and trained, would be empowered to do

effective outreach ministry for God. The NT provides records of how Christ

mobilized and trained young adults (disciples) and involved them in his ministry.

Christ stated in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish

his work.” In John 9:4, he said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who

sent me.” “Night is approaching, and no one will be able to work” (NIV). Jesus

through his supervision mobilized and sent two by two other seventy into every city

and places where he will visit (Luke 10:1), but he later sent out larger numbers. This

is a clear demonstration of how Jesus saw the need to create practical opportunity for

those we instruct and that with the application of the knowledge gained comes

experience.

Among the great assignments to be accomplished as far as outreach ministry is

concerned, is that of mobilizing young adults effectively for the great commission

which involves everyone. Because Paul knew that he will soon be old and may not be

able to make missionary journeys, he mobilized and trained younger leaders like

Timothy, Titus, Silas, and Epaphras (Col 1:7), and others who will help tocontinue the

work when he is no more.

Motivating the Young Adults

There is the need to motivate the young adults to actively engage in the

services of God so that they will have the encouragement to do more. They need

30
words of encouragement and approval more than neglecting and undermining them.

Paul advised parents not to provoke their children for fear of discouraging them (Col

3:21). Instead, the children are to be raised in the Lord's training and admonition (Eph

6:4). Their interest in God's work must be rekindled and sustained.

Discipling and Empowering Young Adults

The word disciple comes from the Greek word mathetes, meaning “learner,”

“apprentice,” or adherent.”0 It refers to “an apprentice or pupil attached to a teacher or

movement; one whose allengiance is to the instruction and commitments of the

teacher or movement.”0 So, a disciple can be a follower or a beginner who is

apprentice to a master or teacher for the purpose of obtaining training. The gospel

commission (Matt 28:19-20) begins with a worldwide mandate to go and make

disciples of all nations. This includes baptism and instruction in all the commands

Christ gave to his disciples. Apostle Paul told the Corinthian believers that they

should follow his example just as he has followed Christ’s example. Jesus himself

chose 12 young adult disciplesto be with him for three and a half years. After training

and discipling them, he sends them to the world. Through the process, it becomes

obvious that Christ’s disciples had been with Jesus because they were doing the same

things Jesus had done (Acts 4:13; John 15:26-27; 16:12-15).

Just as Jesus and Paul did for their followers, the experience adults members

of the church can disciple and empower the young adults for ministry through

inspiration, diligent teaching, and sharing personal experiences/testimonies with the

young adults to help them personally develop their own friendship with, and love for

Christ and to feel compelled thereby to tell others about Christ. Lead them to behold

0
Clifford R. Goldstein, “Discipleship,” Adult Sabbath Study Guide, accessed on October 5,
2020, http//www.absg.adventist.org, 8.
0
P. J. Achtemeier, Harper’s Bible Dictionary (New York: Harper San Francisco, 1985), 222.

31
Christ to experience him and that will fire and power their transformation and

witnessing for Christ. The young adults may be talented, energetic and have the

passion for God’s work, but without the encouragement and support of the

experienced members, they will not be able to channel their strength for good use.

Mentoring the Young Adults

Timothy was a young man with great potential whom Paul chose and

mentored during his second missionary journey through Derbe and Lystra (Acts 16:1-

2). As a result, the brethren at Lystra and Iconium gave a good report of him (Acts

16:2).Paul mentored Timothy to the extent that though he was a “mere youth when he

was chosen by God to be a teacher; but his principles had been so established by his

early education that he was fitted to take his place as Paul’s helper.”0 In 1 Tim 4:12,

Paul counseled Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young,

but set an example.” He encouraged him to be a leader par excellence. Paul’s

confidence in Timothy continued to grow to the level that he said of Timothy in

Philippians 2:19-22 ”I have no man like-minded, who will naturally care for your

state. . . as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.”

In Acts 9, Barnabas mentored Saul after his conversion. From the beginning,

Barnabas saw something in Saul and initiated the mentoring relationship by seeking

Saul out and defending his character. In Acts 9:26-27, we see Barnabas taking Saul to

the apostles and defending Saul’s claim to conversion, and discussing access for him

to the fellowship of believers.

In Acts 11:22-26, the balance between Barnabas’ public and large-group

ministry come into play and his exhaustive personal mentoring with Saul. Following

0
E. G. White, Acts of the Apostles (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1911), 203,
204.

32
his ministering in Antioch for a time and considering its great potential for receiving

the gospel, Barnabas did not assume he could do it all. He rather saw the need to

incorporate Saul’s gifts and abilities and needs in Antioch, he thrust Saul into a

context where his apostolic call to reach the Gentiles had a great prospers. Verse 26

records that Barnabas and Paul taught together. In other words, Barnabas played a

mentoring role where he took the lead but also offered an opportunities for Paul to

study and grow over the period of a year.

In accordance with Paul involved young Timothy in the ministry by way of

training him practically on the job and Barnabas mentoring Saul and gave him access

to ministry, we must also involve the young adults in the ministry. The young adults

must be giving practical training on the work and should be attached to the more

experienced adult members so that they can understudy them and tap from their

experiences. Thereby developping their potentials and grow tosupport the ministry of

the Church.

PLEASE LINK THE ABOVE WITH THE FOLLOWING. DO NOT

ALLOW DISCONNECTS FOR READERS!
NT Instructions on Spiritual Gifts

All who surrender to Christ and become members of his church on earth are

given diverse gifts by the same Spirit. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Apostle Paul

outlined diverse gifts given to believers for the work of ministry.

Managing Spiritual Gifts

The church is likened to the human body with so many members that

contribute to the whole being of the body (1 Cor 12). In verse 12, Paul stated that “as

the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being

many, are one body: so also is Christ.” In like manner, the church is the body of

33
Christ, and individually there are members of that body (1 Cor. 12:27), and through

the Spirit, each person has a vital contribution to make to the whole.”0 Though the

church consists of different people with different age and background, its members

“have been made to drink into one Spirit” (vs. 13), and therefore have become one

body with different members.

As has been expressed in 1 Pet. 4:10, all Christians including young adults

have received gifts and “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the

profit of all” (1 Cor. 12:7). Verse 18 stresses the fact that”every one of the members is

placed in the Body according to God’s design and “possession of one or more

spiritual gifts is part of God’s plan for every Christian.”0 God’s provision for the

growth of the church is through the ministration of each member’s gifts. These gifts

should be well managed to work together to achieve the purpose forwhich they were

given. Neglecting this provision means harming the growth and ministry of the

church.And by seizing every service opportunity that comes ones way comes the

discovery of ones hidden spiritual giftedness.

Unity and Importance of All Gifts

If the church is one body with different members, then all the members are

included for the well-being of the Body. Verse 7 states that “the manifestation of the

Spirit is given to each one,” This means “every member has been gifted with at least

one kind of gift, whether it be the gift of teaching, prophesying, exercising faith,

healing, performing miracles, discerning spirits, speaking in tongues, interpreting

0
P. R. Stevens, Spiritual Gifts (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2004), 9.
0
P. C. Wagner, Discover Your Spiritual Gifts. (Ventura, CA: Thomas Nelson, 1980), 18.

34
tongues, or other gifts.0 All these gifts come together to work for the growth of the

church.

Like the physical body, exclusion of the eye, for instance, makes the body

incomplete and less functional andso has “God set the members every one of them in

the Body” (verse18),to “enliven the meetings and to edify the believers in the

church.”0 Therefore, the progress of the church does not come fromone gift or

member of the body but the contribution of all the members of the body. Exclusion

any of the gifts will interrupt God’s plan for the orderly operation of the body, and

that can lead to disunity, which will eventually affect the growth of the church.

In Ephesians 4:12, Paul, explaining further the gifts and ministry, stressed that

all Christians are to be equipped for the work of the ministry tosupport in building up

a mature body of Christ. This implies that when the young adults’ talents are

identified and harnessed, with their strength, they can do great exploits for God and

the church. Therefore, God’s gifts to “every man,” mentioned in 1Cor 12:7 includes

young adults in the church today, and their gifts are needed to administer the various

ministries of the church to achieve the church’s common mission. So the NT support

the need to organize, equip, inspire young adults for mission.

CROSS REFERENCES THAT INCLUDE JOEL 2:28 AND ACTS 2:16-18

WOULD STRENGTHEN YOUR CASE!

Spirit of Prophecy and Mobilizing Young

Adults for Effective Ministry

The Spirit of Prophecy is a compilation of Ellen G. White's writings, which are

believed to be inspired by God and are mostly used and regarded as counsel by

0
Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen and H. Wayne House, The Nelson Study Bible : New
King James Version, Includes Index (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997), 1 Co 12:7.
0
Ibid.

35
Adventists. Ellen G. White has given various counsels on the significance of

mobilizing young people for effective Spirit-directed ministry. Through her pen of

inspiration, she has given direction, sympathy, rebuke, and motivation specifically to

the young people 0 and to parents, and teachers who are directly involved in

mobilizing and nurturing young people and the entire church. She expressed her deep

desire in seeing young people striving to attain perfect Christian characters and also

receive the needed training essential for acceptable service in God’s ministry and to

reach a higher level of Christian experience.0 This section of the project, will discuss

some of the counsels expressed in the Spirit of Prophecy books relating to mobilizing

young adults and the role they can play in the ministry of the Church.

On the critical need for mobilization and organization of the youth by the

church, shestated “We have an army of youth today who can do much if they are

properly directed and encouraged, we want them to act a part in well-organized plans

for helping other youth. Let all be so trained that they may rightly represent the

truth.”0 The Spirit of Prophecy further expresses that “With such an army of workers

as our youth, rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified,

risen, and soon-coming Savior might be carried to the whole world!”0 It is evident that

each young person or youth has been called to do some work in honor God and for the

uplifting of humanity.0

The young people, just like the adults,havebeen called for a ministry. The pen

of inspiration states, “Young men and young women, I saw that God has a work for

0
Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 1930), 7.
0
Ibid., 7.
0
“General Conference Bulletin,” 1893.
0
Ellen G. White, Education (Mountain View, C: Pacific Press, 1903), 271.
0
Ibid., 58.

36
you to do; take up your cross and follow Christ or you are unworthy of Him”.0 They

are to begin their ministry “at home, in their own household, in their neighborhood,

among their own friends. Hence, they will find a favorable missionary field.”0 This

clearly shows that the young people have a part to play in the gospel commission if

only they will be mobilized, trained and empowered.

According to the above instruction, holistic education is a prerequisite for

effective ministry, according to Spirit of Prophecy. It stated, the churches in various

localities should feel a solemn responsibility to train youth and educate talent to

engage in missionary work. ...There is an outstanding talent in the churches that needs

to be utilized. It is the responsibility of the local church to holistically train and

employ young talents within the Church. In order to inspire the young people, she

encouraged them to take up the task to which God has call them and they will be

thought by Jesus Christ on how their abilities could be put to good purpose. She adds

that as they get “the quickening influence of the Holy Spirit, and seek to teach

others,” their minds will be refreshed and they can present words that are new and

extraordinarily attractive to the hearer0.

In challenging the young people to respond to God’s call and work, the Spirit

of Prophecy writings assert that “Christ is calling for volunteers to enlist under his

standard and bear the banner of the cross before the world. The church is languishing

for the help of young men.”0 Its further state that “God calls for you, young men. He

calls for a whole army of young men who are large-hearted and large-minded and

0
Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2002),
206.
0
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1901),
6:428.
0
White, Messages to Young People, 217-218.
0
Ibid, 24-25.

37
who have a deep love for Christ and the truth.”0 The young people are called to serve

as volunteer and light bearers, working to save themselves and save others as well.

The Spirit of prophecy writingscall on parent and the Church to see it as their

responsibility to train and empower the young people after their baptism until they are

spiritually mature to know their rightful places in the work and ministry of God.

Ellen White (1915) again points out that, when the youth give their hearts to God, our

responsibility for them does not cease. They must be interested in the Lord’s work,

and led to see that He expects them to do something to advance His cause. It is not

enough to show how much needs to be done,the church must also urge the youth to

act a part. They must be taught how to labor for the Master. They must be trained,

disciplined, drilled, in the best methods of winning souls to Christ.0

The young people will not be active in the church and in the ministry of God

when they are not properly mobilized and instructed. This is why the servant of God

is calling on all to see to the development of the youth’s spirituality so that they can

find their rightful places in the church. Ellen White (1952) points out that Daniel and

his friends had been faithfully taught in the values of the word of God. They had

learned to sacrifice the things of this earth to the spiritual, to seek the maximum good.

And they obtained the reward.0

0
White, Testimonies, 6:411.

0
Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers (Washington DC: Review and Herald, 1915), 10.

0
White, Education, 55.1.

38
 Summary

A careful study of both OT and NT reveals that God’s program of restoring

human beings to wholeness is inclusive of human beings of ALL AGES. Seniors,

adults, youth, and even children are all objects of God’s redemptive, restorative, or

salvational plan and program. It is also revealed that ALL those who are saved,

redeemed and restored are to be discipled, mobilized, motivated and mentored to be

God’s Agency for the same that has been done by God for them. God uses the same

People to advance His redemptive ministry and mission to reach out to ALL human

beings who need to be saved!

So, the concept of mobilizing young adults for effective outreach ministry

has theological bases. The Bible provides a strong foundation of characters who

began active ministry when they were young adults. They were active because they

were mobilized, trained, mentored, and allowed to employ their talents into active

ministry for the Lord. There are also various clear instructions from the OT and NT

which support the idea of mobilizing young adults for effective ministry.

This theological study also revealed that some of the young adults like Joseph

and Ezekiel were mobilized through compulsion by theirslave masters, others like

Esther, the disciples of Jesus Christ, Timothy and John Mark, were also mobilized,

trained, mentored, equipped and supported by their parents, teachers, and leaders.

There were some who were called and empowered into ministry directly by God.

This implies that mobilizing and harnessing young adults talents for effective

outreach ministry will require a collaborative effort of parents, religious teachers, the

Church, other religious organizations as God directs. The same principle is greatly

supported in the Writings of Ellen G White. In fact, Ellen G. White is very concise on

the purpose of the Church. Thus she writes: “The Church is God’s appointed agency

39
for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the

gospel to the world.” (in her Book: Acts of the Apostles, Page 9).

There are other authorities and Studies that have a bearing on including young

adults in God’s Program of reaching out to make humankind whole. The following

Chapter 3 is Review of Pertinent Literature where various perspectives in connection

with Youth Ministry and Mission are briefly explored.

40
 CHAPTER 3

LITERATURE REVIEW

In the epoch of post-modernism, the significance of mobilizing young adults

for effective ministry is of common concern and therefore, cannot be underrated or

ignored. Due to its importance, numerous scholars have written on it from different

perspectives. In order to establish a hypothetical basis for mobilizing young adults for

effective ministry, it is of the essence to review what scholars have said on the

principles and concept of mobilizing young adults for ministry from the perspective of

the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The chapter ill discuss how contemporary non-Adventist scholars have

elaborated in diverse ways on the issue of mobilizing young adults for effective

ministry. It will also review historical and contemporary information given by the

SDA Church, other contemporary Christian scholarly literature, and

electronicliterature on education and social studies.

Selected Religious Literature

Many churches have their diverse means of mobilizing young adults for

effective ministry. This section, therefore, looks into some of the principles used in

mobilizing young adults for ministry as presentedin the literature ofsomeChristian

denominations, namely Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterianand Adventist

churches. It is worth mentioning that the writer’s main objective is not to compare and

contrast the methods or strategies employed by these churches. On the contrary, the

41
section will bring into focus the principles that these churches embrace in mobilizing

their young adults for effective ministry.

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church has a special youth ministry for its youth and young

adults. To the Catholics, youth ministry is the “response of the Christian community

to the needs of young people, and the sharing of the unique gifts of the youth with the

larger community.”0 The Catholic Youth Organization aims at leading young

Catholics to exhibit a Christian life from a young age, building confidence between

peers and living a happy life. The Catholics perceive youth ministry as designed not

only to provide spiritual programs for the young people but a ministry which reaches

out to the young people in the community and provides them the opportunities to use

their gifts within their society.0

They also believe that the ministry is not only “the development of Catholic

life in the Catholic Youthbut also seeks to engage the young ones in missionary

activities as part of their program is designed to create an atmosphere that will inspire

young people to unite with the ‘band of joyful missionary disciples.’”0

The Church to restore the vision of the Youth Ministry, has identified three

dependent and equally vital objectives that are to serve as a guide for the Catholic

Youth Ministry; these goals are Discipleship, Participation, and Growth.0

0
YMNY, “Definition of Catholic Youth Ministry,” accessed April 2, 2020,
https://archny.org/wp-content/uploads/YM-Meetup-RTV-Year-Review-Parts-II-and-III.pdf.
0
Christ The King Parish, “The Catholic Youth Organization (C.Y.O),” accessed February 9,
2020, https://christthekingaccra.org/cyo/.
0
Archdiocese of Detroit, “Catholic Youth Organization,” accessed February 9, 2020,
https://www.aod.org/cyo..

0
Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry, “Youth
Ministry Handbook,” accessed April 1, 2020,
http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05
/Handbook_Final_Revised_2013.pdf.

42
 Discipleship. It is the goal of the ministry to enable young people to live as

disciples of Jesus Christ in their communities and the world at large. This, the

ministry does through combination of several elements as “witness, outreach,

proclamation, invitation, conversion, and discipleship.”0 The ministry trains the young

people to develop a greater relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and enable them to

live as his disciples.

Participation. The work of the ministry is to draw young people to active

participation in the life, mission and work of the faith community.0 Thus ministry

provide the platform that allows the young people to be valued and welcome in their

parish, and feel involved in the parish life. The youth and young adults in the Catholic

Church are not seen as passive receivers of ministry, but rather own and share

leadership programs, and activities of the church community. This is done through the

provision of innovative and changing events, gatherings, and opportunities for

involvement that respond to youth’s needs from this relationship. For this

participation to be strong, the Church also unites with families to foster participation

and to strengthen youth ministry involvement.0

Growth. The ministry promotes the total personal and spiritual growth of each

young person.0 The ministry extends personal invitations, give warm welcome,

nurturing relationships, and building community for the growth of the young people.
0
Diocese of Columbus, Office of Youth and Young Adults Ministry, “Parish Resource
Manual for Youth Ministry,” September, 2013, accessed April 1, 2020,
https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/15206/documents/2018/2/Full%20Resource%20Manual.pdf.

0
Archdiocese of Cincinnati Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry, Youth Ministry
Handbook: 5, accessed April 1, 2020,
http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Handbook_Final_Revised_20
13.pdf.

0
Tom East, “Effective Youth Ministry Practices and Models,” 2, accessed 1 April
2020,
https://www.dio.org/uploads/files/Youth_and_Young_Adult_Ministry/Youth_Ministry_Essen
tials/Effective_Practices_in_Youth_Ministry.pdf.
0
Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry, 5.

43
It also uses teachings and reflections to work towards the faith and transformation of

the young people, and to offer guidance during times of decisions and moral

choices.0Through these engagements, a network of relationships is developed

toenhance personal and spiritual growth of the youth.0

It has been discovered that the Catholic Church uses its youth ministry to

mobilize its young people, nurture them, and harness their talents toempower them to

play active role in the church leadership and ministry. This provides them with the

opportunity to grow in relationship with Christ and to help them to represent Christ as

his disciples. It is in this vein that this project work seeks to emphasis about the need

for the church to intentionally mobilizes its young people, and giving them the right

training can encourage them to unleash their talent to serve the church community and

as missionaries in the larger community.

Methodist Church

Relatedly, the Methodist Church also have a youth ministry that seeks to

mobilize the youth and the young adults to respond to the gospel and live as disciples

in worship and mission. The Church seeks to change lives, churches and communities

through the youth ministry.”0 The Methodist Church uses its youth ministry which is

known as Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) to mobilize its young people. The

vision of the MYF is “to guide youth towards a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ,

encouraging them to follow the way offaith, love, and service as disciples so that they

0
YMNY, “Definition of Catholic Youth Ministry,” 2.
0
East, “Effective Youth Ministry Practices and Models,” 2.
0
The Methodist Church, “Chlidren, Youth and Family Ministry,” accessed 3 April 2020,
https://www.methodist.org.uk/our-work/children-youth-family-ministry/.

44
may reach the world with God's Good News and powerful Holy Spirit of

reconciliation and new life.”0

The mission of MYF is to lead young people to accept Jesus Christ as their

personal Lord and savior, encourage them to propagate the gospel throughout the

world, help the young people to maintain a quality personal relationship with God, the

church and to minister to others.0

The Methodist Church has a Youth Participation Strategy (YPS) which states

that:

Young people must be involved at all levels of the church. The strategy is
there to occupy young people with God and the Christian Gospel. The
objective of the strategy is to ensure that the young people are mobilized to
work jointly with adults, in being disciples and making disciples in the
communities they live. Furthermore, the Strategy recommends activities such
as spiritual retreats, worship activities, sporting activities, creative ministry as
factors for mobilizing and equipping young people for ministry.0
Grounded on the above information, it can be rightly stated that the Methodist

church likewise has an extensive strategy in ensuring that the young people of the

Church are mobilized and involved in the activities and programs of the Church.This

information further comes to support this project work as it seeks to discuss and

discover ways and means the young adults can be mobilized and empowered to

embark on effective ministry for the church.

PresbyterianChurch

The Presbyterians have many systems of youth ministry. There is the

Presbyterian Youth Ministry (PYM)that has its headquarters is in New Zealand. We

also have Presbyterian Youth Connection (PYC) with its headquarters in the USA. In
0
Methodist Youth Fellowship MYF, “Vision & Mission,” accessed 28 April 2020,
https://www.standrewtr.org/children-youth/methodist-youth-fellowship-myf/..
0
Ibid.
0
The Methodist Church in Britain, “Youth Participation Strategy – Report for Conference,”
accessed August 28, 2019, http://www.methodist.org.uk/downloads/conf10a-16-yps-160211

45
Ghana where this research is taking place, the Presbyterian Church also has a youth

bministry as an organization to mobilize the young people in the Church for ministry.

This organization is known as Young People’s Guild (PYG).

The objectives of these youth ministries in the Presbyterian Church are: “to

call young people to be disciples of Jesus Christ; to engage the church to respond to

the needs and the interests of young people; to facilitate the relationship of the youth

and adults in partnership; to unite the young people to the whole church, community,

and the world; to empower young people to reaching out, and invite other young

people to join the community of faith.”0

The Presbyterian Church bodies in the U. S. A. also affiliate with the Boy

Scouts of America (BSA). This collaboration is to foster and reinforce common useful

relationships with the BSA; promote scouting as a resource for ministry and help

Presbyterian congregations to use scouting as a tool for effective youth ministry; and

to aid Presbyterian adults to understand and pass on their ministry functions and

acknowledge those who truly serve young people through the Scouting program.0

In summary, the Presbyterian Youth Ministry mobilizes young people and

empowers them for service in the church community and the larger community in

which the Church is located.

SUMMARIZE THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, AND HIGHLIGHT

PRINCIPLES THAT RESONATE WITH WHAT THE BIBLE REVEALS AS YOU

LIFT WHAT INFORMS THE ADVENTIST CHURCH’S YOUTH MINISTRIES!

History and Development of SDA Youth Ministries

0
First Presbyterian Church, “PYC Presbyterian Youth Connection,” accessed 28 August 2019,
www.fpctroy.org/youth.html.
0
Boy Scouts of America, “Scouting for Presbyterian Youth,” accessed 3 April 2020,
http://scoutingwire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/210-028WB.pdf,

46
 In the early years of the Seventh-day Adventist Church before and after its

organization in 1860, there was no specific ministry aimed at the youth. However,

children and youth were organized and instructed and given spiritual development

through the Church’s Sabbath school in 1952. But it was not long after thisthat the

pioneers of the Church, which were in their youthexpressed the desire for an

organization for the youth in the Church.0 One of them was Ellen G. White who called

for the formation of youth organization in every church. She wrote,”Let there be a

company formed somewhat after the order of the Christian Endeavor Society.”0 She

reiterated that companies should be established in every congregation for the youth.0

The official name which was adopted initially was “Seventh-day-Adventist

Youth Society”0 which had the acronym AYS. However, the society has had several

different names since its establishment. Before the name AYS was adopted in 1979,it

was called “Adventist Young People’s Society of Missionary Volunteers”or simply

MV. This name highlighted the emphasis on youth as active participants in soul

winning.”0

The history traces the Seventh-day Adventist Church youth ministry to Luther

Warren (14 years-old) and Harry Fenner (17 years old) in the year 1879. Their first

meeting was held in Luther’s parents’ home. The outcome of the meeting led to the

formation of a band of about six to nine boys in a local Seventh-day Adventist

Church. The purposes of this small band of youth was “ to plan missionary work,
0
Youth Ministries Department of the General Conference of Seveth-day Adventists, Youth
First: Involving Youth in Church Life (Siver Spring, MD: General Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists), 10.
0
Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, May 29,1983.
0
Ibid.
0
General Conference Seventh-day Adventist, Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual (Silver
Spring, MD: General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1990 ed.), 84.
0
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Youth Department, Getting It Right
(Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2005), 21.

47
raise money for missionary literature, and promote temperance in daily living.” 0 Thus

a boys’ band, known as Boys Missionary Society was established in 1879 in

Hazelton, the hometown of Luther Warren and Harry Fenner.

As the Boys’ Missionary Society grew, girls were invited to join, and as a

result, the name Boys’ Missionary Society was changed to Young People’s Society.

The Young Peoples’ Society saw a great advancement in the 1890s when another

young man by name Meade Macquire in 1891 formed a related group in Antigo,

Wisconsin. In 1892, the then GC President, A.G. Daniells, also formed a band in

Adelaide, Australia. M.E. Kern in 1893 formed a similar group at the Union College

in Lincoln, Nebraska. In 1894, another band known as Sunshine band was also

formed in several local churches in the Dakotas by Luther Warren who had then

grown and become a vibrant evangelist.

The conference level youth organization took place at the Ohio camp-meeting

in 1899. The name Christian Volunteers was adopted.0 The General Conference at its

leaders meeting in 1907 at Gland, Switzerland, officially created a Young People’s

department with the name “Seventh-day Adventist Society of Missionary Volunteers

(YPMV) which later became Missionary Volunteers (MV). Milton E. Kern was

appointed the first director with Matilda Erickson as the secretary.

The focus of this new department was based on three objectives: developing a

solid devotional life of the youth, missionary focus, and educational programs. The

aim, motto, and pledge and The Youth’s InstructorMagazinewere also adopted for the

department during the leadership conference. In a later development, the name

Missionary Volunteers came to be known by the acronym MVand so the department

0
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Youth Department, Senior Youth Leader: A
Leadership Curriculum for Ambassadors and Young Adults Leaders (Silver Spring, MD: General
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2018), 21.
0
R. W. Schwartz, Light Bearers to the Remnant (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1979),
386; Nathaniel Krum, The MV Story (Washington DC: Review & Herald, 1963), 112-113.

48
also became MV Department, and the local youth meetings were called MV meeting. 0

But in 1909, due to the progress of the Missionary Volunteers program, the GC saw

the need to add a similar program to cater for the development of the younger children

in the church. This led to the creation of the JMV progressive classes and honor

activities in the 1920s.

In the same period, a youth leadership course was created in the MV

department, and this resulted in the investiture of Master Comrades, which later

changed to Master Guide. Pathfinder Club was also introduced later by GC, and

Laurence A. Skinner became the first World Pathfinder Director from 1950 to 1963.

The name of the department was changed to Youth Department of Missionary

Volunteers in 1972, and conference MV secretaries were given the title youth

director. The names Adventist Youth Society (AYS) and Adventist Junior Youth

(AJY) were adopted in the same year to replace the MV and JMV, respectively. The

AYS was created for senior youth, while the AJY was created for Pathfinder (PF) and

Adventurer clubs. The name was changed to Youth Ministries Department at the 2005

General Conference Delegates' Conference in St. Louis to reflect the department's

various ministries, which included Adventurer Club, Pathfinder Club, and Senior

Youth Leadership (Ambassador and Young Adult).0

Current divisions of the Adventist youth ministries. The current GC Youth

Ministries Department structure depicts two major divisions. The Junior Youth

program serves Adventurers (children aged 4 to 9) and Pathfinders (youth of ages 10

– 15-year-old). The Senior Youth Leadership is also in charge of the Ambassadors

(youth ages 16 to 21) and the Young Adults (youth ages 22 to 30+). Both Adventurer

0
Youth Ministries Department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Youth
Ministry Handbook and Training Manual (Loma Linda, CA: College Press, 2005), 9.
0
Ibid., 10.

49
and Pathfinder have class subdivisions based on age, with each class having its own

curriculum of studies for development. The Master Guide training course prepares

leaders for both Adventurer and Pathfinder positions, whereas the Senior Youth

Leadership training course prepares leaders for both Ambassador and Young Adult

positions. Public Campus Ministry is a program planned for Adventist students on

public campuses. The purpose is to inspire and empower Seventh-day Adventist

students to be disciples of Jesus and share the everlasting gospel on and off

public campuses and to empower students with the needed abilitiesto manage

Campus life. 0

Objectives of the young adults ministry. The young adult ministry is an

organization developed for young people within the ages of 22-30. The age bracket of

the youth is trained to get the necessary skills that can enable them to work for other

youth, their local church and their fellow men. The goal is to work for the salvation of

each youth and prepare them for service.

Principles for Mobilizing Young Adults

for Service in Secular Circles

There are varied organizations and institutions in the secular circles which

have committed themselves to advance and further young adult mobilization in order

to harness their talents and empower them to contribute to the developmental agenda

ofthe communities or societies in which they live. This section would consider the

Boys and Girls Scout, Youth Councils, and National Youth Authorities.

Boy Scout Association

0
General Conference Youth Ministries Department, “PCM,” accessed 17 February 2021.
https://youth.adventist.org/PCM.

50
 In 1908, The Boy Scout movement was established by Lord Baden-Powell, a

Calvary officer in Great Britain, with the intent of inculcating in boys a sense of

nationalism, courteous behavior, and skill in different outdoor activities. Baden-

Powell in his book Scouting for Boys (1908) showed countless games and contests

that he applied in instructing cavalry troops in scouting.0

Baden-Powell believed that for easy training and instruction, boys should be
mobilized into small subgroups of six or seven with a boy leader called the
patrol or patrol leader. Their instructions consisted of outdoor activities such
as tracking and mapping, reconnaissance, knotting, signaling, first aid, and
other skills that would be needed during camping and related outdoor
activities. Membership required boys to pledge to be loyal to his country, help
other people, and generally obey the scout law, which was a simple code
which was easily understood by the boy.
Baden-Powell projected his model would be used by youth organizations in
Britain, but in a little while the boys scout became a new movement which
was embraced by other countries with regional offices in Egypt, Kenya,
Senegal, South Africa, Belgium, Philippines, Ukraine and Chile. By the close
of the 20th century, Boy Scoutassociation had spread to more than 215 nations
and territories with the headquarters in Geneva.

Even while the Boy Scout movement was initially intended for boys aged 11

to 14 or 15, it gradually became clear that younger kids needed to be included as

well.To extend it further to cover older boys, Baden-Powell in 1916 established a

similar organization for young adult boys, the Wolf Cubs also known in some

countries as Cub Scout. Other programs were developed for even younger boys

(Beaver Scouts in the U.K. for ages 6 to 8, Tiger Cubs in the U.S. for age 7).

In the United States, university boy scout programs were developed for boys

aged 14 to 17, as well as young men and women aged 18 to 20. (16 to 20 in the U.K.).

To allow girls to join the movement, the name Boy was removed from the British

organization in late 1967. In 1980s, Girls could join at the Cub level and go up to the

top level of Girls Scout or Guild. Boy Scout of America, the name of the scouting

organization in the USA, is currently so well-known or well-accepted that

0
EncyclopaediaBrittannica, s.v. “Boys Scout,” accessed 22 August 2019,
http://www.britannica.com/topic/Boy-Scouts

51
organizations like the Presbyterian Church have incorporated the idea into their youth

ministry.

The Youth Council

The Youth Council is one of the secular organizations through which most

countries useto mobilize, train, and harness the talent of the young people to support

nation building. In most of the countries, it is also referred to as National Youth

Council or organization. Youth councils are bodies,including young people that play

the role of an advisory or advocacy body to government or donor agencies. . They are

primarily responsible for establishing the organization's priorities, creating the

programs and policies that support those priorities, and assisting in the

implementation of those policies through the provision of public services. Public

support and outreach could also be part of its role.0

It is evident that theyoung people are increasingly seen as key facilitators in

community and national development. The young people are playing amajor role in

social change. They are key players in community initiatives, involved in small scale

businesses, and help in the reshaping of the political processes.

More than one in every five of the world’s population betweenthe ages of 12

and 24, and with approximately 1.3 billion of most of the young people living in

developing countries, it is essential that the young people develop the interpersonal

skills required to contribute to their families, countries, and the global society. The

youth council provides the machinery that allows the young people to acquire these

skills and at the same time supports them to bring change to their communities. 0

0
“Youth Councils: An Effective Way to Promote Youth Participation,” accessed 12
December 2019 , www.equip123.net/docs/e3-youthcouncils.pdf
0
Ibid.

52
 The young people become major asset to development if they are positively

empowered to become stakeholders to nation building. Mobilizing and involving

young people in developmental agenda is significant in several dimensions: (1) young

people have the expertise that are unique to their situation, which support them to

offer key solutions and viewpoints on development that adults may not; (2) young

people mostly form the majority in most of the communities; as a result, their voices

can be significant expressions of a community’s needs. Youth councils, conversely,

can have either positive or negative effects on mobilization ofyoung people if not

carefully planned and implemented.0

The role youth councils play in youth mobilization cannot be underestimated

in countries. In Ghana, all the youth organizations function under the supervision of

the National Youth Authority. They must register in order to operate as a youth

organization. In view of the fact that this project involves the young adults in Ghana,

it is indispensable to briefly discuss what the National Youth Authority is about.

The National Youth Authority

The Ghana’s National Youth Authority (NYA) which is officially known as

the National Youth Council (NYC) was established as an organization with the

mandate to coordinateand be responsible for the development of the Ghanaian youth.

The promulgation of National Redemption Council Degree (NRCD) 241 of 1974

called for the institution of the National Youth Council after stakeholder’s

deliberations with the then Ghana government.0 From the prelude of the National

Youth Policy of Ghana, it is acknowledge that, in the whole world the youth have

0
Ibid.
0
Youth Alliance for Development, “Is Our National Youth Authority (NYA) Up to the Task?”
accessed December, 2019, http://www.modernghana.com/news/468992/1/is-our-national-youth-
authority-nya-up-to-the-task.html

53
been distinguished as a considerable force with the potential to contribute

comprehensively to national development and therefore, they must be greatly

mobilized and get them involved in nation building by the government and other

stakeholders.0On the justification for youth policy, it is noted that the youth are

important assets and future of any country. Addressing their hopes and ambitions

must be a fundamental part of socio-economic developmental agaenda 0

As described in an article by Youth Alliance for Development captioned “Is

Our National Youth Authority (NYA) Up to the Task?” the main objectives for the

institution of the youth authority were discussed as:

(1) The objective of the Authority is to develop and inculcate in our youth a spirit

of nationalism and a sense of public service and goodness.

(2) To buttress the objective mentioned in the subsection (1) of this section, the

Authority shall be given the responsibility for the formulation of such policies

and programmes that will promote the welfare of the youth;

The above objectives compel any youth-oriented organization or persons to

answer the same question expressed by the Youth Alliance For Development. Though

the NYA is a secular organization, a lot can be learned from itsobjectives to seekways

to mobilize our young adults within the circles of the Church for effective inreach and

outreach ministries. The Church, with well-planned programs, can perform

effectively in this regard than the secular institutions.But this can be achieved through

effective mobilization.

Principles and Models for Mobilizing Young

Adults for Effective Mission

0
Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Youth Policy of Ghana, (Accra, Ghana:
Ministry of Youth and Sports, 2010): iv, accessed 26 August 2018,
https://www.youthpolicy.org/national/Ghana_2010_National_Youth_Policy.pdf
0
Ibid., 3.

54
 In order to make full use of the youthful exuberance of the young adults, it is

essential to mobilize them for effective mission. As intimated in the foregone

discussions, the issueof mobilizing young people has been the core concern of youth

ministries in both secular and religious sectors. The absence of effective mobilization

is the cause of lack of interest of the young adults in mission. In order to reach out to

them effectively, the approach must be real, inspiring, relevant, and relational. The

reason is that “when you are real, you gain their attention. When you are relevant, you

speak their language. And when you are relational, you build bridges to the next

generation.”0

Mobilizing Young Adults for Mission

The mission of God requires the mobilization of the young adults. To mobilize

is to “get (people) together for action, to come together for action, to prepare soldiers,

an army, etc. for war,” according to Merriam-Dictionary. Webster's also give a

similar definition of mobilize in the Free Dictionary as: “to assemble, prepare, or put

into active service; to organize, marshal, or coordinate for a cause.”If both

dictionaries’ definitions are taken into consideration, it can be referred that

mobilization involves bringing or assembling (people or army) together and making

them ready for service or task.

Ellen G.White emphasized, “We have an army of youth today who can do

much if they are properly directed and encouraged, we want them to act a part in well-

organized plans for helping other youth. Let all be so trained that they may rightly

represent the truth . . . .”0 She added, “with such an army of workers as our youth,

0
Tim Celek, Dieter Zander, and Patrick Kamper, Inside the Soul of a New Generation:
Insights and strategies for reaching Busters (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 101-108.

0
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, General Conference Bulletin,
(January29, 30, 1893), 24, accessed August 7, 2019.

55
rightly trained, might furnish how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-

coming Savior might be carried to the whole world.”0 This implies that there is first a

task to be completed, which necessitates the gathering of people to complete that task.

According to White, the task is to train youth and young adults to carry out the

message of Christ's death, resurrection, and imminent return to the entire world. The

young adults are the people who will be gathered in this context. This means that

young adults will be mobilized and trained so that they will be better equipped to

carry out the Great Commission of Matthew 28: 18-20 and the Three Angels

Messages of Rev. 14: 6-12. Various authors have come out with principles that must

underscore any program designed for and with young adults. These principles would

ultimately be the foundation for creating appropriate strategies for mobilizing young

adults for effective mission. As Randal Wisbey explained in his article, “Involving

Young People in Mission,” four keysareas about young people are worth notingfor

youth workers in order to work efficientlywith and forthem:

1. Young people are action-oriented. So, the right structure and environment

should be created to get theminvolvedin active service.

2. Involving them in mission work, such as community services or short-term

missions has a great impact on young people.

3. A lot of Adventist young people have deep knowledge but lack experience.

4. The young people would be fully enthused to do mission if they are

involved in the ministry of the church. This is important because the

church also needs the capabilities and the services of the young people —

energy, creativity, confidence, and commitment. Similarly, young people

0
Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students (Mountain View, CA:
Pacific Press, 1913), 555.

56
 need what the church has to offer – direction, focus, and indoor training

experience to help them grow Christ-like leadership.0

The above-mentioned understanding suggests that mobilizing young adults

requires the consideration of some principles. The principles include their

involvement in the life of the Church, specifically mission, a model for young adults

to serve as missionary volunteers, equipping and training young adults, mentoring

and empowering young adults. These principles are discussed below.

Equipping and Training Young Adults for Mission

The metaphor of fishing can be used to describe the pursuit of equipping

young people to become active in ministering for God. ‘If you give a man a fish, you

feed him for a day. If you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.’0 These

two scenarios are direct help and education which should be deeply valued (Matt

10:42; Luke 10:25-37). This means that the young people can have the joy of going

on God’s errand when they are well equipped to fully understand what it takes to do

mission for God.

The training of young people should begin from childhood. The Bible attests

to this fact: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not

depart from it.” (Prov 22:6). This means that a person’s life is built on what he or she

was taught during childhood. This training of the young people is a direct obligation

of parents, the church, society, government, and teachers. Ellen G. White advocated

that training of the young people must be holistic. She stressed that,

0
Randal Wisbey, “Involving Young People in Mission,” in Adventist Mission in the 21st
Century: The Joys and Challenges of Presenting Jesus to a Diverse World, ed. Jon L. Dybdahi
(Hagerstown, MD: Review & Herald, 1999), 213-221.
0
Rudi Maier, Church and Society: Missiological Challenges for the Seventh-Day Adventist
Church (Silver Springs, MD: Department of Missions, Andrews University, 2010), 264.

57
“True education is about holistic life and covers the entire life of a person. It must be

in the agreement with the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It trains the

person for the joy of service in the present life and for the greater joy of service in the

future world to come.”0

The approach to training or equipping young people should also emphasizeon

self-knowing, building healthy relationships, social conducts, emotions and spiritual

growth. Moreover, holistic education takes into consideration the impact of

contemporary cultures such as the media and music on young people’s development.0

Holistic education is also based on the principle that each person finds identity,

meaning, and purpose in life through associations to the community, to the natural

world, and to spiritual values.0

The focus of youth ministry is equipping or training the young people to be at

the forefront of the work of Christ, and also to reflect Christianity in every aspect of

their lives– be Christ’s ambassadors. If adults do not know this, the young people they

teach would not also know.0 White emphasized the importance of considering

children's physical, mental, moral, and religious education in order to achieve this

goal for effective child training.0 The children should thereforebe taught the

techniques needed to embark on mission. For instance, Hiebert & Menes, advised that

to do mission, missionaries must first identify themselves with the people they serve.

Though their information is old yet it is still relevant in missionary work. Missionaries
0
White, Education, 13.
0
Technology Inc., “What Is Holistic Education,” accessed 3 September 2019,
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/methods/holistic/.

0
Infed, “A brief introduction to holistic education,” accessed 16 April 2020,
http://infed.org/mobi/a-brief-introduction-to-holistic-education/.
0
YouthPastor.com, “What Is Youth Ministry?” accessed 21 August 2019,
http://www.youthpastor.com/youth_ministry/#.VdkdvfnJYcH.
0
Ellen G White, Christian Education (Battle Creek, MI: International Tract Society, 1894), 5.

58
must live among the people, learn their language, accept their cultural ways, and work

together with them. Becoming one with the people will enable them to build trust and

receive the right to be heard.0 The young adults will readily prepare to use their talents

to do mission for God when they are taught on how they can present the messages and

also meet cultural challenges that often scare or discourage people from doing mission

for God. Thus, for the young adult to do effective mission, they must know the

biblical message and the prevailing contemporary conditions.0 The major problem

with young adult missionaries and even gospel workers is not only the theological

knowledge but how to know the contemporary context and appropriately apply the

knowledge contextually. But this is not emphasized enoughin the Church.

Hence, to engage young adults in mission, they must be provided with needed

tools to study the cultural settings within which they serve and get information about

the modern-day way of life.0 Analogies must be drawn from the context of the people

to explain Scriptures as Jesus did. Training young adults this waywill not only

motivate them to embark on missionary activities using their talents but will alsoequip

them to do effective ministry that will yield the needed results.

Mentoring Young Adults

Mentorship is an old concept, used as a bedrock of the continuity of virtually

every profession in our society. The help of the experienced is invaluable, especially,

when mobilizing young people to venture into the territories to minister for God.

Though the young people have varied talents, there be would difficulties if they are

0
Paul Hiebert and Eloise H. Menese, Incarnation Ministry (Grand Rapid, MI: Baker
Book House, 1995), 373.

0
Paul G. Hiebert, Anthropological Insights for Missionaries (Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Book House, 1985), 14.
0
Ibid., 15.

59
not offered coaching and guidance as they attempt to use their gifts and talents within

the Church. The term mentoring though not mentioned directly in the Bible, can be

used synonymously with the word disciple or discipling in the Bible.

The concept of mentorship originated from a man’s name called Mentor who

is closely related to coaching, teaching, nurturing or discipling.The character of

Mentor is mentioned in the ancient epic poem in the Homer’s Odyssey,first published

in 1760. Homer tells the king of Ithaca, who asked his trusted friend Mentor, to look

after his youngs on Telemachus while he went to win the Trojan War.Mentor over a

decade nurtured Telemachus and taught him reasoning and critical thinking and

discipline.0

Cambridge Dictionary defines mentorship as “the activity of giving a younger

or less experienced person help and advice over a period of time especially at work or

school.”0 So mentorship can be a “one-on-one dyadic relationship, where the mentor

is a wiser, more experienced individual who takes on the tutelage of a younger

individual, usually in his or her own organization.”0According to Merriam-Webster

Dictionary, a mentor is synonymous to a coach, a counselor, a guide, a leader, a

shepherd and a tutor.0 “Mentoring is the third most powerful relationship for

influencing human behavior, after marriage and the extended family”0 Though the

young people may be energetic and talented, without the guidance of the wisdom and

0
OpenLearn. “A Brief History of Mentoring,” accessed 7 April 2020,
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=74475&section=2.
0
Cambridge Dictionary, s.v. “Mentorship,” accessed 7 April 2020,
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/mentorship.
0
Mary Pender, Creative Mentorship and Career-Building Strategies: How to Build your
Virtual PersonalBoard of Directors(New York: Oxford Press, 2015), 2.
0
Merriam-Webster Dictionary, s.v. “Mentor,” accessed 7 April 2020, https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/mentor.
0
Larry Kreider, The Cry for Spiritual Mothers & Fathers: the Next Generation Needs You to
be a Spriritual Mentor. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing, 2014), 20.

60
love of the experienced Christians, the younger ones will not be fully equipped for the

task that lies ahead.0

The bible gives examples of spiritual mentoring. Jesus mentored the 12

disciples. Paul mentored young Timothy. Elizabeth became a spiritual mother to

Mary, the mother of Jesus. Elijah became a spiritual father to Elisha. Moses nurtured

Joshua to take his place to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land.0 In these

examples, the mentees were intentionally nurtured and prepared for the purpose of

continuing with the legacy of their mentors to fulfil God’s greater purpose.

Mentoring can either be formalor informal, planned or unplanned depending

on the mentor and the mentee. Quoting from Dr. Baraka Muganda, “mentor is a role

model for young people who takes an interest in and cares about young people and

give time, energy to listen, to care, to love unconditionally, when young people

needed them.”0J. Robert Clinton in his article on mentoring enumerated 9 types of

mentoring as follows: Discipler, Spiritual Director, Counselor, Teacher, Coach,

Mentor model, Mentor ideal and Mentor Sponsor, Divine sponsor.0

Discipling. Disciplingis a type of mentoring which focuses in giving the

fundamentalguidelines to the growth of every young Christian. It is a mentorship

relationship that allows the mentor and protégétospendmuch time together.0

“The primary method of making disciples is through a mentor relationship. To mentor

someone is to invest yourself in the person. It is not a casual relationship built solely

0
Ibid., 21-22.
0
Ibid., 22-23.

0
Baraka G. Mugandaclass notes for CHMN 770: Youth Ministry Leadership,
Adventist University of Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, August 2019.
0
Robert J. Clinton, Mentoring Reader - Clinton Article on Mentoring (1993 – 2005)
(Altadena, CA: Robert J. Clinton, 2005), 23, accessed 9 March 2021,
https://scottishmentoringnetwork.co.uk/assets/downloads/resources/MentoringReaderbobbyclinton.pdf.
0
Ibid., 9.

61
upon the notion of information exchange. Instead, mentoring is a consistent

partnership of faithful, biblical guidance and demonstration of a Christlike character

until the student becomes the teacher.”0 The mentee is considered not very mature.

Essential disciplines like how to have a devotional life, how to study the Bible for

oneself, how to pray and how to talk to others about Christ are all part of the

perspective the mentor passes on to the mentee.

Spiritual director. This type of mentoring is somewhat informal. In

mentoring, the mentor ensures spiritual development of the mentee. The vital

elementof this mentoring relationship, in the context of this project, is responsibility

for one's spiritual relationship with God. Williamson & Ralph refer to this type of

mentoring as “spiritual modeling” and they defined it as “a type of spiritual mentoring

that suggest that spiritual growth can be achieved by imitating the life or conduct of

one or more spiritual exemplars.”0

Regular meetings, assessment of goals, accountability for spirituality, and

common commitment to prayer for one another all feature inthe relationship between

the two. Unlike discipling which is adeliberate attempt to make a fully formed

disciple a living reproduction of the mentor or master, the spiritual director is a casual

relationship developed for the mentee to imitating the life or behavior of one or more

spiritual exemplars for his or her spiritual growth.

A mentor counselor is a person who focuses on giving advice in

circumstances which are often essential to the mentee’s development. It can be in the

form of simple as timely pieces of advice or very complicatedones. Counseling can

0
Jeffrey Mcauliffe and Robert Mcauliffe, The Ephesus Model (Silver Spring, MD: Global
Mission Centers, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 2017), 76.

0
W. Paul Williamson & Ralph W. Hood Jr. “The Role of Mentoring in Spiritual
Transformation: A Faith-Based Approach to Recovery from Substance Abuse,” Pastoral
Psychol 64, no. 1: 135–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-013-0558-0.

62
become very focused and lead to an on-going relationship in which the mentor

counselor assists the mentee to work through problems that relate to past development

or the lack of ideas needed to help the mentee progress in life.0

A mentor teacher. Mentor teacheris a person who has knowledge of some

needed area and the skill to impart that information so as an intervention in the

mentee's life. The mentor coachis an exceptional teacher who has special skills and

can teach this knowledge to others to improve their lives. Mentor teachers usually

have unique ability for bringing out the best in a mentee. The mentor teacher focuses

on knowledge.0

A mentor sponsor. A mentor sponsoris a special kind of mentor who serves

as an initiator, a protector, a patron or patroness, a linker to resources, so that a

mentee can progress in his or her career mostly in an established setting.0

The mentor model. The mentor model refers to a person close by, available,

and living, who can be seen and admired, respected, and imitated. Such mentors

usually represent a historical character or at least a person distant from us whom we

know about through reputation or books. The mentee observes the mentor in action

and imitates his/her ideas, means of influence, and information.

The mentor ideal. The mentor ideal is when the mentor is usually not known

personally by the mentee. The mentor is remote from the mentee either in space or

time. The power transfer involves experienced learning of lessons from the mentor’s

life. Lessons are learned only if the protégé deliberately seeks them out.

In summary, mobilizing young adult for effective ministry requires an

intentional mentoring program aim at developing a solid relationship between the

0
Clinton, Mentoring Reader, 9.
0
Ibid.
0
Ibid.

63
young adults and the experience church members or church leadership. This can

greatly help the young people gain confidence and assistance to become functional

and fulfilled persons to work for God. 0

Empowering Young Adults

For the young adults to be mobilized to do effective ministry, they have to be

empowered by the Church and its leadership. The Merriam-Webster Collegiate

dictionary explains that to empower is “to give official authority or legal power.” It

also means “to promote the self-actualization or influence”ofsomeone. The two

definitions are applicable in the contextof this project.

Meredith K. Ledford, Bronwyn Lucas, Jeanne Dairaghi and Paarrish Ravelli in

their article, Youth Empowerment: the Theory and Its Implementation, said that

youth empowerment “provides opportunities for youth to develop skills and

become problem solvers and decision makers.”0 They further explained that

“developing young people’s skills gives them control and helps to improve their

competence, as well as developing critical consciousness to enable them effectively

cooperate for the advancement of organizations and communities.”0

Casir, underlines four main factors for empowering young people.First is

responsibility. This means increasing the young peoples’ authority and control over

the resources. Second is decision-making.That means giving the young one’s

authority and control over the resources and decisions that affect one’s life. Third,

engagement – meaning giving the young people space to play their role in
0
Ibid.
0
Meredith King Ledford et al., “Youth Empowerment: the Theory and Its Implementation,”
2013, accessed 21 April 2020,
http://www.youthempoweredsolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/
Youth_Empowerment_The_Theory_and_Its_Implementation_YES-11-13-13.pdf.
0
Ibid.

64
contributing to the development of their society. And fourth, to allow the young

people the expansion of freedom of choice and actions. That is giving the young

people the right to choose which areas to actively participate in development. 0

Meredith K. Ledford, Bronwyn Lucas, Jeanne Dairaghi and Paarrish Ravelliin

agreement statedthree approaches to empowering young people.

The first approach is empowering young people to develop skills and

knowledge for effective decision- making, positive peer interactions, and
strategic society support. The second approach is toeducate the young people
to identifying the needed information and resources for examining issues that
affect lives and community as well as planning on ways to act as change
agents in the communities. The final approach isbygiving the young people the
platforms for decision-making, and allowing them to be involved in taking
actions which can result in community change.0

From the above definitions and explanations, it can be concluded that,

empowering young people involves developing their talents or capabilities to give

them the authority and control over resources and to contribute to decision making by

providing them with the needed space to enable them play their role in the

development of their society. Therefore, the young people can be effective in ministry

when they are empowered and given the needed opportunities to be involved in

church activities.

Young Adults Involvement in the Life of the Church

Many young adults today are growing cold spiritually and are not encouraged

to involve themselves in the ministry of the Church because they are not connected to

the church life. They are not fully engaged in the life of their local churches. Young

adults are action-oriented. They are people who respond quickly to action. They

would rather partake in service than talk about it. The key to retaining and involving

0
Casimir Raj M. “Youth Empowerment through Participation” 2009, accessed 16 April 2020,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282905598_Youth_Empowerment_through_Participation.
0
Ledford et al., “Youth Empowerment: the Theory and Its Implementation.”

65
young adults in the services of God is to move them from being spectators to being

participants.0 They want a church environment where they will be known, respected,

and received to put their God-given abilities to work. They want to be involved in

worship, leadership, and missions of the church. The only way young adults could be

encouraged to participate in missions and other ministries of the church is to

intentionally develop a program that would help to integrate their passion into the life

of the church.

The young adults have spiritual, social, mental, and physical challenges which

the church can offer solutions for. One of the rousing reasons for doing mission is the

compassion for human need.0 Jesus Christ demonstrated this when He went about the

villages and cities preaching and teaching. He had compassion for the multitude for

they were scattered as sheep without a shepherd (Matt 9:35, 36). Young adults in

every home, society, and church need laid down rules and regulations, procedure,

directives, the right and wrongs ways to lead them as they follow all the virtues in life

and avoid all the vices.0 This would help to meet the challenges of the young people

ingetting educated through media and otherforms of education. The Bible depicts

children as blessings from God and reason for joy, needing guidance and care from

parents and people of the faith community.0 The guidance should be in three

categories: Church commitment, relationship, and mission.

0
K. Barcelow, “How to Keep Young People Like Me in Church,” Adventist Review, October
2015.
0
Craig Ott et al., Encountering Theology of Mission (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic,
2010), 177-178.
0
Michael Onyedikachi, The African Youth Today (Ibadan, Nigeria: AgboAreo, 2010), 69.
0
Edyta Jankiewicz and Darius Jankiewicz, Let the Little Children Come: Towards a Seventh-
day Adventist Theology of Childhood, 2nd ed., vol. 49 (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press,
2011), 217.

66
 The church commitment. Adventist young people have questions that need

answers.0 If they do not get the right answers and directives, their commitment to life,

relationship, work, and the Church would be compromised when they become full

adults. The Church must be committed to providing these answers and directives for

the young people. The role of the Church as declared in the book of Acts consists of:

fellowship (2:42); worship (2:42, 46); prayer (2:42; 4:29-31); doctrinal teaching

(2:42); benevolence (2:44-45; 4:34-35); involvement with the community (2:47); and

witness (4:33; 5:42).0

The Church, through its Youth Ministries Department, must provide these

opportunities for the growth of its young adults. Keeley, sharing his experience in

youth ministry said: “After twenty years in youth ministry, more than ever, I am

convinced that it does indeed take the effort and focus of an entire village of adults to

spiritually form a child.”0 It means that it takes a whole congregation and adult

mentors to develop the spiritual life of a young person. And this can be realized only

when the whole congregation commit a meaningful time to it.

Relationship. The Church, through its Youth Ministries, should commit to

developing a strong relationship among young adults. Adolescents crave relationships

and long for people to care about them, especially adult leaders. Developing a strong

relationship with the elderly would be a way to mobilize young adults for useful

living, particularly mission work. Ellen G. White reiterates that,

“…things will go wrong with everyone; sadness and discouragement press

every soul; then a personal presence, a friend who will comfort and impart
strength, will turn back the darts of the enemy that are aimed to destroy.
Christian’s friends are not half as plentiful as they should be. In hours of
0
Jane Norman and Myron W. Harris, The Private Life of the American Teenager (New York,
NY: Rawson, Wade, 1981), 162.
0
Ed Stetzer, Planning Missional Churches (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2006), 48.

0
Robert J. Keeley, Helping Our Children in Faith. (Michigan, MI: Grand Rapid
Baker Books, 2008), 1.

67
 temptation, in a crisis, what value is a true friend! Satan at such times sends
along his agents to cause the trembling limbs to stumble; but the true friends
who will counsel, who will impart magnetic hopefulness, the claiming faith
that uplifts the soul, - oh, such help is worth more than precious pearls.”0

The young adults need good friendship, a friendship that will mentor them, a

friendship that guides them even as they struggle to find their identity in life and the

church community. The great leaders the Bible mentioned had great leaders in their

lives as friends and mentors:

1. Ananias and Barnabas mentored Paul (Acts 11:22-30; 12:25; 15:36-41)

2. Paul mentored Timothy and Titus (1 Cor. 4:16-18; 1 Tim. 4:12; 2 Tim.

2:2-3)

3. Jethro mentored Moses (Exod. 18:1-8)

4. Moses mentored Joshua ( Num. 27:18-19; Deut 31:1-8)

5. Elijah mentored Elisha (2 King 2:6-14)

6. Jesus mentored the Apostles (

The list above gives clear evidence of how great leaders associated with their

followers among the community of God, and worked in close partnership in mission,

leadership and the service of God. This closed relationship allowed the leaders to train

and mentor the younger ones to the extent that they could affirm their ability to

replace them in missionary work and leadership positions.

Young Adults as Missionary Volunteers

Research has shown that young people donate over $35 billion per year in

volunteer hours and they have more likely involved in volunteerism in the past years

more than any other age group.0And through their varied talents, they serve as “key

0
Ellen G. White, SDA Bible Commentary, 3:1163.
0
United Nation Youth, “Youth and Volunterism,” 2013, 1, accessed 8 August 2017,
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/documents/youth/fact-sheets/youth-volunteerism.pdf.

68
agents for social change and are providing the energy, creative ideas, and

determination to drive innovation and reform.0

Volunteerism creates the room for young people to share their God-given

potentials to bring about development. 0 It has become “increasingly popular, a

mechanism for young people to bring about positive change in society, and it is

becoming more and more relevant as a mechanism to engage young people in global

peace and sustainable human development.”0

The young adults would voluntarily do mission for God if they are involved in

the ministry of the Church. Since young people enjoy outdoor activities or programs

such as camping, retreats, games, and many more, they will also loveto engage in

missions when they are involved in activities such as mission trips. Since young

people are attracted to interesting places, they can be mobilized to embark on mission

trips to most attracted places where the presence of the Church is low or absent.

Engaging young people in Mission trips will help to expose them to new

cultures and adventures that will always encourage them to be involved in

mission.They will feel enthusiastic and excited as they use their talents and abilities to

impact the lives of others. They will remember that in the future and continue to share

those kinds of experiences with others.0As they minister to others outside their

churches through music, prayer, sharing of the Word, they will not only win souls for

God, but they will also enrich themselves spiritually to be able to stand against the

negative influence the world presents.

0
Ibid., 1
0
Defined by the United Nations as “an activity undertaken out of free will, for the general
public good, and where monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.” United Nation Youth.
“Youth and Volunterism,” 1.
0
Ibid.

0
J. Richards, “Youth in the Church – Why They Are Important and How to Get Them
Involved,” accessed 6 June 2017, ABCFastDirectory.com.

69
 Thus, Young Adults Missionary Volunteers club (YMV) can be formed to

mobilize and encourage young people within the church to embark on missionary

activities voluntarily. The young people with their varied talents can engage in

missionary activities such as, medical ministry, church building ministry, music

ministry, preaching orteaching ministry, literature ministry, and many others.

Summary

In summary, this chapter offers indications that, mobilizing young adults for

effective ministry are of essence in this post-modern era and is of a common concern.

Young people are increasingly recognized as critical agents in religious, community,

and national development. Mobilizing young adults and giving them the needed

training and opportunity to serve is accepted in both secular and religious fields. The

principles to mobilizing young adults for active work in the church and secular sector

includes training, equipping, mentoring, empowering, involvement in church life, and

mobilizing young adults as missionary volunteers.

In a general sense, it can be stated, that both secular and other Christian youth

organizations have the aims and objectives, activities, and methods that are different

from the Adventist Church in mobilizing their young people for ministry, however,

there are some similarities. What cuts across is the underlying principles of not

ignoring the young people but getting them involved in the life of the church and

secular organizations. To get them involved in the churches and communities requires

some training and empowerment. This demonstrates the fact that the concern for

mobilizing young people for ministry is of general concern therefore mobilizing

young adults should not be underrated but should be given the uttermost consideration

for the advancement of the mission of the church and secular organizations.

70
 Other practical ideas for mobilizing young people for ministry include

supporting parents in nurturing their children's faith, being intentional with Christian

education for young people, providing outstanding adult leadership for young people's

activities, making worship meaningful for young people, building a sense of

belonging for young people, promoting capability in young people, and attempting to

have resilient youth and young adult ministry and organizing frequent spiritual gifts

seminars to help young people realizing and developing their gifts. The work of

mobilizing the young people for ministry requires the combined effort of parent, the

church, the society, government and teachers.

The information gathered from reviewing literature on young adults in church

and secular organizations will inform the strategy to be designed in mobilizing young

adults in Accra for effective ministry in Peki District of Volta South Ghana Mission

of SDA Church.

The next chapter will give detailed information on the designing of strategy

including the use of survey instrument to gather needed facts for a good strategy.

71
 CHAPTER 4

STRATEGY FOR MOBILIZING AND HARNESSING

TALENTS OF YOUNG ADULT VOLUNTEERS

The analysis of the theological foundation and the literature review has

revealed the critical need to mobilise young adults for effective ministry and mission.

Close observation has raised concerns, and experience gained in the youth ministries

as the youth director since 2001 and as a pastor has confirmed that mobilizing the

young adults for effective ministry and mission is and urgently needed. Thus, this

chapter quests to develop an effective strategy and implement programs that will

enhance a concrete mobilization of young adults for effective ministry in Peki District

of VSGM.

This Chapter looks at the project setting description, pre-project survey and

questionnaires, strategy design and presentation, reporting, evaluation, and

monitoring. This includes a description of the local environment, including the South

Dayi District's socio-cultural and economic background, as well as the historical

background of the ACC of SDA Church, Peki District, and VSGM. This chapter will

also look at strategy development, questionnaire distribution, questionnaire collection,

and data analysis. This will be followed by the creation and presentation of a project

strategy.

Presentation of the Project Context

This section of the project takes into account a brief description of the

historical and local settings. It surveys the description of the local setting, which

72
includes the socio-cultural and economic background of the South Dayi District,

where the Peki District of the SDA church is located, as well as the historical

background of the ACC and the Peki District of the SDA church and the VSGM. The

government district is South Dayi, with a district assembly in Kpeve, and the church

district is Peki.

Background.

This section will review the local setting of Accra and, for that matter, ACC as

the background of this chapter. For this study, information on Peki District of SDA

Church and VSGM of SDA Church will be examined. Peki District of SDA Church,

VSGM, and South Dayi are all located in Volta Region.

Accra Metropolis

Accra is the capital of Ghana and largest city of the nation. It is the

administrative, economic, and educational center of Ghana. Accra is divided into

Central Accra, North Accra, East Accra, and West Accra. Due to migration from rural

areas, this city has expanded with no zoning, giving it a scattered attribute. The city of

Accra which is, politically described as the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area

(GAMA), has a total area of 173 km2 (67 sq mi), and has 7 major administrative

districts, namely, the Accra Metropolitan District, Ga South Municipal District, Ga

East Municipal District, Ga West Municipal District, Adenta Municipal District,

Ashaiman Municipal District, and the Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal District. This

cosmopolis is bounded to the west by the Lafa stream and Mallam junction, to the

73
north by the Great Hall of the University of Ghana, to the east by the Nautical College

and to the south by the Gulf of Guinea.0

Demography of Accra Metropolis.

Accra’s population is estimated at 2,514,005. The Metropolis’ age structure is

still a youthful one, characteristic of most developing countries. Accra has grown

by 224,444 since 2015, a representation of 1.89% annual growth. These estimates

characterized the urban agglomeration of Accra, which generally involves the

population of Accra in addition to contiguous suburban areas.0The people in the age

group 20-24 form the highest proportion and are followed by those aged 25-29 years.

These are more than expected and can be attributed to the influx of migrants into the

metropolis, perhaps for employment purposes. This presents how the populace is very

youthful, with 56% being under 24 years of age. This youthful predominance is not

expected to decline in the foreseeable future. 0 Figure 1 shows the map of Accra.0

0
Capital of Ghana, “Accra Map,” Map of the World, accessed29 June 29 2017,
https://www.mapsofworld.com/ghana/accra.html.

0
World Population Review, “Accra Population 2020,” accessed 19 October 2020,
https://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/accra-population.

0
Ghana Statistical Service, “2010 Population & Housing Census Report: District
Analytical Report,” accessed 7 April 2018,
https://www2.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010_District_Report/Upper%20West/Wa
%20West.pdf

0
“Map of Accra Metropolis (Google Map),” accessed 1August 2019,
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-of-Accra-Metropolis-Google-Map_fig1_323676238.

74
Figure 3. Map of Accra

Accra City Conference of S.D.A. Church

The ACC of the S.D.A. Church is sited in the Accra Metropolis. The

conference’s field covers the entire Accra cosmopolitan area. It has 84 churches and

48 companies, and a total membership of 26, 798.0 It is assumed that more than half

of this membership is made up of youth under 20 years of age.

The ACC before the re-organization of Adventism in the southern part of Ghana was

called South Ghana Mission. On March 7, 1977, the South Ghana Mission was

organized by a vote atthe Ghana Conference in Kumasi. The work in Accra increased

due to the migration of people from all the regions seeking employment in Accra, the

national capital.

In June 1987, South Ghana Conference Mission attained the Conference

status.0 The Conference then comprised of; Central, Eastern, Western and Volta

regions. In 1995, as the territory expanded, the administration decided to create a new
0
Southern Ghana Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Office of Archives and
Statistics, Third Quarter Statistical Report (Dansoman: Accra, 2018).

75
field in Western region with the name; ‘South-West Ghana Administrative Unit’, with

the headquarters at Sekondi, for an effecient ministry.0 The rapid growth of the new

field led to the creation of another field in 1999 in Eastern region and was known as

‘East Ghana Administrative Unit’, with the headquarters in Koforidua.0 In 2015,

Central region alone became a new field with the named Mid-South Ghana

Administrative Unit with the headquarters in Cape Coast.0

On August 2014, the South East Ghana Administrative Unit was created and

later became known as Meridian Ghana Conference was established with the

headquarters in Tema.0 In 2017, two missions were established in Volta region with

the names Volta South Ghana Administrative Unit, and Volta North Administrative

Unit, with their headquarters in Ho and Jasikan respectively.0

In 2017, after the creation of these fields, Accra Metropolitan Assembley in

Greater Accra Region became the only territory of the South Ghana Conference,

therefore, the name of the field was changed to; ‘Accra City Conference,’ to officially

represent the geographical map of Ghana.0The creation of these fields improved the

growth and the advancement of the church in the Western, Central, Greater Accra,

0
Kofi Owusu-Mensa, Ghana Seventh-day Adventism: A History (Osu, Accra: The Advent
Press, 2005), 353.
0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, “Minutes of the South Ghana
Conference Executive meeting,” Accra, Ghana, 1995.
0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists”Minutes of the South Ghana Conference
Executive meeting,” Accra, Ghana 1999.
0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,”Minutes of the South Ghana
Conference Executive meeting,” Accra, Ghana, 2015.
0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,”Minutes of the South Ghana
Conference Executive meeting,” Accra, Ghana, October 17, 2014.
0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Minutes of the South Ghana
Conference, Accra, Ghana, 2017.
0
Southern Ghana Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,”Minutes of the Southern
Ghana Union Conference,” Accra, Ghana, 2017.

76
Eastern and Volta regions. There were membership growth, churches were establised,

the Advent message was spread through these fields in various forms.

ACC is the oldest and the mother of all the conferences and missions within

the SGUC. It remains the strongest and the most vibrant among all the SGUC fields in

terms of membership and financial resources. This is due to continuous migration of

church members from the other fields of the church and from the fact that it has most

of the elite group of church members from the whole of the SGUC because of its

location in the capital city of Ghana.

Demography of South Dayi District

The South Dayi District is one of the 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District

Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana, and one of the 18 Municipalities and Districts in the

Volta Region. The district has Kpeve as its Administrative capital. The district covers

a total land area of 358.3 square kilometers, which is 1.7 percent of the entire land

area of the Volta Region with about 20 percent of its land covered by the Volta Lake

as shown in Figure 4. 0

0
Ibid.

77
Figure 4. Map of South Dayi

The South Dayi District has latitudes 3o20’N and 3.5o05’N and on longitude

0o17 and 0o27’E. It is bordered to the north by North Dayi and Afadzato South

Districts, to the east by Ho West District, and to the south by Asougyaman District,

with the Volta Lake forming the western boundary.

Population. According to the 2010 population and housing census, the

population of South Dayi District is 46,661 representing 2.2 percent of the region’s

total population. 47.4 percent represent males and 52.6 percent constitute females.

The district is mostly rural as 61.2 percent of its population are located in the rural

78
areas, as compared to urban areas occupied by 38.8 percent. The sex ratio of the

district is 90.2. The district's population is mainly youth with more than one-third

(39.0%) of the population under 15 years. The ratio of the age dependency for the

district is 86.5.0

Social and cultural structure. The indigenes of the district are mainly Ewes

who like other Ewes in the Volta Region formerly migrated from Notsie in the

Republic of Togo in the 17thCentury, fleeing from the oppressive rule of

TogbeAgorkorli.0

Chieftaincy. The district is divided into four traditional areas: Kpeve, Peki,

Tongor, and Kpalime. Each traditional area is led by a supreme chief. Traditional

leaders manage stool and community lands as trustees for the people and keepers of

traditional beliefs and customs. Traditional courts are used by traditional authorities to

resolve disputes over stool lands, ancestry and family lands, chieftaincy disputes,

abuse of traditions, and disputes between localities, families, and and individuals.

Language and ethnicity. The South Dayi district's four main traditional areas

(Peki, Tongor, Kpalime, and Kpeve) speak the same language, Ewe, and share the

same culture. Because they are well-united under their traditional leaders, they revere

and esteem chieftaincy as a unifying institution. With regards to ethnicity, Ewes make

up 93.9 percent of the district's population, followed by Ga-Adangbe (2.1 percent),

Gurma (1.4 percent), and Akan (0.4 percent) (1.2 percent ). The remaining 1.4 percent

is made up of small ethnic groups (Guan, Mole-Dagbani, Grusi, and Mande).

Religion. Traditional religion is the dominant religion practiced by the people

in the district, though its influence has declined due to the growth of Christianity.

0
Ghana Statistical Service, “2010 Population & Housing Census: District Analytical Report,
South Dayi District,” ix, accessed 21October 2021,
https://www2.statsghana.gov.gh/docfiles/2010_District_Report/Volta/South%20Dayi.pdf.
0
Ibid.

79
Christianity is the principal religious belief among the population in the district

representing over 80 percent, followed by Traditional religion with 3.8 percent and

Islam (3.3%). All other religions account for less than one percent (0.6 percent), but

people who do not practice any religion account for four percent.0

Economy. Almost 65.8 percent of the population who are 15 years and above

are actively employed whereas 34.2 per cent are not employed. Out of those who are

not employed 47.2 percent are students, 17.4 percent carry out household activities

and 6.8 percent are disabled and cannot work. Every six out of ten of the unemployed

population are in search of job for the first time.0

Agriculture. Agriculture is the main source of employment comprising 43.5

percent of the working population. It is the driving force of the economy within the

district. 58.0 percent of households in the District are involved in agriculture. Roughly

six out of ten families (69.1%) engage in agriculture while 40.4 percent of families are

into agriculture in the urban areas. Most families in the District (67%) engage in crop

farming. Poultry (chicken) is the leading animal reared in the District.0

Industry. Industrial sector employs about 21.1 percent of the economically

active population in the district. The main trade activities within the district include

processing of fish and gari, palm oil extraction, boat construction and artifact. The

working population in the service sector forms 37.0 percent in the district with 15.8

percent of the sector engaging in wholesale and retail activities due to the district's

0
South Dayi District Assembly, “About Us,” accessed 21 October 2021,
http://www.sdda.gov.gh/about-us/.
0
Ghana Statistical Service, “2010 Population & Housing Census: District Analytical Report,
South Dayi District,” ix.
0
Ibid., xi.

80
business nature. The district has two thriving markets (Kpeve and Dzemeni) with a

smaller one at Peki which draw people from far and near to trade during market days.0

Education. In the education sector, the district has 56 Pre-Schools which

includes 35 public and 21 private schools. There are also 57 primary schools made up

of 36 publics and 21 private schools. There are 40 junior high schools, 29 publics and

11 private schools. With these numbers of schools, the South Dayi District has fairly

adequate schools considering its current population. The district has four (4) Senior

High Schools. And the performance of these schools is on a topnotch level. 0

Background of Adventism in the Volta Region

Adventism in the Volta Region has been under two eras of administration viz.

SGC and VSGM. This section will discuss the background of the SDA Church in

SGC and how its expansion led to the creation of many fields especially in the VSGM

and Peki district of SDA church.

South Ghana Conference of SDA Church

South Ghana Conference of SDA Church was officially organized by vote at

the Ghana Conference in Kumasi on March 7, 1977. In June 1987, South Ghana

Conference Mission of SDA attained the Conference status.0 The Conference then

comprised of; Central, Eastern, Western and Volta regions. South Ghana Conference

of SDA church had its administrative headquarters situated in Accra.

Due to the expansion of work and for the purpose of growth and development

within these areas, the administration decided to created new administrative fields.

The fields created were South-West Ghana Administrative Unit in 1995 with
0
Ibid.
0
South Dayi District Assembly, “About Us.”
0
Owusu-Mensa, Ghana Seventh-day Adventism, 353.

81
headquarters in Sekondi, East Ghana Administrative Unit in 1999 with headquarters

in Koforidua, Volta Ghana Mission with headquarters in Ho in 2014, 0 and Mid-South

Ghana Administrative Unit in 2015 with the headquarters in Cape Coast in 2015.0 The

Volta region was created and later divided into two (2) mission fields; Volta South

Ghana Administrative Unit, and Volta North Administrative Unit, with the

headquarters at Ho and Jasikan respectively.0

In 2017, after the birth and creation of these fields, South Ghana Conference

was left with a sizeable territory of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in the Greater

Accra Region, therefore, the name of the field had to be changed to; ‘Accra City

Conference,’ to officially indicate its geographical representation on the map of

Ghana.0

Volta South Ghana Mission of S.D.A. Church

VSGM is located in Ghana's Volta Region. The region is located in the eastern

part of Ghana, sharing borders with the Republic of Togo, the River Volta, and the

Atlantic Ocean, while the north shares borders with the Oti Region. The S.D.A.

Church operates within the 17 political districts of the Volta region;stretching from

Aflao to Sogakope and Juapong through Anloga on the southern part and through Ho

to Kpando and Hohoe in the northern part.

0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,”Minutes of the South Ghana
Conference Executive meeting,” Accra, Ghana, 1995.
0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, “Minutes of the South Ghana
Conference Executive meeting,” Accra, Ghana, 2015.
0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, “Minutes of the South Ghana
Conference,” Accra, Ghana, 2017.
0
South Ghana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,”Minutes of the Southern Ghana Union
Conference,” Accra, Ghana, 2017.

82
 The Adventist church was first planted at Bodada in 1943 by one teacher

Agyei. The message was later sent to Peki Blengo in 1948 through Vincent Glover

and his family. In 1957, the first Evangelist Pastor P.K. Asare was posted to take care

of the little flock at PekiBlengo. Andrews Asimadu, one of the new members of the

little flock brought the message to Ziavi in 1968. In 1974 Pastor M.A. Bediako

assisted by Pastors B. K Opoku and GodsaveAzilah who by then were serving as

pastors in the region and others including brother Andrews Asimadu, brother D.R.

Asafo now a pastor and a professor, led in opening the Ho Central Church. From Ho

in that same year (1974), Pastor M. A. Bediako assisted by Pastor B.K. Opoku

spearheaded in the planting of the Hohoe Central Church. Aflao Central Church was

planted in 1978 through Pastor Azilah; and Denu in 1982 through Pastor E.O.Abbey.0

In November 2014, South Ghana Conference created Volta Ghana

Administrative Unit with its headquarters in Ho and inaugurated it on January 10,

2015 under the leadership of Pr. Emmanuel Gaizer as the Director, Pr Richard Daves

as the Under-Secretary and Mad. Vivian Anyadoye as the Under-Treasurer with the

intention of bringing leadership closer to the people in preparation for a Mission or

Conference status in the future. In November 2016 during the re-organization of the

Southern Ghana Union Conference, the church in Volta was re-organized into two

Missions namely: Volta South Ghana Mission with its headquarters in Ho under the

leadership of Pr. Chris Kwesi Lambert as the President, Pr. S.Y. Agboado as the

Executive Secretary and Elder Stephen Ahiadeke as the Treasurer.0

Peki District of S.D.A. Church

0
Volta South Ghana Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, “Minutes of the Volta South Ghana
Mission,” Ho, Ghana, 2019.
0
Ibid.

83
 Peki District of SDA forms part of South Dayi District (political district) and

one of the districts in VSGM. The district was created on March 29, 2015. The district

began with six companies with the church membership of one hundred and eighty-

three (183). After almost five years in existence, the district now has church

membership of two hundred and forty-one (241), with seven companies and one

organized church. Due to migration to the big cities for work and livelihood, the

young adults do not stay to support the district in its evangelistic endeavors. As a

result of that, the district does not have a well-organized Youth Ministries Department

compared to other Adventist church districts in VSGM and ACC.0

Research Methods

This part of the paper discusses the research methodology, the development of

questionnaires, data collection and analysis, and the design of the intervention.The

research made use of a mixed method approach. The questionnaires had both open-

ended questions (which allowed the respondents to express themselves freely); and

close-ended questions (which allowed the respondents to choose from suggested

alternative answers) forms – qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher

would also apply the method of participant observation since the researcher works

with the youth and young adults as the youth director and would have the opportunity

to authenticate the respondents' information. The intervention will also involve

workshops, seminars, evangelistic campaigns, and building of lamp shelters to house

the new converts.

Rationale for Selection

0
Charles Takpuie, District Pastor, Peki District Personal, interview by the author, July 24,
2019.

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 The mixed method is chosen based on the nature of the project context, the

intervention, and how the data findings will be analyzed and evaluated. There will be

a need for discussions, interviews, and statistical analyses of data figures. The study

would also include interviews and focus group discussions. Furthermore, it would be

convenient to conduct the personal interview in both the local dialect and English so

that interviewees could express themselves easily and adequately. The reason for

choosing this method is to create a normal natural and relaxed settings to study the

young adults and their without researcher’s manipulation or interference.

Appropriateness to This Study

Since the five churches are in the same conference but the Peki District is in a

different mission and area, and there is a mix of young adults, literates and illiterates,

males and females, it is much more appropriate to meet them at their level.

Permissions

The Executive Secretary of the ACC and the VSGM received a letter

requesting permission to conduct the study in the five selected churches in the ACC

and Peki District, as detailed in Appendix A and B. The study and other associated

activities were carried out with the permission granted in Appendix C and D.

Membership and Sample of Participants

The five churches selected from the ACC and all the nine churches in Peki

District form the fourteen churches with baptized membership of 2000, which include

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non-baptized members and children. 300 young adults of the five churches in ACC

and 150 members in the Peki District were sampled.

The selected five churches have over 1,260 baptized members and over 1401

Sabbath school members. The questionnaires were expected to reach 450 people in

both the Accra City Conference and the Peki District. This number of people would

include male and female, young adults, regular church members and those who hold

church offices, through purposive sampling. By doing so, a diverse range of people

signifying all the major church groups will be included. The focus group to be

reached, however, was young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, who are classified

as young adults by Youth Ministries.

Instrumentation. The research made use of structure (designed

questionnaires), which included both the open-ended (respondent to supply his /her

own answer) and close-ended (respondents choose answers from alternatives)

question type. To avoid any shortages about 500 questionnaires were produced and

distributed. The questionnaire begins with a permission statement. Appendix D shows

how the actual questions are divided into two parts. Part 1 of both surveys has 9

questions seeking general information about the respondent. Part 2 includes 14

questions for both surveys that deal with evaluation and issues pertaining to the topic

and young adults in general. Respondents were also invited to make suggestions and

contributions. Other adult church members were also engaged in responding to the

questionnaire to have adequate information regarding church members’ observations

about mobilizing young adults for effective ministry. Other literatures about the

history and background of Adventism in Accra, Volta Region and Peki District of

SDA Church were also consulted.

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 Distribution of questionnaires. Five youth leaders who were university

graduates (one from each of the five selected churches in ACC) and the district pastor

and three youth leaders of Peki District of SDA Church were selected as research

assistants. These assistants were led through the questions to assist any respondent

who had difficulty understanding or answering them. The questionnaires were

distributed on four Sabbath afternoons following church service. Although the

information had already been provided in the permission letter sent to them by the

ACC and VSGM Secretaries, the announcement was made again so that respondents

could voluntarily offer themselves.

It was done on the first Sabbath in the Peki District of the SDA Church during

their district corporate service, when all of the respondents from that district were

gathered. A follow-up was done the following Sabbath since some churches could not

participate in the district corporate worship. The last two Sabbaths were used for the

respondents from the five churches selected within the ACC. In all, 350

questionnaires were issued out to the five chosen churches in ACC, but 300 were

received for the analysis. And 150 questionnaires were issued to the 9 churches within

Peki District of SDA Church but 85 were received for analysis.

Responses from churches. Tables 1 and 2 show the number of respondents

from the ACC churches based on the questionnaires distributed: Accra New Town,

New Life, Darkuman, Labone, Teteogbu, and Mataheko. These churches received a

total of 300 questionnaires. Tables 14 and 15 show the number of responses received

from the VSGM. It shows that 150 completed questionnaires were received from Peki

Central, Wudome, Dzake, Todome/Kpalime, Dzemeni, Kpeve, Adzoke, and Have.

Table 1. Responses from Churches– ACC

Church Respondents Percentage

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 Accra New Town 58 19.3
New Life 46 34.7
Darkuman 51 51.7
Labone 49 68.0
Teteogbu 47 83.7
Mataheko 49 100.0

Table 2. Responses by Age Groups - ACC

Respondents Percentage
Age 16-20 84 28.0
21 - 25 83 55.7
36 - 30 76 81.0
Above 30 57 100
Total 300

Table 3. Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents - ACC

Respondents Percentage
Age 16-20 84 28.0
21 - 25 83 27.7
36 - 30 76 25.3
Above 30 57 19.0
Gender Male 160 53.3
Female 140 46.7
Marital Status Married 63 21.0
Single 231 77.0
Divorced 3 1.0
Widow(er) 3 1.0
Local Church Accra New Town 58 19.3
New Life 46 15.3
Darkuman 51 17.0
Labone 49 16.3
Teteogbu 47 15.7
Mataheko 49 16.3
Baptism Status Yes 300 100.0

On the mobilization of the young adults in ACC for effective ministry in

VSGM (Part 2 of the Questionnaire), the following responses were received

expressing the respondents' opinions (see Tables 4 to 14):

Table 4. Community Outreach and Missionary Work Responses - ACC

Respondents Percentage
I am particularly interested in Strongly Agree 89 29.7

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 community outreach Agree 126 42.0
Neutral 79 26.3
Disagree 4 1.3
Strongly Disagree 2 0.7
I am interested in the possibility of Strongly Agree 93 31.0
missionary work (local, national, Agree 143 47.7
international) Neutral 55 18.3
Disagree 7 2.3
Strongly Disagree 2 0.7
I am interested in attending Strongly Agree 104 34.7
missionary trips to any part of the Agree 110 36.7
country Neutral 74 24.7
Disagree 10 3.3
Strongly Disagree 2 0.7
I am interested in attending Strongly Agree 91 30.3
missionary trips to the Volta Region Agree 101 33.7
Neutral 86 28.7
Disagree 20 6.7
Strongly Disagree 2 0.7

Table 5. Underutilization of Talents and Feeling of Inadequacy – ACC

Respondents Percentage
If the young adults in your local Strongly Agree 152 50.7
Church/District are not actively Agree 87 29.0
involved in the church their talents are Neutral 42 14.0
underutilized Disagree 14 4.7
Strongly Disagree 5 1.6
Most feel inadequate and unqualified Strongly Agree 110 36.7
Agree 87 29.0
Neutral 55 18.3
Disagree 31 10.3
Strongly Disagree 17 5.7

Table 6. Spread of Adventist Churches and Adequacy of Human Resources - ACC

Respondent Percentage
s
The weak evangelistic performance of Strongly Agree 24 8.0
my Church/District is because there are Agree 54 18.0
Adventist churches all around the Neutral 139 46.3
community Disagree 70 23.4
Strongly Disagree 13 4.3
My local Church/District has more than Strongly Agree 96 32.0
enough adequate human resources for Agree 93 31.0
effective evangelism Neutral 84 28.0
Disagree 25 8.3
Strongly Disagree 2 0.7

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Table 7. Involvement in Church Activities and District Leadership - ACC
Respondents Percentage
Involvement of young adults in your church Excellent 28 9.3
activities Good 55 18.3
Fair 147 49.0
Bad 56 18.7
Very Bad 14 4.7
Involvement of young adults in your local Excellent 9 3.0
church/District leadership? Good 42 14.0
Fair 161 53.7
Bad 71 23.7
Very Bad 17 5.6
Total 300 100.0

Table 8. Personnel for Evangelism - ACC

1 Respondent Percentage
s
My local Church/District has enough Strongly Agree 123 41.0
Young Adults for effective evangelism? Agree 110 36.7
Neutral 49 16.3
Disagree 14 4.7
Strongly Disagree 4 1.3
My local Church/District has enough Strongly Agree 104 34.7
personnel (church members) to support Agree 116 38.7
evangelism apart from the young adults Neutral 67 22.3
Disagree 10 3.3
Strongly Disagree 3 1.0

Table 9. Feeling of inadequacy and qualification for evangelism - ACC

Respondents Percentage
Most feel inadequate and Strongly Agree 110 36.7
unqualified Agree 87 29.0
Neutral 55 18.3
Disagree 31 10.3
Strongly Disagree 17 5.7

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Table 10. Lack of Training and Mentorship - ACC
Respondents Percentage
Lack of training led to Strongly Agree 111 37.0
inadequacy of the young adults Agree 104 34.7
Neutral 56 18.7
Disagree 26 8.7
Strongly Disagree 3 1.0
Lack of mentorship made Strongly Agree 108 36.0
young adults feel unprepared Agree 105 35.0
Neutral 53 17.7
Disagree 28 9.3
Strongly Disagree 6 2.0

Table 11. Training and Mentorship for Missionary Work - ACC

Respondents Percentage
If the young adults are trained and Strongly Agree 149 49.7
mentored, they can serve in other places Agree 95 31.7
like Volta Region where there is Neutral 46 15.3
missionary challenge Disagree 7 2.3
Strongly Disagree 3 1.0
Total 300 100.0

Table 12. Busy Young Adults - ACC

Respondents Percentage
Most young adults are busy with Strongly Agree 92 30.7
work Agree 96 32.0
Neutral 65 21.7
Disagree 35 11.7
Strongly Disagree 12 4.0

Table 13. Lack of Motivation and Encouragement - ACC

Respondents Percentage
Lack of motivation/encouragement Strongly Agree 115 38.3
made the young adults felt not Agree 111 37.0
relevant Neutral 46 15.3
Disagree 21 7.0
Strongly Disagree 7 2.3

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Table 14. Lack of Involvement of Church Activities - ACC
Respondents Percentage
Lack of involvement in church Strongly Agree 106 35.3
activities/missions Agree 101 33.7
Neutral 54 18.0
Disagree 29 9.7
Strongly Disagree 10 3.3

Data Collection Procedure

This section discusses the data collection procedure of the 350 questionnaires

distributed in ACC and150 in Peki district of SDA Church. Out of the questionnaires

issued out in both areas, 300 and 85 were answered by the various respondents in

ACC and Peki district of SDA Church respectively.The questionnaires which were

administered in the five selected churches in ACC and the 9 churches in Peki district

of SDA Church were received after completion. Because assistants were trained and

deplored to the churches during Sabbath worship time where the members were

assembled, it made the collection very smooth.

Project Evaluation

This section will be looking at analysis and evaluation of data collected from

ACC and VSGM. Suggestions and remarks made by respondents from the two fields

will also share here.

Analysis of Data - ACC Response

From tables 4-14 and the figures examined above, it could be inferred that

ACC has adequate young adults whose talents are underutilized because they are not

actively involved in the church. The majority of the respondents said they are

interested in outreach work and missionary trips to any part of the country, especially

in the Volta region. They also said their local churches have enough human resources

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for evangelism locally and gave the reason why they are not sufficiently involved in

activities of their churches.

Per the findings from the questionnaires received from ACC, additional

analyses could be made. It could be established that:

1. The majority of the respondents, including the young adults, said the churches

in ACC have enough human resources for church activities and evangelism.

This also implies that the church has enough young adults who can support the

church in its endeavors.

2. The young adults in ACC feel they are underutilized. They feel they are not

actively involved in the church; hence their talents are underutilized. This may

be because the church through the inflow of migrating church members from

other parts of the country has enough personnel to serve the church and

therefore, most of the talents of young adults are redundant, thus making them

feel inadequate and unqualified for evangelism.

3. The issue of training and mentorship to serve in missionary challenged areas

was discovered from the responses received from the ACC respondents. The

young adults agreed that if they are trained and mentored, they can serve in

other places in the country, especially in Volta Region where there is a

challenge for missionary work.

4. Based on the evidence discovered, it was also seen that there is a lack of

involvement of young adults in the local churches and leadership in the

districts in ACC. The majority of the young adults with diverse talents are idle

in the churches because they are not part of the decision making and general

running of the church. As a result, one would be inclined to claim that young

adults are either ignored or consigned to the pews in the back of the church. In

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 this situation, one could wonder how someone who is marginalized or

neglected can be expected to remain engaged. It was also discovered from the

respondents that the young adults are very interested in community outreach.

This implies that they are ready to apply their talents into missionary work of

the church if they are adequately encouraged and motivated. These explain

why they are idle and feel underutilized. It can therefore be explained that if

they are properly motivated, trained and mentored, they will be active tools to

drive community outreach.

Suggestions and Remarks from ACC Respondents

Respondents were asked to suggest answers to the following open-ended

questions on the questionnaires: Possible ways of mobilizing young adults to do

effective outreach ministry in unentered areas in the Peki District of the SDA Church.

The following are some examples:

1. Frequent teaching and training of young adults about church doctrines,

leadership, and new techniques for missionary work.

2. Education of the young adults must be a greater concern for the entire

church. Matured adult leaders must remove every hindrance that prevents

the young adults from participating in the church's ministry. The young

adults must be adequately prepared and equipped and supported to identify

their spiritual gifts for mission.

3. Adequate mentorship program for young adults. Though the young adults

have diverse talents, they lack the needed mentoring and guidance to

unleash their skills for the mission of the church.

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 4. Young adults should be involved in their church activities from the

planning stage to the implementation stage to feel part of it and own it.

This they believe will help improve upon their capabilities and build their

confidence, which can encourage them to give their best in service to their

local churches and missions for the Church.

5. Frequent spiritual activities should be organized for young adults. This

will help build a firm foundation of their faith, which can encourage them

to participate in missions within their communities and beyond.

6. The young adults must be mobilized for missionary trips to mission

challenged areas like Volta region at least once a year. The missionary

activities should include medical evangelism, so that young adults who

practice medicine and other health practitioners can be attracted and

mobilized for evangelism.

7. Training, empowerment, motivation, encouragement, volunteerism,

language-focused skills training.

8. Encourage the young adults to organize frequent youth-oriented activities

such as youth camps, youth excursions in Volta region to help expose

them to the mission challenges within the area.

9. Creation of employment opportunities to young adults within Volta region

to help curtail migration to the cities.

10. Adequate finances should be allocated for young adults’ missionary

activities in the Volta Region.

11. Community outreach should be used as a training field to prepare young

adults missionaries for missions in the VSGM.

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 12. Provision of some incentives for the young adults in VSGM who desire to

support the Mission’s evangelistic thrust to help motivate them to do

missionary work.

13. On their part, young adults must be willing, humble, and available for

training and mentorship.

Table 15. Distribution of Respondents by Churches - VSGM

Churches Respondents Percentage
Peki Central 43 50.0
Wudome 8 59.3
Dzake 4 64.0
Todome/Kpalime 4 68.6
Dzememi 9 79.1
Kpeve 4 83.7
Adzoke 4 88.4
Have 10 100.0
Total 86

Table 16. Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Respondents - VSGM

Respondents Percentage
Age Below 20 10 11.6
20 - 30 20 23.3
31 - 40 16 18.6
41 - 50 11 12.8
Above 50 29 33.7
Gender Male 37 43.0
Female 49 57.0
Marital Status Married 33 38.4
Single 38 44.2
Divorced 6 7.0
Widow(er) 9 10.5
Local Church Peki Central 43 50.0
Wudome 8 9.3
Dzake 4 4.7
Todome/Kpalime 4 4.7
Dzememi 9 10.5
Kpeve 4 4.7
Adzoke 4 4.7
Have 10 11.6
Baptism Status Yes 86 100.0

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97
Table 17. Number of Young Adults and their Church Involvement - VSGM
Respondents Percentage
Enough Young Adults in the local Very Bad 16 18.6
Church/District Bad 19 22.1
Fair 35 40.7
Good 16 18.6

Involvement of Young Adults in Church Very Bad 11 12.8

Bad 20 23.3
Fair 30 34.9
Good 23 26.7
Excellent 2 2.3

Table 18. Young Adults and Evangelistic Programs - VSGM

Respondents Percentage
Effectiveness of evangelistic activities within
Very Bad 9 10.5
church/local district compared to other Bad 13 15.1
Fair 52 60.5
Good 11 12.8
Excellent 1 1.2
Active involvement of young Adults in your Very Bad 13 15.1
church evangelistic programs Bad 22 25.6
Fair 39 45.3
Good 11 12.8
Excellent 1 1.2
Spirit of loyalty and commitment on the part Very Bad 6 7.0
of church members for evangelistic programs Bad 17 19.8
Fair 53 61.6
Good 10 11.6

Table 19. Church Members and Young Adult’s Capabilities in Evangelistic Activities
- VSGM
Respondents Percentage
The capabilities of church members in Very Bad 11 12.8
embarking on evangelistic activities Bad 21 24.4
Fair 41 47.7
Good 13 15.1
The capabilities of young adults in Very Bad 13 15.1
embarking on evangelistic activities Bad 23 26.7
Fair 37 43.0
Good 13 15.1

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Table 20. Lack of Adequate Personnel and Logistics - VSGM
Respondents Percentage
The weak evangelistic performance of Strongly Disagree 2 2.3
my church/district is due to lack of Disagree 14 16.3
adequate personnel Neutral 10 11.6
Agree 42 48.8
Strongly Agree 18 20.9
The weak evangelistic performance of Strongly Disagree 2 2.3
my church/district is due to lack of Disagree 11 12.8
adequate logistics Neutral 5 5.8
Agree 31 36.0
Strongly Agree 37 43.0
My local church/district has more than Strongly Disagree 22 25.6
enough human resources for effective Disagree 39 45.3
evangelism Neutral 8 9.3
Agree 11 12.8
Strongly Agree 6 7.0

Table 21. Personnel Available For Young Adults - VSGM

Frequency Percent
My local church/District Has Enough Strongly Disagree 15 17.4
Young Adults for effective Disagree 42 48.8
evangelism? Neutral 12 14.0
Agree 10 11.6
Strongly Agree 7 8.1
My local church/district has enough Strongly Disagree 13 15.1
personnel (church members) to Disagree 37 43.0
support evangelism apart from the Neutral 22 25.6
young adults Agree 11 12.8
Strongly Agree 3 3.5

Table 22. Support for Evangelistic Activities - VSGM

Respondents Percentage
If external volunteers come in to support Disagree 3 3.5
local/district young adults for evangelistic Neutral 1 1.2
programs, it will help improve the Agree 21 24.4
evangelistic situation in my local Strongly Agree 61 70.9
hurch/district.
I am particularly interested in community Strongly Disagree 3 3.5
outreach Disagree 2 2.3
Neutral 5 5.8
Agree 41 47.7
Strongly Agree 35 40.7
The Young adults in my local Strongly Disagree 13 15.1
church/district are actively involved in Disagree 35 40.7
evangelism Neutral 15 17.4
Agree 17 19.8
Strongly Agree 6 7.0
The low involvement of young adults in Strongly Disagree 6 7.0
evangelism is because of lack of training Disagree 8 9.3
and mentorship? Neutral 12 14.0
Agree 27 31.4
Strongly Agree 33 38.4

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Table 23. Lack of Young Adults to Serve
Respondents Percentage
The young adults in the church have Strongly Disagree 4 4.7
all travelled to bigger cities Disagree 6 7.0
Neutral 16 18.6
Agree 45 52.3
Strongly Agree 15 17.4
There is lack of adequate young Disagree 6 7.0
adults to serve Neutral 11 12.8
Agree 47 54.7
Strongly Agree 22 25.6

Table 24. Lack of Training Makes Them Feel Unqualified

Respondents Percentage
There is Lack of training Strongly Disagree 5 5.8
Disagree 3 3.5
Neutral 7 8.1
Agree 35 40.7
Strongly Agree 36 41.9
Most feel inadequate and Strongly Disagree 4 4.7
unqualified Disagree 9 10.5
Neutral 6 7.0
Agree 37 43.0
Strongly Agree 30 34.9

Table 25. Perception About the Adventist Church

Respondents Percentage
Majority of people hold a wrong Strongly Disagree 2 2.3
perception of the Adventist church Disagree 26 30.2
Neutral 4 4.7
Agree 35 40.7
Strongly Agree 19 22.1

Analysis of Data - VSGM Responses

From tables 15-21 and figures that were examined from the VSGM data

collected, it could be inferred that VSGM lacks young adults to serve. This is because

a number of young adults have travelled to the bigger cities (Accra). Even though

VSGM has vast unentered areas where the church is yet to register its presence, it

100
lacks adequate logistics and personnel to support effective evangelism, hence, the

weak evangelistic performance of the church in VSGM.

From the findings from the questionnaires received from VSGM, Some

analyses could be done. It could be established that:

1. The majority of the respondents, mostly youth and young adults, said the

church in VSGM lacks enough young adults to serve because they believe

the young adults have travelled to the bigger cities. This may imply that

there is not enough manpower to support activities of the church in

VSGM.

2. Though VSGM has vast areas to register its presence, it lacks adequate

human resources and logistics for effective outreach ministry. One may

ask this: how can a church that lacks adequate personnel for effective

evangelism reach these vast unentered areas? The answer is: external

support may be needed to make great impact in the field.

3. The respondents also discovered that evangelism, which is the driving

force for mission in unentered areas like the Volta Region, is weak. This

was attributed to lack of adequate personnel and logistics. This again

establishes the fact that enough external volunteers would be needed for

effective mission in the field.

4. Respondents agreed that external missionary volunteers might be needed if

the vast unentered areas within VSGM are to be reached in the near future.

Hence mobilizing young adults from ACC where they are enough

andwilling but are underutilized to embark on mission in the Volta Region

will be of a great support.

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 SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ISSUES OF SELF-PROPAGATION,

SELF-RELIANCE, AND SELF-SUPPORT as very important attributes of

a healthy Church! Reconcile these with what you are advocating!

5. The findings indicated that the number of young adults in their local

churches or districts in VSGM was insufficient. Notwithstanding the

limited number of young adults within the local churches or districts they

were also not involved in church activities. The reason for this, they

explained, is lack of motivation, encouragement and mentorship. This

implies that the few young adults there need some motivation and

encouragement to enable them support the mission of the church.

Suggestions and Remarks from VSGM Respondents

The following were the suggestions and remarks from VSGM respondents:

1. External volunteers will help to boost evangelism in the Mission.

2. Youth empowerment programs should be organized for the youth within

the mission.

3. Vocational training should be organized for the youth within the Mission

to help curb the migration challenge within the region.

4. The young adults within the Mission must be properly mobilized through

vibrant Adventist Youth Ministries that would help provide the needed

facilities for effective evangelism and support to the VSGM.

5. Adequate evangelistic training must be organized for church members

within the VSGM to be abreast with effective ways and techniques to

evangelize challenged areas like the Volta region.

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 From the respondents’ remarks, of both ACC and VSGM, the best

methodology for mobilizing young adults to do effective outreach ministry can be

arranged in the following order:

1. Teaching/Training of young Adults.

2. Mentorship program for the young Adults.

3. Involvement of the young Adults in church life.

4. Empowerment and motivation for the young Adults

5. Mobilization of the young adults through a vibrant Adventist Youth

Ministries.

6. Incentive packages for Young Adults who volunteer to support church

missions.

7. Vocational training for the Young Adults in VSGM

8. Creation of employment opportunities for the Young Adults in VSGM.

9. Building loyalty and commitment of the young adults.

10. Better missionary strategies

Comparative Study – ACC and VSGM

Tis section gives a comparative analysis of the responses fromACC and

VSGM respondents. This is to help ascertain the real situation of the two fields.

Interest in Community Outreach (Local, National, International)

In response to specific questions on interest on community outreach by ACC

respondents, 61.7% indicated interest in community outreach, 68.7% indicated

interest in missionary work, 71.4% indicated interest in attending missionary trips to

any part of the country, and 61.0% indicated their availability to attend missionary

trips to the Volta region.

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Underutilization of Talents and Feeling of Inadequacy

Responses by ACC respondents on specific questions on underutilization of

talents and feeling of inadequate use of talents showed that 79.7% admitted that they

are not actively involved in the church and their talents are underutilized; 65.7%

confirmed that they feel inadequate and unqualified due to lack of training and

mentoring.

In VSGM 80.7% said there is a lack of young adults to serve; 69.7 believe it is

because the young adults have travelled to the bigger cities (Accra).

Opinion: The study showed that a more significant number of respondents (between

61% and 71.4%) in ACC were interested in attending missionary trips, community

outreach, and other forms of evangelistic activities in the Volta region. This implies

that the young adults (79.7%) who are currently underutilized in ACC can be

encouraged to embark on missionary activities in the Volta region to augment that

field's manpower shortage.

Since ACC have adequate young adults due to migration whose talents are

underutilized because of lack of involvement in the church life, they must be

mobilized to embark on frequent missionary activities in Volta region to enhance the

missionary work in that field.

In ACC 46.3% said they are neutral that the weak evangelistic performance of

their Churches/Districts may not be attributed to the Increase of Adventist churches

and adequate human resources. Simply put, there are Adventist churches all around

the community compared to that of VSGM field. 63.0% are of the view that their

local Churches/Districts have more than enough adequate human resources for

effective evangelism

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 In the case of VSGM, there are vast areas that the church has not registered its

presence, and at the same time, lacks adequate logistics and personnel to support

evangelism. 69.7 agree that the weak evangelistic performance of their church/district

is due to lack of adequate personnel. 79.0% are also of the view that the weak

evangelistic performance of their churches/districts is due to lack of adequate

logistics. 70.9% believe that their local churches/districts do not have enough human

resources for effective evangelism, hence the reliance of personnel from ACC since

several young adults are underutilized and are willing or interested in embarking on

missionary trips in areas such as Volta Region.

ACC: 49% believe that their church leadership does not involve them in

church activities. It could be observed from Table 7 that 69.0% of the respondents

were in a similar view that they were not involved in church activities and whereas

53.7% share the same opinion when it comes to involvement of young adults in

church leadership. It may be noted that young adults are generally not involved in

church leadership. That is why about 79.7% indicated earlier that they are

underutilized, hence the feeling of inadequacy.

VSGM: 81.4% indicated that the number of young adults in their local or

districts was inadequate or insufficient. Notwithstanding the limited number of young

adults within the local or district, 78.0% indicated that they are not involved in church

activities. This might be due to financial and economic challenges of the few young

adults left in the field as it was suggested in the respondents remarks that job

opportunities and incentive packages must be created to help the young adults who

volunteer to support evangelism and also help to curb the migration of the youth to

the big cities.

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 ACC: 77.7% believe that their local Church/District has enough young adults

for effective evangelism and 73.4% support the fact that the churches or districts have

enough personnel aside from young adults to support evangelistic activities. This

supports the earlier views of respondents (63.0%) who indicated that their churches or

districts had enough human resources actively working in their districts for

evangelism.

VSGM: 66.2% indicated that their local Churches/Districts do not have

enough young adults for effective evangelism. Hence, VSGM can make provision to

use personnel from ACC since there are more than enough young adults in ACC who

are willing and interested in supporting evangelism at Volta Region. The over 77.7%

views received from ACC regarding the number of personnel at ACC for evangelism

can support or augment the activities of VSGM since the membership in their

churches and districts are not enough for undertaking such activities.

Program Design, Preparation and Implementation

Based on the survey findings and analysis, as well as the literature review, this

part of the research recommends a strategy for resolving the issues under

consideration.

Goal of the Project

The main purpose is to mobilize young adults in ACC for effective ministry in

in highly unentered VSGM territory through voluntary service.

Objectives of the Project

The objective is to get more young adults from ACC to serve as missionary

volunteers for effective ministry in VSGM, which has numerous unentered areas but

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lacks adequate personnel and logistics. In light of this, the following objectives or

activities have been established to be completed by the end of the project:

1. To help the church to be aware and comprehend the concept of mobilizing

young adults for effective mission in highly unentered areas has theological

and biblical basis that young adults have played various significant roles

since the establishment of the SDA Church and therefore, can support the

ministry of the contemporary church if they are mobilized and engaged.

2. To help the young adults and the church as a whole identify the need and

appreciate the essence of mobilizing church members, incredibly talented

young adults interested in missions, embark on missionary work in mission

challenged areas through voluntary service.

3. To draw the attention of the leadership of the church in ACC and SGUC to

the mission challenges in VSGM and the need to build a concerted effort to

mitigate the situation.

4. To develop a strategy that would mobilize, train, and equip young adults in

the church as missionary volunteers.

5. To help church leaders (including pastors) and youth leaders to understand

the principles and models for mobilizing young adults for effective mission.

It was anticipated that the achievement of the objectives above will

yieldvisible results as follows:

1. At the end of the ten-day missionary work, the understanding and

perception of the whole church at ACC on mobilizing young adults for

effective ministry would be changed, and more missionary trips would be

organized for the young adults.

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 2. By the end of the ten-day missionary trip, the young adult's interest in

missionary work would have been boosted, and the church's understanding

of the importance of training and engaging young adults as missionary

volunteers would have increased by at least 20%.Young adults’

empowerment by the church, especially the leaders, shall increase by 20%

3. Increase by 20% the involvement of young adults in church life,

particularly in evangelism and church leadership.

4. The number of young adults participating in missionary volunteer services

and other church activities will increase by 20%.

Resources for the Project

The resources needed for the project are human, financial and material. For the

human resource, 30 young adults comprising artisans, medical personnel, musical

groups, and ACC preachers and 20 young adults from VSGM would be mobilized and

trained to support this project.

Regarding the financial resource, I would submit a request for funding in

accordance with the budget to the SGUC, who is my program sponsor for the Doctor

of Ministry. The same proposal would be made to ACC, VSGM and the young adults’

volunteers who would participate in the project. Material resources would include

writing aids, handouts, electrical projectors, Public Address Systems, vehicles to

convey the volunteers and other accessories.

The survey results and analysis, as well as the proposed project, would be

discussed with the ACC and VSGM prior to the start of the actual project, and their

approval for the project would be acquired. The project would be done in three Phases

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as follows: i). Preparation Stage ii). Implementation Stage and iii). Post

Implementation Stage.

Preparation

In order to help the project be completed successfully, this stage focuses on

recruiting personnel to assist in the project and advertising (promoting) of the project

throughout ACC and VSGM to help carry out the project effectively. A team of 30

and 20 volunteer young adults from ACC and VSGM, respectively, as assistance

would be recruited. This team comprises 5 artisans (Masons and Carpenters), 5

member young adults singing group and 3 young adults’ medical personnel, 2 youth

pastors in the ACC and VSGM, 2 elders, 3 caterers and 20 other supporting young

adults. ACC conference auditorium and Peki Central church are the venues for the

training of the team members. Three days each would be used for this training. The

topics and the program outline are provided in Appendix E. The team members in this

training program would be taken through the survey findings and the designed

activities for the project.

All the team members (ACC and VSGM) would attend a day orientation

meeting at Dzemeni, the site chosen for the project. Dzemeni is selected for the

project because it is one of the vibrant commercial market towns within the Peki

district of the VSGM without Adventist presence and one of the towns the VSGM is

hoping to evangelize. The meeting would begin with devotion. After this, the

problem, purpose, objectives and the goal of the project and the plan of the activities

will be explained to them. The Peki District leaders and their teams would be

introduced to the team members.

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Implementation

This campaign is scheduled for ten days. It would involve visitation to homes,

one-on-one Bible studies, evening evangelistic campaigns, and construction of lamp

shelters for the new converts. This project would commence immediately after a day’s

orientation with the team members and the Peki district of SDA Church. The district

leadership and the team members would be aware and prepare for the program. Each

day’s activities will include 20 minutes of devotion, 60 minutes of study, 60 minutes

of focused visitation, and 60 minutes of night evangelism are all part of the daily

schedule. After the ten-day campaign, a one week follow up with the new converts

would continue with Peki District leaders and the VSGM team (ten members).

Finally, at the end of the campaign, all the team members would meet to

evaluate the program to bring the implementation process to an end. This time, all the

team members (ACC and VSGM), the officers, the Conference Youth Director and

the Personal Ministries Director of VSGM will be present to grace the occasion.

Post-Implementation Activities

The final evaluation would be done after six months when the final assessment

will be conducted. The site would be occasionally visited during this stage, and Bible

studies and revival programs would be undertaken to strengthen the new converts.

Young adults Missionary Volunteer Club would be formed with the ACC team

members and their activities would be monitored. The efficacy of the program would

be determined by conducting and analyzing interviews about the entire program.

Project Reporting

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 After the evaluation, the SGUC Administration—the principal sponsors of the

researcher—will receive a written report on the study and its findings. Copies of the

report would be given to the ACC and VSGM, whose approval it took to conduct the

project in their areas, for review and wider implementation.

Limitations of the Project

The program faced challenges such as a language barrier, as the indigenes of

the town where the project was held could not understand any other language other

than Ewe (their native language). Another issue is that the number of young adults

and food items we expected from the Peki district to support the project did not arrive

as planned. Inadequate financial budget by some of the sponsors also had a negative

impact on the project's progress and outcome.

Summary

In conclusion, the survey revealed that the ACC has half of its membership as

youth and young adults, but many believe that the young adults are underutilized

despite their willingness to serve. They also stated that they are interested in

missionary work, even if it requires them to travel to any part of the country.

Respondents from VSGM, on the other hand, indicated that the field has many

unexplored areas but a lack of adequate personnel and logistics to reach these areas.

They explained that migration due to unemployment and education had caused many

young adults who could support the church to leave for larger cities. They expressed

that for the church in VSGM to reach out to these unentered towns and villages,

external personnel and logistics would be needed.

The survey also indicated that many factors that militate against mobilizing

the young adults are lack of mentoring, training and education, motivation,

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encouragement and lack of involvement in church life. Different reasons and

suggestions were made. Therefore, if effective methods and strategies are put in place,

it will help to inspire the young adults in ACC to use their talents as missionary

volunteers to assist in any area of the country where their services are needed most.

This led to the creation of the strategy as discussed above which will be put into

practice in the following chapter.

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 CHAPTER 5

PROJECT NARRATIVE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGY

A survey on this topic was conducted at the ACC and VSGM due to the

numerous issues presented, the Bible, as well as Spirit of Prophecy instructions

concerning mobilizing young adults for effective mission. The survey has unearthed

the need to mobilize the young adults for mission. In view of this, a strategy which is

intended to help in mobilizing young adults for mission, especially in mission

challenged fields, has been developed. Is it cascaded?

This chapter gives a summary of the project narrative, intervention, which

covers project planning, project implementation (before, during, and after), through

workshops, mission work (evangelistic campaign), and building of lamp shelter (a

place of worship).The project report, which deals with the presentation of data to the

beneficiary organizations, is then followed by an evaluation of the efforts that have

been carried out.

Project Narrative

The theological basis, the literature review and the survey conducted primarily

serves as the foundation of this project which aims at mobilizing young adults for

effective mission. The OT and NT provide evidence that the idea of young adult

ministry has theological basis. The Bible is full of stories of young people serving in a

variety of ministries. The Bible makes it clear that some of the people who

participated in a variety of ministries were in their youth and young adult years.

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Additionally, the OT and NT contain a number of instructions that support the notion

of mobilizing young people for mission. The Spirit of Prophecy also upholds this

concept.

About involvement of young adults in the church’s life, the church must be a

spiritual home where young adults should be “rightly trained so that they can share

Jesus and His righteousness which is the core and context of Revelation 14.” 0If the

young adults are rightly trained and involved in the church, “God will rightly train

them by using them mightily to convert hearts, heal the sick, cast out demons and

blaze the ‘everlasting gospel’ around the world.”0 Ellen G. White reiterates that God

has chosen the young people to be helping hands.0 She adds, “Educate the youth to

help the youth; and in seeking to do this work each will gain experience that will

qualify him to be a consecrated worker in a larger sphere.”0

The literature review provided in Chapter Three gives further information

which shows that mobilize young adults for effective mission is necessary in this era

of post-modernism. Young people are increasingly recognized as fundamental agents

in religious matters, community and national development. Both the religious and

secular worlds favor empowering young adults for mission. In addition to some

helpful suggestions for mobilizing young adults for effective ministry, there are other

concepts and models for empowering young adults for mission.

0
Gary Blanchard, Spiritual Youth Leaders Resources (London: Had Graphics, 2018), 5.
0
Ibid.
0
White, Testimonies for the Church, 64.
0
White, Messages to Young People, 203.

SO FAR I DO NOT SEE THE PROJECT NARRATIVE! YOU HAVE A “SUMMARY” OF

WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, AND NOT THE NARRATIVE. WHAT ARE YOU GETTING AT?

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Findings from the Survey

The survey's results also support that assertion. Five churches in the ACC and

all nine churches in the Peki District participated in the survey, which was carried out

using questionnaires. The findings indicated that though the young adults in ACC

have interest in mission, they are not involved in church leadership and activities,

hence they feel underutilized. They however, expressed interest in engaging in

missionary work in any part of the country especially Volta Region if they are given

the opportunity. Many of the respondents for the 300 questionnaires were youth,

young adults and adults: 16-20 years = 84; 21-25 years =83; 26-30 years = 76; and

adults above 30 years = 57. Baptized members were 300 representing100% of the

total respondents. More than half (79.7) of the respondents perceived the young adults

in their local Church/District are not actively involved in the church and as such their

talents are underutilized. Therefore, they feel unqualified and inadequate though they

are willing to do mission.

However, the church members in VSGM indicated that the weak evangelistic

performance of their church/district is due to lack of adequate personnel and logistics,

which have rendered the vast areas within VSGM unreached. They attributed this

situation to the fact that majority of the members especially the young people end up

leaving to the bigger cities for livelihood and education. Many of the respondents for

the 86 questionnaires were youth, young adults and adults: below 20 years = 10; 20-

30 years =20; 31-40 years = 16; 41-50 years = 11 and above 50 years = 29. Baptized

members were 86 representing 100% of the total respondent/questionnaires above.

Almost all the respondent (95.4%) indicated that external volunteers support in

evangelistic programs will help to improve the evangelistic situation in their local

church/district and by extension VSGM.

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Target group

It must be emphasized that though this project will be an object lesson for

adults and all young people irrespective of age, gender, and academic class, because

the project seeks to offer solution to the problem this paper has identified, subsequent

monitoring and evaluating the target group (16-35 years) will show improvement in

their involvement in church life and their participation in reaching out to souls for

God. This is also the age group who will become future leaders of the Church if they

are well trained now.

Project context

The place where the project was carried out is principally Dzemeni in the Peki

District of SDA Church in the South Dayi District of the Volta Region of Ghana.

Dzemeni is a business community with high population of people but with no SDA

church present.

Before the commencement of the implementation, the researcher together with

the district pastor and the Personal Ministries Director of VSGM visited the Dzemeni

to assess the place, look for a piece of land which will be used for the lamp shelter

and to make an arrangement for accommodation facilities for the campaign team from

both ACC and Peki District. We also visited and worshipped with the Peki Central

Church. This gave us the opportunity to interact and to educate the members about the

project and the need to involve our young people in mission, therefore the necessity of

the project

Due to time limitations and the activities involved in the implementation of the

strategies developed, timelines regarding how things were done was emphasized and

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practiced to ensure that the planned activities in the intervention were accomplished.

The timelines of the project are provided in appendix D.

Stages of the Project

The project and each of its components were divided into the following three

stages or segments: (i) preparation; (ii) implementation; and (iii) post-implementation.

Preparation Stage

This stage covered the initial time frame and the actions carried out prior to

the start of the actual project. It started with the letter that was written to request

approval from the ACC and VSGM. On January 15 and January 17, 2020,

respectively, the letters were received.

Resources for the project. Resources for the project were sought after as

soon as the approvals were granted in accordance with the permission letter included

in Appendix B. A request was made to the SGUC administration to forward the

project budget to the executive committee that sponsored the researcher's Doctor of

Ministry program in regard to the funding. The project budget was drawn as specified

in Appendix F. The budget was approved and the Union administration accepted to

provide support.

Similar requests were sent to ACC, VSGM and the young adults who

volunteered to be part of the project implementation to absorb the travel and feeding

expenses of the 30 young adults’ volunteers also received favorable response. Hence a

total of twenty-six thousand Ghana cedi which is dollar equivalent of $5,000.00 were

received for the support of the project. Concerning the resource materials, Adventist

evangelistic books, writing aids, 2 banners, projectors, rented chairs and two rooms of

canopies were rented for the evangelistic campaign. Other logistics like cements

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galvanize pipes roofing sheets, woods, and other building materials which were to be

used for the lamp shelter were also procured.

Mobilizing and training of young adults and facilitators. A team of 30

young adults (25 males and 5 females) from ACC were selected from out of 160

young adults who applied from ACC. 10 youth and two pastors from VSGM also

devoted their time to serve as volunteers and facilitators. A three-day workshop of

orientation was held on January 19-21, 2020 at Dzemeni, the implementation town.

The workshop provided details of the project, and outcome of the survey to the young

adults and the facilitators. Strategies for the campaign and for building of the lamp

shelter for the new church were discussed and agreed upon.

The town of Dzemeni was zoned into five sectors and shared among five

groups of young adults for house to house visitations and personal Bible studies. Each

group had two indigenes who can speak the local Ewe language. Members of each

group were paired up with the indigenes who could speak the local Ewe language for

the visitations. However, not every volunteer had an indigene to pair with because the

Peki indigenous volunteers were less than those from ACC. This imbalance posed a

little challenge in communication during visitations. The names of members of the

groups were as follows:

Table 26. Zonal Groupings

Group Zone Young Adults Visitation Teams
Group 1 Zone A Eric Sowah, Philip Afari Williams, Sara Ismail, Adaklutse Mensah,
Blessing Boakye, Joseph Danso, Happy Ademadziku, Korda Desire.
Group 2 Zone B Elijah Gyan, Uriah Azumah, Bernice Narh, Eric Kuma, Eric
Frimpong, Nelson, DelaliAfonorte, Siayo Stephen
Group 3 Zone C Isaac Boateng, Justice Arthur, Nketsiah Prince,
OmaneYamoahBismark, Bernice Oteng, Solomon Donkoh,
AmwoCales, Gadah Herbert, Michael Segbedeku.
Group 4 Zone D Benjamin Kumi, Enoch AduAyitey, Anita Aku Appiah, Nicholas
Nartey, Frank Ampossah, Ellen Bonye, Eliana Adzi, Richard Kom
Group 5 Zone E Thomas Zikpi, Blessing Boakye, Alfred Boateng, Joseph Danso,
Benedicta Dagbui, Emmanuel Nissi, Ethel Becky Ephraim, Patrick
Ahiable

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 District awareness program. An awareness district meeting chaired by the

district pastor was held on January 10, 2020 at Peki Central Church. District officers

from the Peki District, all of the local elders and youth leaders, and the VSGM

evangelism director were present at the meeting. 23 persons showed up. The major

goal of the meeting was to inform everyone in the district about the upcoming project

and mobilize ACC young adults for effective ministry in VSGM in accordance with

the Union, ACC, and VSGM's approval. The researcher led a devotion at the start of

the conference, which had the theme “Commission” and was based on Matthew

28:19–20 and 24:14. Following the devotion, they were given an explanation of the

details of the project, purpose, aims, and goal as well as the schedule of its activities.

There was enough time for questions and comments so that participants could

comprehend and participate. The ten-day evangelistic outreach' start date was

announced.

Implementation Stage

One scholar said that project strategy development is not the last stage of any

project. Implementing it is the last stage.0 He continues, “Implementation, however,

does not happen by chance; it is the result of concern, commitment, and discipline to

carry out the various ideas and concepts in practical terms.”0

In accord, Aubrey Malphurs believes that the challenge in developing a major

ministry strategy is implementation. A church can formulate an excellent, innovative,

resourceful strategy but one way or another may never work to implement it. They are
0
Kwame Kwanin Boakye, “Developing a Mentoring as Well as Community Relations
Program for Pastor in the Southern Central Ghana Conference” (Andrews, 2011), 104
0
Ibid., 104.

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unable to follow through.0Kwanin Boakye, therefore, concludes, It is, therefore,

crucial to be very forward-looking to ensure that the vision of the project is

actualized.0

Ten days evangelistic campaign. The initial stage of the implementation

program was scheduled for ten days and it involved visitation, house to house personal

witnessing, sharing of used clothing to the needy within Dzemeni township, preparation

of the site for the lamp shelter (place of worship). These activities were performed by

the young adult volunteers mobilized from ACC and VSGM. Three days were used to

do visitations and clearing of the land before the actual ten days campaign took off. The

young adults mobilized included singing groups, building artisans and medical persons.

The researcher and the personal ministries director were with the young adults

throughout the period to perform leadership and supervisory roles in the program. The

actual program began nine days after the awareness meeting with the district officers so

that the entire district, particularly Peki Central Church became aware and ready for the

activities. Two advertising banners were made for the program as provided in Appendix

F.

The main evangelistic campaign program was slated between 7:00pm –

9:00pm, there was playing of recorded gospel songs and showing of gospel videos to

invite and prepare hearts of visitors for the main evenings activities. The evening

activities had special prayer session, quiz and gifts time and sermon presentation.

Each day’s activities began with 30 minutes of devotion, 2 hours of morning

visitation, 60 minutes for breakfast, 60 minutes of taking visitation report, 2 hours of

rest, 2 hours of work on the place of worship with the artisans and 2 hours for the

0
Aubrey Malphus, Planting Growing Churches for the 21st Century (Benin City, Nigeria:
Joint Heirs, 1998), 292.
0
Boakye, “President of Northern Ghana Union Mission of the Seventh-Day Adventist.”

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evening program. All the activities were led by the young adults with exception of the

sermon presentations that was done by Pastor Richard Wemegah, the personal

ministries director of VSGM. The sermons were based on the Bible and Adventist

fundamental believes.

Table 27. Daily Program Outline for the 10 days Program

Time Event
5:00 am – 5:30am Personal devotion by every young adult
5:30am – 7:00am General devotion
7:00 am – 9:00am 1st Visitations to homes
9:00am – 10:00am Breakfast
10:00am – 12noon Work on the lamp shelter (Place of worship) by the young adult
artisans)
12noon – 2:00pm Rest time
2:00pm – 4:00 pm Workshop and visitation reports
4:00pm – 5:00pm Super
5:00pm – 6:30pm 2nd Visitation to homes
6:30pm – 7:00pm Prelude (Gospel music and showing of gospel videos)
7:00 – 7:30pm Prayer Session
7:30 – 8:00pm Quiz and gift time
8:00pm – 8:50pm Sermon presentation
8:50pm – 9:00pm Closing formalities

Daily campaign topics and objectives.1stDay:- Topic: Good God Bad World!

Why? (Mal 3:14-15Ezekiel 28: 11-18, Isaiah 14:12-15, Rev 12:7-9, Gen 1:28, Gen

2:8,15-1, 2Cor 4:3,4 ; 2Cor 11:14. Mtt 24:24. Rev 16:14, Ezek 28:16, 18). Objective:

To answer the questions people ask: Have you wondered why good people suffer as

well as the bad? Have you ever wondered why innocent people are the target of crime

and violence? Or the good people have it so hard and bad people

seem to enjoy the easy life? Is Malachi’s dilemma applicable to our time? Deep

within every human heart, even those who believe in God, comes the nagging

question that will not be quieted!

2nd Day: - Topic – Why so Many Sufferings? If God is Changeless, Then Why

is There so Much Suffering and Chaos in the World Today? (Mal 3:16, 1 John 4:7-8,

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Jer 29:11, Exod 34:6, 7, Jer 31:3, Jer 33:3, Matt 24:35, Isa 40:8, Ps 111:7, 8 Joh 14:6,

Jer 2:13). Objective: To emphasis the characteristics of God who has not, cannot and

shall never change.

3rdDay:- Topic – Faith in Jesus, What Else? (Heb 11:1-3, 6, 8-10, 17, 24-25,

27, Eph 2:11-13, 19). Objective: To explain how many Christians will believe, but

their faith will not yield any works of obedience through faith. And faith in Jesus

leads to adoption.

4th Day: - Topic - The Second Coming of Christ (John 14:1-3, Acts 1:9-11,

Rev. 1:7, Rev. 22:12, Matthew 24:35-38, 44, Matthew 24:30, Rev. 16:18-20, 11

Thess. 2:8. Jer. 25:31-33. Jer. 4:23-27. Objective: To give assurance to the audience

that this world is full of suffering and deaths but will not remain so forever. The saints

of God will be taken to a new earth and new heavens.

5th Day: - Topic – Court Case in Heaven! Who is Your Lawyer? Dan 7:910,

Rev 20:11-13, Heb 9:27, 2 Cor 5:10, Acts 17:30-31. Objective: To remind the

audience that a day is coming when God will judge the world, and that man’s greatest

need is Christ.

6th Day: - Topic – The Siamese Twins in the Bible (Eph 2:8-9, Rom 6:1-2,

Rom 5:20-21, James 1:21-25). Objective: To demonstrate to the audience that law and

grace are not enemies. The breaking of the law takes one to the sanctuary for GRACE

which is the pardon for sin, which is the breach of the law. Once you separate grace

from the law, you step out from the umbrella of pardon.

7th Day: – Topic - Adam’s Father’s Rest Day - (Gen 2:1-3, Isa 56:1-7, Isa

58:13, Acts 17:1-2, Acts 13:14, 42-44, 48, Isa 66:22). Objective: That God gave the

Seventh day to Adam to celebrate the creation of the world. And that worshipping

God on the Seventh day is a demonstration that God is our Creator.

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 8th Day - Topic – How to Be Born Again (Rom 6:3-6, 1 Pet 3:21, Mark 16:15-

16, Matt 28:19-20). Objective: To emphasis that baptism by immersion is the right

method of baptism and a prerequisite for salvation. And that baptism by sprinkling,

pouring, or any other means is not accepted by God.

9th Day – Topic: Mark of the Beast and the Seal of God (Rev 13:18, Rev 14:9-

11, Rev 13:18, Dan 7:1-8, 17, Rev 12:1-5, Rev 13:1-8, Rev 17:1-8, 18). Objective:

To reveal the religious power who will bring a lot of changes in the world, changes

that would affect the worship of the true God.

10th Day – Topic: Remember Lot’s Wife (Luke 17:32, Matt 12:31-32, John

16:7-14, Heb 6:4-6, Heb 10:26-27, 2 Pet 2:20-22). Objective: To emphasis that when

the Holy Spirit reveals to you the truth and new light in the scriptures, and refuse to

yield to the convictions of the Holy Spirit it is a sin against the Holy Spirit.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY THE TOPICS OF

PRESENTATION WERE LINED UP! What informed the sequential presentation

considering: COMMON INTERESTS, PROPHECY, and DISTINCTIVE ASPECTS

of our DOCTRINES?

There were other important issues that were treated during the program in the

course of the implementation. There were workshops alongside the evangelistic

campaign for the young adults to equip them for the work. Topics such as: Effective

visitation, How to give Bible studies, Know your audience were taught. These

workshops were held in the afternoons after their morning home visitations. Some of

the workshops were facilitated by the experienced young adults among the team. This

was to keep them involved and to build their confidence. To ensure greater

participation, some of the young adults also served as recording secretaries, ushers,

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Bible readers and interpreters. The young adults were very much excited for the level

of involvement given to them.

Post program facilitators and leaders meeting. A day after the 10 days

campaign, early Sunday morning, January 23, 2020 a meeting with the VSGM

officers, the Personal Ministries Director, the campaign team (from both Accra and

VSGM ) together with the district pastor and some elders was held at the newly built

lamp shelter which was raised by the young adults team. The meeting had 47 persons

in attendance (3 Mission officers, 30 young adults from Accra, 9 young adults from

VSGM and 5 from Peki District. The main reason of this meeting was to evaluate the

entire program held during the ten days and also plan for the upkeep of the new

church established and the new converts. By doing this, a brief evaluation of the ten-

day program was made. The mission officers and Peki District gave messages of

appreciation and encouragement to the team for their selfless efforts. At the end of the

meeting, 5 volunteers from ACC and 3 from VSGM willingly volunteered to stay for

a month to help nurture the new converts and to help fortify their faith.

Follow-ups. The implementation program did not end with the ten days

evangelistic campaign. After the rigorous ten-days program, the implementation

continued with intensive follow-ups through visitation of new members and their

families, evening bible studies and sermons continued. The follow-up team also used

the period earmarked for the follow-up to teach the new converts the songs from the

Ewe hymnals donated by the SGUC administration. As a result of intensive follow-up

7 more souls were baptized bringing the total number of new members to 48. The

researcher managed to visit two weekends (Friday – Sunday) to support the follow-

up. The Women Ministries of the SGUC and ACC pledged to visit the new church

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and have a vocational training for the women within the church but the Covid-19

lockdown prevented that visit.

Post Implementation Stage

The post-implementation process continued after the one month follow-up and

Covid-19 lockdown and a one week long revival was held by the district and 3 young

adults from ACC. The post implementation has to continue for one year because of

Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions. One year after the program, the church has a

total membership of 39 as 4 members are claimed to have travelled outside the town

and other 2 not active. Unfortunately, the new lamp shelter was destroyed by a heavy

storm, but the VSGM and the district were working to rebuild it.

Monitoring

From the beginning until the end of the six months, the monitoring component

was carried out. From March 21, 2020 to June 30, 2020, the Covid-19 lockdown

stalled the monitoring since churches were not in operation, the researcher and his

team could not continue the monitoring until after one month when churches resumed

worship activities.

Post Program Interview and Analysis.

One of the activities that of critical importance as far as analysis of the project

is concerned is to see the impression of the various programs conducted in the Peki

District on the young adults in particular regarding the intervention implementation.

The program had an effect on the ACC's young adults, Peki District, and the VSGM

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as a whole. Interviews with select participants, particularly the young adults who took

part and served on the focus group when the initial survey was performed, were

conducted to accomplish this.

Evaluation

The project would never achieve its purpose without being evaluated. The

purpose and the objectives set for this project would determine the expected

outcomes. The projected results would be determined by the project's aim and goals.

Again, the observation of the participants or the specific individuals who would

benefit from the project is important. Former General Conference Executive Secretary

G. T. Ng writes in the African Desk of the General Conference Secretariat: An

organization cannot have the best management practices in the world unless its

strategic plan is implemented with great intentionality and attention.0

Initial Evaluation

The review procedure started as soon as the ten-day campaign ended. A

sample of the young adults (at least seven from the ACC team and five from VSGM)

were interviewed as part of the observation on the participants to get their thoughts on

how the intervention program has affected their lives and how to best get young adult

volunteers from ACC to support missionary work in VSGM. It was very encouraging

to hear that all the young adults from both ACC and VSGM interviewed responded

positively, especially about the ten-days campaign The VSGM president, Pastor Chris

Lambert who was interviewed during the survey remarked: “This is the kind of

assistance we need from the churches in Accra especially the young adults. If we
0
G. T. Ng, “A Strategic Plan in Support of the General Conference Reach the World
Initiative” (African Desk, 2020-2015).

126
could have such a missionary volunteer program from the young adults or church

members from Accra, the missionary challenge in this region will be reduced. Pastor,

don’t let this program be the last, but make it a yearly affair.”0

On how the program has impacted the district, Pastor Jacob Binyam, who is

the district pastor for the Peki District commended the program. He remarked that

such a program has never happened in the district before. He further noted that

organizing such evangelistic campaign and build a place of worship at the same time

in ten days has never happened in the district. He continued that due to lack of

personnel and resources they are unable to organize effective evangelistic programs

within the district. He requested that such collaborative missionary program should be

frequent since Accra has enough people and resources. He concluded that the program

has brought revival and enlightenment to the entire district.0

A similar comment was made by Pastor Richard Wemegah, the Evangelism

director for VSGM, who came to support the program as a team member from

VSGM. He remarked that there were a lot of churches without church houses, and if a

team of volunteers like this could mobilize and come every year to support

evangelism, especially in the building of lamp shelters; it will support the growth of

the church in VSGM.0

Regarding the impact of the program on the young adults both from ACC and

VSGM who participated in the program, they were asked of their experiences from

the program and the impact it has had on the people. According to Blessing Boakye

from ACC, he was over excited to be part of the program. His coming has opened his

0
Chris Lambert, President of Volta South Ghana Mission, interview by Author, January 23,
2020.
0
Jacob Binyam, Peki District Pastor, interviewed by the author, January 23, 2020.
0
Richard Wemegah, VSGM Director of Evangelism, interviewed by the Author, January 23,
2020.

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horizon to know the actual challenges in VSGM because he least expected that there

were people in Ghana who have not heard the name Adventist Church. He stated that

the program has helped him to know his area of giftedness as far as missionary work

was concern. Korda Desire, a young adult from VSGM mentioned that “The program

has built my confidence and experience in evangelism and I hope to avail myself any

time there is such an opportunity within the district.”0

All the team members testified that the program has positively impacted them

and they suggested that this program should be organize once every quarter, so that

they can be given the opportunity to serve in these challenged areas. The volunteers

from ACC stressed that repeating this program will afford the youth and young adults

in ACC training and opportunity to support in missionary activities in VSGM.

Second Phase of Evaluation

One month after the Covid 19 lockdown in the country, another phase of the

evaluation was done to consider the outcomes of the program. The district pastor, 5

church members from the new church and 5 young adults from among the ACC

originally selected churches were interviewed. Responses to the qualitative questions

were analyzed and evaluated as per the data below:

1. The new church is growing faster even after Covid 19 lockdown, because

of the lamp shelter provided. All the interviewees testified that the major

reason for the growth of the new church is the new place of worship and

the young adults who volunteered to nurture the church

2. Desire for missionary work has increased – majority stated that their desire

for mission have increased and they are ready to embark on missionary

0
Korda Desire, A young adult from Peki District, interviewed by the Author, January 23,
2020.

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 work in any place they are called to. Some of them even testified that their

friends who could not get the chance to participate are eager to participate

in the next program.

3. Formation of Young Adult Missionary Club – the enthusiasm of the young

adults has led to the formation of Young Adult club which was

spearheaded by the young adults themselves. The ACC youth department

in conjunction with the SGUC Youth department have given them training

and have launched the missionary club.

4. Young adults' involvement in missions has increased, leading to the

creation of a district evangelism team. As a result, more young adults in

the Peki District are getting involved in the district's missionary efforts.

Numerical growth of the church’s membership in Peki District—there has

been about 20 % increase in church membership in the Peki District due to

the membership of the new church established through the intervention.

The presence of the church is now known in the town, unlike what it was

before the program when people in the town did not know there is a church

called SDA Church.

5. Mentoring and Nurturing of the youth – It has encouraged some of the

young adults in ACC to adopt youth ministries of some of the churches in

VSGM for nurturing and mentoring. They have embraced the need to build

strong youth ministries within these churches so that the youth can grow

spiritually to sustain their faith and also to support missionary activities

within VSGM.

From the resulting facts of the two phases of evaluation above, it can be said

that the program accomplished its objectives. Regarding the goal and objectives and

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comparing the baseline information with the results of the project, it was anticipated

that the project will:

1. Help the church to know and understand that the concept of mobilizing

young adults for effective mission in highly unentered areas has theological

and biblical foundation and that the youth and young adults have played

various significant roles since the establishment of the SDA Church and

therefore, can support the ministry of the contemporary church if they are

mobilized and engaged.

2. Help the young adults and the church as whole to identify the need and

appreciate the essence of mobilizing church members especially talented

young adults who have interest in missions to embark on missionary work

in mission challenge areas through voluntary service. At the end of the ten-

day workshop, it assisted the Church in utilizing the model set as a working

tool to identify efficient strategies for mobilizing young adults and utilizing

their abilities for mission in areas like VSGM that are particularly mission-

challenged.

3. Help young adults in both ACC and VSGM to be motivated to do effective

outreach ministry in VSGM and beyond. The desire of the young adults for

mission has increased. Though it was only a few young adults who

participated in the program, those who participated experienced genuine

spiritual revival and interest to work for God as evidenced by the post

project evaluation interviews presented above.

4. Involvement of the young adults in church life especially in evangelistic

endeavors and church leadership shall increase by 20%. At the end of the

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 program the interest of the young adults in missionary work has increased

as the interviews conducted revealed.

5. Increase the numerical strength of the young adults in missionary volunteer

services and other church activities this project has awakened the Church in

both VSGM and ACC and increased interest in young adults to go on

mission trips to the Volta Region. Verbal reports received indicated that

many of the young adults are now seeking to embark on mission. And with

the setting up of the missionary team and the adoption of some churches

from VSGM by ACC young adults, it is hoped that this interest will grow

and be sustained.

6. With all these achievements, it could be articulated that as far as the goal

and objectives set for this project is concerned the intervention program as

a whole was effective and successful in spite of some inconveniences which

will be discussed in the next chapter.

Reporting

A documentary report on the project and its outcome were presented to the

SGUC Administration the primary sponsor. Copies of the report were given to the

ACC and the VSGM upon whose approval the project was conducted in the Peki

District for consideration and wider implementation. A video documentary report was

given to Hope Channel, an Adventist television station in Ghana. Hope Channel

broadcasted it as their news bulletin to educate the young people within the Adventist

Church in Ghana. A meeting for discussion with all the parties were held. The district

pastor and the VSGM officers were present on the day of submittion of the report.

Attention and care for the new church was emphasized at the meeting. An expression

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of appreciation and gratitude was made to all these bodies of the church for their

permission and support towards the success of the intervention project.

Summary

In summary, the purpose of this project is to develop a strategy that would

mobilize, train, and equip young adults in ACC as missionary volunteers in Peki

District of VSGM. This is due to the fact that evangelism, which is the core mandate

of the church, faces many challenges, including a lack of manpower and resources.

Based on the analysis of the findings received through questionnaires, individual

interview with the focus groups and other personnel as well as literature reviewed, a

strategy was developed and implemented with the help of young adults from ACC

and VSGM. The implemented intervention through its various phases lasted for six

months. Analysis and evaluations have revealed that this strategy had a significant

impact on the young adults who were the target groups in ACC and the Peki District

of the VSGM.

The young adults are encouraged, the ACC and the VSGM have found a new

way to move the youth into action for Christ, and the fulfilment of the dream and

hope of the SGUC to spread the advent message in the Volta Region has just began.

The intervention was useful and can be replicated anywhere in Ghana and beyond to

speed up the accomplishment of the gospel commission of Christ.

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 CHAPTER 6

SUMMARY, EVALUATION, CONCLUSION

AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The project's last chapter provides a succinct summary, an assessment of the

entire program, information gleaned from the survey, and instructions for putting the

intervention into practice. It also provides a summary and recommendations for

further study based on the findings of the investigation and the knowledge obtained

from the intervention. It is evident that the young people are increasingly seen as key

facilitators in national, community and church development. The young people are

talented and have the zeal and passion to play a major role in social change. They are

key players in community initiatives, and if they are properly mobilized and their

talents harness, they will help in the reshaping of our communities and the ministry of

the church.

The strategies to mobilize young people to make adequate use of their strength

and talent for effective mission are inadequate, and this calls for further studies. It is

in this background that this project seeks to develop a strategy that would mobilize,

train, and equip young adults in ACC as missionary volunteers. The implementation

will be through sending the young adults into mission fields for evangelism and

church building ventures.

Many young adults who have the zeal, passion, and talents that can be used for

a mission in ACC have expressed the desire to engage in mission in places where the

Lord directs. Still, many more wish to engage in the mission but feel they are

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inadequately prepared and lack the requisite training and preparation. On the other

hand, the needs of the church in VSGM with regards to evangelism and church

buildings are overwhelming and calls for concerted efforts from other fields to

support them in evangelism. The project looked into strategies to mobilized, train and

equip the young adults in ACC for effective mission in VSGM.

Nevertheless; for the sake of effective implementation and monitoring, this

dissertation is limited to six prominent churches in Accra, namely, New Life, Labone,

New Town, Mataheko, Teteogbu, Darkuman and Peki District in Volta region. The

target group is the young adults of both sexes between 22-30 years though the whole

church membership was also included since, by extension, the project would be

profitable to the entire church.

Summary of the Dissertation

Though the Young Adults Ministry is not clearly established theologically,

mobilizing young adults for effective mission has its foundation from the Bible, in

both the OT and NT. The bible explicitly states that God made use of young adults in

various significant positions and services, such as priests, prophets, missionaries,

forerunners, vessels, and leaders. Jesus himself began his earthly ministry as a young

adult. The idea of mobilizing young adults and getting them engaged in the mission of

God is the focus of the Youth Ministries department of the Church. There are also

various instructions from the OT and NT which uphold the idea of mobilizing young

adults for ministry. The same idea is sustained by the Spirit of Prophecy writings of

Ellen G. White.

The literature reviewed presented solid foundation from various written

sources, from the Scriptures, Catholic Church, Methodist Church, Presbyterian

Church, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, showing the need mobilize young

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adults for effective ministry in this postmodern era as a general concern. The young

adults are increasingly becoming key agents in religious, community and national

development. For this reason mobilizing young people for specialized ministry is

supported in both secular and religious circles.

According to the Adventist Youth Ministries' history, youth were integral to

the establishment of the Church.The identified instruction and principles for

mobilizing young adults for ministry consist of mobilization, training, motivating,

mentoring, empowering, equipping, involving, discipling and serving as missionary

volunteers were identified.

In setting the project, the location, socio-cultural and economic background of

the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and South Dayi District where Accra and Peki

district of SDA Church are located were discussed. In addition, a short history of

Adventism in ACC, VSGM and Peki District of SDA Church were presented.

The survey conducted showed that the churches in ACC have adequate human

resources for church activities and evangelism. This also implies that the church has

enough young adults who can support the church in her endeavors. The young adults

in ACC feel they are underutilized. They feel they are not actively involved in the

church; so, their talents are underutilized. This may be because the church through

migration of church members to the big cities has enough personnel to serve in ACC

church and therefore, most of the young adults feel underutilized and unqualified for

evangelism. During the study, the issue of training and mentoring the young adults to

serve in missionary challenged areas was also discovered. The young adults agreed

that if they are trained and mentored, they can serve in other places in the country

especially in Volta Region where there is a missionary challenge.

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 On the other hand, the survey conducted in Peki District also revealed that the

Church in VSGM lacks enough young adults to serve because they believe the young

adults have traveled to the bigger cities. This implies that there is a lack of enough

manpower to support activities of the church in VSGM. The respondents also

discovered that evangelism, which is the driving force for mission in unentered areas

like the Volta Region, is weak. This was attributed to lack of adequate personnel and

logistics. Respondents agreed that external missionary volunteers might be needed if

the vast unentered areas within VSGM are to be reached in reasonable time. And the

few young adults left need to be given training and some incentives to encourage

them so that they can support the mission of the Church in that field.

An intervention was created taking into account analyses of the data acquired

from the surveys, interviews, and discussions with focus groups as well as the

literature study. With the assistance of 30 and 20 young adults from ACC and VSGM,

respectively, the intervention was carried out. The implementation stages of the

intervention lasted for six months. The intervention was analyzed and evaluated and it

was discovered that the strategy produced a positive result as anticipated, especially

the young adults who were the key target group and the entire church. Therefore, it

implies that the strategy was successful in helping solve the problem established.

Final Evaluation

Based on the theological basis, literature review, questionnaires and interview

questions were developed for respondents and focus groups which are in all the six

churches, Labone, Mataheko, New Life Darkuman and Teteogbu churches in ACC

and the Peki district in VSGM. Through the analyses of the survey performed, the

project for the strategy was developed and implemented in the Peki district. A project

like this would never be complete without being analyzed and evaluated. The

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accomplishment or failure is measured by the set goal, objectives, and the expected

outcomes. Again, the observation of the participants, the targeted people for whom

the project was developed must be considered. The objectives were considered in the

workshop presentations, teachings and the entire implementation process of the

strategy which served as object lesson for the participants (young adults) and the Peki

District and VSGM who benefited.

Outcomes

The visible outcomes (results) from the implementation of the project are as

listed below: The expected outcomes of the project were,

a. The general knowledge, understanding and perception of mobilizing

young adults for effective ministry of the volunteers and the churches

involved in the project from ACC and VSGM changed for the better;

b. The young adult's interest in missionary work was boosted;

c. The churches and fields involved in the project, saw the significance of

training and engaging the young adults as missionaries;

d. The young adults saw the empowerment by the Church as significant

training to become future leaders;

e. The intervention encouraged young adults to get involved in church life,

especially in evangelistic endeavors;

f. It also increased the courage of the young adults inmissionary volunteer

services, involvement in church activities, mentoring leadership, and

nurturing.

Responses to interviews after the project revealed that these outcomes were

achieved accordingly – there has been improvements in all the stages of

implementation. The outcomes from the project were significant. They brought

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encouragement, boosted the faith of the participants and opened a new chapter in the

Church’s methods of evangelism for ACC, VSGM, SGUC and Peki District of the

Church.

Conclusions

In conclusion, it is obvious from this project that the concept of mobilizing

young adults for effective ministry and for the Adventist Youth Ministries which hasa

sole objective of mobilizing, training, mentoring, and involving the youth for service

has theological and practical foundations in the Holy Scriptures. It is evident in the

study that the young people in the time past have played significant roles in both

religious and secular fields.

The research conducted in the ACC and Peki District of Seventh-day

Adventist Church indicated that the ACC has adequate young adults whose talents are

underutilized because they are not actively involved in the church. The majority of

these young adults are interested in outreach work and missionary trips to any part of

the country, especially in the Volta region. Because the local churches in Accra have

enough human resources for evangelism, the young adults are not adequately involved

in church life. Again, the research conducted in the VSGM confirmed that VSGM

lacks young adults to serve. This is because a number of young adults have travelled

to the bigger cities (Accra and elsewhere) for education and livelihood. VSGM has

vast unentered areas where the Church is yet to register its presence but it lacks

adequate logistics and personnel to support effective evangelism. External missionary

volunteers are needed if the vast unentered areas within VSGM are to be reached in a

reasonable time.

The effective strategy and programs to mobilize the young adults for effective

ministry include teaching, training and equipping, empowering, mentoring, discipling,

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and involving of young adults in church life. It has become necessary to rekindle the

spirit of missionary work among the young adults. But to the researcher, more

emphasis should be laid on to teaching/training and mentorship in accordance with

Christ’s method of ministry. Christ is the perfect model.

Lessons Learned

Some lessons were learned through the study and implementation of the project as

listed below:

1. With the assistance of the team of trained young adults, the capable

assistance from the leadership of the six local churches in Accra, the Peki

district, the ACC, VSGM, the SGUC, and the teamwork of the entire

membership, particularly the respondents and interviewees, the project was

successfully carried out and implemented. This showed how willing the

church was to participate in any research or study that might further its

goal.As a student in Youth and Young Adult Ministry program, I learned

that the whole project was mission-focused. And the reason is that the

entire church and the Adventist Youth Ministries Department especially

lives for missions. This result buttressed the convictions which led to the

birth of this project. That is, as the young ones are mobilized, trained,

mentored, empowered and involved in the church endeavors, they could

champion the mission agenda of the church as the strategy has confirmed.

A number of challenges were encountered and learned which include:

2. Although the objectives set for the project were met through the

mobilization, for teaching and training workshops, and the entire

implementation of the project, not all the set objectives could be fully

attained as desired, making it appear to be impracticable or unattainable.

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 3. The implementation and post implementation time which was slated to

cover six months (March-August) coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic

restrictions and lockdown. This affected the progress of the monitoring

and other post-implementation activities. As a result, it has been

discovered that when setting deadlines for a crucial project like this one,

one must consider all possible outcomes.

4. Due to this unexpected eventuality which was beyond our strength, the

time set for the whole dissertation project did not realized and as a result

the entire project delayed.

5. Though the goal of the project was realized, the implementation was very

capital intensive, as the funds mobilized for the campaign and the lamp

shelter got finished in the course of time and it affected the smooth

implementation of the project. It therefore became necessary to do further

mobilization of funds through some friends to support the project to its

completion. It has been learned that one has to be more careful, more

meticulous in budgetary projections for research projects.

6. All the questionnaires were written in English only, none in the vernacular.

That affected a lot of people who could have answered the questionnaires,

especially the section that required respondents to give their opinions. To

solve this unanticipated challenge, oral interviews were used to fill that

gap. It took time for some of the responses in the questionnaires which

were answered orally to be clearly understood for analyses.

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 Recommendations

To respond to the desire of the young adults to engage in mission of the

church, and other activities in VSGM and other Adventist churches elsewhere, the

following suggested areas of concern are recommended to pastors, church leaders,

youth leaders, and church members for consideration and application.

Church leaders and Christians must understand and appreciate the concept of

mobilizing young people for mission whether in religious or secular fields. Young

adults should be empowered to engage in God’s saving agenda.

1. The Adventist Youth Ministries Department needs to be sufficiently

empowered and supported at all levels of the church in order to be able to

work effectively in God's mission on earth in these last days. The

department is mandated by the church to minister for and through its young

people to reach the young people in the church and those outside the church

through fellowship, nurture, worship, and mission.Young adults should

consider themselves as the wings of the Three Angels of God in Rev. 14:6-

12 endowed with spiritual gifts to advance the mission of God in their

churches and communities and beyond.

2. The SGUC must declare VSGM field and the entire Volta Region as its

mission field where more resources will be committed to ensure the

propagation of the gospel, and the establishment of more churches with

decent church buildings.

3. Big churches in ACC as part of their evangelistic activities must be

encouraged to mobilize their resources and manpower to evangelize in the

numerous unentered areas in VSGM and the Volta Region to plant and

mentor new churches.

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 4. The Church leaders, pastors, and elders should make use of the best

principles for mobilizing young adults for effective ministry which includes

teaching/training, involvement, equipping, mentorship, discipling,

empowering as missionary volunteers.More emphasis should be laid on

mentoring and training/teaching inthe pure Bible doctrines and mission as

the sole objective of the church’s existence.

5. The Adventist Youth Ministries Department of ACC should create a

missionary club which should be known as Young Adults Missionary

Volunteers Club (YMVC) which should seek to mobilize young adults’

missionary volunteers fromall professions and education institutions like

the medical professionals, music groups, teachers, student pastors, artisans

(carpenters, masons,etc.).These must be trained and supported to embark on

outreach work and missionary trips to communitieswithin ACC and Volta

Region.

6. Young adults in ACC churches must be encourage to adopt a church,

mostly, the youth department of the church in VSGM and help to nurture

and mentor so that the young people can beprepared for active service and

involvementin the mission of VSGM.

It is recommended that additional research be done in this area of study

because future researchers will need to carefully investigate more ways of utilizing

the talents of the young people in the church in a way that will strengthen the mission

of the church. With this program in ACC, it is believed that further successes will be

obtained for the Youth Ministries Department, specifically the church as a whole,

provided other studies and strategies are explored and properly implemented.

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 APPENDICES

143
 APPENDIX A

PERMISSION LETTERSTO ACC AND VSGM TO CONDUCT THE RESEARCH

144
145
 APPENDIX B

PERMISSION LETTERS FROM ACC AND VSGM

146
147
 APPENDIXC

PERMISSION LETTERSTO ACC AND VSGM TO

IMPLEMENT RESEARCH INTERVENTIONS

148
149
 APPENDIXD

PERMISSION LETTERS FROM ACC AND VSGM

TO IMPLEMENT RESEARCHINTERVENTIONS

150
151
 APENDIX E

RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRES

ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF AFRICA, KENYA

A SHORT SURVEY
I am a Doctor of Ministry Candidate of the above University doing research on the
topic MOBILIZING YOUNG ADULTS IN ACCRA FOR EFFECTIVE
MINISTRY IN PEKI DISTRICT OF VOLTA SOUTH GHANA MISSION.
Please take a few moments to answer the following questions as your contribution to
the research. Every information you provide will be treated with confidentiality.
Please do not write your name on this survey sheet.Thank you.

PART 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Age: 16 – 20 [ ] 21 – 25 [ ] 26-30 [ ] above 30 [ ]
2. Gender: Male [ ] Female [ ]
3. Marital Status: Married [ ] Single [ ] Divorced [ ] Widow(er) [ ]
4. Local Church: …………………………………………………………..
5. Baptized: …………………………. ………. When: ………………………..
6. Status (Current position in the local Church/District), Indicate all applicable
ones:
Church administrator [ ]Church Elder [ ] Departmental Leader/Assistant Leader
[ ] Church member [ ] Parent [ ] Youth Leader [ ] Youth Member [ ]
7. Previous position/office in the local Church; Indicate all that apply:
Church administrator [ ] Church Elder [ ] Departmental Leader/Assistant
Leader [ ] Church member [ ] Parent [ ] Youth Leader [ ] Youth Member [ ]
8. Years involved in your current local church: 1-5 years [ ] 5-10 years [ ]
10-15 years [ ] 15+ years [ ]
9. Highest Educational Qualification: Basic Education [ ] SHS Leaver [ ]
HND [ ] Degree [ ] Post-graduate [ ]
PART 2 EVALUATION QUESTIONS
A. How would you rate the following elements in your local church/district using
the scale below:
1=Excellent 2=Good 3= Fair (Good, but needs improvement) 4= Bad 5 = Very
bad
1 2 3 4 5
1 Involvement of young adults in your church activities
2 Involvement of young adults in your local church/District
leadership?
3 Effectiveness of evangelistic activities within your local
church/district compared to any other Adventist District?
4 Active involvement of young Adults in your church

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 evangelistic programs
5 Spirit of loyalty and commitment on the part of church
members for evangelistic programs
6 The capabilities of chuch members in embarking on
evangalism
7 The capabilities of young adults in embarking on evangalism

B. Using the scale below, please indicate the extent to which you agree or
disagree with following statements:
1=Strongly Agree 2= Agree 3= Neutral 4= Disagree 5- Strongly disagree
1 2 3 4 5
1 If the young adults in your local Church/District are not
actively involved in the church their talents are underutilized
2 The weak evangelistic performance of my Church/District is
because there are Adventist churches all around the
community
3 My local Church/District has more than enough adequate
human resources for effective evangelism
4 My local Church/District has enough Young Adults for
effective evangelism?
5 My local Church/District has enough personnel (church
members) to support evangelism apart from the young adults
6 If the young adults are trained and mentored they can serve in
other places like Volta Region where there is missionary
challenge
7 I am particularly interested in community outreach
8 I am interested in the possibility of missionary work (local,
national, international)
9 I am interested in attending missionary trips to any part of the
country
10 I am interested in attending missionary trips to the Volta
Region

C. To what extent do you agree that the following are major barriers/hindereance
to the involvement of young adults in the evangelistic activities of the church?
Please use the scale below:
1=Strongly Agree 2= Agree 3= Neutral 4= Disagree 5- Strongly disagree
1 2 3 4 5
1 Most young adults are busy with work
2 Lack of motivation/encouragement
3 Lack of training
4 Lack of Mentorship
5 Lack of involvement in church activities/missions
6 Most feel inadequate and unqualified

D. Kindly suggest possible ways of mobilizing young adults in Accra for effective
mission in some areas in Volta Ghana Mission of SDA Church at the back of this
sheet:

153
 ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF AFRICA, KENYA
A SHORT SURVEY
I am a Doctor of Ministry Candidate of the above University doing research on the
topic,MOBILIZING YOUNG ADULTS IN ACCRA FOR EFFECTIVE
MINISTRY IN PEKI DISTRICT OF VOLTA SOUTH GHANA MISSION.
Please take a few moments to answer the following questions as your contribution to
the research. Every information you provide will be treated with confidentiality.
Please do not write your name on this survey sheet.Thank you.

PART 1 – GENERAL INFORMATION

10. Age: Below 20 [ ] 20 – 30 [ ] 30-40 [ ] 40 – 50 [ ] above 50 [ ]
11. Gender: Male [ ] Female [ ]
12. Marital Status: Married [ ] Single [ ] Divorced [ ] Widow(er) [ ]
13. Local Church: ……………………………………………………………..
14. Baptized: ……………………………. When: ……………………………
15. Status (Current position in the local Church/District), Indicate all applicable
ones:
Church administrator [ ]Church Elder [ ] Departmental Leader/Assistant Leader
[ ] Church member [ ] Parent [ ] Youth Leader [ ] Youth Member [ ]
16. Previous position/office in the local Church; Indicate all that apply:
Church administrator [ ] Church Elder [ ] Departmental Leader/Assistant
Leader [ ] Church member [ ] Parent [ ] Youth Leader [ ] Youth Member [ ]
17. Years involved in your current local church: 1-5 years [ ] 5-10 years [ ]
10-15 years [ ] 15+ years [ ]
18. Highest Educational Qualification: Basic Education [ ] SHS Leaver [ ]
HND [ ] Degree [ ] Post-graduate [ ]

PART 2 EVALUATION QUESTIONS

E. How would you rate the following elements in your local church/district using
the scale below:
1= Very Bad 2=Bad 3= Fair (Good, but needs improvement) 4= Good 5 =
Excellent
1 2 3 4 5
1 Do you have enough Young Adults in your local
church/District?
2 Involvement of young adults in your church activities?
3 Effectiveness of evangelistic activities within your local
church/district compared to any other Adventist District?
4 Active involvement of young Adults in your church
evangelistic programs
5 Spirit of loyalty and commitment on the part of church
members for evangelistic programs
6 The capabilities of chuch members in embarking on
evangelistic activities
7 The capabilities of young adults in embarking on evangelistic
activities

F. Using the scale below, please indicate the extent to which you agree or
disagree with following statements:

154
 1=Strongly Disagree 2= Disagree 3= Neutral 4= Agree 5- Strongly
Agree
1 2 3 4 5
1 The weak evangelistic performance of my church/district is
due to lack of adequate personnel
2 The weak evangelistic performance of my church/district is
due to lack of adequate logistics
3 My local church/district has more than enough adequate
human resources for effective evangelism
4 My local church/District has enough Young Adults for
effective evangelism?
5 My local church/district has enough personnel (church
members) to support evangelism apart from the young adults
6 If external volunteers’ come in to support local/district young
adults for evangelistic programs, it will help improve the
evangelistic situation in my local church/district.
7 I am particularly interested in community outreach
8 The Young adults in my local church/district are actively
involved in evangelism
9 The low involvement of young adults in evangelism is
because of lack of training and mentorship?

G. To what extent do you agree that the following are major barriers/hindereance
to the involvement of young adults in the evangelistic activities of the church?
Please use the scale below:
1=Strongly Disagree 2= Disagree 3= Neutral 4= Agree 5- Strongly
Agree
1 2 3 4 5
1 Most young adults within the district have love educational
levels
2 The young adults in the church have all travelled to bigger
cities
3 There is lack of adequate young adults to serve
4 There is Lack of training
5 Most feel inadequate and unqualified
6 There is too much influence from idol worship in the area
7 Majority of people hold a wrong perception of the Adventist
church

Kindly suggest possible ways of mobilizing young adults to do effective outreach

ministry in unentered areas in Peki district of SDA Church at the back of this sheet:

155
 APPENDIX F

TIMELINES OF OUTLINED ACTIVITIES FOR THE PROJECT

DATE ACTIVITIES VENUE REMARKS

October 08, 2019 Letter for Permission to ACC Accra Done
October 08, 2019 Letter for Permission to VSGM Ho Done
October 10, 2019 Permission Letter Received from ACC, Accra Done
January 15 2020 Permission Letter Received from ACC, Accra Done
October 12& 19, 2019 Survey Questionnaires to 6 Churches from ACC Done
October 26 & Nov.2,2019Survey Questionnaire to
9 Churches from VSGM Done
November 10, 2019Recruitment and Training of Facilitators, ACC Done
November17, 2019 Sensitization Meeting with Peki District Done
December 8, 15, 19,2019 Recruitment of Young Adults
Missionary Volunteers Done
January4, 5, 12, 2019 Training of Young Adults Missionary Volunteers Done
January 06, 2020Letter for Permission to VSGM Ho Done
-------------------- Letter for Permission Received from VSGM Ho Done
January 21, 2020 Commencement of Implementation at Peki District Done
Jan. 22-Feb.2, 2020,10 Days Evangelistic Campaign at Dzemeni Done
Febrauary 3, 2020 Meeting with Peki District/VSGM Leadership Done
February16-29Campaign Follow-up with the New Church at Dzemeni Done
October3, 2020, End of 6-month implementation&
Monitoring Program for Evaluation Done
November 21, 2020 Final evaluation with Peki District &
ACC Missionary Volunteers Teams Done
January 2&12,2021 Discussion and Reporting to Peki District/VSGM Done
January 19, 26, 2021 Discussion and Reporting to ACC and SGUCAccra Done

156
 APPENDIX G

BUDGET FOR THE INTERVENTION PROGRAM

All Amounts are in Ghana Cedi (GhS)

1. Printing of cost 2 banners @ GhS300 = 600
2. Printing cost of 50 copies of Handouts = 150
3. Feeding cost for the Facilitators Recruitment /Training Meeting = 300
4. Feeding cost for the Sensitization Meeting for the district =300
5. Feeding Cost for Young Adults Missionary Volunteers Trainings = 550
6. Evangelistic Campaign Expenses = 4,500
7. Building of Lampshelter = 7,800
7. Gifts (booklets, pamphlets) = 200
8. Writing Aids (note pads, pens) = 120
9. Gratitude/Appreciation package for facilitators = 1,000
11. Post Implementation Monitoring Cost for the entire project = 700
12. Miscellaneous @ GhS 100 per Church = 200
TOTAL = 16,420
(a) GhS7.10 = US$ 1.00
(b) In other to raise the above amount to be able to run the entire project, SGUC, ACC
responded to our sponsorship proposals by donating half of the total amount (GhS
8,000.00). The rest of the budget were supported by the Young Adults Volunteers and
personals friends.

157
 APPENDIX H

SAMPLE OF THE PROJECT BANNER

ADVENTIST YOUTH MINISTRIES DEPARTMENT

YOUNG ADULTS MISSIONARY TRIP TO VOLTA REGION

THEME: “Mobilizing Young Adults For Effective Mission in Volta Region”

DATE: Wednesday, January 22, to Saturday, February1, 2020

ACTIVITIES: Evangelistic Campaign AT Dzemini To Plant A New Church

Building of a Lamp Shelter For The New Church

Musical Concerts at various Towns & Villages

Sharing of Used Clothing/Free Health Screening

VENUES: Dzemini, Volta Region

PARTICIPANTS: Young Adults Volunteers Are Welcomed to Join this Missionary

Trip

There’s Another Task to Do, There’s a Battle to Renew And the Captain Calls for

You, VOLUNTEERS! VOLUNTEERS!

158
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 VITA

Name: Alfred Kwasi Asiem

Contact: +233503538734
Background: I am native ofAsanta, Ghana but was raised in Takoradi. I have five
older siblings and was raised in the Seventh-day Adventist Church by
loving parents. I was baptized into the body of Christ and became a
Seventh-day Adventist at a the age of 17. Apart from the secondary
school level, the rest of my education were inAdventist Christian
schools; both elementary and university.
Family: I was married on January22, 2002 to EstherAsiem who is from Busia,
Ghana. We have two daughters, Ellen Asiem. (Born in 2006) and
LoisAsiem. (Born in 2009).
Education:
2017-2022 Adventist University of Africa. Doctor of Ministry Candidate (Youth
and Young Adult Ministry)
2012-2014 Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS),
Philippines. Masters in Religion (Church Ministry and Mission)
1998-2001 Griggs University, Valley View University Extension Campus.BA in
Religion
1994-1997 Nsein Secondary School. West Africa Examination Certificate
1991-1994 Asanta SDA Junior Secondary School. Basic Education Certificate
Examination
Ordaination:
2007- Ordained and currently hold ministerial credentials from Southern
Ghana Union Conference, Accra, Ghana.

Experience:
2022 to – Date Youth Director, West-Central Africa Division
2020-2022 Youth Director, Southern Ghana Union Conference of SDA Church
2015-2020 Youth Director, Southern Ghana Union Conference of SDA Church
2014-2015 Youth Director, South West Ghana Conference of SDA Church
2014-2015 Takoradi West District Pastor &Chaplain, Nagel Memorial Adventist
Clinic
2013-2014 Treasurer, AIIAS African Adventist Theological Association
2010-2012 Youth Director, South-West Ghana Conference of SDA Church
2008-2012 District Pastor, Tarkwa East District
2002-2006 Associate Youth Director, South West Ghana Conference
2002-2007 District Pastor, Elubo District
2001-2002 Associate Church Pastor, Takoradi Central Church
2000-2001 Valley View University Student Association (VAVIUSA) Assistant
Food Representative

166