| dc.description.abstract | The program development focused on Waterford Seventh-day Adventist
Church located in Waterford district in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It was necessary to
ascertain whether the SDA Church in Waterford experienced challenges in growth
because of non-member participation, its location, and or its economic activities. It
was also important to mobilize members so as to enhance growth and retention. It is
from this background that there was need to carefully help the church realize growth
through the discipling program. The development of this program was a follow up on
the repeated calls from the South Zimbabwe Conference leadership on the need to
increase member participation.
The pattern followed by this study involved some revival prayer meetings, all
night prayers, and ten days of prayer. Furthermore, some Bible seminars, training
seminars, Preaching seminars, small group ministries, spiritual gifts seminars, and special program emphasis, were conducted in order to improve member-participation
in church activities and their retention.
The findings of the study were that members could participate in the activities
and programs of the church if mobilized, encouraged, and well trained. It was further
realized that the church is located in an area that is hardly expanding in terms of
population growth. It is surrounded by small-scale farming plots. The study also
found out that the intensive farming activities in the surrounding area affects numbers
in the church, soul-winning endeavors, and even Sabbath observance.
The study concluded that with proper training and guidance, church members
can be revived such that they can participate in all church programs and activities.
The study further concluded that even if the area is a closed type of environment for
evangelism, souls can still be baptized for Christ. It was also concluded from the
study that the small group program, health promotion expos, special needs programs,
and Bible Centre concept, are effective methods in keeping the church alive and
steadily growing as opposed to public evangelism. | en_US |
