Growing into Spiritual Maturity
When you love someone, it’s hard to hide that love. We see this when a bride and groom gaze into each other’s eyes as they say their vows; when a parent snuggles their newborn baby…
Ministering as Christ Did
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” ( John 15:12 NIV) What does it really look like to love others as Jesus loves us? We see this important principle reiterated…
Adventist Education and Views on Salvation
Many Seventh-day Adventists feel very strongly about the importance of educating our children in denominational schools; while public schools may do a fine job educating children’s minds, they often neglect a wholistic education—specifically, they neglect…
The Importance of Support Systems at Church
In our last blog, we spoke about a study that examined Seventh-day Adventist young people across the United States to find ways we might encourage them to stay in the church. This time we will…
Connecting at Church: Young People
Research on the subject of church warmth suggests that relationships are central to the “church” experience, but there appears to be a mix of conflict and lack of connection across various aspects of church life…
Can Discipleship Be Measured? Quantitative Research in the SPD
When you hear the word “grow,” what comes to your mind? Many people will think of something related to nature such as a garden or flowers, or maybe the way in which a tiny seed…
Qualitative Research on Discipleship in the SPD
As Jesus ascended into Heaven, having wrapped up His work on earth, His final words were ones of not only comfort but also of instruction. He commanded His followers to make disciples. And extraordinarily, Jesus’…
The Role of Thinking Climate in a Local Church
A personal relationship with Jesus Christ – a relationship that is cultivated through one-on-one time with Him through Bible Study and prayer – is central to a strong faith, but there are many aspects of…
A Warm Church Part 2: The Early Church Model
There is so much we can learn about what a warm, inviting church should look like when we reflect on the early church. The book of Acts 2:42-47 tells us: They devoted themselves to the…
A Warm and Caring Church Part 1
We live in a time where it seems as if you can read reviews on everything. If you are shopping online, you can read what others have said about a product you’re interested in. If…