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CAS Monthly Newsletter February 2024
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DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES
Study Abroad Opportunities
Faculty & Staff Appreciation Week
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International Center for Trauma Education & Care
English Deportment Student Poetry Published in Spectrum
Desmond Murray Appointed to American Chemical Society\u27s Minority Affairs Committee
JWL Poetry Reading
ACADEMIC & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Research Deadlineshttps://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/casnews/1005/thumbnail.jp
Developing a Small Groups Health Ministry at the Ventura County Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church
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Although the members of the Ventura County Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church (VC KSDA) expressed interest in evangelism, the congregation had not shown evidence of evangelism during the past three years (2017-2020). As the pastor, I suggested that the members lacked a clear, planned, and structured program for outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for small group health programs. This study was to challenge the church to find ways to respond to the growing influence that the church wanted to have on the community.
Method
The program was designed and implemented at the VC KSDA Church in the fall of 2021 and sought to develop a health program for the whole church. I proposed that the theoretical framework for the project be the Love of God Model rather than the Information Model. The case study research methodology was selected and involved surveys, interviews, and participant observation. I wanted a methodology that was useful in exploring the research questions through an interpretation of the insights and experiences of a small, limited group of participants. The data included the participants\u27 questionnaires and learning reflections, my field notes and evaluations, and the interviews of the attendees and the focus group. The data were evaluated using a qualitative case study research methodology and were enriched with a brief quantitative focus on analysis of their learning and practices. This project sought to initiate a small group program in the VC KSDA community. The idea of starting small groups was presented as an outreach method of a health ministry. In the context of spiritual experience, personal health, and development, the small group health ministry was presented as a relevant topic as a follow-up to the effects the COVID 19 pandemic had caused within the local community (see Appendix A).
Results
At the end of the program, the attendees reported a greater awareness of the role and importance of health ministry in their changed lives. They also described an increased sense of personal health principles and divine activity in their health practice that resulted in a deeper discernment of God\u27s healing power. I found that 18% of the members were growing after the health program. Two people have returned to church, two people were baptized, and seven people have joined a small-group Bible study for baptism; there was a general sharing of such healthful life resources as health foods and health-related magazines, and some people also attended regular small group meetings which focused on those matters. In addition, the participants felt that learning and sharing with other people about health led to close relationships between the church and the community, allowing the latter to be connected with the church. I reaffirm my belief that many of the participants will see the health message as their mission. Engaging in health programs also gave the participants an appreciation for the potential that health ministry outreach tools could have in the wider missionary outreach of the commuity.
Conclusions
Based on the program attendees’ learning reflections, this developing small group ministry experience and its structured engagement with health appeared to have practical spiritual and physical benefits with transformational outcomes accruing for some participants. The attendees reported that this program seemed to give the invitation of Jesus and encourage His followers to come to Him, and was seen, in fact, to be the preferred path of healthful living and discipleship. This led to addressing the references to how Jesus made him [an unwell person] whole (Luke 17:14). Therefore, further exploration of this program as a part of 21st century outreach was merited and recommended
Enhancing Clinical Staff Knowledge and Skills in Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) Measurements: A Training Intervention Study in a Small Family Medicine Clinic
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Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common yet often underdiagnosed condition that can lead to serious complications. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) education training program on clinical staff\u27s referral rates, accuracy in performing ABI measurements, knowledge regarding PAD, and confidence levels in a small family medicine clinic in Dallas.
Method
The study utilized a pre- and post-intervention design. Clinical staff participated in a structured ABI training program, after which referral rates to vascular specialists were measured alongside evaluations of accuracy, knowledge, and confidence levels. The paired t-test was employed to analyze the differences in these metrics before and after the intervention. Feedback from participants was also collected via paper surveys to assess the training program\u27s effectiveness.
Results
Pre-intervention referral rates were significantly lower (15%) compared to post-intervention rates (40%) (t(9) = [t-statistic value], p \u3c .05). Additionally, the accuracy of ABI measurements improved, with participants reporting increased knowledge about PAD and greater confidence in making referrals. Feedback from participants revealed overwhelmingly positive responses, with 95% expressing enhanced confidence in performing ABI measurements and referring patients.
Conclusion
The ABI education training program significantly improved referral rates, accuracy in ABI measurements, knowledge of PAD, and confidence levels among clinical staff at the family medicine clinic. The positive participant feedback indicates that targeted education can enhance clinical practices, leading to better patient outcomes. Continued monitoring and follow-up evaluations will be essential to assess the sustainability of these improvements over time
The Missing Blue in Adventism: A Gap in Discipleship and Mission
Get PDFThis article comes from the perspective of a researcher, a practical theologian, and a missiologist. The title The Missing Blue refers to the idea that light consists of three colors (Green, Red, Blue), and because God is light, the analogy of light is relevant for those who believe in the Triune God. We are called to worship the Creator God (represented by the green color) as Ruler of all the universe, God the consuming fire (Deut 4:24; Heb 12:29). Jesus (represented by the red color) teaches us to come to God as our friend, our daddy (John 15:15; Mark 14:36; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:6). The Holy Spirit (represented by the blue color) has been sent to us to be in us (Acts 1:8; Rom 8:9; 1Cor 3:16; 6:19).
How do we grow to experience God in all his fullness? How can our mission reflect who God really is and what he offers? Living in his light and staying radically balanced is possible by keeping our attention on all three colors of God. Moreover, by using all three colors of light (God) our mission work can bring more lasting results. The missing blue refers to a dim incomplete light where the blue spectrum representing the Holy Spirit is missing and thus the picture of reality is distorted, Christian experience is one-sided, and our mission is incomplete
A Strategy To Equip Selected Members of the Gaeta Church To Build Bridges with Immigrants to Draw Them Toward the Fellowship of the Congregation
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Due to the outbreak of a civil war in Libya in 2011, Italy has been experiencing a great influx of immigrants. Many are scattered throughout Italy, including Gaeta. A majority of the Italian members of Gaeta Church do not understand and engage in the call of God to bring all people into the fellowship of the church. This causes a lack of interest in building bridges to reach immigrants.
Method
The task of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a strategy to equip some members of Gaeta church to build bridges with immigrants to draw them toward the fellowship of the congregation. The basis for the development of the strategy came from the knowledge gathered from the theological and literature review chapters. The project was intended to be implemented in two phases. The first phase was the Project Sermons and consists of 12 sermons on the following topics: (a) mission towards immigrants, (2) Jesus, the apostolic church, and the issue of immigrants, (c) ministry practice and foreigners. The second phase was the Project Seminars. This was designed to train and deploy a group of 16 selected members to build bridges with immigrants. The training focuses on five seminars regarding the issue of: (a) bias, (b) overcoming cultural enmities, (c) having knowledge and tools on cultural intelligence, (d) understanding how to interact in a multicultural group, and (e) how to become a healthy multiethnic church. During the seminars, each member would be asked to engage with a person of different ethnicity to learn more of the person’s culture. The final phase of the project was to have a group interview with the 16 selected members to measure their knowledge, ability, and level of involvement in building bridges with immigrants.
Results
All the 16 selected members that were trained and deployed to build bridges with immigrants manifested their interest in the 12 sermons that were preached and in the content of the five seminars, but at the conclusion of the project strategy only 18.75% of the participants decided to engage themselves to build bridges with immigrants to draw them toward the fellowship of the congregation. One and a half month after the conclusion of the project one more participant started interacting and built friendship with an immigrant colleague that decided to visit the Gaeta SDA church. Therefore, at the end of the strategy project 25% of the participants were able to complete the task.
Conclusion
Building bridges with immigrants to draw them toward the fellowship of the congregation is a mission task that requires awareness of the biblical mandate, knowledge and training about the scientific, political, and sociological implications, and faith, love, consistency, and effort in achieving the task. During the training process, the 16 selected members learned about the effect of mixophobia (the fear of the unknown and the uncontrollable dislike towards the massive presence of unknown individuals) and mixophilia (the attraction or pleasure of the natives to encounter and engage with foreigners). Five weeks were not enough to build a deep friendship, but enough to begin meaningful interaction and dialog with a foreign person. From the outcomes of the interactions with immigrant people it was evident that it requires an investment of time and persistence to build bridges with immigrants or foreign people. Therefore, training to sensitize the church members on multicultural and multiethnic mission and ministry should be periodic in order for them to get use to the idea and practice of the latter
The United States in Prophecy part 2
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Here is the Study Guide for the week ending June 22, 2024.
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Blessed Are Those Who Believe
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Witness that Jesus is the Messiah
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Here is the Study Guide for the week ending October 26, 2024.
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Signs of Christ\u27s Divinity
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Here is the Study Guide for the week ending October 12, 2024.
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