Roger L. Dudley, Director

Ginger Ellison, Office manager

I. MISSION, PHILOSOPHY, AND PURPOSES

The mission of The Institute of Church Ministry (ICM) is to share the expertise and resources of Andrews University with the Adventist church in North America, thus aiding denominational decision-makers and facilitating the larger church in the accomplishment of its goals.  The work of ICM is based on the belief that the tools of social science can join with Biblical and theological insights in advancing the objectives of the church.   The purpose of ICM is to provide resources for ministry in meeting the challenges of a variety of issues in the contemporary world.  This mission and purpose are carried out through research, publications, development of materials, leadership training, information processing, and consultation.

II. HISTORY

The concept of the Institute of Church Ministry began in 1978 when the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (NAD) asked Andrews University Seminary professor, Des Cummings, Jr., to direct a study of church growth within the Division.  The need for empirical research in the field of church ministry became apparent, thus prompting the establishment of ICM at the November 1979 meeting of the Andrews University Board of Trustees.  The Institute officially opened on January 1, 1980.  Des Cummings, Jr. served as director until August 1984.  Roger L. Dudley, professor of Christian Ministry at the Seminary, has served as director since then.  Ginger Ellison has served as office manager and project director since 1989.

ICM is located on the lower floor of the Seminary building.  Beginning with one room, it has gradually expanded into a complex of four offices and a workroom.  In 1984, ICM entered into a sustaining relationship with the North American Division which has continued to be its major client.

III. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND CURRENT OPERATIONS

The director of ICM reports to the Dean of the Seminary but also works very closely with the Assistant to the President of the North American Division for Information and Research.  The Institute encompasses the North American Division Strategic Resource Center, which serves as consultant to the administrative unit of the Adventist church in the United States and Canada and has an on-going relationship with NAD.  At their beginnings the Youth Resource Center (now the Center for Youth Evangelism) and the Center of Continuing Education for Ministry were also located within ICM, but both have now achieved independent status.  The Center for Human Relations was also located within ICM for nearly ten years until its transfer to the NAD office in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1991.

The staff consists of a full-time director, a full-time office manager, and a number of graduate and undergraduate students who serve as research assistants or provide secretarial, clerical, or computer services.  In addition ICM contracts services as necessary from other individuals (such as University professors, translators, statisticians, etc.) with special expertise for the task at hand.

IV. BUDGETARY PROVISIONS

The budget for ICM comes from three main sources.  The first is income for services provided for denominational entities.  The major supplier is the North American Division which budgets a yearly sustaining grant.  In addition to its on-going relationship with NAD, ICM provides services on a fee basis for other organizations such as various departments of the General Conference, local conferences, local congregations, and journals such as the Adventist Review and Ministry.  The second source is income for services rendered the University, principally teaching and guiding dissertations by the director on the shared-salary plan.  The third is from sales of various materials that ICM has produced.  In addition, there are non-budgetary benefits provided by the University such as housing, utilities, accounting, and computer services.

V. PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The Institute of Church Ministry has sought and continues to seek to carry out its mission in a variety of ways.

Research on church issues.  ICM has been heavily involved in social scientific research for the church.  Since 1980, approximately 70 major research projects have been completed.  Topics have included a wide range such as:  factors related to church growth in North America, ministerial morale, evaluation of materials and services offered by the General Conference, attitudes toward giving, religious commitment among Hispanic youth, attitudes of adolescents toward the church, an evaluation of ministerial training in the American Adventist church, the role of women in the church, more effective means of marketing the Adventist message to non-Adventists, chemical usage in the church, the status of women employees in the denomination, attitudes toward women elders, assessments of church ministry activities, factors influencing converts to join the   church, factors influencing members to leave the church, preferences of readers of the "Adventist Review", political attitudes and behaviors among Adventists, survey of delegates to conference sessions, the Adventist family in North America, and stress among seminary students.  Some studies have been published in scholarly journals such as Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Review of Religious Research, Adolescence, Family Science Review, Journal of Psychology and Christianity, Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, and Journal for Research in Christian Education, and many have been published in denominational, professional, or general-readership journals or have been included as chapters in books.  More than thirty papers have been presented at the annual meetings of professional yed over the years and have gained new skills in ministry.  One former worker, now a successful minister, wrote to say that he had learned more from his work experience than from all his class work.  Another went on to study for a Ph.D. in sociology at Notre Dame under a scholarship, returned to serve on the Andrews University faculty, and today is a vice-president of an Adventist University.  He credits ICM with sparking his interest in church research.  A third has served in the General Conference Church Ministries Department.  A fourth is serving as dean at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies in the Philippines.

VI. STUDIES RECENTLY COMPLETED

Youth retention study.  Over 1500 Adventist teenagers, randomly selected from all of NAD, were surveyed each year for ten years in an attempt to discover the factors influencing dropout from or retention in the church.  A longitudinal study of this kind had never before been attempted by any church.  Preparation for the study, collection of the data over ten years, and analyzing and writing on the findings was a major concern of ICM from 1982 to 1998--a full 16 years.  A major book manuscript has recently been submitted to a publisher.

NAD retirement study.  ICM surveyed a random selection of denominational employees in NAD to determine their knowledge and attitudes toward the present and future retirement plans.  This study provided a base for the retirement committee as it drafted the new Defined Contribution Plan and made adjustments in the present Defined Benefits Plan.

Survey of criteria for hiring pastors.  Presidents and ministerial directors of the NAD conferences were asked to rate the criteria they used in hiring pastors--both those new to the work and those currently employed in another field.  The information is helpful in designing ministerial education.

Survey on continuing education in ministry.  ICM surveyed 500 pastors randomly selected from the NAD to determine preferences for short continuing education seminars.   The questions included subjects, venues, and preferred time slots.

VII. STUDIES CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS

Effective pastor study.  This study attempts to differentiate between what characterizes effective pastors and those who are less effective.  Hundreds of pastors were surveyed as well as leading lay officers of their congregations and conference ministerial directors.  Comparisons are being made on education, experience, activities, time priorities, and personality among others.  Peter Swanson of the Christian Ministry Department of the Seminary is writing out the results of the study for his Ph.D. dissertation.

M.Div. curriculum review survey.  NAD and the Seminary are doing a joint study on theological education in the Division.  This will result in a revised curriculum for the Master of Divinity degree.  To obtain input as to the ministerial product desired by the field, ICM has constructed a survey based on the work of a number of Seminary faculty study groups and on four focus groups from around the Division.  The survey is being sent to 800 pastors, 800 church officers, and all union and conference presidents and ministerial directors.

Cooperative Congregational Study Project (CCSP).  In an unprecedented project over 30 denominations in the United States have joined forces to construct a common questionnaire and survey congregations with the purposes of discovering how to strengthen congregational life and to make congregations a force in American society.  The project is headed by the Hartford Seminary Foundation and financed by a major grant from the Lilly Foundation and contributions from contributing denominations.  ICM will collect the data for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, surveying approximately 700 congregations beginning January 2000.  Refining the instrument and developing the collection strategies are the tasks of 1999.

VIII. ON-GOING PROJECTS

Member surveys.  Each autumn and winter, ICM surveys the members of 90 congregations selected to be representative as to size, ethnicity, and geographical region.  The questionnaire regularly asks items about the personal ministries of the members and standard demographic questions.  The various departments of the Division each have a chance to insert a few questions.  Each year one special subject is featured. Past examples have been worship preferences, stewardship, communication, and Net satellite evangelism.

Church officer surveys.  Each spring a random sample of principal congregational officers is surveyed by telephone.  This allows Division leaders to keep a finger on the pulse of what is happening out among the churches.

Demographic studies.  As described above, ICM works with Percept on a continuing basis to supply demographic profiles of specific communities as an aid to more effective evangelism for local congregations or overall denominational organizations.

Publication.  The Association of Adventist Family Life Professionals is a key organization in the NAD Department of Family Ministries.  Since its inception in 1991, ICM has produced and its director has edited its official publication: FAMILY LIFE.

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