2018-2019 Grant in Aid of Research

Toward Sustainable Discipleship: Identifying Challenges and Developing Guidelines for Muslim-Background Contextual Believers in Ethiopia

Temesgen Bulti Besha

There is a huge challenge in discipling Muslim Background Believers (MBB) in the Seventh-day Adventist contextual movements in Ethiopia. Some leave the faith within a few months of baptism, only few reverting to Islam. Others do not regularly attend weekly fellowship. Some show up only on annual conferences and remain aloof the rest of the year. Almost half or more do not practice stewardship. Only few are active in witnessing. It is evident from these facts that the Ethiopian Seventh-day Adventist contextual ministry has a basic discipling problem, and there is need for a research-based strategy to be developed to encourage more effective and authentic discipleship growth among MBBs. This evaluative study will (a) develop discipleship evaluation tools based on a literature review, the Scriptures, and the Spirit of Prophecy; (b) evaluate the current practice of the ministry to identify the discipleship problems; and (c)  develop effective discipleship guidelines that can be used among contextual Muslim outreach ministries.