Total Membership Involvement strategy for mission at Nyegezi SDA Church-Mwanza City, Tanzania

Abstract

In recent years the Seventh-day Adventist denomination leadership has increasingly used a strategy for Total Member Involvement as its core mission initiative. However, there has been a scarcity of studies dealing with the issue. This project was to develop and train church members at Nyegezi SDA Church, on the importance of being supportive to being fully involved in mission activities which essentially goes beyond supporting the church through tithe and offering. A theological undergirding for this project was developed from the six biblical and one non-biblical character on how they lived Total-Member Involvement (TMI). TMI is the modern term that is used to explain the special approach to involve every church member in a special experience of serving God practically. The Biblecharacters studied in the context of TMI included Moses on family and possessions (Exod 10:7-10, 21-24), Jethro on Delegation (Exod 18:18-24); Nehemiah on Opposition (Nehemiah 4:1-6); Jesus on missionary report (Mark 6:30-31); Apostles on Holy Spirit Outpouring (Acts 2:1-3) and Paul on Unity (1 Cor. 1:10). The non-biblical character featured is Ellen G. White through an online search in the Ellen G. White Estate portal. The field research drew a sample of 260 respondents across various age cohorts using stratified sampling. The empirical data was collected in the pre-test phase to identify the problem. Thereafter intervention was done after post-test data collection was done to provide the final evaluation. The finding showed four souls joined the church, one soul was baptized; various areas of the church ministry were improved. These were frequency of church attendance; personal devotion, reading bible study guide, witnessing, church satisfaction, and sense of being empowered for Total Member Involvement. However, two aspects did not show improvement; these are reading the bible and reading Ellen G. White's books. It is recommended Nyegezi SDA Church Members continue sustaining the revival of the Total Member Involvement approach that has started. More emphasis should be put on reading the bible and Ellen G. White Books as they are the foundation in strengthening the witness of the church. Moreover, South Nyanza Conference (SNC) leadership ought to employ the strategy used in this study as it will help to make more church members join by witnessing and not depending on biological growth only. Lastly, the North Tanzania Union Conference leadership is advised to use the strategy implemented in this study to roll out afresh the Total Member Involvement in all churches using an intervention approach.