Training Pastors and Church Members to Reach the Upper Class Through Literature Ministry in the City of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

The Seventh-day Adventist Church consistently makes evangelistic efforts to proclaim the everlasting gospel. However, in many places, the church has not been able to reach persons of the middle and upper class in society. For many years, efforts have been made to evangelize in the city of Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire Conference. There have been many public campaigns, mega campaigns, satellite campaigns, and small group campaigns, which is a parfait method, run by local as well as international preachers. Most of them have taken place in Abidjan and other major cities in Côte d’Ivoire in the late 1990s and early 2000s. These methods have yielded great results. The membership increased from 4000 in 1995 to 13536 in 2012. Since the official recognition of the church in March 1946, almost 4000 persons have joined the Church, while in 17 years, more than 9000 have joined. Since 2000, the yearly average baptism in the Côte d’Ivoire Conference has been about five hundred people, the majority of whom are from people of lower socioeconomic status. It appears that the most responsiveness to the message of the Adventist Church is among the poorer segments of the population. The unsuccessful attempts to win persons in the upper class have led the church to marginalize this group of people or ignore them. The main question of the study was how can the middle and upper classes in Abidjan be reached with the Good News by use of the Literature Ministry in the Church? This research used a mixed method approach which involved key methods of data gathering: participant observation, interviews, training seminars, focus group discussions, and key informants. However, relevant literature which consisted of the Bible, reference books, journals, magazines, newspapers, web-based resources, and unpublished works on literature ministries were also consulted. Informal interviews with both church members and people in the upper class were conducted to understand their worldview and needs better. Based on this information, a strategy was developed, implemented, and evaluated. This dissertation will stimulate pastors and laymen to become more aware of the role of literature ministry in the outreach of the Church and implement similar strategies in their areas of work. Additionally, this project could promote discussion among leaders of the SDA Church regarding making literature ministry more central in evangelism. It provides a necessary emphasis to an apparently neglected evangelistic strategy to reach the middle and upper class. This dissertation can be a practical manual providing a meaningful strategy for all SDA Churches regardless of their size, geographical and cultural setting. Furthermore, this dissertation serves to enhance knowledge of the use and value of literature ministry. The ultimate goal of God’s mission on earth has always been the salvation of all people regardless of their race, gender and social status. The Great Commission states that the Gospel is to be preached to every nation and people (Matt 28: 18-20; Mark 16: 15-16; Rev 14: 6-12). Therefore, there is an urgent need to extend the Church’s mission to people in the upper class because their salvation is part of God’ plan.