Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry in the East London Church

Author

Andrew C. Fleming, Abilene Christian UniversityFollow

Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Primary Advisor

Carson Reed

Secondary Advisor

Wes Crawford

Committee Reader

Mason Lee

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to implement a qualitative evaluation process to measure the progress of the East London Church’s transition toward a flatter team-based ministry model. The research evaluated the effectiveness, fitness for purpose, and procedural weaknesses of the church's articulated leadership goals, which included equipping members for ministry, increasing member involvement, forming ministry teams, and sharing power and resources. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative data from two Church Health Assessment (CHA) surveys separated by a three-year interval with qualitative insights from focus groups to provide a comprehensive understanding of the transition process. The CHA survey comparison indicated overall improvements in church health from 2021 to 2024, highlighting strengths in spiritual formation, discipleship, and relationships within the church. However, focus group participants, particularly newcomers, expressed mixed reactions, with some questioning the survey's reflection of their experiences and expressed concerns about the transition process. While there have been successes in creating a supportive environment for communication and spiritual development, the project identified areas for improvement, such as the need for clearer strategies in leadership equipping, better newcomer integration, and more efficient decision-making processes. The findings highlighted the importance of combining quantitative and qualitative data to gain a comprehensive understanding of church dynamics and underscored the necessity for targeted actions and improved communication to achieve the church's objectives.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Fleming, Andrew C., "Equipping the Saints for the Work of Ministry in the East London Church" (2025). Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations. 65.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/dmin_theses/65