Global Perspectives 01 Adventist Education and its Growth

Global Perspectives‘ 01 Adventist Education and its Growth Potential for the New Millennium: Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full? Paul Brantley Andrews University April, 2001

Larson’s Four Basic Temperament Types

Over 1, 000 students!

Is the glass half empty or half full?

Why? n Why is there flat school growth? n What can we as a global system do about it?

How did we attempt to find the answers? n Survey of union directors, world field n n n n Purposes of Seventh-day Adventist Education Proportion of SDA youth in SDA schools Impediments to growth within their fields Suggested solutions for increasing enrollment Ideas about SDA philosophy and practice Best uses of distance education Survey of selected congregations from around the world n Suggested solutions for increasing enrollment

Response Rate by Divisions Union Directors of Education Division Total number Number Retd North American 9 9 100 No Asia Pacific 4 4 100 South African 1 1 100 Tran-European 16 14 88 So Asia Pacific 10 8 80 Southern Asia 4 3 75 Euro-Africa 14 10 71 South American 11 7 64 South Pacific 5 3 60 African-Indian 9 5 56 Inter-American 12 6 50 7 3 43 10 4 40 112 77 69 Euro-Asia Eastern Africa TOTAL (3 more arrived as of 4 -8 -01 makes 72 or 71%) % Return

What SDA Education Can Do to Increase School Enrollment? World Education Directors of Union Conferences and Missions Solutions Elementary Secondary Higher N % N % Access (3 items combined) 53 75 58 82 75 114* Quality (4 items comb) 50 70 60 85 47 71 Finance 43 61 45 68 Promotion 39 55 36 51 23 35 Reform (Philosophy) 7 10 8 11 7 11 TOTAL *total>100% mult choice 71 100 66 100

What SDA Education Can Do to Increase Elementary and Secondary School Enrollment views from Selected Congregations Suggested Ideas Church A Holland, MI, USA Church B Chicgo, Korean Church C San Paulo, Brazil Church D Australia Church E Mexico City Church F Abijan W. Africa Excellence 45% 72% 58 52 57 51 Finance 87 50 72 67 58 71 Expand 25 31 38 39 44 38 Reform (Philosophy) 29 34 27 37 53 34 Climate 32 34 40 62 41 22 Promote 45 19 33 25 25 25

The Big Six n Finance n Quality n Promotion n Access n Reform n Climate (Philosophy)

PHILOSOPHY: What is the primary purpose of SDA education (#1 Ranks) Union Directors To evangelize non-SDA youth Elem 9% To nurture SDA youth To help anyone (SDA or non-SDA) TOTAL 51% 40% 100% Sec 13 48 39 100 Higher Educ 13 38 50 100

Ideas about PHILOSOPHY of Adventist Education Union Education Directors: World Field n Is there a unique PHILOSOPHY of Adventist education that is distinct from that of other Christian churches?

What is different about an Adventist philosophy of education – distinct from other Christian churches? Union Directors _________________________ n n n n n 22% Holistic, harmonious development 14% Salvation, preparation for heaven 14% Service 9% Lifestyle 9% Other explanations (manual work, temperance, etc) 8% Redemption, Restoration 8% Sabbath 7% Bible 4% Spirituality 3% E. G. White

IDEAS About Philosophy of Adventist Education Union Education Directors, World Field n In general, has the Seventhday Adventist Church articulated a clear philosophy of education to guide practice in schools and colleges throughout the world?

IDEAS About Philosophy of Adventist Education Union Education Directors, World Field n In general, do you feel that Adventist schools are putting their educational philosophy into practice?

What is the most urgent need of Seventh-day Adventist education in the world today? Union Directors n n n n n 17% Financial Support 17% Good dedicated teachers 15% To be guided by a philosophy, a faith 13% Put belief into practice 10% Other ideas 6% Parent/Church Commitment 6% Promotion 6% Expand curriculum 3% Help students accent Christ; form character 3% Leadership

Back to the Initial Question: Is the glass half empty or half full when it comes to prospects for Adventist education? My final answer?

On one hand—I believe the glass is half FULL when it comes to Adventist education • We have over 1, 000 students around the world!! • We’re the largest single system of Christian education on the planet • Children have a better ideas of salvation (Habenicht) • Teens express higher levels of spirituality (Gane) • Many Adventist young adults who stop attending Church will return (Dudley) • Adventist leaders, members agree on the importance of academic quality—making our schools excellent (Brantley).

On the other hand—I believe the glass is half EMPTY. • Per Cent of SDA youth in SDA schools shrinking • Too many SDA children come from broken homes • Teens report reading the Bible less (Gane) • Too many Adventist young adults feel estranged from their local churches (Dudley) • Adventist leaders fail to sufficiently promote Adventist education (Brantley) • Adventist teachers often feel isolated and alone (Brantley)

Have you heard this conversation before? THE REASON OUR SCHOOLS ARE IN TROUBLE IS: • Pastors just don’t promote Christian education (promotion) This assumes that Promotion---------->Growth • SDA education has priced itself out the market! (finance) This assumes that Finances------------>Growth • We don’t have a SDA school or college here (access) This assumes that Access------------->Growth ALL of these are simplistic explanations. WHAT is the best source of true growth?

Student Outcomes Operations Leadership Finance Access Philosophy (reform) Quality Climate Growth Promotion My proposal? A New Kind of Marketing Model A Reform-based Marketing Model

Let’s fill up the glass!! God has promised-- “Seek you first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. ” “Ask and it shall be given unto you. . . Pressed down and running over. ”

An Appeal Though in many respects our institutions of learning have swung into worldly conformity, they are prisoners of hope. . . P. 145 We need now to begin again. Reforms must be entered in with heart and soul and will. . Test. Vol. 6, p. 142 It is the degree of moral power pervading a school that is a test of its prosperity. . . p. 143 May God give us the wisdom to know His will and the courage to do it! Paul S. Brantley 2001