The Zacchaeus project: systemic factors and principles for church planting among the upper classes (an unreached people group) in Quito, Ecuador (Latin America)

Mark Robert Searing

Etd

The Zacchaeus project: systemic factors and principles for church planting among the upper classes (an unreached people group) in Quito, Ecuador (Latin America)

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Mark Robert Searing. The Zacchaeus Project: Systemic Factors and Principles for Church Planting Among the Upper Classes (an Unreached People Group) In Quito, Ecuador (latin America). Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/1d4cd80e-7ff3-4259-ba04-d97de3d82dbc?q=2005.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

M. R. Searing. The Zacchaeus project: systemic factors and principles for church planting among the upper classes (an unreached people group) in Quito, Ecuador (Latin America). https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/1d4cd80e-7ff3-4259-ba04-d97de3d82dbc?q=2005

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Mark Robert Searing. The Zacchaeus Project: Systemic Factors and Principles for Church Planting Among the Upper Classes (an Unreached People Group) In Quito, Ecuador (latin America). Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/1d4cd80e-7ff3-4259-ba04-d97de3d82dbc?q=2005.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

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Mark Robert Searing

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Abstract

This thesis is a study of systemic factors and principles involved in planting churches among the upper classes in the city of Quito, Ecuador. The complexity of reaching a group with the gospel of salvation, that up until recently had been neglected, required a new ministry paradigm. This project was designed to understand that new ministry paradigm. To accomplish this, Dr. Eldin Villafañe's 'hermeneutical circle paradigm' for social ethics was used. The systemic interactions of the elements involved could be observed, evaluated and understood by asking three questions. The first question is clarification: what is the ministry issue? Or: why is this significant? The various elements in the system are identified, analyzed, and placed within the greater whole in order to get context and importance of the issue (introduction and chapter one). The second question is conceptualization: how do the Bible, theological thinking, and the social sciences impact and interact with this ministry issue? Here systemic reflection and other analysis can be brought with Scripture to establish key factors (elements) and principles necessary to support this new ministry paradigm (chapters two through four). The third question is confrontation: what are the outcomes or implications of the new ministry paradigm? Is further research needed? Are there ideas that are transferable? The results of planting churches among the upper classes flow from systemic elements that have been identified and understood (chapter five). The idea of reaching people whom Jesus said would be extremely difficult to reach does not excuse the church from reaching them. When mission and church structure themselves theologically and socially exclude or place barriers for them to come to Christ, then the Holy Spirit must find ways to break through in a way that more accurately reflects the Kingdom of God. The purpose of this study is to show one method that 'those who are rich in this world' can as Paul wrote to Timothy, 'take hold of the life that is truly life' (1 Timothy 6:9).

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