This study seeks to investigate the causes and implications of apostasy in the West
Zimbabwe Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church from 1998 to 2008. The
research was undertaken due to the realisation that apostasy has reached a point of
concern to both members and local church leadership. The researcher also noted with
concern that not much if any has been done on the causes and implications of apostasy
since the introduction of the Church in Zimbabwe over one hundred years ago and the
organisation of the West Zimbabwe Conference about forty years ago.
The research was motivated by these concerns coupled with the increasing number of
apostasy which continuously reflect negatively on the church and may subsequently limit
the church’s ability to evangelize the communities. The aim of the study therefore is to
investigate the causes and implications of apostasy and make recommendations that will
assist both church members and the church leadership in formulating policies and
programs geared towards minimizing apostasy in the church.
The study combines both the quantitative and the qualitative research designs. The
population for the study consisted of the one hundred and seventy one (171) churches
with a total church membership of one hundred and fifty three thousand, seven hundred
and two (153,702). A sample percentage of ten was adopted for the selection of churches while the proportional stratified sampling technique was used. The instruments used for
the study were both face and content validated and a pilot study carried out to determine
the reliability of the questionnaire. The data collected from the study was analysed using
descriptive statistics and a descriptive interpretive method.
Findings from the study confirm that there is apostasy within the WZC of the Seventhday
Adventist Church. Accordingly, the data analysis revealed that the causes of apostasy
in order of magnitude are external, internal and doctrinal respectively. The study also
revealed that youths, females and urban church members are highly susceptible to
apostasy than their adult, male and rural counterparts respectively. Apostasy had a
considerable effect on church membership as well as the receiving of tithes and offerings.
Recommendations were made based on the findings of the research. / Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology / D. Th. (Church History)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:umkn-dsp01.int.unisa.ac.za:10500/10556 |
| Date | 06 August 2013 |
| Creators | Mazibisa, Robson Dube |
| Contributors | Gundani, Paul |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (xiii, 195 leaves) |
| Rights | University of South Africa |
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