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  An Analysis of the urban health ministry in the Adventist church in the Hang-Ning Area, China : a multiple case study

  (Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, 2025-10) Li, Na

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  This study addressed the missiological challenge arising from the limited strategy of Chinese Adventists in responding to the Chinese interest in a healthy lifestyle. It involved an extensive review of literature on the significance of a healthy lifestyle in Chinese culture and the Adventist Church, the current Adventist responses to this interest, and the development of guidelines for a holistic urban health mission strategy. The study employed a qualitative multiple case study design, focusing on the Hang-Ning urban area of southeast China. The findings revealed a growing demand for healthy lifestyle services among the Chinese with sub-health conditions and chronic diseases, and the government’s efforts to address this issue. These factors create a strategic opportunity for the Chinese Adventist Church to advance its urban health mission. Also, notable similarities exist between the ideology of traditional Chinese medicine and the Adventist health principles of nutrition, exercise, water, sunlight, temperance, air, rest, and trust in God (NEWSTART), or guidelines of choices, exercise, liquid, environment, belief, rest, air, temperance, integrity, optimism, nutrition, and social support (CELEBRATIONS). Research shows that many Chinese Adventists undervalue health mission work. Those actively involved often neglect the cultural relevance of gospel communication and the role of culture in shaping faith and outreach. The findings highlight the need for guidelines to inform a holistic urban health mission strategy in the Chinese Adventist Church. The analysis of data revealed five significant challenges faced by Chinese Adventists in urban health mission work: limited involvement, lack of an official health mission agenda, absence of a specific health mission workplace, shortage of professional teams, and inadequate evangelism strategies. This study proposed five strategic guidelines: enhancing Adventist involvement in urban health mission, establishing an official health mission agenda, building a dedicated health center, forming multidisciplinary mission teams, and developing contextualized gospel communication methods. These guidelines are grounded in biblical and missiological principles such as ensuring cultural relevance, identifying shared values, building gospel bridges, preventing syncretism, and demonstrating the advantages of Adventist health philosophy. All these principles are interconnected and form a holistic urban health mission strategy. The study concluded with practical recommendations for mission strategies, leadership development, discipleship development, and further research, providing a foundational framework for advancing the Adventist Church’s urban health mission in the Chinese cultural context.

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  Factors that explain teacher retention among K-12 Adventist schools in North Luzon

  (Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, 2025-08) Ligalig, Imie A

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  Teacher retention has a considerable impact on the efficacy and stability of educational institutions worldwide. In the Adventist school system, teacher retention is a challenge. A 2017 report confirmed that 1,000 Adventist teachers worldwide have left the teaching profession in Adventist schools. However, the factors found to be significant for teacher retention vary across countries and contexts. The purpose of this study is to examine whether job satisfaction, administrative support, organizational commitment, and spiritual leadership explain teacher retention in Adventist schools in North Luzon. This study was conducted among 190 teachers with at least 1 year of work experience. The majority of whom are female (75.3%), married (73.7%), hold a bachelor’s degree (82.1%), and have 11 or more years of teaching experience (47.4%). This study utilized the Job Satisfaction Test and Teacher Retention Questionnaire by Tan and Waheed, the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire by Allen and Meyer, the Dimensions of Administrative Questionnaire by Watson, and the Spiritual Leadership Questionnaire by Fry, and was administered both face-to-face and online. The findings revealed that organizational commitment is significant to teachers’ inclination to stay in their current school assignment. Meanwhile, administrative support shows a positive association with teachers’ inclination to leave their current school but remain in the Adventist school system, whereas job satisfaction shows a negative association. In addition, spiritual leadership shows a significant relationship to teachers’ inclination to leave the Adventist school system. The result of the study implies that teachers who are committed to their spiritual calling as ministers in the field of education and who are receiving ample support from the administration are inclined to remain in the Adventist school. It is recommended for administrators to look into retention policies and consider the valuable results of this study. Also, school heads should evaluate the satisfaction and culture their subordinates are receiving and experiencing to ensure teachers have enough support and are satisfied. Moreover, teachers should reflect on their commitment as missionary teachers. Future researchers can conduct a qualitative study to gain an in-depth understanding of the underlying factors driving retention in this region.

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