An Evaluation of the IFLE family approach through small group in Northern Mindanao, Philippines

Abstract

Barra SDA Church is one of the sixteen local churches of Opol District of Northern Mindanao Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It has sponsored various evangelistic meetings conducted by visiting evangelists, union directors, local conference presidents/directors, and district pastors. However, among all the evangelistic programs that were conducted, the integrated family life evangelistic (IFLE) approach was not used. The IFLE is an evangelistic program that focuses on the family—making home the center and wedge for evangelistic purposes. Since the IFLE is a new evangelistic program to Barra SDA Church, the purpose of this study is to implement and evaluate the integrated family life evangelistic program through the small group. The author of the IFLE material is Gordon and Waveney Martinborough. Biblical and theoretical reasons for the project are established. Passages from the Old and New Testament were consulted to support the concept of the importance of family evangelism and the sequence of implementation. The implementation of the IFLE program through the small group was conducted in Barra SDA Church. It covered objectives, participants, program, schedule, and budget. The result of the evaluation was shown. Recommendations and suggestions were made on how the IFLE program through the small group can be improved. The conclusion is that the IFLE program conducted in Barra SDA Church is a feasible approach to evangelistic work and a new evangelistic tool of Opol District of Northern Mindanao Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In this way, many people will learn the values inside the home and more importantly will be led to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.