Cayman Islands Conference
Evangelism Contexts Analysis
OVERVIEW
The Cayman Islands Conference has initiated and is currently developing its short to medium term evangelistic strategy with the following contexts providing major insights and focal points for mission:
1. Commitment to mission and commission
2. The Covid 19 Pandemic
3. The I Will Go Initiative of the World Church
4. Demographics and psychographics
5. Historical baptismal goals and results
6. SWOT/PESTLE Analysis
These contexts include dimensions that are classified as stable, unstable, predictable, and unpredictable.
We acknowledge that our context analysis is still in need of more research, data collections and refinement. Nevertheless, we are starting with the best data that is available while prioritizing data collection and interpretation within the year 2021.
While we mention the SWOT/PESTLE Analysis as a context providing parameter, we will treat it as a separate section due to its significance in directly influencing the strategic goals and objectives formulated for the period.
SEE CONTEXT ANALYSIS
COMMITMENT TO THE CHURCH’S MISSION AND GREAT COMMISSION
While many aspects of the evangelism contexts are unstable and unpredictable, the church’s mission and great commission provide a stable context dimension that we can commit to, regardless of the variables within the overall evangelism context. Matthew 28:19-20, John 21:6, Revelation 14:6-12, among many other Bible based imperatives, give us clear directives regarding our task as the remnant church.
The administrators, pastors, workers and members of the Cayman Islands conference reaffirm our unflinching and ongoing commitment to:
1. Growing in Jesus daily
2. Training and enlisting congregants in total membership involvement in the mission of the church.
3. Prioritizing leadership of community engagement, evangelism and discipleship.
THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC
The Covid 19 pandemic of 2020 has significantly curtailed the traditional evangelistic activities that have resulted in the fastest rate of membership accession over the past few decades.
The pandemic has forced our churches to further explore online channels to reach others with the gospel of salvation.
While we have achieved minimal success in this endeavour, we are far from achieve competencies to effectively reach persons for Christ online.
In view of the pandemic:
- We need to train and better equip pastors and evangelists to evangelise using online channels.
- We have opportunities to set up effective online systems that assist us in finding people for Christ while assisting others who are searching for Christ to find us so that we can direct them to Him.
- Members are more willing to be recruited, trained and mobilized as online christian witnesses and volunteers via social media.
- There are many opportunities to reach person who are now willing to listen to the gospel since the pandemic.
Pandemic Related Online Emphases
Virtual Communities | Platforms | Behaviour/ Idiosyncrasies | Community Needs |
AudioContent | YouTube Apple Podcasts Sound Cloud | Search for Content Search to Learn Like, Subscribe, Content NotificationPromotion | To be Inspired Encouragement Information/ NewsConnections |
VideoContent | YouTube IGTV | Search for Content Search to LearnLike, Subscribe, Content NotificationPromotion | To be Inspired Encouragement Information/News Connections Socialize |
Graphics | Instagram | Search for Content Curiosity/Exploration Promotion | To be Inspired Encouragement Information/News Connections Socialize |
Which Membership Cohort Is Best Suited To Drive This Phase Of Online Ministry
Groups | Estimated Number | Which Platforms | How To Enable |
Tech Savvy Gen. Z | |||
Tech Savvy Millennials/ Gen. Y | |||
Tech Savvy Adults/ Gen. X |
I WILL GO EVANGELISM CONTEXT
The Seventh-day Adventist church’s representational form of governance and its focus on unity has historically led to the participation of various level of the organization in the emphases and initiatives of the wider organizational level.
I Will Go is the main strategic emphasis of the General Conference, Inter-American Division, Atlantic Caribbean Union, and the Cayman Islands Conference for the year 2020 to 2025.
At the General Conference level, I Will Go focuses on Mission, Leadership and The Holy Spirit.
In the Inter-American Division, the I Will Go initiative has been contextualised to focus on Mission, Education and Service to the community.
The Atlantic Caribbean Union and the Cayman Islands Conference have adopted the the three strategic emphases of the Inter-American Division.
The Cayman Islands Conference I Will Go – Relational Evangelism Emphasis is concerned primarily with one of the three IAD strategic emphases: Mission.
The mission emphases of I Will Go – Inter-America is sets some broad parameters for mission planning in Cayman Islands Conference. These must be adapted, expanded and integrated into our mission planning to fulfil the local needs of our field.
I Will Go – Foundational Concept
Seventh-day Adventists must deliver God’s final message of hope and redemption to His people in the 21st. Century. Around 740 B.C. When the people of Judah faced fear and hopelessness as those of present day, God needed a messenger. He had a message to deliver to His people, so He expressed His desire for a messenger. Both the desire and Isaiah’s response are as relevant today as then; “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
The mandate of Jesus to the church (Matthew 28:19-20) is similar to the mandate to Isaiah. He is still asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”—He wants volunteers in His service— we must not hesitate to embrace the opportunity: “I will go” or “Here am I; send me.”
What Informs the I Will Go Initiative in IAD?
This strategic plan of the Inter-American Division is based on numerous studies conducted by the General Conference and the Inter-American Division and based on biblical and Spirit of Prophecy foundations. I Will Go – Inter-America involves inspiring and equipping all church members to use their God-given spiritual gifts in witness and service for Christ to reach all peoples in the territory and influence them to accept Jesus as their personal Savior.
Goals, Scope and Contextualization
The goal is to reach all peoples in the territory and influence them to accept Jesus as their personal Saviour.
While being prepared at the macro level, the content of I Will Go – Inter-America considers the hopes and desires of members, pastors, departmental leaders and administrators at every level within the territory. It offers a mandate for the entire organization — local congregations, missions, conferences, institutions, unions, and the division office. It’s a tool to be contextualized by Unions through to the local fields and churches to help each disciple become more focused and effective in performing critical tasks and ultimately fulfill the mission.
The Five Facets Inclusive Evangelism
- To Reach – This is the intentional effort of the individual and corporate Church body, through the use of acts of service, verbal and nonverbal means, to connect with others within their context, develop friendly relationships and create understanding. This outreach paves the way for communication, conversation and discussion of social, spiritual and other issues relevant to people in their daily lives.
- To Equip – This includes all the social, spiritual and other relevant instructions imparted to members and non-members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, that prepares them for enriched quality of life and service in this world and the joys of eternal life in the hereafter at the Second Advent.
- To Rescue – This is the efforts of both clergy and laity to proclaim the gospel of Jesus to individuals, in a way that the Holy Spirit’s power inspire them to accept Jesus as their personal Savior and non-members become baptized Seventh-day Adventists.
- To Retain – This is the effort of the leaders and members of the Church to teach, mentor and coach those who accept Jesus as personal Savior, to develop trust in and commitment to Him and become permanent members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
- To disciple – this includes all the nurturing instructions, programs and activities of the church to help members grow as faithful disciples serving and preparing for the Second Advent of Christ.
I Will Go Evangelism Targets
- To develop and execute a model multi-ministries collaborative and inclusive soul winning plan to reach people within the following demographics:
i. Upper Class Evangelism
ii. Evangelizing Millennials
iii. Traditional Evangelism
iv. Children and Adolescent Evangelism
v. Evangelizing people of other Faiths
vi. Emphasis in Urban Evangelism
vii. Unreached People Groups
- To enhance the evangelism education training program for pastors and ministry leaders in the churches.
- To provide integrated digital and other media resources to enhance fulfilment of mission.
- To encourage the involvement of members in the mission through spiritual gifts, talents and career ministries.
Executing Soul Winning Initiatives
- To enhance effectiveness in evangelism through Small groups, personal and public evangelism paradigms.
- To execute cross-cultural evangelism exchanges to deepen passion for and broaden soul-winning experience.
- To experience an increased number of church members participating in both personal and public evangelistic outreach initiatives with a goal of Total Member Involvement (TMI)
Retention of New Members
- To ensure improved retention rates of young adults, youth, and children, based on the collection of specific statistics on those groups
- Millennial Commitment (video and materials that explains the church and all its teachings, etc.
- To develop specific members’ conservation plans and manual for the short, medium and long term
- To take advantage of the enthusiasm and passion of new members to involve them in soul winning
- To designate the year 2022 as the year of emphasis in consolidation and equipping
Evangelism an Mission
- To identify and acknowledge all major unreached or under-reached majority populations in evangelized countries in the territory, and reports annually to the Global Mission Issues Committee on efforts to reach them
- To develop mission-focused social media, Bible study and other mobile applications that are designed and widely used by all members of the church.
- To achieve in each local field a measurable and significant increase (e.g., 30% over five years) in the number of newly planted worshipping groups
- To facilitates, initiates, and liaise between interdivisional mission projects, with active support from division and union officers
demographics and psychographics
Our evangelistic field consists of all the communities, people groups within Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
We must be concerned with the idiosyncrasies and culture of the various demographic groups in order to effectively reach these groups.
Niche Groups
Our evangelistic niche group is comprised of mainly Caribbean people from the lower to middle economic strata. Characteristics/influenced:
• Largest expat group – Jamaicans
• Where people live and relationship with the community members
• More female baptised than men
• Baptize more churched people from other denominations
• Workers tend to attract their own people
• Style of evangelism acceptable to niche group
• Previous exposure to Adventism
Other People Groups To Prioritize In The Near To Medium Term
• Caymanians
• Filipinos
• Hispanics
• Indians (to develop competencies)
• Europeans (to develop competencies)
• New arrivals
• Economic class (upper and middle class)
• Males
Demographics
Area | Major Areas | Population Size | Major People Groups |
East End | John McLean Gun Bay Farm Road Front Road Queens | 1369 | Mostly Caymanian |
North Side | Hutland Old Man Bay Frank Sound | 1437 | Mostly Caymanian |
Area | Major Areas | Population Size | Major People Groups |
Bodden Town | Breakers Midland Acres Pease Bay Belford Estates Beach Bay Lower Valley Northward, Savannah, Newlands Spotts/Spotts Newlands | 10,341 | Caymanian, Jamaican American, Middle Class-Savannah, Newlands, Beach Bay |
George Town | South Sound/ South Church St. Patrick’s Island Tropical Garden Prospect Red Bay Windsor Park Walkers Road Grand Harbour Randyke Gardens Watlers Road Industrial Park Washington Blvd. Swamp Eastern Aven Seven Mile Beach Stretch | 27,704 | Caymanian North American Jamaican, Filipino, Indian Latinos, European Trinidadian/ Eastern Carib Guyanese African |
Area | Major Areas | Population Size | Major People Groups |
West Bay | Yacht Club Batabano/ Parkway View The Shores North West Point Lighthouse Gdn, Boatswain Bay Mount Pleasant Watercourse Rd. Fountain Road, Birch Tree Hill, Willie Farrington Church Street, Rev Blackman St. Boltins Ave | 11,269 | Caymanian, Jamaican Cubans, Latinos, North Americans Europeans |
Cayman Brac Little Cayman | Cayman Brac: Watering Place, Creek, Spot Bay, Bluff, West End, Bight, South Side, Stake Bay Little Cayman: Airport | 2,277 | Bracker, Little Cayman: Foreigners/ Vacationers Jamaicans, Filipinos, Latinos |
Community Needs
Area | Sub- Communities | Community Needs |
East End | Refer to Demographics | Mentorship Welfare needs, Educational assistance, Elderly care, Family life education, Mental health support |
North Side | Refer to Demographics | Social intervention, Educational assistance, Mental health support |
Area | Sub- Communities | Community Needs |
Bodden Town | Refer to Demographics | Welfare needs, Social intervention, Mental health support, Mentorship, Educational assistance, Church bldg. (Newlands) Family life education |
George Town | Refer to Demographics | Visitation to homebound members of community, Social intervention, Mental health support, Welfare needs, Mentorship, Family life education |
Area | Sub- Communities | Community Needs |
West Bay | Refer to Demographics | Mental health support Social intervention, Family life education, Mentorship, Visitation to homebound, Welfare needs |
Cayman Brac Little Cayman | Refer to Demographics | Visitation to homebound (Cayman Brac), Elderly care, Social education |
Psychographics
Target Area | What do the people think about the Seventh-day Adventist church |
East End | Lack of confidentiality Lifestyle concerns |
What do we need to be aware of when evangelizing East End. | No loud preaching Avoid Jamaican evangelists Gun Bayers don’t want to be known as East Enders, Don’t use or highlight the negative colloquial history/publicity, Many unchurched people |
Target Area | What do the people think about the Seventh-day Adventist church |
North Side | Denominational loyalty makes them less open to the Adventist message. View church as reclusive. |
What do we need to be aware of when evangelizing North Side. | Local leaders may not be supportive of church growth that could challenge their dominance. Friendship evangelizing is more effective rather than public evangelism. More protracted discipleship program than rapid church growth. |
Area | Community Needs |
West Bay | Mental health support, Social intervention Family life education, Mentorship, Visitation to homebound, Welfare needs |
Cayman Brac Little Cayman | Visitation to homebound (Cayman Brac), Elderly care Social education |
Target Area | What do the people think about the Seventh-day Adventist church |
George Town | Perception that we are poor at time management in the execution of programs. Distrust of our nurturing intentions N.B. More Research need |
What do we need to be aware of when evangelizing George Town. | Electorate is aware of the dominant influence of Adventists membership’s presence within the constituency. Well worked territory therefore new strategies need to be implemented. |
Target Area | What do the people think about the Seventh-day Adventist church |
Bodden Town | Distrust of our nurturing intentions (Bodden Town Church). Presence not felt in the community (Bodden Town Church). |
What do we need to be aware of when evangelizing Bodden Town. | International community are not familiar with the fundamentals and activities of Adventism outside of Sabbath keeping. Electorate is aware of the dominant influence of Adventists membership’s presence within the constituency. |
Target Area | What do the people think about the Seventh-day Adventist church |
Cayman Brac | Labeled as sheep stealers, Perception that the church is not relevant to the needs of the community. |
What do we need to be aware of when evangelizing Cayman Brac. | Closed groups that are hard to penetrate. More personal evangelism. More community based programs are needed. Baptismal decisions may affect employment. Don’t use term Bible worker rather use Bible Evangelist, More receptive to authority i.e. Pastor or Bible Evangelist |
Target Area | What do the people think about the Seventh-day Adventist church |
Little Cayman | They see the importance and relevance of our beliefs but don’t accept baptism or commitment as priority. |
What do we need to be aware of when evangelizing Little Cayman. | Few natives. Work situation poses major challenge for them to accept Sabbath. They are very receptive to Bible studies but don’t make decisions. Humanistic and self-reliance (Tourists and visitors) |
Psychographic Data To Be Ascertained
Age Group | General Attitudes, Idiosyncrasies, Interests | Implications for Evangelism |
6-12 | ||
13-20 | ||
21-35 | ||
36-50 | ||
50-65 | ||
65 – over | ||
Economic Strata | General Attitudes, Idiosyncrasies, Interests | Implications for Evangelism |
Lower Income Group | ||
Middle Income Group | ||
High Income Group |
Region | General Attitudes, Idiosyncrasies, Interests | Implications for Evangelism |
Caymanians | ||
Europe | ||
North America | ||
Africa | ||
Asia | ||
Central/ SouthAmerica | ||
Caribbean |
Gender | General Attitudes, Idiosyncrasies, Interests | Implications for Evangelism |
Female | ||
Male |
Major Religious Groups | General Attitudes, Idiosyncrasies, Interests | Implications for Evangelism |
Presbitarians | ||
Baptists | ||
Church of God | ||
Catholic | ||
United Church | ||
HISTORICAL BAPTISMAL GOALS AND RESULTS
Historically, the Cayman Islands Conference baptizes an average of 260 to 280 persons annually. This average has been consistent over the past ten years. During that period, the Atlantic Caribbean Union has increased the baptismal target for the Cayman Islands Conference by an average of 30 to 50 more persons each year, over the previous year. In spite of this increased annual target, the Conference has not enjoyed that growth trajectory over the period.
These targets and results indicate that the Cayman Islands Conference has peaked and is only maintaining its optimal baptismal capacity given equal resources, recurrent methodologies and consistency in its human resources.
Any breakthrough performance that is to be achieved require significantly improving all three major critical success factors in evangelism.
The SWIT/PESTLE Analysis is treated as a separate section. Go back to Menu page