Enhancing the Voice of Youth Program at the Adventist University of the Philippines: An Appreciative Inquiry
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31154/isc12.v12i2.177.412-422Keywords:
Voice of Youth Program, Appreciative Inquiry, Youth Evangelism, Leadership Development, Transformational Leadership.Abstract
The Voice of Youth (VOY) program at the Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP) is part of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church initiative, I Will Go, which ensures the involvement of every youth in proclaiming the three angels' messages of Revelation 14:6-12. This program empowers young people in evangelism, leadership, and mission work. To examine ways to sustain and expand its influence, this study explores key strengths, best practices, and opportunities for growth using a qualitative approach, specifically Appreciative Inquiry. The study is also grounded in Transformational Leadership Theory. This study, conducted within the AUP VOY program, gathered data through semi-structured interviews with 11 purposively selected participants and two focus group discussions with VOY members and coordinators. Thematic analysis was applied, using open coding, peer debriefing, and triangulation to ensure reliability. Findings for the Discovery Phase revealed VOY’s role in fostering spiritual growth, community engagement, teamwork, and missionary influence. The Dream Phase envisioned stronger spiritual foundations, improved preparation, and greater faculty involvement, while the Design Phase emphasized training, leadership, financial sustainability, and inclusivity. The Destiny Phase focused on expansion, resource mobilization, and long-term commitment. These insights highlight VOY’s contribution to leadership, evangelism, and institutional support. Strengthening leadership, ensuring financial sustainability, and enhancing institutional backing are crucial for long-term success. Future research should explore VOY’s global influence on youth leadership and mission work.
References
Barna Group. (2006). Most twentysomethings put Christianity on the shelf following spiritually active teen years. Barna Research. Retrieved from http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/16-teensnext-gen/147-most-twentysomethings-put-christianity-on-the-shelf-following-spiritually-active-teen-years
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. Free Press.
Birt, L., Scott, S., Cavers, D., Campbell, C., & Walter, F. (2016). Member checking: A tool to enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation? Qualitative Health Research, 26(13), 1802–1811. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732316654870
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Cooperrider, D. L., Whitney, D., & Stavros, J. M. (2008). Appreciative Inquiry handbook: For leaders of change (2nd ed.). Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Fields, D. (1998). Purpose-driven youth ministry. Zondervan.
Fuller Youth Institute. (2016). Growing young: Six essential strategies to help young people discover and love your church. Baker Books. Retrieved from https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/growingyoung
Genebago, P. M. (Year). Voice of Youth Handbook: Empowering the Youth for Evangelism, Equipping the Church of Today and Tomorrow. Philippine Publishing House.
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. (2019). Seventh-day Adventist Church manual (19th ed.). Review and Herald Publishing Association.
General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research (ASTR). (2023). Global Church Member Survey Report - Southern Asia-Pacific Division. Seventh-day Adventist Church. Retrieved from https://www.adventistresearch.info/wp-content/uploads/GCMS-SSD-2023-Public-Report.pdf
Kallio, H., Pietilä, A. M., Johnson, M., & Kangasniemi, M. (2016). Systematic methodological review: Developing a framework for a qualitative semi‐structured interview guide. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(12), 2954–2965. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13031
Kirk, B., & Thorne, J. (2010). Missional youth ministry. Zondervan.
Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2014). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
LifeWay Research. (2007). LifeWay Research uncovers reasons 18 to 22 year olds drop out of church. LifeWay. Retrieved from http://www.lifeway.com/article/165949/
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications.
Morgan, D. L. (1997). Focus groups as qualitative research (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Moser, K., & Nel, M. (2019). The connection between youth ministry's division of evangelism and discipleship and the lack of retention of youth in North American churches. ResearchGate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335682199_Youth_Ministry_Retention
Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y
Patton, M. Q. (1999). Enhancing the quality and credibility of qualitative analysis. Health Services Research, 34(5 Pt 2), 1189–1208.
Resnik, D. B. (2020). Research ethics timeline (1932-present). National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.https://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/timeline/index.cfm
Root, A., & Dean, K. (2016). Gospel-centered youth ministry: A practical guide. Crossway.
Voice of Youth Guide Book, Youth Department. (General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist). Voice of Youth Guide Book. Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Whitney, D., & Trosten-Bloom, A. (2010). The power of Appreciative Inquiry: A practical guide to positive change (2nd ed.). Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Wiles, R., Crow, G., Heath, S., & Charles, V. (2008). The management of confidentiality and anonymity in social research. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 11(5), 417–428. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645570701622231
Youthscape. (2021). Influencers: The role of peer evangelism in youth ministry. Youthscape. Retrieved from https://www.youthscape.co.uk/research/influencers
