Growth of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires between the years 2000 and 2019

Abstract

This article addresses the development of the growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (ACBA), Argentina, from a historical, social, statistical, and religious perspective. As the city undergoes demographic and cultural changes, evangelistic approaches should adapt to these new realities. Through a quantitative approach, this study examines the strategies and factors that contribute to the growth of these churches in the urban context. The analysis is based on the field study, together with its theoretical framework, carried out by a group of students from the Faculty of Theology of the Universidad Adventista del Plata who took the subject Ecclesial Dynamics, associated with their professor. The research was based on the analysis of historical, demographic data and a survey applied to a significant group of SDA members in the ACBA. Several key factors driving church growth in membership and deepening religiosity were identified, including adaptation to contemporary needs, diversity of programs and services, community service, efficient use of communication platforms, and church-developed worship and programs. In conclusion, this research provides an exploratory study of the growth dynamics of SDA in the ACBA, shedding light on the interaction of different factors that contribute to church growth in a large city in a contemporary context. The findings have implications for both religious leaders and scholars interested in the relationship between Christian evangelistic mission and society, in an ever-evolving urban environment.