László Szabó

Dr. László Szabó

Lecturer of Mission Studies and Intercultural Studies
Director of Arthur Daniells Institute of Mission Studies (ADIMIS)

An der Ihle 5 B
39291 Möckern-Friedensau

Raum: LÜP 212
Telefon: +49 (0) 3921 916-204
Fax: +49 (0) 3921 916-204
E-Mail:

Vita

László Szabó, born in 1967, studied in Hungary, Germany, England, and the United States. In 2016, he earned his PhD from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (Lampeter) with the dissertation Mission Theology in Face of Reality, which examined the development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hungary before and after the fall of communism and explored the significance of contextualization for missionary effectiveness. His professional experience includes service as a missionary, pastor, department director, and Field Secretary at the Inter-European Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 2008, he was appointed Lecturer in Missiology at Friedensau Adventist University. In 2009, together with colleagues, he co-founded the Arthur Daniells Institute of Mission Studies (ADIMIS), which he has directed and strategically developed since 2015. The institute combines research, teaching, and international networking and conducts international research and continuing education projects. László Szabó is the author and editor of several books and numerous academic articles and is actively engaged in international lecturing and conference presentations.

1989–1995	Studies at Friedensau Adventist University
1995–1996	Lecturer of Theology at Tansania Adventist College
1996–1999	District pastor, church planter in Ungarn
1999–2004	Head of Global Mission/Ministerial Secretary of the Hungarian Union Conference, church planter
2004–2008	Director of the Hungarian Hope Channel
1999–2008	Lecturer of Practical Theology and Mission Studies at Adventist Theological Seminary, Pécel, Ungarn
since 2008	Lecturer of Mission Studies at Friedensau Adventist University
since 2025	Lecturer; Field secretary at Inter-European Division

Academic career

1987	Abitur: Berze Nagy János Gimnasium Gyöngyös/Ungarn
1989	Theology studies: SZET Theologisches Seminar Budapest/Ungarn
1989	Theology studies: Theologische Hochschule Friedensau
1995	Diploma in Theology: Theologische Hochschule Friedensau
2003–2005	Coaching Training England
2007	Admission to the Doctoral Programme at the University of Wales
2015	Doctorate (Dr. phil.) (dissertation topic: Mission theology in face of reality: A missiological study of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hungary in the context of the fall of communism)

Professional activities

1995–1996	Lecturer in Theology at Tansania Adventist College
	Missionary in Tansania
1996–2005	District pastor, church planter, head of department mission and coach
1999–2008	Lecturer of Practical Theology and Missiology at the Adventist Theological Seminary in Pécel/Hungary
2001–2004	Dean of the Department of Theology at the Adventist Theological Seminary in Pécel/Hungary
2005–2008	Work in the media sector, as head of HOPE-studio and production manager: Let´s Talk, units for "Diversity of Religions" RTL-Club Hungary.
seit 2008	Lecturer at Friedensau Adventist University in the field of missiology, Establishment of the studio in Friedensau and Head of Friedensau Media (till 2020)
2011	Founding of the Arthur Daniells Institute of Mission Studies
seit 2016	Head of Arthur Daniells Institute of Mission Studies
since 2025	Field secretary at Inter-European Division

Research projects

1998	The role of the pastor in the local church: a biblical-historical analysis (Hungarian)
1999	Role conflict in the pastor's ministry and possible processes of change (Hungarian)
2002	Eine Analyse der Versetzungen von Bezirkspastoren
2008	Doctoral Research Project: The Adventist mission in Hungary in context of changes in the former Central European Communist countries after the regime change
2010	Conversion – How do adults find faith?
2013	STA-Church statistics - demographic analysis
2003–2014	Statistical Analysis of Congregational Development in Germany
2021	Secularization and Its Impact on Seventh-day Adventist Congregations in Europe
2024	Case Study in Africa Maasai Wisdom: Leadership, Strategy, and the Art of Building Strong Communities
since 2021	Adult Learning in Church-Based Education
since 2025	Comparative Analysis of SDA Congregational Development in the DACH Countries
since 2026	Updated Statistical Analysis of Congregational Development in Germany

Publications

Dissertation Thesis

‘Mission Theology in Face of Reality: A Missiological Study of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Hungary in the Context of the Fall of Communism’. PhD Thesis, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, England, 2015.

Diplom-Theol. Thesis

‘Diakonie, Auch Heute Noch?’ Diplom-Theol. Thesis, Friedensau Adventist University, 1995.
In the library of ThH Friedensau: HSS Theol 1995 /D 02

Published Books and Book Chapters

Szabó, László, and Rajki, Zoltán. Between Faith and Ideology: The Adventist Schism in Late Socialist Hungary. Peter Lang, Adventistica Series, forthcoming 2026.
‘Horizontális és vertikális dimenziók a kortárs misszióban (Horizontal and Vertical Dimensions of Contemporary Mission)’. In Festschrift in Honor of Dr. Imre Tokics on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday. Adventista Teológiai Főiskola, Forthcoming 2026.
Együtt a Körben (Small Group Leadership and Dynamics). Adventkiadó, 2022. Widely used in international training and educational contexts.
Translated into Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian and Czech
Translations going on in German, English and Italian.
‘Here I Stand...or Is It Here? Uncertainty About What the Right Religion Is’. In End of Uncertainty, edited by Jacob Norel. Viaţă şi Sănătate, 2022.
‘Maasai Wisdom: Leadership, Strategy, and the Art of Building Strong Communities’. In Leaders between Role Model and Idol. – Interdisciplinary and Theological Studies. LIT Verlag Münster, 2025. https://lit-verlag.de/isbn/978-3-643-91858-1/.
Mission: Concept in Context Post-Communism Religious Revival in Eastern Central Europe. Regnum Studies in Mission. Regnum Books International, 2021.
Gátlás Helyett Áldás. Keresztény Bizonyságtevésről (Basics of Christian Witnessing. Élet és Egészség Kft., Budapest, 2004.
‘The Adventist Missionary Thought in Hungary at the Time of Regime Change in the Light of Denominational Published Material and Outreach Training Programmes’. In Isten Hídembere - Hinni Tanít, (“God’s Bridge-Builder – Teaching Faith” The 50th Anniversary of the Scholarly and Professional Work of Dr. Jenő Szigeti). Adventista Teológiai Főiskola, Pécel, 2018. 178-203.

Selected Research Reports, Strategic Analyses, and Commissioned Research Projects

Internal research reports

Demografie und Mission: Zur Zukunft der Adventgemeinden in Deutschland, Eine empirische Analyse adventistischer Gemeindestrukturen. Stand 2015
Arthur-Daniells-Institut für Missionswissenschaft, Friedensau, 2018.
Gemeindeentwicklung und demographischer Wandel, Empirische Untersuchung der Freikirche der Siebenten-Tags-Adventisten in Österreich mit Perspektiven für Mission, Gemeindestruktur und Generationentransfer. Stand 2019. Arthur-Daniells-Institut für Missionswissenschaft, Friedensau, 2020.
Glaube, Herkunft und Bekehrung, Empirische Untersuchung zu Taufentscheidungen und Glaubensentwicklung im deutschsprachigen Adventismus. Friedensau, 2012

Published Research Articles

‘Kirche im Wandel: Eine demografische Analyse der Entwicklung der Freikirche der Siebenten-Tags-Adventisten in Deutschland und Österreich’. Spes Christiana 33, no. 1 (2022): 69–100.
‘A Lelkész Szerepe a Gyülekezetben. A Szerepkonfliktustól a Biblikus Megoldás Felé (The Role of the Pastor in the Church: From Role Conflict to a Biblical Solution)’. ATF Szemle (Theological and missiological review journal of the Adventist Theological College, Hungary.) 9, no. 1 (2009): 72–95.
‘A Missziói Kutatások Szükségessége (The Necessity of the Research-Based Approach to Mission)’. ATF Szemle, no. 1 (January 2009): 4-6.
‘A Missziói Teológia Újragondolásának Szükségessége (The Necessity of Rethinking Mission Theology)’. ATF Szemle, no. 1 (January 2009): 7–17.
‘A Misszióparancs: Mit is mondott Jézus valójában? (The Mission Commissions: What Did Jesus Really Say?)’. ATF Szemle, no. 1 (January 2009): 18–30.
‘A Szocializmus Hatása Az Egyházi Misszióra. (The Influence of Socialism on the Mission of the Free Church in Hungary)’. ATF Szemle 6, no. 2 (2006): 9–18.
‘Christos Diakonos Nyomában I. (In the Footsteps of Christos Diakonos I.)’. ATF Szemle, no. 1 (2002): 9–25.
‘Christos Diakonos Nyomában II (In the Footsteps of Christos Diakonos II.)’. ATF Szemle, no. 2 (2003): 8–20.

Conference Papers and Presentations - Selection

‘Cracking the Code of Secularism’. Paper presented at Bible Conference. 2023.
‘Discipleship and Culture’. Paper presented at Pulsmeet - Conference for Youth Leaders. 2024.
‘Maasai Wisdom: Leadership, Strategy, and the Art of Building Strong Communities’. Paper presented at ‘Leaders between Role Model and Idol’ - Christian Leadership Conference. 2024.
‘Small Group Ministry’. Paper presented at Bible Conference. 2023.
‘A Presbiterek Missziója (The Mission of Church Elders)’. 2001, 4.
‘Adventists and Socialist Governments’. Paper presented at the Symposium on Adventist History. Friedensau, 2018.
‘Bible Study with Your Friends in Your Home: Presentation and Workshop.’ Paper presented at Mission Conference. 1994.
‘Biblikus Kis Közösségek – Jegyzet Konferenciai És Főiskolai Képzésre. (Small Group Ministry in the Church -’. 2001, 46.
‘Csoport És Bizottságvezetés, Költségvetés Készítés. (Leading Committees and Boards.)’. 1999, 14.
‘How to Lead Small Groups in Your Home?’ Paper presented at Mission Conference. 1999.
‘Team-Based Learning’. Paper presented at Pan European Youth Congress. 2018.

Peer Reviewed Articles

Embodying the Kingdom, Spes Christiana, 2026
‘Adventism, Postmodernity and Spirituality’. Spes Christiana, no. 1 (2021): 21.
Sanou, Boubakar. ‘Exegeting the Bible and the Social Location of the Gospel Recipients: A Case for Worldview Transformation’. Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS), 2019, 10.

Articles in Church Publications - Selection

‘Növekszik a vallásosság Magyarországon – Újabb esély? (Religiosity is Growing in Hungary – A New Opportunity?)’. Adventhírnök, no. 6 (2002).
‘A Szombat – Mint Nyugalomnap (Der Sabbat - Der Tag der Ruhe)’. Adventista Szemle 2, nos 1–2 (2000): 4–9.
‘Brücke oder Sackgasse? Christliches Zeugnis in der Heutigen Gesellschaft’. Adventisten Heute, Nr. 07 (2013): 8–9.
‘Das Leben der Massai’. Dialog, Nr. 12 (2017): 2.
‘Der Schwerpunkt Mission im MTS-Studienprogramm: Die Antwort der Hochschule auf eine der Herausforderungen der Freikirche’. Dialog, Nr. 12 (2016): 2.
‘Diagnose: Häufig entkräftet, Forschungsergebnisse Über die Gesundheit von Adventgemeinden’. Adventisten Heute, Nr. 7 (2016): 8–11.
‘Die Freikirche der STA im demografischen Wandel: Eine Untersuchung der demographischen Entwicklung und der Ortsgemeinden in Deutschland’. Dialog, Nr. 04 (2016): 4.
‘Die Gemeindefamilie in Zahlen. Mitgliederentwicklung unserer Freikirche in Deutschland’. Adventisten Heute, Nr. 3 (2021): 20–21.
‘Die Kultur der Nachfolge Jesu: Wie Kulturelle Prägung die Jüngerschaft beeinflusst und wie sie verändert werden Kann’. Adventisten Heute, Nr. 5 (2024): 12–14.
‘Globális Misszió’. Adventhírnök, no. 2 (2001).
‘Kämpfe nicht wie einer, der in die Luft schlägt. Der Beitrag der Wissenschaft zum Gemeindeaufbau’. Adventisten Heute, Nr. 06 (2019): 8–9.
‘Menschenfischer Trifft Löwenjäger’. Dialog, Nr. 10 (2015): 2.
‘Miért Alapítsunk új Gyülekezetet? (Why Do We Need to Plant New Churches?)’. Adventhírnök, no. 3 (2001).
‘Mission in Deutschland – Nicht zu Schaffen!?’ Adventisten Heute, Nr. 05 (2011).
‘Mission und Krisen: Von der Notwendigkeit der Missionswissenschaft’. Dialog, Nr. 10 (2018): 3.
‘Missionarische Aspekte des Pastorenberufs’. Dialog, no. 02 (2011): 2.
‘Modelle der Leiterschaft’. Dialog, no. 01 (2014): 2.
‘No Mission? Know Mission!’ Adventisten Heute, Nr. 09 (2017): 10–12.
‘Schrecken oder Chance? Über das Schrumpfen der christlichen Kirchen in Deutschland’. Adventisten Heute, Nr. 02 (2020): 8–11.