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Accessible Spiritual Practices Through Classic Forms Of Prayer, Clyde Vernon Hartline

Doctor of Ministry

But Jesus often withdrew to the lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

When God-followers feel distant and disconnected, they often describe their experience as a “lonely place.” The feeling of being distanced from God is exacerbated by a lack of knowledge on how to resolve the distance. Retreats and resources might help one reconnect with God; however, the means for connection is often housed in the deep recesses of books or is hidden in the teachings of spiritual sages far away on desert retreats. Simple classic prayer practices remain largely unknown in evangelical circles as a result of inaccessibility, unfamiliarity, …

Using Storytelling (Including Image, Metaphor And Narrative) In Cross-Generational, Cross-Cultural Twenty-First Century Evangelism, Rick D. Mckinney

Doctor of Ministry

Generational and cultural diversity within twenty-first century society has created great challenges to both professional clergy and laypersons in communicating the gospel. In addition, a postmodern, post-Christian culture has created a hostile environment for those sharing the message of Christ using the formulaic, propositional evangelism methods of the Twentieth century. Section One of this dissertation will elaborate on the problem. Section Two discusses why these methods, written primarily for a period of time when Judeo-Christian absolutes and regard for the sacred were staples in society, are increasingly ineffective. As the church struggles with a steady decline in its membership, the …

The Multiple Intelligences As Holistic Spiritual Formation In Youth Ministry, Grant E. Carey

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that there is a great need for holistic spiritual formation in the lives of the adolescents that are part of our churches. Section 1 describes the influence of postmodernism and Moralistic Therapeutic Deism on our teenagers, especially as they go through an intense time of change and development. Because of this awkward developmental stage, adolescents are often thought of in ways that are mostly untrue, which creates myths that are explored and debunked in this section. Section 2 explores recent trends and programs in youth ministry that have been used for bettering spiritual formation in the lives …

Brain-Based Worship: Re-Membering The Mind-Body Connection, Paula Champion-Jones

Doctor of Ministry

Historically, it has been believed that Christian formation occurs primarily in the context of worship. Because both traditional and contemporary worship services are routinely structured around the skills of persuasive rhetoric and logic, most worship services effectively ignore the impact of experiential, embodied knowledge. Recent research in neuroscience has proven that humans are sensory-motor-emotional-thinking beings who learn best when body, brain, and emotions are simultaneously engaged. A fresh paradigm for teaching, brain-based leaning, is proving to result in learning that is more memorable, more likely to result in long-term change in the behavior of the learner, and more likely to …

The Great Co-Mission: A Postmodern Missiology, Greg G. Glatz

Doctor of Ministry

The Great Commission has often been interpreted as a directive to colonize people and subject them to our agenda. We interpret “make disciples of all nations” as make other parts of the world Christian the way we are Christian. We interpret “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” as compelling them to repudiate any beliefs or practices that conflict with our understanding of Christianity. We interpret “teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” as indoctrinate them with creeds and catechisms. As a postmodern pilgrim, I want to …

Sending Students: Addressing Barriers University Students Face In Going To The World As Missionaries, Shane Sebastian

Doctor of Ministry

"The Bible recounts how God has used people of all ages and backgrounds to advance His purposes. Many of the most remarkable events of the biblical story involved young people. It should not be surprising to find that in recent centuries, many of the greatest things God has done to fulfill the Great Commission have been done with university students." —David Howard

University students on campuses today will be leaders tomorrow. According to recent statistics, there are approximately 150 million college students in the world today, roughly 2% of the world’s population. Though this may be a small fraction of …

Theosis: The Core Of Our Ancient/Future Faith And Its Relevance To Evangelicalism At The Close Of The Modern Era, Michael Paul Gama

Doctor of Ministry

Contemporary American Evangelicalism is in a state of flux. Serious thinkers are even suggesting that with the confluence of postmodernity and the rise of the Millennials, what Evangelicalism is currently encountering is not simply change, but crisis. In light of a widespread exodus of many Millennials from traditional Evangelical churches, crisis seems an apt description. I discuss the current condition of Evangelicalism and reach back to the patristic fathers for a remedy, which I suggest, is a fitting spiritual medicine for the contemporary movement. But this "reach back" is not simply an historical exercise, but is complemented by the thinking …

Burnout And The Gospel: Moving From Burnout To True Elders With The Gospel Grand Narrative, Cary S. Peterson

Doctor of Ministry

Burnout among Western church leaders occurs at an alarming rate. Effective responses must go beyond the symptoms of burnout to the theology these leaders chose, which ultimately shapes their visions of life and leadership. This project explores the experience of burnout and its relationship to the prevailing version of the gospel in the Western church, suggesting this epidemic is connected to in an inaccurate version of the gospel that finds fertile soil in the leader’s own unresolved personal identity issues. Part 1 (Chapters 1-3) introduces the burnout epidemic and the prevailing version of the gospel in the West. Chapter 1 …

Technefication: The Art And Craft Of Utilizing Technology In Spiritual Practices, Patrick J. Sehl Jr.

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims there is an underutilization of technology in the church resulting in the bifurcation of the sacred and secular and asserts that the church needs to leverage the power of mobile devices to integrate spiritual practices and everyday life. Section 1 enters the discussion of technophobia and its effect on relationships with God and with others. Section 2 names a few ways the church has attempted to help people integrate spiritual practices into their daily lives through hiring a Spiritual Formation Pastor, encouraging involvement in small groups, and developing Bible apps. These attempts have taken great steps forward; …

Male Call: The Role Of The Church In Awakening Young Men To Their Vocational Purpose, Thomas G. Shaw

Doctor of Ministry

Many young adult men are struggling in their transition from adolescence to adulthood. Unique challenges converge in their quest for vocational discovery and career choice. The church is largely ignored as a guide as they make choices about work and career. Christian churches have been slow to provide practical guidance in faith and work; especially for disciples with an interest in professions and careers outside Christian ministry. There is a need for an informed church to guide young men so that they may reach their potential through the discovery of calling and vocation. I propose that the church must assume …

Sustainable Faith: How The Neuroscience Of Emotion Promotes Spiritual Transformation, Christine M. Mutch

Doctor of Ministry

Current research indicates that well-intentioned practices and programs aimed at forming people into the image of Christ are not producing the intended results. One roadblock is the misunderstanding and lack of value placed on the role of emotion in the transformation process. The purpose of this dissertation is to present neuroscience research about the integral role of emotion in one's life, and suggest practical ways to capitalize on emotion to effect transformation.

Chapter one describes the goals of spiritual formation, in contrast to current attitudes and practices of those inside and outside the church. It provides a basic introduction to …

A Renewed Homiletic For The Twenty-First-Century Church, Douglas Witherup

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation proposes that a homiletic recapturing a methodology implicit in Jesus’ preaching (story/image/metaphor, questions, and supernatural encounter) enables preachers to more effectively communicate to a twenty-first-century audience. Section one identifies the problem: namely the recent devaluing of preaching and the continued reliance on a 2500-year-old propositional homiletic. Section two examines other proposed solutions, including inductive preaching, postmodern voices, and current popular preachers. Section three examines our thesis, both by investigating Jesus’ preaching methodology in the canonical gospels and seeking to discover if and how that methodology translates to an effective renewed homiletic. Sections four and five outline the dynamics …

Missional Communities: Equipping Churches To Reach Their Local Context, Robert Glen Parker

Doctor of Ministry

In the Northeast region of the United States, surveys suggest church participation is steadily declining. We contend that a primary reason for this decline is that churches have become insular and exclusive, leading to a failure to meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of their communities. The problem raises the question, "How do churches move beyond exclusivity to engage in relevant ministry within their local communities?" Throughout the Bible, God is the initiator of a relationship with humanity. God created Adam and Eve, and set out a redemptive plan to restore them to right relationship when their connection to …

Promoting Missionary Mutual Care Through Spiritual Community, David L. Shepherd

Doctor of Ministry

Personal struggle and the stressors that catalyze them are inevitable in missionary life. When overly focusing on ministry and enculturation demands, cross-culturally based Christian workers can often neglect intra and inter-personal spiritual formation. The result of such neglect is a lack of purpose, vitality, endurance and effectiveness, and in some cases, the missionary leaves the field altogether. For missionaries to thrive and succeed requires that they place a high priority on mutual and intentional care. Therefore, I will explore the necessity and means of cultivating spiritual community among on-thefield missionaries for their mutual care and development. Chapter 1 introduces the …

Reclaiming The Kingdom Of God Metaphor For The Twenty-First-Century Church, Timothy R. Willson

Doctor of Ministry

In this dissertation I will argue that an egocentric eschatology (preoccupation with what happens to the individual at the moment of death) has unwittingly trumped the importance of incarnating the Kingdom of God in this present world. It is my assertion that a better understanding of Kingdom of God theology and the promotion of its priority will inspire Christian discipleship leading to reformation and renewal in the church. For this to happen, we must fundamentally renovate our definition and articulate the meaning of “Kingdom of God” as His sovereign reign and rule over a people He has called out, set …

Embracing Maturity: An Ignatian Christian Leadership Formation Model For Emerging Adults, Todd Dustin Clark

Doctor of Ministry

The research of this project is concentrated on the integration of the disciplines of leadership, developmental psychology, and spiritual formation to inform a nine-month Christian leadership formation process for postmodern emerging adults. As the Staff Development Facilitator for an Outdoor Science Camp ministry (OSS), my task is twofold: (1) In regards to our mission, I aspire to help staff members develop leadership skills that prepare them to be excellent experiential educators; (2) in regards to formation, I desire to facilitate relevant spiritual growth for emerging adults. I believe the overlapping and pragmatic connection between these two goals is the art …

Support Groups For Men: Encouraging Healthy Relationships With God And Others, John Henry Mckinney Ii

Doctor of Ministry

Over several decades, societal shifts have dramatically impacted masculinity. One school of thought, hypomasculinity, views men as dominant, controlling, and abusive. Their approach to reforming men is pedagogy. Hypermasculinity—another school of thought—considers culture as domesticating men. Often, they see reform occurring through men’s support groups.

There is an intentional design to domesticate men, making them softer and more manageable. Obviously, there is nothing immoral about desiring the transformation of man. The issue is not the desire but the methodology supporting it. So, how is change to be successfully implemented?

Some churches are offering men support groups. Such groups provide recovery …

Congregational Leadership Development Through Mentorships: Preparing Each Generation For The Church's Future Through Family Systems Theory, Danny Wayne Russell

Doctor of Ministry

For some churches the most important qualification for a church leader is the person's age. When traditional churches have less younger people, they begin thinking of ways to attract the younger generations. Some churches may conclude that having a younger person in a leadership role will help them attract young people. Because the focus on the church becomes getting younger people, a younger person in a leadership role is most desired; therefore, the person's age becomes the deciding factor of who should be a deacon or elder in the church. Through looking at family system theory, the above approach to …

Fire, Water And Wind: God's Transformational Narrative, Norbert Haukenfrers

Doctor of Ministry

"Fire, Water, and Wind: God’s Transformational Narrative" explores factors in forming a healthy sense of personal identity. The impetus for this dissertation is the observation that people in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada and the surrounding area, are searching for meaning and identity. They are dissatisfied with their current situations and many are actively seeking escape from their current life experiences. This is evidenced by the number of people participating in high-risk behaviors and activities such as drug or alcohol abuse, gambling, engaging and soliciting prostitution, pornography, multiple sex partners, unprotected sexual encounters, smoking, or violent crimes, and far too many …

The Faith Web: A Networking Of The Body Of Christ To Mitigate Relationship Voids And Strengthen The Faith Community, Scott M. Ness

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation introduces a new philosophy, The Faith Web, as a method to validate relationships and provide reciprocal social capital between people for the sake of building Christian community, support, and formation. Section 1 describes the ideals of Christian community and examines the ways these ideals are not realized. Special attention is paid to relationship voids caused by death, divorce, fatherlessness, and absenteeism of parents. Section 2 examines the communal life of ancient Israel and the present day community that occurs in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) and Social Networking Sites (SNS). This juxtaposition draws upon the strength of both approaches …