Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Spiritual Direction And Evangelicals : Exploring Its Growth, Margie Van Duzer

Doctor of Ministry

During the last thirty years interest in the ministry of spiritual direction has grown rapidly within evangelical circles. This paper explores the conditions that have nurtured this change. Specifically, this dissertation defines and describes spiritual direction, sets forth its biblical and historical context, and then explores a variety of factors that help explain its increase in popularity among evangelicals. In the final chapter, the dissertation turns to a consideration of how best to prepare the growing number of evangelical spiritual directors and proposes an outline of a curriculum for a spiritual direction equipping program.

The paper is divided into three …

Beyond Change-Overcoming The Barriers To Small Rural Church Revitalization, Allen F. Wachter

Doctor of Ministry

Many of the rural churches of the Free Methodist Denomination in the Northeast region of the United States have experienced substantial stagnation and/or decline of their attendance rates over the past five years. This begs the questions, "What is preventing these churches from being revitalized so they too can be used as vessels to grow the Kingdom of God?" Though many obstructions to kingdom growth1 exist, this study focuses on the following five barriers: resistance to change, under-utilization of spiritual gifts, relational dysfunction, apathy, and lack of love. The source of these barriers was discovered through personal observation and experience …

Embracing The Margins: Covenant Faithfulness Over Mainstream Favor, Nathaniel J. Mullen Iii

Doctor of Ministry

Since its origin as a pejorative label for members of the 2nd century church, the word "Christian" has been used to describe Saint, Priest, humanitarian, and martyr as well as murderer, bigot, inquisitionist, republican, and disruptor of peace. This truth is evidence of the ability to misrepresent the Christ of Christ-ian. Right now we are in the position of transforming what images come to mind when people hear the word Christian. In Matthew's gospel, Christ is given the name Immanuel, which means, "God with us."1 The person of Jesus Christ is spoken of as the embodiment of Immanuel in every …

Umconfirmation.Com: A Web-Based, Interactive Confirmation Curriculum For United Methodist Students, Samuel R. Hayes

Doctor of Ministry

Current methods of teaching United Methodist confirmation classes are printheavy, technology-light, and therefore ineffective in reaching their intended audience. A new, interactive, web-based curriculum that would incorporate 21st century tools would do a better job. Umconfirmation.com is such a tool, and this paper will show why. Other proposed solutions include the use of the confirmation curriculum, Claim the Name1 , offered by Cokesbury, the Journey to Discipleship2 curriculum, written by two United Methodist pastors, or the We Believe3 curriculum, published by Bristol House. Claim the Name offers a "Multimedia Teaching Tool,"4 which features slide shows, dramas, and a "claymation" video …

Imagery In Spiritual Formation: Recovering A Lost Art, John P. Stone

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Faith Journeys In The Lives Of Baby Boomers, William Henry Stewart Jr.

Doctor of Ministry

Baby boomers are a cusp generation entering into the twenty-first century during the ending of the enlightenment era. As they enter different life stages and situations, baby boomers undergo changes in their faith. As supported in the biblical witness, faith is a journey with a trajectory that cannot be precisely defined or categorized. These elements support the premise of this work: Christian faith is a journey for the baby boomer generation.

Chapter 1 introduces the problem through baby boomer narratives, substantiated by statistical studies and sociological research. I establish that many current churches concentrate on salvation and the priestly role …

Telling The Gospel Master Story In The Google Era, Timothy R. Orton

Doctor of Ministry

Narrative is fundamentally important to the human condition because the very fabric of our lives and existence is composed of a story-line-in-sequence; a narrative. The premise upon which this study is built holds that the personal story of each individualhis or her mininarrative1--cannot have meaning unless it is framed in a viable masterstory, or metanarrative. I believe humans were made in God's image for the purpose of eternal and unbroken fellowship with Him and unless one's personal narrative is framed by the metanarrative of the Gospel, he or she cannot be a spiritually complete person. This dissertation claims that three …

Avoiding The Debilitating Effects Of Compassion Fatigue, James S. Caruso

Doctor of Ministry

Many clergy experience a debilitating stress condition called compassion fatigue (CF). Church leaders leave ministry for many reasons such as moral failure, financial stresses, marital problems, burnout, and CF. CF is not easily recognized, but its effects on ministry leaders are very visible. Preventive measures include observing the Sabbath observance, reliance on the Holy Spirit and other self-care techniques. This projects thesis is that CF can be avoided through Sabbath observance reliance on the Holy Spirit and proper self-care practices. Church leaders are vulnerable to CF in their care-giving role. They should understand the signs and symptoms of CF and …

The Nature Of Evangelism In Missional Churches, Russell York

Doctor of Ministry

Evangelism has long been at the heart of God's mission for the church. The arrival of the twenty-first century brought with it renewed interest in both the mission of the church and evangelism, a practice central to the church's mission. A leading factor in this resurgence is the decline in church attendance over the past several decades. The most influential factors leading to the decline in attendance are culture changes from modernism to postmodemism and from a Christendom society to a post-Christian pluralistic society. These culture shifts resulted in the diminishing influence of the church and non-Christians' often harboring hostile …

Wikichurch: Exploring A 21st Century Incarnation Ethic For The Body Of Christ, Nathan Swenson-Reinhold

Doctor of Ministry

Exploring a 21st Century Incamational Ethic for the Body of Christ The wikiChurch is Christ's church as it practices collaborative processes in its life, organization, and mission. More and more literature is being written about the flat nature of our world, its shrinking horizons, the free flow of information, the porous nature of national borders, and shifting generational norms. Children are growing up in a world where they will not only be well educated, but also will exercise creativity in the world's cultural formation. Our world is increasingly open sourced. In it's beginning, open source was a term used by …

Dependence Versus Independence: An Evaluation Of The Relationship Between World Gospel Mission And The Africa Gospel Church In Kenya, Patrick L. Murunga

Doctor of Ministry

Africa Gospel Church has a serious problem of an unhealthy relationship with the World Gospel Mission. Since its inception, the mission has struggled to let go off the church. The church on the other hand, has been happy to see this relationship go on in the same dependent way without much concern. The Africa Gospel Church is over seventy years now and is at a place in its life where it needs to chart its own course.

This study evaluates the relationship between the mission agency and the Africa Gospel Church in Kenya. It investigates the historical challenges that might …

The Coming God: Pursuing A Theology Of Hope, Ed Love

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Conflict And The Campus Ministry Leader : A Strategy For Preparation, Robert S. Henry

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Adventures In Churchland: Discovering The Beautiful Mess Jesus Loves, Dan Kimball

Doctor of Ministry

A growing number of young adults (those in the 18-30-year-old age range) are not
engaging, becoming involved or entering into the church of America. An increasing
number of those who grew up attending church are leaving after their high school years.
I have observed this as a pattern when visiting churches and talking to church
leaders across America. Statistics are showing this as seen in studies such as Dave Kin-
naman’s research and writings from the Barna Research group and Ed Stetzer’s research
from LifeWay Christian Resources. This is a very significant problem because if the
church loses connection with …

Designing Communitas, Kevin Tyler Bates

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Who Cares? Establishing And Integrating Care Systems Within A Framework Of Faith Communities, Medical Centers, And Government Agencies, Elizabeth T. Boatwright

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

The Moral And Ethical Influence By The Christian Faith Community Upon The Non-Christian Population Of Harney County, Oregon, John D. Stauffer

Doctor of Ministry

The principal problem that this paper addresses is the diminishment of the Christian church‘s moral influence in Harney County, Oregon. The author asks two primary questions: (1) what are the role and the responsibility of the Christian faith community with respect to influencing the wider culture of Harney County, and (2) how should pastoral leaders of Harney County, Oregon facilitate collaborative efforts among their respective congregations to enhance the Christian faith‘s collective influence on our community.

Chapter One introduces the problem through a narrative based on the author‘s local ministry setting of Harney County. Chapter Two presents scriptural evidence to …

Spiritual Abuse : When The System Becomes The Persecutor, Gary R. Veenhuizen

Doctor of Ministry

Spiritual abuse is an extremely subtle issue in its early stages. Often one doesn’t recognize when they are a subject of abuse, or how they have been influenced in ways that are controlling and involve manipulation of behavior and thought. It should be understood that all institutional systems are vulnerable to manipulation by leadership, tradition or culture of the system or organization. I am proposing that it is possible that a system itself can be an abuser, inflicting spiritual control and manipulation on the organization, the leadership and members for future generations. I want to examine the earmarks of unhealthy …

Re-Imaging Leadership Development For Millennials, John Scott Ramsey

Doctor of Ministry

vii ABSTRACT Statistics of church attendance in America shows a chronic trend toward younger generations leaving the church. What will happen to the church in America over the next fifteen years when Boomer1 pastors choose to retire? The Church will face a monumental leadership transition and many churches will not be equipped with a new generation of experienced leaders. Seasoned church leaders (aka those of the Boomer population) must give great care, and with a sense of urgency, develop the Millennial generation2 as leaders for the future vitality of the church. The thesis of this study is seasoned church leaders …

A Contemplative Vocational Discernment Model For Christian College Students, Barbara K. Dewald

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between The Great Commission, The Most Important Commandment, And Abundance, Mark Mcnees

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Sustaining Team Leadership In Recovery At Magnolia Baptist Church In Riverside, California, Richard Perez

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Under One Umbrella: Multiple Communities, One Church, Timothy Jacob Gillespie

Doctor of Ministry

It is my claim that the need for alternative communities within established church structures is not only growing, but is also paramount to the continuation of the gospel of Jesus Christ into the post-Christian, post-Modern world. These alternative communities often take the form of "emerging" worship services, Young Adult services, and "churchwithin- a-church" expressions of worship and community. They are seen in large, medium, and small church settings; as such, we see many of the same problems to varying degrees. The search for relevance has led us to these communities, and this author sees them as valid expressions of faith …

Anglican Eucharistic Liturgy: A Church-Planting Hope For The Post-Christian Culture Of The Pacific Northwest, Anthony D. Kriz

Doctor of Ministry

The question addressed in this dissertation may be stated as follows: 1tJ1l1at hope does Anglican Eucharistic Liturgy bring to the future of church planting within the increasingly post-Christian urban centers of the Pacific Northwest? According to our research of a sample zip code of inner-city Portland, Oregon, only one in four people self-identify with Christianity and less than one in five attend church. Churches are shrinking and closing rapidly and our culture is increasingly defined as post-Christian. The plans of the recent church-planting efforts are losing ground. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but there is significant evidence that the Anglican …

Desert Living For Modern Day Ministers: Embracing The Life And Practice Of Desert Living In Ministry Today, Kaye L. Mckinley

Doctor of Ministry

Ministers spend most of their time assisting others through trouble and hardship, yet they are often unable to cope with their own personal struggles. In doing so, they neglect their own spiritual lives for the sake of others. This dissertation will explore the desert experiences of the past to determine if the desert metaphor holds value for ministers today as a place of healing and spiritual transformation. In biblical times, the desert was a literal place where people sought God and explored their life and faith. The Desert Fathers and Mother followed this example. Desert living is available for us …

Listening Life: An Approach To Spiritual Formation At Newberg Friends Church, Stephen D. Fawver

Doctor of Ministry

At Newberg Friends Church we have developed a Listening Life approach to spiritual formation based on the call of God recorded in Mark 9:7, "This is my Son, whom I love, listen to him." A listening life is a holistic life - one that is open to being in a love relationship with God, creating intentional space and time with Christ, and responding to the nudges of the Spirit in the spontaneity of life. This listening is richer when done together with others and more free if it embraces an experimental attitude that holds things loosely as we seek to …