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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Imperfect Church, Perfect God, Claire N. Barr
Imperfect Church, Perfect God, Claire N. Barr
Honors Projects
Jesus’ death on the cross demonstrates the most radical act of love. So when the church, which is biblically supposed to reflect Jesus’ love, causes pain and disagreements, there is no doubt as to why people choose to leave, completely stay away from the church, or lose their faith altogether. Despite this, the solution remains in Jesus. Through His ministry represented in scripture, one can see the way in which the church is called to care for the world. Despite this, the church has come short of Jesus’ example, often skewing people’s perspective on Christ. When on Earth, Jesus defied …
Grace-Based Faith Discipleship Approach Of Adults In South Rock Christian Church: Addressing The Contemporary Legalistic Lifestyle Of Disciples, Nicholas John Pannone
Grace-Based Faith Discipleship Approach Of Adults In South Rock Christian Church: Addressing The Contemporary Legalistic Lifestyle Of Disciples, Nicholas John Pannone
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Discipleship often evokes different responses. However, contemporary Christians have a faithfulness dilemma driven by the constant messages they hear. This DMIN project seeks to develop and promote a ministry structure that educates, equips, and enriches the Christian life based on God’s grace. The project seeks to provide a framework for participants to be transformed holistically by God’s grace. Often, the members of South Rock Christian Church understand grace as the entry point into salvation, but not the identifying trait of their faithful life in Christ. This action project consists of qualitative research that demonstrates a gap between belief and action …
Worship In Modern-Day Society: Evaluating Music Of Corporate Worship, Lindley Christine Cameron
Worship In Modern-Day Society: Evaluating Music Of Corporate Worship, Lindley Christine Cameron
Masters Theses
Background Church services today incorporate a wide variety of worship music, stylistically and lyrically, depending on the congregation. Some churches place great importance on the gospel being included in the songs, while others focus more on the emotions felt during the songs. While there are churches that maintain an eclectic mix of the two, other churches have a significant imbalance in the worship songs they choose to sing each week. Matt Boswell says, “Every worship experience, in its order and content, is an expression of the congregation’s liturgy. It communicates something about your church, your doctrine, and the order of …
The Decalogue Of Justice: A Covenantal Application Of Biblical Justice, Andrew Mark Adil
The Decalogue Of Justice: A Covenantal Application Of Biblical Justice, Andrew Mark Adil
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation aims to establish a biblical theology of justice (מִשְׁפָּט), ascertaining the commands and references to justice in Scripture are comprehensively and exclusively rooted in the Moral Law of the Torah, summarized in the Ten Commandments, and embedded in the Covenant of Grace (Old and New), making it binding on New Covenant believers and inextricably attached to the church’s Great Commission mandate. To this end, the study examines the concept of justice in the OT and the Moral Law, contrasting Reformed evangelical hermeneutics with the modern iteration of Liberation Theology in connection with the application of biblical justice. Additionally, …
A Phenomenological Study Of The High-Tech, High-Touch Pastor: Maximizing Personal Ministry In A Digital Age, Shirley Groce
A Phenomenological Study Of The High-Tech, High-Touch Pastor: Maximizing Personal Ministry In A Digital Age, Shirley Groce
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore how high-tech, high-touch senior pastors who practice servant leadership establish and maintain personal contact with their church members and lead them using digital technology. This research was particularly relevant in an era of social distancing required by the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical framework for this study was Greenleaf's servant leadership theory. Ten experienced pastors were interviewed to determine how they balanced the impersonal nature of streaming worship services while maintaining personal contact with their congregations. These interviews were transcribed, and important themes were identified to determine best practices for using technology while maintaining …
Seat At The Table: An Inclusive Ministry To Families And Individuals With Disabilities At Plainfield Christian Church, Lindy Ruth Rader
Seat At The Table: An Inclusive Ministry To Families And Individuals With Disabilities At Plainfield Christian Church, Lindy Ruth Rader
Christian Ministries Senior Capstone
Churches are called to be a place of welcoming and belonging, but it is common for individuals and families with disabilities to not feel like they have a place in the Church. Seat At The Table is a ministry designed to address this problem and help families feel integrated into the local church. This ministry is a part of Plainfield Christian Church, located in Plainfield, Indiana. Seat At The Table desires to create a space for individuals and families to encounter Jesus and to form a deep and lasting relationship with Him. Along with this, they want participants in the …
Music Educators As Worship Leaders: The Impact In Music Ministries Led By Music Educators, Patrick Robert Eckelkamp
Music Educators As Worship Leaders: The Impact In Music Ministries Led By Music Educators, Patrick Robert Eckelkamp
Masters Theses
Some of the most competent musicians in local communities are the music educators in local school districts. Since the Bible commands us to play skillfully to God, local music teachers may be an excellent resource for churches. Some churches cannot hire a full-time worship pastor from a seminary or Bible college. In these scenarios, a skilled music teacher looking for additional income and sharing convictions with their church may be a great candidate to fill a vacant worship leader role. Since music teachers primarily study classical and orchestral music, there may be challenges for classically trained music educators leading a …
Equipping Covenant Baptist Church To Defend The Bible In A Skeptical World, Harlan Grant Mclain
Equipping Covenant Baptist Church To Defend The Bible In A Skeptical World, Harlan Grant Mclain
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The thesis of this research project is “If Covenant Baptist Church members are taught the reliability of the Bible, they will be equipped to defend their faith to a skeptical world.” The goals of this doctoral thesis are two-fold: to train adequate believers regarding the Bible’s reliability in a skeptical world, and honor God in the process through the equipping ministry of the church in accordance with Ephesians 4:11-16. Seven lessons were researched, formulated, and presented to a small group of believers in Covenant Baptist Church who desired to become more confident in defending the Bible to a skeptic. Entrance …
Analyzing The Relationship Between Pastoral Leadership And Church Attendance In Baptist Congregations In Eastman, Georgia, Michael Carruthers
Analyzing The Relationship Between Pastoral Leadership And Church Attendance In Baptist Congregations In Eastman, Georgia, Michael Carruthers
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The reality of the decline of the church is evident in many churches today. What is causing the decline in worship attendance? This research study examined 14 of the 42 Baptist churches in Eastman, Georgia, from the Dodge County Baptist Association, where the average weekly reporting worship attendance during 2018 to 2021 was 50 to 150 in attendance. This research used the survey method, where participants anonymously answered questions regarding their church and pastor. The research study's results objectively prove that pastoral leadership can affect church attendance. Further research can be completed to investigate this connection between pastoral leadership and …
Believe It Or Not: Discovering The Role Of Marketplace Ministry In Reconciling Race And Religion In The African American Church, Shawn Burgs
DMin Project Theses
This Doctor of Ministry Project explores the experiences of African Americans as faith holders in the crux of race, religion, and marketplace and how the interconnectedness of these facets can lend to reconciliation. The purpose of exploring how African American believers experience race and religious reconciliation is a noble goal that seeks to address the challenges faced by many African American believers in navigating their faith and cultural engagement. By examining their experiences, insights, and perspectives, we can learn more about the unique challenges they face and the strategies they employ to overcome them. This information can help us develop …
Worshipers At War: The Church’S Call To Praise On The Frontlines, Keely Cox
Worshipers At War: The Church’S Call To Praise On The Frontlines, Keely Cox
Senior Honors Theses
As spiritual warfare wages on and battles are constantly fought, the worship leader must understand the power of worship the Church wields in the love and strength of the Lord. In order for the role of the worship leader to be fully recognized and understood as a significant part of the body of Christ, its unique history must also be examined. It can be seen in the appointment of the Levites to the ministry of the Israelite tabernacle and their leadership on the battlefield. It can be found in first-century Christian leaders who persisted to praise the one true God …
Those Who Came Before Us: A Review Of Tell Her Story, Hannah Landman
Those Who Came Before Us: A Review Of Tell Her Story, Hannah Landman
Student Work
"Gupta’s book offers a refreshing look at women in ministry before, during, and after Jesus’s time on earth."
Posting about the book Tell Her Story from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.
https://inallthings.org/those-who-came-before-us-a-review-of-tell-her-story/
Topics Christians Should Discuss: Mass Incarceration (Part 1), Joya Schreurs
Topics Christians Should Discuss: Mass Incarceration (Part 1), Joya Schreurs
Student Work
"Our actions both can and should be direct refusals of injustice and infused with compassion for all impacted parties."
Posting about the prison crisis from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.
https://inallthings.org/topics-christians-should-discuss-mass-incarceration-part-1/