Arts and Humanities Commons^™

A Seven Strand Cord: Braiding Together Leadership Development For Mid-Adolescents, Richard Barrett Bartlett Ii

Doctor of Ministry

The emerging culture is necessitating different leadership paradigms: preparation of leaders in a "business as usual" fashion is becoming inadequate. Mid-adolescents in churches who are being "called" or "shoulder tapped" as emerging leaders need an intentional process of leadership development.

This paper will recommend leadership development of mid-adolescents through the metaphor of a seven strand braided cord which includes these threads: discernment, an understanding of call, rite of passage events, mentoring, spiritual formation, service/ministry opportunities, and commissioning. The goal of this research is to suggest that these kinds of learning experiences, which the Church could be providing today, will best …

Chaordic Ministry: Structuring Church Ministry For The Emerging Culture, Warren D. Schatz

Doctor of Ministry

Many churches are struggling to adapt to changing needs and characteristics of people in the twenty-first century. For decades churches operated by developing standardized programs to reach large groups of people with relatively homogenous needs. The fragmentation of culture into ever-smaller affinity circles means thatpeople often have very different and unique needs from each other. Further, fragmentation has also affected the character and pattern of lifestyles in the emerging culture. There is no longer any standard pattern of work, recreation and home life. Each family has its own needs and its own schedule. This means people no longer have the …

Chaordic Ministry: Structuring Church Ministry For The Emerging Culture, Warren D. Schatz

Doctor of Ministry

Many churches are struggling to adapt to changing needs and characteristics of people in the twenty-first century. For decades churches operated by developing standardized programs to reach large groups of people with relatively homogenous needs. The fragmentation of culture into ever-smaller affinity circles means that.people often have very different and unique needs from each other. Further, fragmentation has also affected the character and pattern of lifestyles in the emerging culture. There is no longer any standard pattern of work, recreation and home life. Each family has its own needs and its own schedule. This means people no longer have the …

Chaordic Ministry: Structuring Church Ministry For The Emerging Culture, Warren D. Schatz

Doctor of Ministry

Many churches are struggling to adapt to changing needs and characteristics of people in the twenty-first century. For decades churches operated by developing standardized programs to reach large groups of people with relatively homogenous needs. The fragmentation of culture into ever-smaller affinity circles means that people often have very different and unique needs from each other. Further, fragmentation has also affected the character and pattern of lifestyles in the emerging culture. There is no longer any standard pattern of work, recreation and home life. Each family has its own needs and its own schedule. This means people no longer have …

The Birkat Ha-Minim And Its Relationship To The Johannine Situation In The First Century, Matthew C. Versdahl

Doctor of Ministry

In the discussion of Christian origins, Judaism, and their relationship to the gospel of John, the Birkat ha-minim remains an important element; particularly as it pertains to the occurrence of άποσυνάγωγος; in John 9:22; 12:42; and 16:2 and John's pejorative presentation of the 'Ιουδαιοι. Some have contended that it explains why, in these verses, Jewish followers of Jesus were ostracized from the synagogue which resulted in John's animosity in the use of 'Ιουδαιοι. In other words, they hold that the Birkat ha-minim functioned as a means of programmatic expulsion of Jewish Christians from the synagogue in …

William Hobson And William Keil: Religion And Polity In Nineteenth Century Oregon, Connor Fitzgerald Edmonds

Doctor of Ministry

In 1925, Ione Juanita Beale-Harkness compared the Quaker settlement in Oregon's Chehalem Valley (Newberg) to another Christian communitarian settlement less than twenty miles away in Aurora. Harkness ' research showed how differing Protestant faith traditions, separated in doctrinal beliefs, were united in their choice of settling in Oregon as a place to practice and preserve their lifestyle. By focusing on the administrative structure of both settlements and by providing more detail in respect to the historical antecedents of each settlement, this writing aspires to learn why these settlements, with such similar beginnings, are today very different in terms of the …

On Healing And Christianity: An Examination Of Origen And Tertullian's Views On Healing And Christianity, Brian L. Brunner

Doctor of Ministry

This paper examines the theological and practical views of Origen and Tertullian on the relationship between healing and Christianity. Its introduction examines the reason for the study, outlines research into this field, and explains the research method utilized. The following two chapters devoted to Origen and Tertullian begin by examining the role of healing in their theology. The chapters then move to a discussion of their understanding and view on the nascent Western medical science found in the Greco-Roman world. Each chapter then ends with a look at their views on the role of faith healing. All of these subjects …

The Equipping Paradigm Of New Testament Fivefold Leaders For Parishoner- Based Ministry, Kenneth Ross

Doctor of Ministry

This study addresses the need for a more equipping oriented leadership model to engender parishioner based ministry in the church and community. The study begins by recognizing the steady national and ecclesial decline in morals, ethics, marriage and family in America. This decline reveals the waning influence of the church in American culture. At the same time, there is evidence of a significant departure from the institutional church, in great part by Christians that want to "be" the church rather than just attend church. I propose that one possible solution is to return to a more equipping role for ecclesial …

Exploring A New Paradigm For Evangelism In The Emerging Culture, Michael Mcnichols

Doctor of Ministry

It is my claim that evangelism has become focused on the proclamation of a message that is presumed to be an accurate expression of the biblical concept of gospel. Evangelism within the evangelical community, perceived primarily as proclamation, has become a specialized function of the church. It is too often separated not only from the normative experience of the average Christian but also from the idea of discipleship, or spiritual formation. There are possible solutions to this problem, such as more training, increased efforts at city-wide crusades, more seeker-oriented services, continuation of church planting, a stronger focus on those "gifted" …

Pneumanaut: Demonstration And Proclamation Through Abstract, Metaphor And Sculpture, Eric Keck

Doctor of Ministry

The theology of academia lacks appropriate metaphors and abstracts to demonstrate, embody, and announce the kingdom of God. A solution is the creation of new metaphors and abstracts to add insight and definition. The purpose of this project, then, is to interpret and create some new metaphors for theological themes commonly used in academic circles. Because of prior knowledge readers bring with them when they engage with theology, their positions and starting points sometimes limit their understanding of the sensus plenior or fuller meaning, of the original text. By providing new metaphors for these theological themes, readers will enter into …

Reading Scripture With Both Eyes Open: God's Story Could Be Hazardous To Your Status Quo, Winn Griffin

Seminary Masters Theses

The real-world ministry problem addressed in this dissertation is: Scripture is often read and studied in a de-storied, fragmented way as a result of the Enlightenment Project. This problem will be addressed by: proposing a theological narrative (Stor/) as the alternative way of reading and studying Scripture.

Section 1 will discuss the problem of how readers of Scripture can be helped to understand themselves within the larger narrative of the Story presented from Genesis to Revelation. Section 2 will discuss the problem of reading the text of Scripture in a fragmented way as a result of the Enlightenment's propensity toward …

Reading Scripture With Both Eyes Open: God's Story Could Be Hazardous To Your Status Quo, Winn Griffin

Doctor of Ministry

The real-world ministry problem addressed in this dissertation is: Scripture is often read and studied in a de-storied, fragmented way as a result of the Enlightenment Project. This problem will be addressed by: proposing a theological narrative (Story) as the alternative way of reading and studying Scripture.

Section 1 will discuss the problem of how readers of Scripture can be helped to understand themselves within the larger narrative of the Story presented from Genesis to Revelation. Section 2 will discuss the problem of reading the text of Scripture in a fragmented way as a result of the Enlightenment's propensity toward …

Strengthening Church Leadership And Preventing Pastoral Burnout Through Imago Relationship Therapy, Keri Warren

Doctor of Ministry

Pastors have their own family system and, therefore, bring into the church and ministry their family-of-origin functional and dysfunctional thinking patterns and behaviors. Pastors who receive insight into and healing of early-life woundedness and dysfunctional patterns, especially those patterns that are core to Bowen's family systems theory, will be less likely to compensate for their woundedness through the church family system and less likely then to experience burnout. It is the thesis of this dissertation that pastors engage in Imago Relationship Theory techniques with their spouses, and experience personal healing and self-differentiation leading to further spiritual identity development, become better …

The Cult Of Comfort, Raymond W. Leach

Doctor of Ministry

The tension in which we find ourselves when it comes to the accumulation of wealth and material possessions is a common one for Christians in the United States. This is a natural result of living in a culture that is driven by the pursuit of comfort. It is aggravated by the fact that so many of our tendencies when it comes to money, happiness, and success are conditioned by the world instead of being shaped by the Word of God. We strive for worldly kingship, but we are called to otherworldly kingdom participation. We pursue comfort as defined by our …

Training Volunteers To Effectively Make Disciples Of Troubled Youth In The Emerging Postmodern Culture, Dwight Spotts

Doctor of Ministry

One of the great opportunities for the Christian community in an emerging postmodern culture will be the renewed potential for incamational ministry to troubled youth. For over a half century the evangelical church in America has failed to significantly impact the problem of delinquency. This has not always been the reality. Yet current research pertaining to the relationship between religion and delinquency shows that when contextual variables are considered the church can have an inverse effect upon delinquency. In other words, the practice of religion does have something positive to offer troubled youth.

While it is has traditionally been assumed …

Prayground.Tv: Penultimate Written Statement, David Mcdonald

Doctor of Ministry

Prayground.tv is an online experiential prayer exercise. It is designed to facilitate personal expression and creativity, high user interactivity, and conversation among peers in order to help postmoderns engage spirituality that is both individual and communal. The Internet has quickly become the voice for virtual community and personal expression and prayground.tv is a helpful tool in exploring the tension between the communityoriented teachings of Jesus while helping each user internalize those teachings.

Section Two will show that, based on external data and outside sources, this dichotomy is especially real in a postmodern context and needs to be addressed. Here I …

Re-Envisioning Theological Education And Formation For Mission, In-Context, Using Distance Education, David Wollenburg

Doctor of Ministry

Distance Education Leading To Ordination (DELTO) is a program of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) designed to prepare individuals for pastoral ministry. It is non-residential, and it is contextual, as those in the program are already engaged in ministry.

Three concerns about DELTO are addressed in this work: the first is that it is a "dumbing-down" of pastoral formation; the second is that it is not possible to form a spiritual commWlity of support on-line; and the third is the need for the seminary faculty to have enough information to be able to confidently certify DELTO graduates for ordination.

This …

Baptist Student Ministry: Object Lessons In The New Reality For Denominational Ministries, Nick Howard

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Intentional Discipleship: Spiritual Formation As Trinitarian Immersion For The 21st Century, Craig W. Henningfield

Doctor of Ministry

The local Christian congregation is remarkably active. Pastors serve the congregation in a variety of roles. Church leaders meet to plan so that tasks, funds and activities are properly ordered. Church members participate in the various ministries and opportunities offered. Citizens of the local community take advantage of programs designed for them. Christian congregations, sometimes called "religious malls," are busy.

Yet, with all the activity, church members still come and go, complain about the decisions being made, resist changes in their "religious tradition," struggle with various addictions, expect more than is being provided, and wonder how Christianity relates to their …

In His Steps: An Asian Christian View To Discerning God's Will, Philip J. J. Chen

Doctor of Ministry

Most Asian cultures are polytheistic, and the people of these cultures have evolved specific ways to discern the gods' wills for their lives. 1 When an individual from an Asian background converts to Christianity, he or she faces many challenges. For example, family members may pressure the believer to return to polytheism, and the believer must respond to their difficult challenge. Polytheism provides many ways to discern the will of the gods, but Christianity limits its methods to prayer, guidance from the Bible, and the direction of the Holy Spirit.2 This dissertation will describe methods of spiritual discernment for Christians …

Re-Hearing The Gospel: Toward New Practices For Evangelism And Discipleship, Todd Hunter

Doctor of Ministry

The ministry problem addressed in this dissertation is: approaches to evangelism and discipleship are not working well because the works and words of Jesus have been reduced to "going to heaven when you die," instead of "living a Kingdom life now for the sake of the world." Chapter 1 discusses the problem of a disenstoryed, to coin an apt term for this context, bullet-point theology and uses The Alpha Course, as a step in the right direction. Alpha, while not explicitly "storied" in its approach, is far more holistic than an average tract on the Gospel. In Chapter 2, …

Via Media : The Necessity Of Deeper Theological Refection For The Genuine Renewal Of Church In The Emerging Culture And Context / By Jason Clark., Jason Clark

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Baptist Student Ministry: Object Lessons In The New Reality For Denominational Ministries, Nick Howard

Doctor of Ministry

The world in which we live is a world filled with opportunity. It is an exciting time to be alive and involved in ministry. This is especially true for those who minister to the more than 14 million university students on campuses across America today. To work on a university campus is to experience the quickening of the Spirit. There is a very real sense that one is ministering on the cusp of the postmodem world. In contrast with earlier generations of students, the beginning years of the 21st century are times in which students are characterized by an optimism …