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Articles 1 - 30 of 41
Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Constructing A Transformative Methodology Of Discipleship: A Qualitative Case Study Of The African Strategic Discipleship Movement (Asdm), Anne Sylvia Meredith Frey
Constructing A Transformative Methodology Of Discipleship: A Qualitative Case Study Of The African Strategic Discipleship Movement (Asdm), Anne Sylvia Meredith Frey
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study was to discover how discipleship can be transformative for the learners within the African Strategic Discipleship Movement (ASDM) training program currently being offered to Christian denominations located in 33 countries throughout Africa. The educational theory that guided this study was Bruner’s constructivism methodology of learning as it suggested a theoretical framework that could be integrated into the field of discipleship. The Central Research Question asked how the specific instructional methods and practices of discipleship presented by the African Strategic Discipleship Movement (ASDM) provide or not provide the participants with transformational results. Sub-research questions asked about …
Unity In The Church Across Traditions: How Abraham Kuyper's Ecclesiology Helps Further Contemporary Ecumenical Engagement Between Protestants And Catholics, Vincent Keane
Pro Rege
No abstract provided.
The Importance Of Bridging The Generation Gap Within Grace City Church: A Plan For An Intergenerational Discipleship Program, Keila A. Boychak
The Importance Of Bridging The Generation Gap Within Grace City Church: A Plan For An Intergenerational Discipleship Program, Keila A. Boychak
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The generation gap exists within the local church. The purpose of this praxis problem was to address the lack of intergenerational ministry in the church and create an intergenerational discipleship program to start the process of bridging the generation gap. The researcher intended to study the generations that are involved within Grace City Church and better understand how to reach them. In following Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Theory (1969), the researcher planned to create a practical program that assisted in gaining participants, who are among various generations and are currently members of the congregation. Through the implementation …
Church Adoption: Three-Pronged Elements That Support The Revitalization Of Coastal Church Battery Park Location In Virginia, Michael Christopher Bard
Church Adoption: Three-Pronged Elements That Support The Revitalization Of Coastal Church Battery Park Location In Virginia, Michael Christopher Bard
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The church is God’s plan for delivering the good news of Jesus Christ’s finished work on the Cross. This finished work is evidenced through the bodily resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15). In the US a steady decline in church attendance has been prevalent over the past three decades and church buildings are either near empty or closing. This research explores the concept of church adoption merger in hopes of one avenue that would promote revitalization of local fellowships. Though multiple elements are supportive in revitalization this research explore three elements that should lead towards centralizing the church on Christ. …
Messaging The Mission: Developing And Implementing A Messaging Strategy For The Mission Statement Of Monticello Christian Church, Tanetta S. Dawson-Snyder
Messaging The Mission: Developing And Implementing A Messaging Strategy For The Mission Statement Of Monticello Christian Church, Tanetta S. Dawson-Snyder
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This DMIN thesis project focuses on the inherent need to strategically message the mission statement of the Monticello Christian Church to its leaders, thus preparing them to relay it to the congregation for greater unity in fulfilling the misso Dei. With a focus on the educational training model, the study examines how the application of acquired knowledge empowers a church body to embrace a singular missional purpose. The training sessions were designed to help leaders utilize their cognitive and spiritual gifts to comprehend the depth and width of the missional message statement and adeptly communicate it to others. The research …
Disciple-Making At St. Louis Baptist Church, Vasquez R. Granberry
Disciple-Making At St. Louis Baptist Church, Vasquez R. Granberry
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In careful reflection, the members at St. Louis Baptist Church need a more structured way to train on disciples making disciples. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to develop and deliver a structured small group training process for making disciples who will become St. Louis Baptist Church disciple-makers. The current thesis for a Doctor of Ministry degree focuses on disciple-making. The objective is to learn and teach the membership how to become disciple-makers within the St. Louis Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. Allowing these matters to address disciple-makers will also enable the researcher to discover the topics …
Timothy Keller: Champion For The City: Keller's Philosophy Of Urban Contextualization, Michael W. Cunningham
Timothy Keller: Champion For The City: Keller's Philosophy Of Urban Contextualization, Michael W. Cunningham
Eleutheria: John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Academic Journal
Timothy Keller's 2023 passing serves as an occasion to consider his ministry legacy. His magnum opus, Center Church, encapsulated his philosophy of contextualization. This philosophy was rooted in a robust theology that informed and balanced missions, evangelism, and church planting. Keller's passion for city missions defied current ministry trends that favored suburbia and avoided urban contexts. His ministry conviction overcame cultural opposition and ministry bias and grew a thriving ministry in an unlikely ministry setting. Keller’s ministry captured the imagination of rising generations of pastors, missionaries, and ministry practitioners and provided the needed theological framework and training for successful …
Who Is Responsible?, Sarah Moss
Pastoral Prose And Civic Engagement: Crafting The Call To The Public Square, Christopher Ian Thoma
Pastoral Prose And Civic Engagement: Crafting The Call To The Public Square, Christopher Ian Thoma
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis explores the relationship between creative writing techniques employed by pastors and congregational engagement in the public square. The central thesis posits that if pastors incorporate creative writing methods in extended weekly communications with congregants, then the necessary factors for engagement in the public square will be fostered, leading to attitudinal shifts demonstrated by increased congregational interest or participation in civil affairs. Through an extensive literature review, the thesis fairly examines historical and contemporary views of church and state, the Two Kingdoms doctrine, concepts relative to public square participation, Christianity’s waning cultural influence, communication science, developmental theory, literature familiarity, …
Infinite Plane: Metaphysical Architecture + Digital Space, Isabella Ruggiero
Infinite Plane: Metaphysical Architecture + Digital Space, Isabella Ruggiero
Masters Theses
In her book, The Pearly Gates of Cyberspace: A History of Space from Dante to The Internet (1999) science writer/artist Margaret Wertheim posits that cosmology is fundamentally based on how humans interpret space and situate themselves within it. Today's scientific view portrays the fabric of the universe as ubiquitous and undifferentiated in its substance, effectively a single space. In contrast, the medieval perspective delineated space into discrete entities with defined properties—in the case of Christian cosmology, through Heaven, Hell and Purgatory, separate planes with distinct material and metaphysical conditions. However, in the digital age, a new spatial cosmology has emerged, …
'I Didn't Know What Sex Was': Effects Of Christian Youth Group Involvement On Women's Sexuality In Adulthood, Aubrey K. Rhoadarmer
'I Didn't Know What Sex Was': Effects Of Christian Youth Group Involvement On Women's Sexuality In Adulthood, Aubrey K. Rhoadarmer
Honors Projects
This article analyzes the ways Christian youth group involvement in high school affects women’s perspectives and opinions on sex later in their lives. Through the intertwining of 12 stories, this research sheds light on how both implicit and explicit social and religious messages can shape women’s opinions of their sexuality. Themes include harms caused by purity pledges, unfair expectations placed on women during their “first time,” the pressure women feel to become wives and mothers, the importance of openness around discussing sexuality — particularly by parents — and how multiple communities influence women’s sexual development.
Salvation May Just Be A Click Away: A Case Study In The Impact Of New Media Communications In The Evangelical Church In The Bible Belt, Robert Montgomery Peerson
Salvation May Just Be A Click Away: A Case Study In The Impact Of New Media Communications In The Evangelical Church In The Bible Belt, Robert Montgomery Peerson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This was an exploratory qualitative case study into the usage of new media in the evangelical church within the context of the Bible Belt region of the United States. The problem with the current status of new media communications within the evangelical church is that some churches seem to struggle with using these mediums successfully. The purpose of this study was to gather information on how churches are using new media communications in their environment and equip churches with greater knowledge and tools on how to leverage new media communications to grow the Kingdom. This study features three main research …
Phenomenological Analysis Of Training Effectiveness For Multiracial Ministry Received By Black Pastors Graduating From Southern Baptist Seminaries, Timothy D. Griffin
Phenomenological Analysis Of Training Effectiveness For Multiracial Ministry Received By Black Pastors Graduating From Southern Baptist Seminaries, Timothy D. Griffin
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perception of preparedness for multicultural ministry of current black senior pastors who earned a Master of Divinity or Doctorate at one of the six Southern Baptist Seminaries, each of which can also be classified as predominantly white institutions (PWIs). The theory guiding this study was Racial Formation Theory (Omi & Winant, 2014). This theory suggests race as being a socially constructed paradigm that is manipulated by political, social, and economic forces. The researcher convened an expert panel of black ministers who are part of a conservative Baptist organization. This panel …
“But Because We Are Christian”: The Exploration Of Communication Frames And Identity Negotiation Among African Immigrants And Black Americans In A Multicultural Church, Hawa Diakite
Masters Theses, 2020-current
This qualitative thesis examines identity negotiation and communication frames used among African immigrants and Black Americans who attend a multicultural church. Exploring the intersection of identity, race, and faith among African immigrants and Black Americans is valuable towards understanding the dynamics of their relationship in the context of Christian communities in the United States. As African Christian immigrants navigate the complexities of racial realities in the United States, their faith can serve as a safe place that shapes their sense of self and community belonging. Similarly, many Black Americans historically have drawn upon their Christian faith as a place of …
Not My Church: Confessional Living In An All-Consuming World, Cody Macmillan
Not My Church: Confessional Living In An All-Consuming World, Cody Macmillan
Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal
What I hope to offer in the following pages is a vision for the Church that is not our own in a world that is increasingly foreign to us. In a discussion of the Scriptures and the Sacraments, I would like to present three ways in which this Church is distinctly alien in nature. She presents alien standards, alien sentiment, and alien strength to which we are called to subscribe, submit, and surrender. In presenting the alien nature of this church, I offer points of contrast and comparison with the culture to which we are tempted to succumb. These comparisons …
The Beginnings Of Jewish Missions In The Lcms, Jaron Melin
The Beginnings Of Jewish Missions In The Lcms, Jaron Melin
Grapho : Concordia Seminary Student Journal
Mission is the theological account of the relationship between the church and the world. Where are the Jews in this relationship? If the church and the Jews had a relationship status on Facebook, then it might say, “It’s complicated.” This may be true of any kind of missions, but this shows itself to be especially true in Lutheran history and in particular LCMS-history. I look at the histories as recorded by Meyer, Lieske, Cohen, Parviz, and others on the early history of Jewish Missions in the LCMS, and I reflect on the context and theology behind them using missiologists like …
The Divine Comedy: A Work Of Medieval Mythology, Jamie Alexander
The Divine Comedy: A Work Of Medieval Mythology, Jamie Alexander
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Prior to The Divine Comedy (1308-1321), ideas about Purgatory were in the early stages of development. Purgatory had loose rituals surrounding its existence and it lacked depiction in written works. Yet in the following centuries, the fear of Purgatory and the practices of penance and indulgences reached a fever pitch, ultimately leading to the Protestant Reformation. Purgatory as a celestial location, and not just the “purgatorial fires” of the Bible, only began to develop in the twelfth century, but its fearful description and imagery in The Divine Comedy not only solidified previously nebulous understandings of Purgatory, but also increased anxiety …
Evaluating “Grit” (Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied) Groups At The Highland Church Of Christ: An Intergenerational Enhancement Of Small Group Community Life, Beth Ann Fisher
Doctor of Ministry Theses
ABSTRACT This project, Evaluating “GRIT” (Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied) at the Highland Church of Christ: An Intergenerational Enhancement of Small Group Community Life is a response to the request for intergenerational partnership in worship, fellowship, and ministry by the university students at Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. The church’s robust small group life was a logical place to create a vehicle in which intergenerational partners could ride for a determined period in pursuit of their common goals of furthering Highland’s mission and vision. The “Genuine Relationships, Intergenerationally Tied” or GRIT groups were formed by combining existing small groups …
Singing Sad Songs To The Savior: An Examination Of And Argument For Biblical Lament Songs, Kaden Hofheins
Singing Sad Songs To The Savior: An Examination Of And Argument For Biblical Lament Songs, Kaden Hofheins
Senior Honors Theses
Christian lament songs play an important role in the context of the local church. There are several key differences between Christian lament and secular “sad songs” that are due to Christianity’s perspective of suffering that revolves around the hope of Jesus Christ. Christian songwriters have been writing lament songs through the lens of biblical hope in Christ throughout church history. Due to the nature of lament songs and how they give voice to negative emotions, which can help people to process their grief, and the communal nature of corporate worship, it is important that local churches ensure they use lament …
Living A Better Story: The Lived Narrative Apologetic In The Book Of Acts, Cedric Lemar Thomas
Living A Better Story: The Lived Narrative Apologetic In The Book Of Acts, Cedric Lemar Thomas
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Is it possible to articulate an apologetic practice from the account of Luke-Acts, which is not among the current popular Christian apologetic practices within contemporary apologetic scholarship? Can one consider the narratives in this history of Acts as a description of apologetic methodology, a sort of a first Christian apologetic practice demonstrated by Jesus and then replicated by His disciples? The answer is yes. The historical work of Luke offers an early apologetic practice in which the story of Scripture, the narrative of God, witnessed incarnationally through the life of Jesus and continued by the early church. Like Scripture, the …
Autism And The Body Of Christ: Understanding, Accommodating, And Accepting Autistic Believers In The Church, Kaitlyn Cook
Autism And The Body Of Christ: Understanding, Accommodating, And Accepting Autistic Believers In The Church, Kaitlyn Cook
Senior Honors Theses
Autism is a neurotype that causes a different set of strengths and weaknesses and thus should be embraced and accommodated within the church. Not only are autistic believers able to grasp Christian concepts, but they also have different perspectives and skills that can be instrumental in building up the church. Promoting a correct view of autism and accommodating neurodiversity within the church will allow autistic believers to follow God’s command to be part of a body and build up the church. The church can employ several strategies to create an accessible environment for believers on the spectrum, including creating sensory-safe …
Exploring How Pentecostals Preach About Depression, Robert D. Mcbain
Exploring How Pentecostals Preach About Depression, Robert D. Mcbain
Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling
A qualitative analysis was completed on twelve sermons into how Pentecostal preachers talk about depression from the pulpit using the Assemblies of God (AG) as a purposive sample. Findings illustrate that preachers talked about faulty thinking as the source of depression and interpreted depression as a transformative journey occurring within the context of a God encounter where the believer fixed their faulty thinking. While the way the preachers interpreted depression is not without critique, the article suggests that preaching about depression as a journey of encounter may help listeners frame their depression experiences within a narrative framework that helps them …
Church And Community: Bridging The Gap To Create A Culture Of Acceptance And Inclusiveness, Matthew L. Brown
Church And Community: Bridging The Gap To Create A Culture Of Acceptance And Inclusiveness, Matthew L. Brown
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This DMIN project helped St. Paul High Street Baptist Church develop a community engagement team that helped them reestablish its long-lasting relationship with the community surrounding the church. Certain issues within and outside of the church were discussed that had led to a lack of community engagement within recent years. A community engagement team was put together to help bridge the gap between the church and its surrounding community. To help with this, several community engagement team events were held, and surveys were given to both church and community members. Through the successful completion of this project, St. Paul High …
Ripe For The Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation At Fairhaven Church Of Rootstown, Vincent A. Maltempi
Ripe For The Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation At Fairhaven Church Of Rootstown, Vincent A. Maltempi
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project addresses the need to develop committed Christian servants within a church ministry context by utilizing a spiritual formation initiative focused on service as a means towards and evidence of spiritual formation and development. Fairhaven Church of Rootstown had not been instructed on the fundamental need for members to serve together. Consequently, service within the church was not a necessary part of discipleship or its spiritual growth plan. The purpose of this intervention was to create and implement a three-fold spiritual development initiative focused on Christian service that includes a sermon series, a midweek study, and a …
Ephesians 2:11-22, Unity In Christ: A Biblical Theological Analysis, Kaeley Sells
Ephesians 2:11-22, Unity In Christ: A Biblical Theological Analysis, Kaeley Sells
Biblical Studies Student Projects
Often, in large group settings there can be a tendency to stick to one’s own in-group. This tendency then leads to the diminishing and exclusion of those outside of that particular group. In the early church, this was the story of the Gentile believers who, despite receiving the same life through the sacrifice of Christ were subject to discrimination, cultivating an inferiority complex in many of the early believers. Paul attempts to critique this trend by highlighting not only the grace extended to all but the intentional life, death, and resurrection of Christ that enables all believers to be citizens …
Multiply Alabama: Moving From Church Planting To Church Multiplication By Multiplying Leaders And Churches In The Alabama Ministry Network, David P. Strahan
Multiply Alabama: Moving From Church Planting To Church Multiplication By Multiplying Leaders And Churches In The Alabama Ministry Network, David P. Strahan
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The Alabama Ministry Network has had anemic success in planting over 150 churches since 1980. However, there has still been a ten percent decline in the total number of churches due to churches closing, churches withdrawing, or churches merging. This project studies how AMN can move from addition (church planting) to multiplication (church multiplication) to avoid further regression. The Biblical literature review examines the scriptural premise to multiply. It also discovers the church planting models of Jesus, the early church, and Paul The project used mixed research methods to develop a pathway towards church multiplication within AMN in four phases. …
Church-Supported Esl Ministry In Canada: A Look At The Church’S Mission In Action, Gordon Moulden
Church-Supported Esl Ministry In Canada: A Look At The Church’S Mission In Action, Gordon Moulden
Great Commission Research Journal
English is a dominant business, academic, and communicative language throughout the world. Immigrants and refugees coming to the West have a great need to learn the language but often do not have the funds or time to pursue studies full-time. Churches often offer English classes to minister to not only their language needs but also to their relational and spiritual needs. This mixed-methods survey and interview research investigates the state of church-supported English as a Second Language (ESL) programs across Canada following the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 50 teachers and program coordinators completed the survey, which revealed needs relating to training …
Sampling Methods And Sample Size In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz
Sampling Methods And Sample Size In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
An underlying assumption of most church-based research is that the sample from which the data is collected is representative of a wider collection of church members, church leaders, small groups, churches, denominations, or whatever is the focus of the study. To increase the likelihood that this assumption is met without making the research an impossible undertaking, various sampling strategies are used ranging from random sampling to convenience sampling, each with advantages and disadvantages. After a sampling strategy is chosen, an appropriate sample size should be pursued, depending on the nature of the study. The sample size of quantitative studies seeking …
Sanctuary Support, Flora Chubbs, Dan Tarakanov, Jonathan Cheung
Sanctuary Support, Flora Chubbs, Dan Tarakanov, Jonathan Cheung
Egypt Migrations Partnership and Comparative Immigrant Experiences
Our StoryMap, Sanctuary Support, showcases the importance of religion and places of worship for immigrants, and demonstrates how religiosity contributes to facilitating a smooth integration into newcomers’ adopted cultures. Religion is a powerful aid that can help to ground us in our identity, morals, spirituality, and community. Firstly, we delve into Canada's immigration history, exploring how faith-based organizations have played a crucial role in meeting the burgeoning demands of support for newcomers during immigration waves. Through secondary sources, we researched what types of support are available currently and how these pertain to immigrants’ needs. Finally, in our Case Studies: Fostering …
I Want To Go To Church, Ella Burch
I Want To Go To Church, Ella Burch
English Student Projects
A creative writing piece used to describe the beginning of a journey back to faith for someone who has questioned the providing nature of God. A reminder of how being in a holy place with the simple intention of praying can mean as much as spreading the gospel on a distant shore.