Christianity Commons^™

Imago Dei: Identity, Story, And Who We Are In Christ, James Dylan Branson

Doctor of Ministry

Imago Dei: Identity, Story, and Who We are in Christ seeks to address the NPO: Many people feel like they do not belong in church. This project was developed in the context of international evangelical churches in Hong Kong. Stakeholders involved included pastors, lay leaders, and members of the international church community. Those involved come from a variety of national backgrounds.

The journey began with asking the question of what constitutes genuine biblical community and why many churches do not feel like a community. However, through the various workshops that were conducted during the research phase, it was discovered that …

Preaching To Episodic Ears: Practicing A Dramaturgical Homiletic, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

This article is a critical attempt to develop a homiletic methodology for preaching to the episodic self of the 21st century. The British philosopher Galen Strawson contends that postmodern people today do not regard themselves as living out their lives in a diachronic or narrative sense, but rather in an episodic-existential sense. This episodic-existential way of perceiving one’s life has recently posed a significant challenge to the current preaching practice that is mostly composed and delivered from the pulpit through a narrative. This article provides a considerate response to that episodic-existential challenge. Specifically, the article proposes a dramaturgical narrative form …

Epic Discipleship Model For The Korean Millennials Through A Hybrid Program, Young-Hoon Jin

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation purpose to develop a hybrid discipling model through EPIC (Experiential, Participatory, Image-driven, Communal) approach that includes listening, teaching, coaching, meeting, sharing, studying and empowering through both online and offline will be an effective and working tool for younger generation. Cohort learning, individualized mentoring, personalized resources will meet the needs for each person in their process to grow as disciples of Jesus in their own settings and circumstances overcoming barriers of location, time, denomination, and anonymity.

Meaning-Making As A Formational Pathway For Christian Adolescents, Timothy C. Prewette

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that Christian adolescents will flourish when using a narrative approach to both scripture and life as part of an intentional meaning-making process. Narrative theology offers the controlling story (worldview) needed by adolescents and aids in meaningfully framing life experiences. Chapter 1 identifies the problem of Christian adolescents abandoning the church and/or their faith as they move into young adulthood. Nuances of this exodus are explored, and a particular brand of adolescent faith is articulated, one which is lacking in both substance and relevance. Meaning-making is then characterized as an intentional, guided process in which Christians construct meaning …

Restorying God: Re-Imagining The God Of The Bible And Re-Enchanting Our Neo-Secular Selves, Robert Joseph Burnham

Doctor of Ministry

The Western world has undergone dramatic transformation in the last five hundred years. A premodern world became modern and then postmodern. In the terms of philosopher Charles Taylor, the Western social imaginary—the collection of images and ideas that define human flourishing and guide a populous through daily life—has shifted from one of “transcendent-enchantment” to “immanent-disenchantment.” Christianity, a

once singular Roman Catholic Church, is a diversity of denominations that, despite best efforts and intentions, are watching people of all demographic groups join a mass exodus in body, soul, or both from the church. However, one would be mistaken to denounce those …

The Abrahamic Pilgrimage Story In Sermons: An Ontological-Narrative Foundation Of Asian American Life In Faith, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Sang Hyun Lee and many other Asian American scholars have found that the Abrahamic pilgrimage story has been an ontological-narrative backbone of Asian American faith constructs. This article further explores their previous research by suggesting three distinct theological narrative styles of the given Abrahamic pilgrimage saga: the allegorical- typological narrative style, the illustrative narrative style, and the eschatologicalsymbolic narrative style. However, though distinct, the styles are closely associated with one another. I will show sermon excerpts by Asian American preachers that are good examples of the theological-spiritual embodiment of the three styles.

Sacred Nakedness Narraphor: The Untold Story Of Shame & Glory, Daniel J. Donohue

Doctor of Ministry

Shame and glory appear to be binary opposites inextricably tied within Scripture. As such, addressing one without the other is comparable to addressing slavery without mentioning freedom. Accordingly, the only way a counselee’s shame and glory can be healed and revealed is if both are held open to God and other people. Herein lies the problem: counselees hide vulnerability for fear of being ashamed, thus veiling the glory of their life. How, then, can a counselee feel more trusting of God and safer with people so their shame and glory can be healed and revealed? The thesis of this dissertation …

Shift: Expanding Preaching For A Social Media World, Bryce Ashlin-Mayo

Doctor of Ministry

Many have argued that the introduction of information technology and the subsequent birth of social media alter the way we communicate and relate socially. This phenomenon has comprehensively changed the methods and means of communication, the social structures and the social norms in which we operate. As Walter Ong exposes, we have moved into a Secondary Orality age transforming the way we communicate and relate socially.1 This change has created what Marshall McLuhan termed: "An Age of Anxiety," where people are using old tools in new environments.2 This reality has entered into the field of homiletics, resulting in previously dominant …