Christianity Commons^™

A Strategic Plan To Grow A Healthy New Church Start, Andrea Bernadette Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the health and spiritual maturity of a new startup church, namely People of Destiny Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PODHDM) and identify ways in which PODHDM can grow spiritually and numerically, in the 21st century. The thesis will supply characteristics of a healthy church from the writer’s viewpoint, and from suggestions by notable scholars. The thesis will also explore hindrances to church growth, looking through the lenses of the church, as well as scholars, and provide insights and strategies to foster healthy church growth. This study will suggest that Sunday sermons are not …

Creating Harmony Through A Unified Definition Of Discipleship, Dereck S. Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is difficult to function as one unified group in an association of churches where autonomy is central. The ninety-one churches that call Converge Northeast their association desire to start churches, strengthen them, and send people into the harvest field. However, this group of capable churches and leaders has been unable to sustain church health, lacking church growth. After bringing in new leadership, there has been a resurgence of relationship building and vision casting. What might this group of churches need to become vibrant disciple-making churches? Unity among autonomous churches will require that leaders are on the same page and …

A Contemporary Model Of An Outreach Training Manual For The New Light Church, Antonio Orlando Beckford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The life of a Christian church goes through cycles. New Light Church has experienced a few of them. The thesis project reveals the growth cycles and declines in membership of NL. The researcher believes that the church’s steady membership growth dropped because of the abstaining of regular and deliberate practice of New Testament church growth methods. Church growth is grounded in the work of God. The church engaged in hearing and obeying God will see his fruit manifested through in their local assembly. The researcher created a manual for evangelism as a training template for the Christian church to follow. …

Reproducing Lay Leaders In The Local Church Through Missional Mentoring, Jonathan A. Watson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In many rural churches with 250 or fewer people in attendance each week, there is a need to properly train and prepare non-paid, volunteer laymen to serve in positions of leadership. Churches have been guilty of placing someone in an area of service with very little—or no—direction of what to do or how to properly lead. Without adequate training and leadership development, the spiritual growth of the ministry can be hindered as lay leaders are not equipped to effectively disciple those under their ministry. At Bible Baptist Church, the desire is to develop a missional mentoring ministry that will help …

Victory Temple House Of Refuge: A Missional Focused Revitalization Strategy, David Lee Nalls

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose for this DMIN action research thesis is to develop a revitalization strategy for Victory Temple House of Refuge located in Fayette, Alabama, that will connect the hearts and minds of its leaders to biblical principles for restoring church vibrancy and growth. The purpose rises to confront a problem of church membership decline and community contraction, frequently associated with a lusterless existence. The purpose statement also introduces a study on church revitalization’s incipit principles of returning to missional activities and discipleship fundamentals as a means of restoring congregational vitality. Researching the problem is inextricable to a Christian community’s mandate …

The Necessity Of Small-Group Ministries, William Keith Dewease

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a consistent debate regarding the best structure for ministry within the context of the church. Churches established with a traditional mentality utilize the lecture method in small groups, while contemporary-driven churches utilize an open-ended discussion method in small groups. The following research seeks to determine which small-group model most effectively grows the believer spiritually and relationally. The participants have lived in a traditional small-group model all their lives. The belief is that introducing a small-group model that goes beyond the traditional lecture approach will deepen relationships and lead to maturity. The research methods include open-ended discussion questions, an …

Addressing The Issue Of Low Attendance In Emmanuel Church Among Young Adults, Ivett Beverley Mcdonald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study was to address the issue of low attendance in Emmanuel Church among young adults. This topic is based on the investigator's awareness that individuals who grow up in Emmanuel discontinue attendance between the ages of eighteen to twenty-nine years. The literature review revealed that many churches commonly experience this problem. Emmanuel Church is primarily made up of Jamaicans and their descendants, and no literature addressed the immediate context of Emmanuel Church. The investigator interviewed twenty young adults who were previous members of Emmanuel Church. The study revealed that young adults leave Emmanuel in record numbers. …

A Study Of A Systematic Evangelistic Discipleship Process At The Lighthouse Free Methodist Church, Thomas Michael Doherty

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Lighthouse Free Methodist Church in Barryton, Michigan, lacks a systematic discipleship program that produces disciple-makers. This Doctor of Ministry project purposes to integrate a systematic discipleship program into the Lighthouse Free Methodist Church. The research methodology includes pre-and post-surveys and interviews. Pre- and post-survey data were collected to compare the number of disciplers, salvations, worship attenders, and the number of new systematic evangelistic discipleship groups. Six People participated in the training provided. The Lighthouse FMC is located near a small community of three-hundred people and is in the middle of a ten-mile circumference with thirty thousand. Thirteen people started …

A Study On Alternatives For Next Generation Through Vitalizing Family Worship: The Case Of Daegil Church, Eunjick Cha

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis aims to highlight the necessity of family worship for the succession of the next generation's faith by studying the effect of the revitalization of family worship on the transmission of faith to the next generation. The growth of Korean churches in the past has grown so rapidly that it is hard to find in the history of churches around the world. However, despite the fact that there are various forms of worship and training programs, in the 21st century, Korean churches are experiencing a slowdown in church growth along with the stagnation of Sunday School. There may be …

Improving Adoptive Mergers At River Community Church, Gavin Roger Adams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project cross compared the adoptive mergers of River Community Church (RCC) to identify the methodologies and strategies that created one successful campus via adoptive merger and a subsequent unsuccessful campus. Empirical analysis quantified the gap in success between RCC Chesterfield and RCC Fairway. Qualitative research provided the thematic points of differentiation in RCC’s adoptive merger implementations. The thematic findings detailed a potential revitalization plan for RCC Fairway, a common structure for future RCC adoptive merger considerations, and insight for churches contemplating adoptive merger pursuits.

A Biblical System For Growth In Traditional Churches Through Evangelism And Discipleship, Marcus Denton Floyd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The prominence of self-centered philosophies in today’s culture has infiltrated the minds of contemporary believers and has produced a difficult context for urban traditional churches to function in because many parishioners are gravitating away from churches that faithfully proclaim the selfless nature of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. The thesis project will contend that the erosion of truth can be opposed through a systematic process that underscores biblical concepts, which have been proven to be effective. Additionally, the thesis will demonstrate the importance of churches being spiritually healthy to gain and retain members by interacting with the scriptural mandate …

Strategies And Biblical Principles To Keep Church Plants From Closing Its Doors Within The First Three Years, Damian Billups

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christians are commissioned to disciple the nations. Many attempts to fulfill this commission encounter variables that hinder the fulfillment of this dictum. Statistics indicate significant proportions of church planting endeavors are challenged to survive beyond one year. This project will expose reasons church planting efforts struggle to thrive and will provide strategies and biblical principles to remedy the identified obstacles. The data will be utilized for current and future church planting efforts. The goal of this project is to reduce factors that cause church plants to close prematurely. Church laity and clergy will be surveyed for their perspectives regarding church …

A Study On The Process Of Establishing Church Vision Through The Vision Room: The Case Of Incheon Shinkwang Church In Korea, Sungho Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to suggest a systematic process in establishing church’s vision by emphasizing the importance of having a clear vision in church growth and by communicating with the church members in the midst of a situation where stable ministry transition is required due to the replacement of the senior pastor now that 50 years has passed since the church was planted. For many years, the Korean church has experienced steady growth and revival. However, from the 21st century, the growth is slowing down and is stagnant. One of the reasons is the conflict between the former …

Transformational Leadership: Equipping Small Churches To Make Disciples By Integrating Wesleyan Principals, Ronald Kent Wise

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This ministry thesis project will use qualitative research to address Wesleyan Transformational Leadership and how to apply the principles to equip churches to make disciples for Jesus Christ. The principles addressed within the project are defined by the acronym L.E.A.D: L-Love, E-Educate, A-Adapt and D-Duplicate. In today’s politically correct culture, the persecution of the Christian worldview occurs in communities, politics, and the church. Transformational leadership introduces biblical principles in conjunction with time-tested leadership principles to promote and strengthen individual and corporate growth. Individual and corporate growth transforms lives of individuals as relationships and stories are shared. As transformation takes place, …

A Multiple Case Study Identifying Factors Influencing Church Attendance And Engagement With Unchurched And Dechurched Families, Jason Robert Waters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many medium-sized churches experienced significant growth followed by years of declining attendance (Haskell et al., 2016). Many of them are in locations that could allow for significant growth. It seems as if some once growing churches no longer recognize how to best reach their communities and how to minister to the needs of the families making up their surrounding communities. The purpose of this multiple case study, a comparative analysis, is to identify factors that positively and negatively influence church attendance and engagement among unchurched and de-churched persons and families. At this stage in the research, regular attendance and engagement …

A Mixed Methods Approach To The Implementation Of Simple Church At Greenhouse Community Church, Jeff Michael Wheeland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The majority of Evangelical Churches in America are declining. The majority of Christian and Missionary Alliances churches in America are also declining. Greenhouse Community Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Houston, Texas was in decline. Greenhouse Community Church lacked a simple discipleship plan. Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger wrote Simple Church and discovered after conducting research that vibrant, growing churches in America had a simple discipleship plan, whereas declining and plateaued churches had a complex plan or no plan at all. A mixed methods approach of both quantitative and qualitative research was applied to the congregation at Greenhouse …

The Black Church And The Current Generation: A Program To Address The Decline Of African-American Church Attendance In Johnston County Of North Carolina, Robert Allen O'Neal Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study concentrates on issues dealing with the decline of attendance in African American churches. Although long-standing statistics since the Civil Rights Era have always shown the African American Church keeping higher audience percentage than European American churches, the tide has changed, and now African American churches are uncharacteristically declining at a faster rate than usual. Unchurched young adults, particularly African American males, are disproportionately missing in the African American church. The fundamental purpose of this study is to focus specifically on evangelical denomination African American churches in Johnston County, North Carolina by employing quantitative and qualitative research. The survey …

Declining Inner-City Church Membership: Creating Spiritually Healthy Inner-City Churches Through Acts 2:42-47, Arthur L. Foster

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Churches Are Declining in the Inner-City Multi-ethnic, inner-city churches are declining in membership. This premise is validated through surveys of inner-city church leaders and rigorous academic reviews from books, theses, dissertations, and peer-reviewed journal articles that discuss typical church problems in multi-ethnic, inner-city churches. Corroborated by applied research (qualitative and quantitative surveys), and academic research, this thesis project proposes a biblical solution to the problem of declining membership in the form of a step-by-step practical church model based on Acts 2:42.

Leadership Factors That Influence Church Growth For Western North Carolina Churches Of God, Harold Jordan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to identify and describe the essential leadership factors required to stimulate and sustain church growth for Church of God churches operating in Western North Carolina. This will be accomplished using a grounded theory research approach. Sample (N = 30) analysis of statistics provided by the Western North Carolina State Offices of the Church of God showed 3% of the churches in this region to have recorded significant overall growth in attendance and membership (=>10% per year) from April 1, 2014 to April 30, 2016. Few of the sampled churches recorded benchmark conversion growth …

A Study Of The Sermon As Bible Study Materials For Small Group And Church Growth: With A Focus On Singing Hope Church, Ki Young Jeong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study will suggest that the Sunday Service sermons are essential elements for church growth and the sermons can be used as Bible study materials in the small group meetings. Korean churches kept on growing after the Pyeongyang Great Revival in 1907. However, Korean churches stopped growing since 2000, at which point they started to decline in numbers. One of the reasons is that the congregants do not live according to the Word of God that is proclaimed from the pulpit. There are various reasons for church growth. The researcher observed that continuously applying Sunday sermons to church members is …

A Strategy For The Church Growth Through The Development Of Senior-Friendly Pastoral Ministries: The Case Of The Senior Ministry At Shinlim Central Church In Korea, Hoo Sik Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to suggest the necessity of and alternative strategies for senior-friendly pastoral care to achieve sustained church growth amid the growing phenomenon of aging in Korean society. The recent aging of Korean society also has effects on changes in church members. As the ratio of senior members becomes increasingly high, pastoral alternative strategies for coping with it has also been urgently needed. The problem is that although this social phenomenon was already foreseen several years ago, there are insufficient practical strategies for pastoral care to deal with it.

The researcher first conducts biblical, theological, historical, …

Five Steps For Developing Biblical Pastoral Leadership Teams Within South Korean Presbyterian Churches, Yeongkwang Yoon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to suggest five steps for developing biblical pastoral leadership teams within South Korean Presbyterian churches, which are presently stagnating and declining under their non-biblical leadership. Growth of a church is directly dependent upon a healthy body of leaders who reflect sound biblical leadership, and the senior pastors of South Korean Presbyterian churches must intentionally conform all non-biblical leadership styles within their churches to biblical pastoral leadership. This project will attempt to provide the pastors of South Korean Presbyterian churches five steps for developing a biblical pastoral leadership team by identifying the relationship between church …

Before God And These Witnesses: An Evangelistic Guide To Weddings, David Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Every year, according to the Center for Disease Control, an average of 2.3 million couples wed in the United States, while nearly 900,000 divorces occur. One fourth of couples marry outside of a church. Though most ceremonies take place in a church building, the church’s presence is small. An opportunity exists to reach receptive engaged couples and provide needed counseling services to those marrying outside of the church. Premarital counseling reduces the risk of divorce approximately 30 percent. To impact marriages and see growth, the church must take a proactive and evangelistic role in providing premarital counseling and weddings services …

Five Practical Steps For Increasing Church Membership: A Case Study Of First Baptist Church Of Venice, Florida, Christopher Cornette

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Bible implores Christians to commit themselves to one another for spiritual growth and personal accountability. This valuable mandate is best recognized in the New Testament as the local church. Many church leaders do not aggressively seize the opportunity to engage church attenders in making the church membership commitment. This thesis project will analyze and investigate the church membership growth processes of ten churches in three different denominations. This author will interview in depth the senior staff members as it relates to their effectiveness in moving attenders to church members compared with First Baptist Church of Venice. This church has …

New Heights Christian Community Center: An Effective Strategy Of Outreach For The Local Church, Marc Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

New Heights Christian Community Services offers an outreach ministry that creates a viable bridge between two local churches and their neighboring communities. Many churches are declining in their influence and are no longer recognized as a valuable part of their community. Small churches often struggle to find ways to serve their neighbors. The author of this project has dedicated over twenty-five years ministering to disadvantaged youth and families and desires to help churches to effectively connect to the families in their community. This project will investigate the effectiveness of the New Heights program by surveying fifty sets of parents of …

A Study On The Church Growth Method Through The Vitalization Of Small Groups In Traditional Korean Churches: The Case Of Daegu Dong-Sung Church, Byung Min

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Nowadays, Korean society is faced with social issues, like individualism arising from fast growth. The traditional society has become dominated by individual interest and intention, as well as by new social aspects such as the loss of community ethics at large. This can also be seen in Korean churches; we have noticed an increase in Sunday service visitors and unregistered members. This change has brought a number of spiritual crisis into churches and is even a huge crisis in and of itself. In this regard, through research on church growth through small group ministry in traditional Korean churches, this study …

A Study On The Effect Of Church Revival And Growth Throught A Bible Academy: The Case Of Jeju Together Church In Korea, Soo Yoo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to emphasize the need for and importance of an intensive Bible study ministry in church and to suggest specific alternatives by studying the effect of church planting and revival through a Bible Academy in a Korean church. Church growth in South Korea has long since accompanied Bible study ministry. Sadly, Korean churches in the 21st century have been experiencing a slowdown and downturn in growth. Though there may be a variety of causes, the absence of a systematic and ongoing Bible study is one of them. This study is focused on providing a Bible …

A Strategy Of Ministry For Small Korean-American Church Growth: Centered On Tallahassee Korean Community Presbyterian Church, Ju Yang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many small Korean-American churches have difficulties. The small number of members causes financial problem and causes member burn out. Also a lot of church members have difficulty which comes from the difference of language and culture in America. The purpose of this thesis project is to provide a strategy to help small Korean-American churches to grow and be more effective. Tallahassee Korean Community Presbyterian Church will be used as a model. Even though this is not an exceptionally successful church, it has potential for growth. First, literature research about church growth, worship, homiletics, leadership, and discipleship will be processed based …

Church Hospitality: A Biblical Model For Growth Based On The Seven Churches In Revelation, Gesner Noel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Church growth seeks both to actualize the precepts of the "Great Commission", to attract new members and sustain current congregation. One of the fundamental problems is the inability to preserve hospitality. The pertinence of hospitality to the Church originates from Scriptures that clearly exemplify Christ's deeds and teachings of hospitality. This thesis project will investigate the seven churches in Revelation and reveal factors of outstanding and inhospitable practices in relation to Church growth and hospitality. Surveys will be based on unregulated interactions among pastors. Twenty pastors across five denominations, Evangelical Lutheran, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Seven-Day Adventist, and Roman Catholic will demonstrate …

Short-Term Missions:Zimbabwe Missions As A Method To Reach Africa, Edwell Nhira

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Short-term missions are vital for changing nations. This project shows how for eleven years Hope for All Nations Ministries has impacted the nation of Zimbabwe. In this project the Apostle Paul's missionary journeys and modern literature on missions were examined. Key leaders who have worked alongside Hope for All Nations Ministries in its short-term mission endeavors, and pastors and leaders involved in successful short-term missions were interviewed to validate the viability of short-term missions. The author's ministry will contextualize what is happening in Zimbabwe and in other countries challenging the body of Christ worldwide to be involved in short-term missions. …