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Full-Text Articles in Christianity

A Strategy To Transition A Traditional African American Church To A Multicultural Church Where All People Are Welcome To Worship, Darold A. Ingram Jr Jun 2022

A Strategy To Transition A Traditional African American Church To A Multicultural Church Where All People Are Welcome To Worship, Darold A. Ingram Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose for this action research thesis is to develop a strategy to transition the MHBC from a traditional African American church to a multicultural church. Looking at the temperature of our country, civil unrest has reached an all-time high. Our society has been separated by every aspect of life and this is not how God intended for us to live out our lives. While the battle amongst cultures thrives, the only thing that can change this climate is Christ, by way of His church. In the following pages you will be exposed to a strategic plan that will help …


Building Healthy Families Through Intergenerational Worship Ministry, Frank Richard Gillespie May 2022

Building Healthy Families Through Intergenerational Worship Ministry, Frank Richard Gillespie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although literature exists concerning family ministry in the local church, there is little research that gives explicit insight into music and worship ministry’s role in helping to strengthen families. Since worship is one of the ultimate functions of both the church and the family, this study integrates family ministry methodology with worship ministry methodology to discover theological sound and practical ways to build up the family through corporate worship, structured music programs, and community involvement. Guided by biblical and historical foundational teachings on church and family, this qualitative research study identifies perspectives that have not yet been explored and documented …


The Intergenerational Church's Role In Family Worship, Jeremy Robert Jordan Apr 2022

The Intergenerational Church's Role In Family Worship, Jeremy Robert Jordan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Throughout the Scriptures, God calls parents to teach their children to glorify God through worship. The Bible also commands all generations to encourage one another through worship and service. Throughout history, there are many examples of God’s people spending time in family worship, but over the past couple of decades, there has been a decline in parents discipling their children. A great number of parents are now expecting the church to provide the biblical training their children need. The lack of parents taking the time to teach their children and lead them in worship daily has led to high school …


Kingdom Millennials Infiltrating Culture: Reaching In Toward Generation Y To Reach Out To The World, Daniel Clark Iv Feb 2022

Kingdom Millennials Infiltrating Culture: Reaching In Toward Generation Y To Reach Out To The World, Daniel Clark Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As protestant Christianity meanders through time from its roots as a light post of religious ritualism to a contemporary beacon of Christ-centered worship, there has been a noticeable scattering of a critical portion of its congregants commonly known as the Millennial generation. While their absence is obvious across the entire Christian landscape, the evidence of their displacement is most definite in the small inner-city Black Church context. The writer attributes the cause of the Millennial diaspora to the unconscious loss of humanity’s God-given purpose: to exclusively worship Him forever. It is apparent that an absent generation will garner a ripple …


Overcoming The Lack Of Expressive Worship In The Haitian Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Yoner Valmyr May 2021

Overcoming The Lack Of Expressive Worship In The Haitian Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Yoner Valmyr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Haitian Seventh-day Adventist members are not pleased with the Haitian Seventh-day Adventist Church’s lack of expressive worship. According to research, Haitian church members are unable to freely express themselves in corporate worship due to rationalistic, as oppose to kinesthetic worship practices. During worship services, Haitian Seventh-day Adventist members, young and old, are afraid to have an authentic demonstrative worship experience because of “soma phobia,” the fear of letting themselves or their bodies get out of control. Because of a traditional European cultural ethos that still exists, there is a fear that others may look upon them as ungodly. When …


A Plan To Unify Generational Worship Divisions Through The Development And Implementation Of A Biblical Philosophy Of Generational Worship, Leonard L. Tomlin May 2021

A Plan To Unify Generational Worship Divisions Through The Development And Implementation Of A Biblical Philosophy Of Generational Worship, Leonard L. Tomlin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Westside Baptist Church is a multigenerational Southern Baptist Church with an established culture of dynamic musical worship. Throughout the last four decades, this congregation has flourished in its weekly engagement of musical worship. Westside's musical worship styles are generally comprised of traditional hymns, southern gospel, and praise and worship music. While the church has maintained a reputation of first-rate worship music, the last decade has revealed a growing division among the congregation's generational worship style preferences. One generation of the church longs to worship with the songs that they grew up with, while another generation prefers to grow up with …


New Believers: Committing To Faith To Sustain The Life Of The Christian Church, Allen Scott May 2021

New Believers: Committing To Faith To Sustain The Life Of The Christian Church, Allen Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis's objective was to implement a more robust integrated program that would result in fewer people joining Cedar Crest Church and then leaving. Jesus mandates in Matthew 28:18-20 that man is given the authority to make disciples throughout the world by baptizing in the name of the Trinity, teaching them to observe everything that he had commanded while believing that he would be with them at all times. One way of validating this mandate's fulfillment is found in Hebrews 10:25 by not abandoning the opportunity to assemble with other believers through encouragement until the day of Jesus' return. To …


An Analysis Of The Roles And Responsibilities Of The Music Ministry In The African American Church, Jeffrey Leonta Wilson Apr 2021

An Analysis Of The Roles And Responsibilities Of The Music Ministry In The African American Church, Jeffrey Leonta Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The perfect church does not exist. All churches have issues, and Church of Faith and Deliverance in Kinston, North Carolina, is no exception. The church has a problem within the music ministry. The purpose of this DMIN action research thesis is to teach and provide adequate training on the roles and responsibilities of the music ministry at Church of Faith and Deliverance. If the roles and responsibilities of individuals in the music ministry are taught at Church of Faith and Deliverance, then unity of worship may result. The church is a living and breathing organism. When parishioners gather in the …


Who Is Leading Our Churches In Worship And Are They Ready? A Study On Worship Leading In The Free Will Baptist Denomination, James Anthony Cooper Sr Dec 2020

Who Is Leading Our Churches In Worship And Are They Ready? A Study On Worship Leading In The Free Will Baptist Denomination, James Anthony Cooper Sr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the institution of Old Testament-Temple corporate worship, there has been someone assigned the task of leading congregational worship. The Chronicler records King David’s divisions of the sons of Asaph to be “set apart for service…under the direction of their father in the music in the house of the Lord.”1 Although for some churches, a full-time, salaried position is not feasible or there may not be enough existing duties to justify a paid position. In this case, the responsibility of leading worship falls to a person in the congregation who might have any type of background in music or an …


Expository Teaching For The Stonepath Church’S Understanding Of Worship, Cassidy Ryan Kesler Dec 2020

Expository Teaching For The Stonepath Church’S Understanding Of Worship, Cassidy Ryan Kesler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Expository teaching is a method of explanation that can raise the biblical understanding in the minds of those receiving the teaching. This paper studies a group of participants from Stonepath Church who receive three expository teaching lessons on three biblical passages on worship. The initial understanding of biblical worship is gauged by the scores of the participants on a worship survey taken before the first lesson, and the increase in biblical knowledge is gauged by the scores of the participants on the same worship survey taken after the third lesson. A statistical analysis is run to determine whether or not …


The Intergenerational Worship Model: Youth-Specific Benefits, James Alan Lott Oct 2020

The Intergenerational Worship Model: Youth-Specific Benefits, James Alan Lott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

King David declared that one generation should proclaim the goodness of the Lord to another, yet what David writes of cannot take place in an age-segregated setting. Multiple generations must be present. Much progress has been made regarding the church’s acknowledgment of the significance of an intergenerational worship (IGW) model. Though each generation is precious to God and created in His image, IGW holds considerable benefits for churched youth, as it is one of the few places in society where youth can intentionally connect with older generations. Despite the importance of youth engagement in IGW, there is a limited amount …


Beautiful Feet: Infusing Liturgical Dance And Discipleship, Ariesha Wilbert Murray Oct 2020

Beautiful Feet: Infusing Liturgical Dance And Discipleship, Ariesha Wilbert Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Liturgical dance, when combined with other biblical elements in addition to worship, can revolutionize the life of a disciple. This mixed-method study explores the infusion of liturgical dance and discipleship as another method that can be used to help disciples better understand the scriptures used in the pastor’s message on fulfilling the Great Commission. While discipleship was previously the church’s primary focus, it has slowly fallen to the wayside, whereas disciples are not being made or taught how to make disciples of all nations. This research uses a focus group with the members of a local ministry to demonstrate whether …


The Influence Of Charismatic Worship Forms In The Local Evangelical Church In The 21st Century In The United States, Kyle Edward Grizzard Sep 2020

The Influence Of Charismatic Worship Forms In The Local Evangelical Church In The 21st Century In The United States, Kyle Edward Grizzard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite a continued desire to understand the direction of worship liturgy in the American evangelical church culture, many scholars are unable to identify the influence of charismatic worship forms in various evangelical churches in the United States. This research is important for understanding the future of worship in the local evangelical church in America and will aid in determining the theology, liturgy, and philosophy of worship and its practices. Guided by scholars of worship in both charismatic and traditional evangelical worship cultures, this qualitative historical research study provides insight to the worship culture in current evangelical worship. Perspectives on behavior, …


A Study On The Family Worship Training For The Settlement Of The Family Worship: The Case Of Nonsan Central Church, Won Kew Ji May 2020

A Study On The Family Worship Training For The Settlement Of The Family Worship: The Case Of Nonsan Central Church, Won Kew Ji

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This purpose of this study is to examine how the family worship training affects the settlement of family worship within Korean churches, and thereby, stress the necessity and importance family worship training in churches and suggest its specific methods. The Korean church in 21stcentury is experiencing slow down and stagnation in its growth. There can be various reasons for this but indifference in succession of faith due to the lack of education in faith at home is one of them. In this context, the researcher will emphasize the necessity of family worship by observing that education in faith should be …


A Study On Worship Vitalization Plan Through Blended Worship: The Case Of Sundoo Church In Korea, Jongsup Kim May 2020

A Study On Worship Vitalization Plan Through Blended Worship: The Case Of Sundoo Church In Korea, Jongsup Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to study the ways of revitalizing Korean church worship through blended worship, to preserve the essence of worship, to resolve the worship conflicts of young and older generations, to seek the vitalization of worship and to present concrete alternatives. In the current church, the older generations tend to keep the traditional worship, and the younger generations tend to prefer modern worship, and the conflicts in the worship form in the church arise and worship in different ways, or worship is stagnated due to passive participation. This study will examine the essence of worship by …


The Role Of Leading Worship In The African Church, Emmanuel Olugbenga Adu Apr 2020

The Role Of Leading Worship In The African Church, Emmanuel Olugbenga Adu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the surge in worship leadership, some African evangelical churches have historically placed little emphasis on the role of leading worship. A review of worship on worship leadership in the African evangelical church reveals little information specifically useful for the training and mentoring of African congregational worship leaders. Therefore, this project researched and presents a primary argument for the practical training of worship leaders in the African evangelical congregation and brings attention to the lack of emphasis on worship leadership. Moreover, the thesis investigates the proposition not only for the role of worship leading in the African church to target …


The Ministry Of Ezra: A Biblical Model Of Intergenerational Worship, Matthew Ryan Nix Mar 2020

The Ministry Of Ezra: A Biblical Model Of Intergenerational Worship, Matthew Ryan Nix

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite many studies on intergenerational worship, there is little focus on a specific biblical character with the aim to edify the Church family as a whole in terms of intergenerational worship and how it impacts all generations and family types in the Church today. This study focuses on the ministry of Ezra and how he led others through a time of intergenerational worship and transition. Guided by examples from Ezra’s ministry, along with historical research, this study will seek to discover ways that Ezra taught worship across generational lines, lessons that the 21st-century church can glean from his ministry, and …


Behind The Iron Curtain: The Impact Of Persecution On Evangelical Worship, Christy Gabrielle Solomon Feb 2020

Behind The Iron Curtain: The Impact Of Persecution On Evangelical Worship, Christy Gabrielle Solomon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite detailed accounts of religious persecution faced by evangelicals behind the Iron Curtain, many narratives are incomplete, and therefore, the understanding of the extent persecution impacted the worship of believers is limited. With more Christians today being persecuted for their faith than ever before, it is important for believers in America to understand what happens in the lives of their Christian brothers and sisters when they face persecution. By comparing the religious practices of these evangelicals before, during, and after the lifting of the Iron Curtain, the differences in corporate and individual worship as a result of persecution become evident. …


The Rise Of The Part-Time Worship Leader In The Mid-Size Southern Baptist Church, Donald Oren Blakeney May 2019

The Rise Of The Part-Time Worship Leader In The Mid-Size Southern Baptist Church, Donald Oren Blakeney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this paper is to explore the prevalence of part-time, bivocational, semi-retired and volunteer worship leaders within mid-size Southern Baptist church and the need for further training and education through a denominationally-driven mentor program. The known decline in attendance and financial giving that most Southern Baptist churches have experienced has affected the moneys available to fill staffing needs and thereby require a reassessment of staff positions; the percentage of the budget allocated for staffing and continuing education. Most of these part-time worship leaders are already educated in another field and cannot allot the resources for a return to …


Incorporating A Pedagogy Of Worship In The Community Group Ministry Of Grace Bible Church, Jeremy G. Sauskojus Apr 2019

Incorporating A Pedagogy Of Worship In The Community Group Ministry Of Grace Bible Church, Jeremy G. Sauskojus

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many local church fellowships have embraced small groups (life groups, community groups) as a means of connecting people with one another from within the larger church body. These small groups are a means of building community. Furthermore, many churches testify to the importance of pursuing worship as much more than music in the corporate worship gathering that takes place once a week. However, very little has been done to connect these two components together in the small group ministry environment. As will be presented, people have written concerning each one of these important elements of church body life. Yet, connecting …


Christ-Centered Worship: Five New Testament Principles For The Korean Church, Hallellu Choi Dec 2018

Christ-Centered Worship: Five New Testament Principles For The Korean Church, Hallellu Choi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Protestant church of South Korea witnessed remarkable growth since the Gospel was first preached in Korea in the nineteenth century; growth in the second half of the twentieth century was particularly strong. The Presbyterian church in South Korea, however, experienced decline since 1995: this was mainly due to Christians’ lack of good influence toward the non-Christians in their lives. Their good influence on non-Christians in the world can be restored first by re-educating them with biblical principles of worship and by encouraging them to live out those principles. The purpose of this thesis is to suggest five principles of …


A Study On The Revitalization Of Worship By Using Multimedia In Korean Rural Churches With A Particular Attention To Visual Media, In Jun Hwang Jun 2018

A Study On The Revitalization Of Worship By Using Multimedia In Korean Rural Churches With A Particular Attention To Visual Media, In Jun Hwang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to help to bring about the revitalization of worship in rural churches by using visual media. At present, Korean churches, especially rural churches, are facing great challenges due to the aging of the church members, illiteracy rates, a poor educational environment, the lack of incoming young people, pastors’ reluctance to minister in rural areas, troubled rural economy and so on. Nonetheless, churches in rural areas should not be abandoned. In this context, one of the most urgent needs in rural churches is healing and restoration through church worship. At any arduous and difficult time …


Moving From Performance To Missional Worship: Five Biblical Principles And Practices To Infuse Discipleship Into Worship, Ossie Xzabia Mckinney Apr 2018

Moving From Performance To Missional Worship: Five Biblical Principles And Practices To Infuse Discipleship Into Worship, Ossie Xzabia Mckinney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In striving for authentic worship, many worship leaders focus on the sound of the choir and the individual’s relationship with God without considering discipleship. God’s first directive to humanity in Gen. 1:28 supplied God’s instruction for authentic worship, which emphasized discipleship and not music. Training choir members to worship without including discipleship results in the shaping of performers rather than worshipers. Worship must reflect the Trinity and not the skills and ability of the worshiper. When worshipers show God's love through discipleship, they reveal the Godhead. To shape singers holistically, worship leaders must teach their choir members to disciple. This …


An Examination Of Art In The American Evangelical Church For The Purpose Of Discipleship And Evangelism, Joshua Dugan Dec 2017

An Examination Of Art In The American Evangelical Church For The Purpose Of Discipleship And Evangelism, Joshua Dugan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christianity, in previous eras, has been the foundation of the art community. But, it has surrendered that role over the past three centuries and with it a significant potion of its influence on culture. In addition the church is not effectively reaching an entire demographic of people, those who would define themselves as creatives and artists, because it has distanced itself from the arts. This paper will research the previous methods employed by the church and the current limitations of art within the American Evangelical church through applied academic research as well as interviews with church leaders and artists. The …


21st Century Evangelistic Worship Strategy For The Emergent Generation In South Korea, Kihun Choi Jun 2014

21st Century Evangelistic Worship Strategy For The Emergent Generation In South Korea, Kihun Choi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Young adults are leaving the church. According to a research of Barna Group, three of every five young Christians are forsaking the fold. Therefore, reaching and sustaining the next generation in the local church is one of the most important issues for the church today. Young adults who were born in 1977 through 1994 are disappearing from or not attending the local church in South Korea. The purpose of this project is to present the development of an evangelistic worship strategy, which transfers the Christian faith to the next generation and presents a recovery model based on evangelism. The research …


An Analysis Of The Need For A Congregational Songwriting Manual For The Evangelical Community, Travis Doucette Apr 2014

An Analysis Of The Need For A Congregational Songwriting Manual For The Evangelical Community, Travis Doucette

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Music has always been an essential part of the faith journey of God's people. The modern worship movement over the past twenty years has created an industry for new songs of worship. In conjunction with advances in technology, more than ever, songwriters have been able to easily create well-produced compositions. It is the author's opinion that with the massive influx of music, the craft of well-composed, singable tunes matched with theologically accurate lyrics has been largely neglected. There is a need for an academic songwriting manual, teaching students and worship leaders how to write congregational songs for the evangelical church. …


Effective Worship Leaders In South Korea Churches: Seven Biblical Attitude Principles Of A Worship Leader, Hyo Kim Apr 2014

Effective Worship Leaders In South Korea Churches: Seven Biblical Attitude Principles Of A Worship Leader, Hyo Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The role of worship leaders is very important. They can be a positive influence and contribute much to worship and harmony, or they can be a negative influence and a cause of division. Sad to say, but many worship leaders in South Korean churches are a negative influence. This is primarily because senior pastors select their worship leaders with an over emphasis on musical talents. Selecting a worship leader is a vital role of a senior pastor and he must thoroughly evaluate every candidate based on key biblical principles before hiring. The purpose of this thesis project is to equip …


Blended Worship: A Future Model Of Worship For The Presbyterian Churches In South Korea, Phillip Lee Apr 2014

Blended Worship: A Future Model Of Worship For The Presbyterian Churches In South Korea, Phillip Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many churches in South Korea are seeking a new worship style not only to reach the next generation effectively but also to connect the old and the new generations. This trend necessitates a blended worship within the Presbyterian churches in South Korea that features both the tradition of liturgical worship and the dynamics of contemporary worship. The purpose of this thesis project is to provide a future model of blended worship for the Presbyterian churches in South Korea. The project thus examines the nature of true worship in the Bible and identifies how the worship form has changed throughout the …


The Role Of The Pastor As The Primary Worship Leader In The Local Church, Roger Holliman Apr 2013

The Role Of The Pastor As The Primary Worship Leader In The Local Church, Roger Holliman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to encourage pastors to embrace their role as the principle worship leader, rather than to accept and believe "I am not the worship leader." This thesis project investigates and examines a senior pastor's theological duty and obligation as the worship leader of his or her church, and provides the biblical mandate and approaches for how to do this effectively and as a team leader. Through personal interviews of six pastors, plus current research on the topic of worship, this thesis provides instructions on how senior pastors may implement strategies to enhance their understanding of …


Effectively Ministering To Congregants With Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.), Jason Whitehurst Jul 2012

Effectively Ministering To Congregants With Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.), Jason Whitehurst

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A survey of recent medical studies show a rise each year in the number of people diagnosed with A.D.D., or Attention Deficit Disorder. However, pastors have not been adequately educated on how to effectively communicate, counsel, and minister to those with A.D.D. The goal of this project is to educate pastors and church leaders about the nature of A.D.D., the statistics, the symptoms, so that they may better understand how to minister to these people in their congregation. Medical statistics, findings, and new approaches to preaching and ministering will be utilized in this project to fulfill the goal.