Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Curriculum Designed To Teach Elementary-Age Children In Diverse Settings The Kingdom Concept Of Loving One’S Neighbor, Abigail J. Flood

ELAIA

United States Census data from 2020 show that the country is becoming increasingly diverse and urbanized. Other research shows children are aware of race from an early age and can pick up biases and stereotypes by watching the adults around them. However, there are no children’s ministry curricula that specifically address how children should navigate differences from a biblical perspective. To fill this gap, a children’s ministry curriculum was written to model how children can love their neighbors like Jesus did, especially those who look different from themselves. The curriculum is comprised of an introduction for the ministry leader, five …

Best Leadership Practices Of Senior Pastors In The Church Of The Nazarene, David Thornhill

Ed.D. Dissertations

The current study explored the leadership style and practices of 12 senior pastors in the Church of the Nazarene in the United States whose churches had experienced numerical growth under their leadership. The researcher theorized that uncovering the common leadership style and common leadership practices of these pastors would lead to suggesting growth strategies that may be taught to clergy and applied to churches in the USA region of the Church of the Nazarene. This qualitative collective case study revealed collaboration as the common leadership style among pastors of growing churches. This study also identified 11 common leadership practices among …

Augustine Of Hippo: A Historical Theology Critique, Zachary Monte

Honors Program Projects

This study evaluates how current historical theology survey texts understand and present the theology of Augustine. The texts are examined to assess the following: accuracy of presentation on discussed topics, specific theological topics Augustine addressed excluded in the surveys, and theological bias on the part of the authors. The historical theology surveys include Gregg Allison’s Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine, Justo González’s A History of Christian Thought, and Alister McGrath’s Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought. The three major topics treated include Augustine’s Trinitarian thought, the Donatist Controversy, and the Pelagian Controversy. The findings …

Generation Z And Faith: The Cognitive, Experiential, And Praxis, Houston Thompson, Nikki Dention, Julia Mcqueen, Abby Groters

Scholar Week 2016 - present

With every generation there is a sociological shift in the way faith is understood and expressed. Generation Z, those born after 1995, have been influenced by post-modernity and a changing worldview. Like generations before them, Generation Z is forming their own interpretations and experiences to define and express faith. This research discovers the attitudes and behaviors of Generation Z about their faith by looking at three aspects: 1) cognitive development; 2) personal experience; 3) expression or practice.

Toward A Sustainable Leadership Model For Pastoral Leaders, Derrick B. Wells

Ed.D. Dissertations

Leadership is a dynamic process. Pastoral leadership, though often times rewarding, can also be challenging. Insofar as pastoral leaders are equipped and have the leadership agility and dexterity to effectively manage through the demands of their call, their emotional intelligence abilities and transformational leadership behaviors may prove invaluable when being leveraged toward mission effectiveness, funding, and volunteer involvement. Emotional intelligence and transformational leadership are viable constructs that serve as the conceptual frameworks for this research. Enabling pastoral leaders to enhance their leadership skill through the development of these respective constructs offers benefits to the pastoral leaders and the member constituents …

Wesleyanism, Fundamentalism, And The Dones, Mature Christians Who Are Done With The Institutional Church: Two Book Reviews, Craighton Hippenhammer

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Book #1: "Square Peg: Why Wesleyans Aren't Fundamentalists," written by Nazarene and published by the Nazarene Publishing House. Book #2: "Church Refugees: Sociologists Reveal Why People Are DONE with Church but Not Their Faith," by Josh Packard and Ashleigh Hope, which tells why there are mature, highly educated Christians leaving the institutional church. The reasons why they are leaving are for the same four unexpected reasons. While these folks may not be large in numbers, they may be large in impact because they are doers and leaders at all levels of the church, so they may be leading the church …

Church Refugees: Sociologists Reveal Why People Are Done With Church But Not Their Faith, Craighton T. Hippenhammer (Reviewer)

Faculty Scholarship – Library Science

This is a sociological study written for church leaders that examines the phenomenon of mature Christians leaving the institutional church, who keeping their faith, look for alternatives to church, having become convinced that church as it exists is detrimental to their spiritual growth.

East African Perspectives Of Family And Community, And How They Can Inform Western Ecclesiology, Ben Strait

M.A. in Family Ministry

East African families and communities function day-to-day as a single living organism. As one participant said, “Life is common.”[1] What he meant by that was that life is shared among the members of a community, whether biologically related relatives or those who live in close proximity with others. Throughout this research, close interaction with several native East Africans took place, and insights were made into how this view of communal living works itself out in daily life.

[1]. Yusufo, interview by author, Grand Rapids, March 31, 2014.

2nd Place Essay: The Art Of Leadership, Bailey Heemstra

Reed Leadership Student Essay Contest Winners

In response to the essay prompt: "Leadership is more art than science."

Effective leadership is an art. Leadership is not a direct set of rules to follow or books to read. Finding the correct way to lead cannot be found in a textbook. Leadership is a characteristic that is learned over time. Leadership is forming relationships, making connections, and meeting the needs of your followers. Just as art is full of many possibilities and not defined to one answer, so too is leadership. The most effective form of leadership is one that incorporates flexibility, creativity, and the idea that there …

3rd Place Essay: Leadership: A New Art, Matthew D. Reed

Reed Leadership Student Essay Contest Winners

In response to the essay prompt: "Leadership is more art than science."

Leadership is not a science. Leadership is more of an art and should be evaluated as such. Although everyone can benefit from studying and developing basic leadership qualities, just as one studies the works of famous artists to benefit from their techniques, I believe that becoming a leader requires something more, something intangible. Like great works of art, great works of leadership can be found in many different forms and in all areas of life, every example unique. It cannot be described completely in a lecture, or in …

1st Place Essay: Leadership: Fulfilling The Purpose Of Art, Amanda Johnson

Reed Leadership Student Essay Contest Winners

In response to the essay prompt: "Leadership is more art than science."

“Leadership is more art than science” is a bold statement. It implies that leadership does not follow a set of rules nor is it based on experimental results, but rather, it comes from the creative and skilled mind of the leader. I believe that God has ingrained creativity and potential for leadership in every human being when He created us “in His image.” Without the divine inspiration of God, the success of his leadership will rarely be complete or long-lasting. The best leaders listen to God’s leading and …

Resourcing The Postmodern Pastor: An Examination Of Young Pastors’ Attitudes And The Implications For Denominational Publishers, Bonnie J. Perry

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study explored the influence of postmodernity on the changing attitudes of young pastors regarding spirituality and discipleship in their adult congregants. The purpose of this study was to educate and equip Christian publishers to resource young pastors who are ministering in a postmodern culture. The study focused on Church of the Nazarene pastors 35 years old or younger in the calendar year 2012, exploring their attitudes toward Christian faith, spirituality, and discipleship. At certain junctures in the study, the young pastors’ attitudes were compared to those of pastors who were 36 years or older in order to determine what …

Engaging Capitalism With Wesleyan Theology, Paul R. Koch, Kevin Twain Lowery

Faculty Scholarship – Economics

In this paper presented at the Wesleyan Theological Society Annual Meeting in March 2014, two professors from Olivet Nazarene University – one from the field of Economics and the other from Theology – address the intersection of Wesleyan theology and ethics with the theoretical foundations of capitalism. The paper consists of four major sections:

• A Wesleyan voice in the capitalist jungle
• The compatibility of capitalism and Wesleyan thought
• Elements of Wesleyan theology most relevant to capitalism
• Toward a Wesleyan approach to free market economics

The Collaboration Of Faith And Social Work In Creating A Gateway Of Helping, Breanne M. Bambrick

Honors Program Projects

When tragedy occurs, trauma follows. In crises, emergency response professionals are called upon in order to aid survivors. While the majority of professionals involved have received formal education on crisis management or disaster relief, the faith community is often called upon to assist without such prior knowledge. However, based on their mutual commitment to serve those in need, the social work profession and faith community represents a natural partnership in preparing for the disaster management process. Therefore, social workers can assist faith leadership in order to empower the faith community to be involved in crisis response. Specifically, this research addresses …

2nd Place Essay: Leading Without Limits, Whitney Knox

Reed Leadership Student Essay Contest Winners

In response to the essay prompt: "If you knew you could not fail as a leader, what would you attempt to do for Jesus?"

I am a firm believer that God equips His servants for the mission that He calls them to. I hope someday to be a calming and assuring presence for my patients during a time when they are suffering. Knowing that I could not fail as a leader, I would not be afraid to make the tough decisions that deeply affect the lives of those who entrust me with their health care. Knowing that Jesus would not …

1st Place Essay: Bringing Revival To Central And Eastern Europe, Chelsea Risinger

Reed Leadership Student Essay Contest Winners

In response to the essay prompt: "If you knew you could not fail as a leader, what would you attempt to do for Jesus?"

If I was certain that I could not fail as a leader, I would work to bring revival to Central and Eastern Europe. Former areas of high religious influence, these ex-Soviet countries have been altogether stripped of their beliefs in Jesus Christ. Those that were Christians in Slovakia, previously Czechoslovakia, during the time of Communism were looked down upon or punished for going to church. With unfailing leadership, my attempt for Christ would include a revival …

3rd Place Essay: Serving God On The Mission Field, Abbie Allen

Reed Leadership Student Essay Contest Winners

In response to the essay prompt: "If you knew you could not fail as a leader, what would you attempt to do for Jesus?"

By the end of elementary school, I knew two things about my life. I wanted to be a nurse, and God wanted me to be a missionary. It would take me a while to understand that God, being a good God, could take the desires of my heart and use them to serve Him on the mission field. If I knew I could not fail as a leader and if I had God’s blessing, I would …

Stories Economists Tell: Studies In Christianity And Economics, By John P. Tiemstra, Paul R. Koch

Faculty Scholarship – Economics

A review of the book Stories Economists Tell: Studies in Christianity and Economics by John P. Tiemstra (Pickwick Publications, 2012).

Ministering To Those Who Lose Their Jobs, Kevin Twain Lowery

Faculty Scholarship – Christian Ministry

Work is much more vital to a person's well-being than merely providing a means of financial support. Work is often a means of self-expression and socialization, and it thus is central to one's self-identity and self-esteem. Understanding these dynamics is crucial to ministering to those who lose their jobs or go through a major career change. The Christian concept of vocation is also very helpful in this regard.