Christianity Commons^™

We Hope: Sot/Sem Midday Prayer Reflection - November 9, 2023, Kathleen A. Cahalan

Obsculta

Every week, the faculty, staff, and students of the Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary gather together in common worship for Ecumenical Midday Prayer and Convivium, a shared meal. This reflection was given by Kathleen Cahalan—Professor of Practical Theology—in November of 2023 and explores the role of hope in the life of the Christian disciple.

“Jesus Freaks” Youth-Group Bands And The Power Of Christian Rock (1992–2000), Leah Payne

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

“What will people think,” Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Smith asked thousands of young evangelical fans in 1996, “when they hear that I’m a Jesus Freak?” This trio of young men “on fire for God,” who performed as DC Talk, were the biggest thing in CCM in the 1990s. Their 1995 album Jesus Freak portrayed conservative evangelical youths as rock-and- roll rebels. “Welcome to the Freak Show,” the Jesus Freak tour, filled stadiums, and their high-energy, slickly produced concerts were teaming with screaming devotees. Fans pointed up to the sky as the band sang, “Jesus is the way,” in …

The Importance Of Luke 3, Patrick Russell

Obsculta

This paper attempts to show the literary and theological significance of the genealogy in Luke 3. Though the text can be read as merely something to convey facts; the textual placement and the theological themes at work within the genealogy in relation to Luke-Acts are not arbitrary. In light of the overall use of genealogies in the ancient near east this pericope becomes something far more dynamic than it might otherwise seem upon first glance.

Paul And Gender: Early Reception And Modern Implications, Phoebe Carstens

Obsculta

Within Paul’s letters, there is a wealth of theological and ministerial material with a variety of implications and interpretations—what Paul seems to say about the position of women in the Church is the object of much debate. This piece highlights the ways in which Paul displays an openness to greater involvement of women in the Christian movement and a breaking of traditional female gender roles, yet simultaneously upholds rigid boundaries of marked gender distinction, thus mirroring a current stance of the Church today.

Μαλακοί And ΆρσενοκοῖΤαι In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10: Reception History And Its Applicability To Modern Homosexuality, Taylor Patz

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is arguing that μαλακοί and ἀρσενοκοῖται in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 should not have a place in the formation of modern Christian theological stances on homosexuality because neither μαλακοί nor ἀρσενοκοῖται conceptually align with modern homosexuality. Chapters one through four cover background context on Jewish, Greek, and Roman views of sexuality. This background information is to provide context, based on the literary evidence we have today, on what Paul could have conceptually intended by μαλακοί and ἀρσενοκοῖται. The second part to this thesis, chapters five through seven, look at the reception history of 1 Corinthians 6:9 from Latin to …

A Liturgy For Wholeness Culture Shaping Practices For Flourishing In Ministry, Mike Bellanti

Doctor of Ministry

A Liturgy for Wholeness emerged from the opportunity to “shape ecclesiastical culture that reimagines the holistic flourishing of vocational pastors.” The research suggests that many pastors are not flourishing but surviving. Unrealistic expectations, comparison, an unreasonable number of needed competencies, and long work weeks contribute to this challenge, often resulting in burnout or moral decline. Reimagining pastoral work within the life arenas of divine calling, daily well-being, formational relationships, and resilience creates a significant opportunity for pastors to thrive holistically.

The context in which this project will be deployed is Northbrook Church, a large non- denominational church in the exurbs …

Story, Senses, Community And Fun: Teaching The Bible As Christ Centric Story For The Local Church, Adam Barton

Doctor of Ministry

NPO: The leadership at Harvest has observed that our people need improved methods to combat the trend of decreased understanding of the Christ centered Bible story.

My research identified numerous factors for this trend (too busy, too tired, the Bible is too difficult to understand and is no longer relevant, etc.) Perhaps more than all these, we have lost our Hebrew sensibilities of conveying the truth of the scriptures as a story to be experienced. A story told in community (not isolation), a story that draws in the senses (not a text to be analyzed), a story that is enjoyable …

The Church In-Between Raising Up Leaders In The Liminal Context At St. Andrew’S Presbyterian Church, Peter Dunn

Doctor of Ministry

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Redondo Beach, California, is facing significant organizational challenges due to an experience of complex, rapid, and unprecedented change. Thus, my NPO statement identifies the need for the church to create a framework to empower emerging leaders for effective ministry in the liminal context.

This Doctoral project targets staff members and lay leaders, particularly Elders and Deacons, who play pivotal roles in overseeing and leading the church's ministry teams. The goal is to equip these leaders with a deep understanding of the liminal context of ministry and provide them with spiritual formation practices to navigate and …

Hybrid Faith: A Study On The Impact Of Digital Technology On Church Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gertrude Dzirasa-Payne

Doctor of Ministry

The 21st Century has witnessed a new age characterized by exponential growth of global internet users and the central role of digital technology impacting the economy, science, religion, government, and society.1,2 Information is available via digital channels in every form, whether word, image, or sound.3 Digital technology is integrated into society and has influenced the practice of the Church, leading to the emergence of a phenomenon known as “Hybrid Faith,” the merging of in-person faith and online faith into one holistic integrated experience.4 This study explores how small and medium-sized churches in two cities adopted digital communication technology to engage …

Fostering Collaborative Partnerships Through Clear Communication Strategies: A Foster Care Model, Cheryl E. Haskins

Doctor of Ministry

Children need out of home placements (foster care), due to abuse and neglect, often languishing in the foster care system for years, before returning home to a safer biological family, adoptive home, or another permanent placement. Historically the Christian church and other communities of faith have functioned as social service providers, building hospitals and orphanages, caring for people in need. City Church (Churchome) a Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. based local church story is presented in this research as a model of faith, leadership and collaboration.

Chapter one describes the need, current environment, key terms, and examples of how faith-based organizations engage. …

How Does Therapy Impact African American Christians?, Suzette Theresa Law

Doctor of Ministry

A fundamental problem for African Americans is the underuse of mental health services, leaving mental health needs unmet. Many African Americans have already been subjected to enough stigmatization to the point they refuse to open themselves up to further ridicule and do not acknowledge mental health problems as medical. As a culture, African Americans continue to be distrustful of Caucasians, who fill most roles in the mental health field. 1 The researcher found cultural mistrust was the most consistent and powerful predictor of help-seeking attitudes.

This research explores the reasoning behind why those in African American communities are reluctant to …

Project Portfolio: From Here To Home: A Proven Pathway From Visitor To Member In Our Church Community, Leon Mckenzie

Doctor of Ministry

Through my role as a pastor in my local church and dean in my diocese, I’ve learned of a growing concern about the lack of hospitality within the local churches. Hospitality holds significant importance in the Bible and is a central aspect of the Church's mission. Thus, I have the opportunity to assist churches in evaluating their readiness to welcome strangers and provide them with a practical framework to apply this concept in their specific contexts.

Through my research, I have found that most perspectives on hospitality focus on its application in the business field or creating a comfortable environment …

The United Churches Of America: Post-Denominationalism, Theocracy, And Justice Systems, Tyler Joshua Green

Doctor of Ministry

The purpose of this research is to the unify, organize and equip Christian churches to address the injustices of disenfranchised communities throughout the United States. This work calls for the 21st Century church to answer a charge to organize post-denominationally in an effort to expand the church’s reputation, reach and resources leveraged to address injustices. Upon identifying the identity crisis of the American church due to the vestiges of colonialism, this provides a totally different means by which churches can be identified beyond worship styles, liturgical idiosyncrasies and even biblical interpretations. Calling on the oneness that Christ invites the body …

Epic Preaching: Making Sermons More Participatory And Experiential To Maximize Engagement, Retention, And Transformation, Zach Fitzpatrick

Doctor of Ministry

Over the last three years, I have sought to answer the question: Given today’s technologically-sophisticated, experiential-learning world, how can preaching best engage hearts and minds in simultaneous virtual and in-person worship services? The past three years have taught me that people are hungry for participatory, experiential elements in sermons on occasion and that it does promote engagement, retention, and transformation.

This project was almost entirely conducted within the membership and ministries of Elizabeth Lee Methodist Church in Chickamauga, Georgia. Chickamauga is a small, Northwest Georgia town located in the heart of the Bible belt. The church is a medium-sized church …

Defeating Racism And Overcoming Generational Poverty: Re-Educating African American Youth, Adrian D. Ware

Doctor of Ministry

After the 2023 U. S. Supreme Court ruling that diluted President John F. Kennedy’s Executive Order Number 10925, commonly known as Affirmative Action, this research proposes viable strategies that could afford African American society solutions to re-educate its youth to advance future generations toward an educational and cultural evolution. Evolution suggests a systematic process toward improvement that takes time, strategy, effort, and resources. America’s founding fathers brought Africans to the United States to build an economic empire. While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis puts forth that enslavement was a form of apprenticeship where enslaved persons trained for lucrative careers, a more …

Always Christmas, But Never Winter: A Guided Companion For The Season Of Advent, John Lemons

Doctor of Ministry

This Project Portfolio will display my attempt to address the following NPO: To help Young Adults (ages 18-39) recognize the beauty in their lives and friends’ lives and identify where God is working so they can engage in authentic conversations about faith and fulfillment in Jesus. The overall insight that emerged from my research was the desire among Young Adults to understand and articulate their faith from a perspective of desirability. This awareness blossomed in my current ministry setting – as a Young Adult Minister at an established church in the Southern United States. My project is step one of …

New Wine: A Spiritual Approach For The Intervention Of High-Functioning Alcohol Use Disorder, Elias J. Suddarth

Doctor of Ministry

Considering the approximately 29 million adults in the United States struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), we have discovered 85-90% do not seek available recovery options for alcoholism because a significant percentage do not see themselves within the typical narrative of a conventional recovery program. Most recovery approaches, whether secular or those involving spiritual principles, follow a century-old template for how any addict at any level ought to approach an abstinence-only treatment for their habitual misuse of a particular substance or behavior. Treatment for alcohol addiction has remained largely unchanged since the 1930’s even in the face of tremendous cultural …

Carriers Of The Cloak: Six Steps For Christian Chaplains To Grow As Humble Leaders And Healthy Servants, John Gabriel Lawson

Doctor of Ministry

Chaplains are expected to be the spiritual leaders of their units, sometimes for thousands of people at a time, while also being expected to maintain the highest professional standards of regular military officers. They are charged with defending religious freedoms and guarding the spiritual development of those under their care, regardless of their faith background. These expectations, coupled with combat deployments and high levels of vicarious trauma that is often experienced through counseling, make it very difficult to maintain spiritual health. Given all these pressures, I noticed how spiritual health and leadership quality can suffer in the lives of military …

Formational Living: A Blueprint For Spiritual Formation Within A Virtual Church Community, Darcy Lynn Shepherd

Doctor of Ministry

An opportunity exists to design and develop an educational and experiential spiritual formation website for the virtual E-Church community at The Potter's House to create safe fellowship space, offer formational resources and inspire the community to "Live More Like JesusTM."

Three key insights emerged upon completion of the research: (1) 100% of respondents found The Daily Clay to be a helpful resource to learn more about spiritual formation; (2) 100 % of respondents thought The Daily Clay would be a helpful resource for a church community; and 100% of respondents indicated that they would subscribe to The Daily Clay. Collectively, …

A Discipleship Model For Oral Preference Learners: Specifically Related To The Turkana People Of Kenya, Theresa Lynn Pottenger

Doctor of Ministry

The Turkana people of Kenya are primarily oral learners, processing information in oral ways. Oral learners are completely reliant on what they hear, see, and experience because they cannot or choose not to read.¹ Missionaries from highly literate western cultures unwittingly burdened these oral learners with literacy dependent teaching methods and discipleship practices. This has particularly left Turkana Christian leaders with few options for deepening their own Christian spirituality or leading others in discipleship. Additionally, a cultural disconnect between western spiritual categories taught by the missionaries and Turkana spiritual categories have left several Turkana spiritual needs unmet. The Turkana …