Practical Theology Commons^™

Book Review: Lead: 12 Gospel Principles For Leadership In The Church, 2nd Ed. By Paul David Tripp, Ryan Gause

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The State Of Youth Ministry In Asian American Churches Today, Eunice Hong, Jinna Si Lo Jin

Great Commission Research Journal

Despite growing concern about youth disengagement from Christianity and the Christian church (Pew Research Center, 2025), strategies specifically tailored to engage Asian American youth remain under-researched. Drawing from interviews with 16 senior pastors and youth leaders across North America, this paper presents key findings on current ministry practices, with implications of emerging approaches to foster deeper youth engagement in Asian American church contexts.

Haitian Protestant Leaders’ Perceptions Of Social Media Use For Discipleship, Cherubin Dorcil

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This qualitative descriptive study explores how Haitian Protestant church leaders in a large urban area of the northeastern United States describe the influence of their use of social media on promoting discipleship. The study addresses a gap in understanding how digital ministry practices are interpreted within Haitian Protestant diaspora contexts and how these practices inform both theory and ministry application. Using a qualitative descriptive design, data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 Haitian Protestant church leaders selected through convenience sampling. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis, which resulted in the identification of five primary themes: social media as …

Reclaiming The Listening Pastor: A Pastoral Introduction To Spiritual Direction And Its Implications For A Recovery Of Pastoral Identity, Formation, And Sustainability In The Pentecostal Tradition, Hannah E.R. Sims

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

American Pentecostalism has long been marked by spiritual vitality, yet its theology of pastoral identity remains comparatively underdeveloped. Pentecostal pastors are often recognized as Spirit-led leaders and compelling communicators, but many now find themselves functioning primarily as organizational executives or cultural personalities—roles shaped more by business strategy and therapeutic expectation than by historic practices of spiritual care. In this quiet shift, something sacred has thinned. Pastors frequently experience role confusion, spiritual fatigue, and a subtle distancing from the relational and formational heart of their vocation. This dissertation explores what has been diminished within Pentecostal pastoral identity and what might yet …

Digital Discipleship And Whole-Person Flourishing: A Mixed-Methods Study At Celebration Church, John W. Wyatt

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This study examines how digital participation influences whole-person flourishing within the context of Celebration Church, a contemporary American megachurch, addressing a critical gap in empirical research on digital discipleship and its theological implications. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, quantitative data from the Barna ChurchPulse survey compared in-person and online participants, while qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with leaders from eighteen American megachurches were analyzed thematically. Findings indicate that flourishing outcomes are largely comparable across digital and in-person cohorts, challenging assumptions that embodied participation is inherently superior for spiritual formation; however, statistically significant differences emerged in leadership involvement, serving, and engagement …

A Kingdom-Centric Spiritual Formation Model: Developing Churchwide Strategies For Forming People Into Christlikeness, Justin Adams

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This dissertation explores how churches can better form people by examining the central research question: “What strategies can churches use to develop a Kingdom-centric spiritual formation model that prioritizes shaping individuals into Christlikeness as the church’s primary vision and mission?” Drawing on Paul’s desire to see Christ formed in the Galatian church (Gal 4:19), as well as exploring Jesus’s mandate in Matt 28:19 in connection with Acts 2:42-46, these texts show the connection between the spiritual formation of early believers and the Church. The researcher employed a quantitative methodology at The Worship Center in Leesburg, Virginia. Research revealed significant perceptions …

Developing A Church Growth Strategy For Church Revitalizations In Suburban Communities Within The U.S. Assemblies Of God, Thomas A. Galban

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Suburban communities are experiencing demographic and socioeconomic shifts that have presented challenges for the local church. These changes have correlated with the decline and plateau of many suburban churches within the U.S. Assemblies of God. This dissertation explores which successful models of church revitalization can be adapted, learned from, and created for suburban church contexts within the U.S. Assemblies of God. Using a qualitative research approach utilizing interviews, this study examined seven suburban churches and the pastors who successfully led through a revitalization process. Each pastor was interviewed concerning their leadership approach, strategies that were employed, contextual realities, funding models, …

Do Not Sit Or Quit: From Marginalized To Mobilized In The Third Stage Of Life: A Theological And Pastoral Response To The Rebirth Of Purpose, Dignity, And Calling Among Aging Believers, Brent M. Nordan

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This project examines how senior citizens can rediscover purpose, productivity, and spiritual vitality in the third stage of life through intentional pastoral engagement and church-based ministry models. The study addresses the growing demographic of aging adults who often face social marginalization and spiritual neglect within local congregations. Using a qualitative research approach, this project incorporates biblical and theological reflection, case study analysis, and ministry fieldwork conducted within an active church context. Grounded in the biblical doctrine of the imago Dei, the research affirms that senior adults retain divine purpose and value regardless of age. Key passages of Scripture form the …

Book Review: Emplacing Globalisation: Contextualising Mission In Settings Of People, Places And Processes By John Cheong And Jonathan Ro, David H. Campbell

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Game Of Pulpits: The 7 Voices Vying For The Kingdom - Who Will Win & Why By Gary Comer, Lavern Brown

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The American Religious Landscape By Ryan Burge, Derek Maxson

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Inclusive Education Of Indigenous Belief Communities In Indonesia: Perspective Of Independent Learning, Muhammad Ghafar, Nunu Ahmad An Nahidl, Muhammad Thoyib, Rihab Wit Daryono Jr., Edi Junaedi, Neneng Habibah

The Qualitative Report

Indigenous belief communities in Indonesia continue to face marginalization in the national education system, limiting their access to education that aligns with their spiritual and cultural values. Our study investigates how the Sapta Darma community members perceive inclusive education and how their socio-cultural traditions can support educational practices rooted in independent learning. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach and a multi-site design, data were collected from 30 participants, including community leaders, parents, and youth in Banyuwangi, Kediri, and Yogyakarta through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation. The results show that inclusive education in the Sapta Darma community, grounded in the spirit of …

(Nuevo) Luto 8-Carta Sobre Duelo Para La Familia - 2, Marcos Kempff

Crisis y luto

Luto 8-Carta sobre duelo para la familia - 2

Luto 8-Carta sobre duelo para la familia - 2

Restoring Relational Connection At South Side Christian Church: Group Spiritual Direction For Burnout Prevention Among Lay Leaders, Brooks Wilson

DMin Project Theses

Relationships form the bedrock of authentic church community. According to Jesus, the greatest commandment entails a holistic love for both God and neighbor.1 Anything less than relational connection ceases to accomplish the new creation goals of Christ’s mission. Thus, building, maintaining, and repairing relational connection remains central to the church’s aim.

Review Of Chosen Peoples: Christianity And Political Imagination In South Sudan, John Ashworth

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Nevertheless, We Persist: A Feminist Public Theology, Tiffany Hunsinger

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Falling Into God: My Lay Catholic Journey In Spirituality And Ministry From Family And Home To Vatican Ii And The Holy Spirit To Prophetic Work For Justice And Peace, Rosemarie Pace

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Ella Baker & The Black Freedom Movement: A Radical Vision, Danny Duncan Collum

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Review Of Speaking Of Trust: Religion And Mutual Aid In Southwest Kenya, Dennis Kilama

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Changing Mercy In Aotearoa New Zealand, Anna Nicholls Victoria University Of Wellington

Journal of Global Catholicism

This paper examines the evolving expression of Catholicity within the Mercy organization in Aotearoa New Zealand. It explores the impact of Vatican II, demographic shifts, and societal changes. Through interviews with lay leaders in Whānau Mercy Ministries, the religiosity, inclusive approach, and the tension between traditional Catholic identity and pluralism in the organization are explored. A pertinent discussion concerns how the organization uses a more secular portrayal of Catherine McAuley as a unifying figure for the religiously diverse audience. The author argues that while secularization influences the organization, it fosters human flourishing and community engagement, offering opportunities for growth rather …