Practical Theology Commons^™

How Can We Understand The Universe? (Participant's Guide), Robbin Eppinga, Lydia Marcus

Study Guides for Faith & Science Integration

A study of A Brief History of Time

How Can We Understand The Universe? (Leader's Guide), Robbin Eppinga, Lydia Marcus

Study Guides for Faith & Science Integration

A study of A Brief History of Time

Are There Philosophical Conflicts Between Science & Religion? (Leader's Guide), Lydia Marcus

Study Guides for Faith & Science Integration

A study of Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, & Naturalism

Is Christian Theology Threatened By The Development Of Neuroscience? (Participant's Guide), Robbin Eppinga, Ashley Huizinga, Lydia Marcus

Study Guides for Faith & Science Integration

A study of Touching a Nerve: Our Brains, Our Selves

Spiritual Leadership Training Model: Using Learning Communities To Disciple Leaders In A Congregational Setting, Kent Pierce

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Pierce, Kent D. “Spiritual Leadership Training Model: Using Learning Communities To Disciple Leaders In A Congregational Setting.” D.Min. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2017. 209 pp.

Over the past few decades a significant shift has taken place in the cultural landscape of the United States and, as a result, in how congregations live out Christ’s mission in their unique local context. This project seeks to address the need for spiritual leadership among the laity of the Church. Specifically, the purpose of the project was to develop a model of spiritual leadership formation that will foster a discipling culture within Campus …

Book Review: Growing God’S Church: How People Are Actually Coming To Faith Today By Gary L. Mcintosh, Garrett R. Eaglin

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Orthodox Background Believers: Listening And Learning, Cameron D. Armstrong

Great Commission Research Journal

Evangelical church and organizational leaders in majority-Orthodox Romania often find themselves at a loss in understanding how to conduct outreach to Orthodox people. Often the cultural differences between Orthodox and evangelical Romanian Christians seem impassable. One approach is that of listening and learning from the transformational narratives of evangelical Christians converted out of Orthodoxy. The following article moves in this direction through qualitative analysis of conversion stories by four Romanian Orthodox background believers. Five common themes that arise from the data are discussed. The article concludes by offering an initial “evangelism rubric” to better posture evangelical groups to begin outreach …

Learn Why Some Churches Are Growing, George G. Hunter Iii

Great Commission Research Journal

Donald McGavran’s pioneering contribution to understanding the growth of churches and Christian movements drew from field research in growing churches and Christian movements, in addition to scripture and history. While field research included analysis from observation and the church or movement’s history and statistics, interview research produced the lion’s share of new insights. This article reports some of what has been learned about field interviewing—who to interview, the kinds of questions to plan to ask, the importance of follow up questions, and how to ask questions, manage the interview process, record insights, and reflect on the insights to inform future …

The Case To Redress Evangelism In North America, Gary Comer

Great Commission Research Journal

This article is a response to a warning made by George Hunter regarding the church’s adherence to its own “folk wisdom.” It explores the question of how the church could change, particularly in how it currently views evangelism, and how church leaders and members are unprepared to face the mission complexity unique to our time. It offers an alternative perspective with methodology that is theologically formed on the pattern of Christ, and built around the notion of spiritual influence. To that end, the kind of research that is most needed is discussed along with ideas on examining existing presuppositions.

Higher Education As Mission, Lewis Edwards, Kenneth Nehrbass

Great Commission Research Journal

While missiologists have been paying attention to business as mission, few have studied the value of securing teaching positions in foreign secular universities as a missionary method. This article bases “Higher Education as Mission” on the Apostle Paul’s four-fold taxonomy for reaching the educated and uneducated at home and abroad. Teaching in universities can be a legitimate platform for gaining an entry point in restricted access countries. More than that, as Christian scholars pursue excellence in their own academic fields, they can model to the future elites of societies what it means to follow Jesus in every aspect of our …

The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Founding A School, Gary L. Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

With the Institute of Church Growth in Eugene, Oregon, set to close in June 1965, McGavran was thinking of retiring to his small farm in Oregon. However, his plans changed when he was chosen to become the founding dean of Fuller Theological Seminary’s new School of World Mission and Institute of Church Growth in September of that same year. The story of McGavran’s selection, as well as that of getting Alan Tippett back into the USA, demonstrates God’s miraculous work in bringing about the establishment of the new school.

Leading Through Growth: The Role Of The Lead Pastor In The Large Church, Stephen Grusendorf

Great Commission Research Journal

In order to be an effective leader, the large church lead pastor must recognize and respond to the ever-shifting organizational dynamics of his church. This article highlights the distinctive organizational dynamics of large churches as opposed to churches of other sizes. It will seek to identify the unique responsibilities that leading a large church places on the lead pastor. Finally, this article will describe the particular organizational perils and opportunities present as the lead pastor transitions a church through the various stages of organizational growth.

Book Review: Race And Theology By Elaine A. Robinson, Aaron Perry

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Benedict Option: A Strategy For Christians In A Post-Christian Nation By Rod Dreher, April Berg

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Entrepreneurial Church Planting, Jay Moon

Great Commission Research Journal

Entrepreneurial church planting (ECP) explores innovative approaches for church planting in the marketplace. This article describes how entrepreneurial church plants leverage the networking and value creation provided by business in order to form communities of Christ followers among unchurched people. Biblical, theological, historical, and missiological support is provided to guide ECP planters. Four contemporary examples provide a paradigm of church planters that are typically suited for this approach to include the artist, social scientist, evangelist, and builder. These examples demonstrate the potential of ECP to break out of limited contexts and plant churches in larger networks of relationships in the …

Book Review: Church Planting In The Secular West: Learning From The European Experience By Stefan Paas, John P. Thompson

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Miracles And Natural Law: Are They Compatible?, Glauber S. Araujo

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

"We have tried here to bring together the contribution of many who saw the incoherence in Hume’s violation theory and have proposed a different view of the universe, where the natural and the supernatural cooperate with each other, maintaining the possibility of miracles. By avoiding Hume’s proposition, they were able to present a worldview of a universe open to divine action, turning the belief in miracles into a reasonable option. Miracles, although naturally impossible, do not need to be understood as opposing natural laws, but can be interpreted as events in nature produced by a supernatural cause, having a spiritual …

Ellen White, Health, And The Third Angel’S Message: Part 2: Minimizing Non-Communicable Diseases, Warren A. Shipton

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

"There have been remarkable changes in causes of human diseases identified in the last 150 years. Following the discovery of antibiotics and their widespread adoption since mid-last century and other advances in the field of microbiology, the incidence of contagious diseases has declined. Now the world is facing the danger of epidemics of non-communicable diseases that are related to life-style choices. Societies have invited and experienced these diseases for a long time, but they are now ravaging our health. In the times when Ellen White wrote, she laid a firm foundation for maintenance of physical health by anchoring her advice …

A Study Of Worship Renewal Through The Blended Worship Style In Small Churches, Sun Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The topic of this study is to research and discuss the potential of worship renewal through blended worship in small churches. Renewal to inspirational worship is a powerful demand from all churches. This researcher proves whether the researcher’s experience can be applied to the worship renewal of other small churches in the same way. For this purpose, this study first provides a Biblical discussion about the concept of praise, the significance and potential capability of praise in worship, and prepare a theoretical basis by reviewing related books and preceding research materials. Along with this, this researcher obtains statistical data by …

A Study On Church Growth Through Social Work As A Contact Point Of Community, Young Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The objectives of this study is to provide a vision for developing the churches in South Korea and to develop a method to recover the missional function of churches through non-profit organizations. Although Korean churches have achieved a remarkable growth both quantitatively and qualitatively, they have been busy maintaining their status in an immature fashion, resulting in the loss of their influence around the rapidly diversifying world. This study aims to provide a direction and an alternative for the church to recover its mission and approach to the world by studying the ministry associated with non-profit organizations. In order to …