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Journal Of Lanka Bible College (Sri Lanka), Vol 1, 2017, Lbc Centre For Graduate Studies Dehiwala, Colombo, Sri Lanka, Holy Spirit Research Center, Oral Roberts University

Journal of Lanka Bible College (Sri Lanka)

Journal of Lanka Bible College (Sri Lanka), Vol 1 (2017)

A publication for LBC Centre for Graduate Studies Dhiwala, Colombo, Sri Lanka

http://www.lbcs.edu.lk/

Articles Include:

• “Breaking The ‘Donor-Recipient’ Godlessness In International Relationships” - Rev Dr Stuart Brooking
• “Christ and the Spirit in the Light of Paul’s use of the Old Testament in Romans 15.7-13” - Dr Danny Moses
• “Driving Jesus out of Gerasenes” - M Alroy Mascrenghe
• “Youth Ministry as Missiology ‘Cross-Cultural’ Outreach: A Missiological Perspective on Youth Ministry” - Dr Paul Borthwick
• “The Foundations of Theological Thought” - Dr Peter Mead
• “Some ways Christians and Muslims can work together …

Theological Empathy And John Wesley’S Missional Field Preaching, Lenny Luchetti

Great Commission Research Journal

John Wesley cited several external reasons for his submission to field-preaching. These external factors include the persuasive requests of George Whitefield, the effectiveness of open-air preaching, and the closed doors of the Anglican Church. These usual suspects have received much attention among Wesley scholars. However, a closer look at Wesley’s writings, especially his A Farther Appeal to Men of Reason and Religion, reveals that internal motivators were at least as much to blame as external ones for driving Wesley to the fields. What initiated and sustained Wesley’s field-preaching for fifty-one years, despite the many inconveniences and dangers associated with this …

The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Becoming A Professor, Gary L. Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

As McGavran’s missionary career in India came to an end, publication of The Bridges of God opened new doors for research, teaching, and writing. The years 1955–1965 found McGavran moving from a missionary career to that of a professor and founding The Institute of Church Growth. In Eugene, Oregon, he met and befriended Methodist missionary Alan R. Tippett who became a partner in the spread of Church Growth Thought during the 1960s and 70s.

Eight Steps To Transitioning To One Of Five Models Of A Multicultural Church, Bob Whitesel

Great Commission Research Journal

Theories of change and theories of changing are insufficiently studied, hence often inadequately understood by the ecclesial academy. The few theories that are available are based on an author’s experience with singular process model developed from similar homogeneous contexts. However, the present author, reflecting on case studies over a ten-year window, strengthens the argument for a holistic, eight-step model as first developed by John P. Kotter at Harvard University. Whitesel argues that the eight-step process model is resident and visible in ecclesiological change. He then suggests that the requisite change objective for many churches will be a heterogeneous, multicultural model, …

Conflict In The Small- And Medium-Sized Church, William D. Henard

Great Commission Research Journal

One of the most difficult aspects of dealing with any church is conflict. Because of humanity’s fallen nature and because of the difficulty of initiating and accepting change, conflict is almost always inevitable. Conflict becomes detrimental when it is not handled correctly or when it remains unchecked and finds its source deep within the sinful nature and motives of people. Conflict in the church, though, does not necessarily have to be destructive. Many of those within the church reconciliatory ministry say that conflict is essentially neutral. When handled properly, it can actually result in some positive benefits for the church.

Preparing To Multiply: Four Steps For Established Churches, Joey Chen

Great Commission Research Journal

How should a leader of an established church lead the church to multiply? With the increased attention to church planting, there are more resources available, but little attention is given to the established church. This article seeks to help the leader of an established church prepare to engage in multiplication. While strategy, best practices, and finances are vital components to church multiplication, the crucial starting point for an established church leader is to prepare. There are four places to look while in the preparation stage: inward, upward, outward, and around.

One More Time: Why We Do Research On The Ministry Of Evangelism, George G. Hunter

Great Commission Research Journal

George Hunter has spent a lifetime studying the ministry of evangelism. Following his teenage conversion, he discovered that the ministry that helps pre-Christian people become new Christians was the most understudied of the Church’s ministries. In this article, he reports on how he studied, from multiple perspectives, the Church’s most essential (but most academically neglected) ministry. Hunter gradually discovered at least a dozen assumptions about evangelism in Protestant folk-wisdom that are typically more counterproductive than productive. He interfaces with these assumptions to suggest alternative views that are more academically warranted and practically effective. He concludes by inviting a generation of …

Rethinking The Term Missionary: Is Every Christian A Missionary?, Cecil Stalnaker

Great Commission Research Journal

In order to emphasize the missionary nature of the local church, a new expression has emerged in recent years: “Every Christian a missionary.” Is this valid? Should local churches be instructing and claiming that their church members are all missionaries? Although many mission leaders and writers claim that the Bible never uses the word missionary, an examination of fifty-two different English versions of the Bible shows otherwise. In order to respond to the main question, a number of avenues are explored in this paper—the identity, definitions, and origin of the term missionary, including old and new paradigms and their analyses. …

Choosing The Right Consultant, William J. Ingram, Denise D. Quigley

Great Commission Research Journal

The church in North America is in decline. Research indicates that many churches are not growing or even considered “healthy.” More and more churches are addressing their declining attendance through hiring consultants to identify areas of growth and improvement. The key is finding the right consultant or consulting firm for the needs of the local church. This article seeks to help the local church ask the right questions when selecting a consultant or consulting firm.

Developing A Vision And Strategy For Multicultural Ministry: Woodburn Community Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Eduard Daniel Ciobanu

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The City of Woodburn, OR is home to a population of 24,223. Over half of the residents are Hispanic, while 1/4 to 1/3 are Russian Orthodox Old Believers. Adding to its diversity, 35.4% of the total population of Woodburn is foreign born. Started as a church plant 30 years ago, the mostly White, non-Hispanic Woodburn Community Seventh-day Adventist Church has traditionally kept a membership of around a 100, with a current membership of 101 and an average attendance of 38 in 2011. Despite an ideal, central location in town, an ability to embrace and support new members and attendees, …

Salvation Through Community And Protest, Hannah K. Griggs

Audre Lorde Prize

This essay examines the theodicies of Nancy Pineda-Madrid, Kelly Brown Douglas, and Dorothee Soelle to strategize ways for Christians to combat rising threats to marginalized communities. Synthesizing the arguments of these three feminist Christians, I argue that only a theodicy of protest succeeds in accounting for structural injustice caused by kyriarchal relationships. As Christians come to terms with America’s current political situation, I call for a reimagining of Anselm’s salvation narrative. My protest theodicy theorizes a new Christian narrative that strives to alleviate this-worldly suffering in order to produce salvation through radical community, by “signifyin’” to disrupt power, and using …

Reproducing The Capitalist Patriarchy In The Evangelical Christian Sexual Purity Movement: A Feminist Christian’S Concern And Hope, Hannah K. Griggs

Audre Lorde Prize

Through a feminist lens, this essay will explore modern expressions of the conservative evangelical Christian purity movement, including Christian sex manuals, abstinence-only education programs, and purity balls. To begin, I will explain the most important facets of my own feminist theory, which draws from existentialist, socialist, and postmodern feminisms. Using this unique combination of theories, I will attempt to reconcile my deeply held Christian and feminist beliefs about sex. Finally, I will propose a solution that honors both of these important parts of my identity. I assert that the Christian purity movement Others women reinforcing a gender binary, bending to …

The Adventist Pilgrim: A Construct For Theological Reflection, Erik C. Carter

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

"Adventist historians and tour guides refer to site visits using words like “living experience,” “spiritual reflection,” and “sacred space,” but these terms are not adequately engaged, thus rendering them abstract and relegating them to the background. Michael Campbell suggests, for example, that those who participate in an Adventist historical site visit are “personally confronted with the reality of God’s continued leading.” But what exactly does this mean, and perhaps more importantly, how does it happen? We need a more systematic way of connecting these places with our own experience, laden with personal meaning. The purpose of this brief study is …

Ellen White, Health, And The Third Angel’S Message: Part 1–Improving Health Through Reducing Transmissible Diseases, Warren A. Shipton

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

"A systematic approach to Ellen White’s statements on health, particularly in the physical realm, has shown that her words need not be misunderstood and are as sound today as when they were given. She conveyed a profound sense of reverence for God’s word and His instructions on health. Her statements were meant to amplify the principles contained in the Scriptures. I could find no evidence of deficiency in either source. The claim that modern science has discounted her views on such things as leprosy114 is inaccurate. White was more aware of things happening in her day than some modern-day writers …

The Communication Of Limits: Christ, The Communicatio Idiomatum, And The Identity Of People With Disabilities, Kendrick Barnes

Seattle Pacific Seminary Theses

Disability scholars often speak to the identity of people with disabilities. The communicatio idiomatum, as understood by the early church fathers, suggests that Christ took on everything that it means to be human. This thesis argues that when Christ took on the limits of humanity, he identified with people with disabilities. This assumption of limits presents a model for the church catholic, specifically, for how the church conceives of and does ministry to and with people with disabilities.

Measuring The Perceived Effectiveness Of Five Selected Professional Courses Taken By Alumni Theology Majors And How They Are Related To Selective Demographics: A Mixed Methods Study, Barry J. Tryon

Dissertations

Problem

The study was prompted by the need for the evaluation of current theological educational programs for preparing students to meet the many challenges of pastoral ministry in a rapidly changing world. However, to date there has been little published research addressing the effectiveness of undergraduate theological education. Furthermore, changes implemented in the theological education program at Southern Adventist University (Southern) have not been evaluated for their effectiveness for ministerial job preparedness.

Method

This descriptive study measured the perceived effectiveness of five professional courses taught in the undergraduate theological educational program at Southern for ministerial job preparedness. A parallel mixed …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between Strategy And Structure To The Work Of Starting And Supporting Church Planting Movements, Laurence G. Burn

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"A church that defines itself by movement structures sees the center or activity as taking place in hearts and homes of its members. The mission is living the message, empowering, facilitating, and catalyzing and should define the culture of the organization. It is my conviction that this journey with its focus on creating movements represents a seismic shift in thinking and behavior. There is no doubt that further research is needed that by God’s grace will help create a multitude of disciple-making movements again in many parts of the world."

Family Resilience In Displacement: Defining Validity And Reliability In A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Inquiry, Regine Rimarzik

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"The voices of the poor confirmed a common recommendation among scholars to combine the best of person-focused approaches with the best of variable-focused approaches in resilience studies. This could be especially beneficial for comparative studies in terms of religion and culture adherence. In other words, I am considering to slightly tweak my research topic and widen the scope towards a comparative religious study within the same environment and to specify the impact of comparative faith traditions on the human development context in displacement. Finally, my better understanding of the nature of family resilience awakened my curiosity for discovering the nature …

The Concept Of Social Justice In The Social Sciences, In The Bible, And In Adventism, Michelet William

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"Social justice is included in the mission of God to redeem and restore humanity. While in the early years evangelicals viewed social justice with suspicion, considering it subordinate to evangelism, since the second half of the 20th century, social justice has gained momentum among evangelical Christians who have become favorable to a more holistic approach to mission. William Carey had already set the tone in the 19th century as his work in India included missiological responses to social justice concerns. Other more recent and similarly mission-focused social advocacy work followed, such as the Temperance Movement in early Adventism, the ongoing …

Window Shopping And Turf Control, W. Milton Adams

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"In the past there has been much appropriate emphasis on the laity’s posture of respect toward church leadership. But what matters now is an equal and proactive posture of respect toward the laity. As new methods and new plans spring forth from the laity, cooperation and mutual respect must also spring forth. The result will look and function like a peer relationship. In today’s developing culture, the onus will lie on church leadership to rid themselves pf any turf control and instead develop skills of cheering, funding, and quickly embracing God-honoring lay ministries. So, a call to smooth the way, …