Practical Theology Commons^™

Church Growth And Outreach Lessons From The Oil Boom In North Dakota, Mark R. Teasdale, Steve Trefz

Great Commission Research Journal

Using primary data collected from four churches situated in the North Dakota towns of Williston and Watford City, this study considers how the outreach ministries of these churches have been affected by the massive population growth brought about by the oil boom in the Bakken region. Drawing from the survey responses provided by the leaders of these congregations, the study concludes that people engaged in new outreach ministries can apply several lessons, including the definition of evangelism, the importance of relationship building, the need for multifaceted teams and resources, and issues with denominational support.

A Framework For Developing Global Leadership According To The Apostle Paul, Peter Rios

Great Commission Research Journal

Globalization is inevitable. There is no longer any need to debate whether an organization or a leader should consider becoming global. Such a discussion is as dead as universities debating whether they should have online studies. Being a global leader or organization is imperative today, especially if the goal of the organization is to extend the reach of its markets. The apostle Paul personified global leadership during the course of his ministry. The skills he displayed as a leader were (1) having a global mentality, (2) becoming all things, (3) displaying cultural agility, (4) overcoming adversity, (5) assembling strategic teams, …

Book Review: Comeback Churches: How 300 Churches Turned Around And Yours Can Too By Ed Stetzer And Mike Dodson, Philips Sunday Akinbobola

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

A Historical Analysis Of Hinderances Related To The Slow Growth Of Christianity In Thailand, Kelly Michael Hilderbrand

Great Commission Research Journal

From the very beginning, Christianity has experienced slow growth in Thailand. This article examines the historical hindrances to growth in Thailand. What are they, and why have they hindered church growth? Early hindrances have included climate and disease, ministry approaches, and a lack of persecution. Historical and present hindrances are also examined, including the foreignness of Christianity, confrontational evangelism, and the Thai patron-client social structure. Once identified, missions organizations and missionaries can make adjustments to be more eff­ective in impacting the kingdom of Thailand for the gospel.

Book Review: Advanced Strategic Planning: A 21st Century Model For Church And Ministry Leaders By Aubrey Malphurs, Chase Weeks

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Lost Balance In Missions Today, Mike Morris

Great Commission Research Journal

Many evangelical Christian missiologists emphasize search-only theology (i.e., search theology that is not balanced by harvest theology). When the Great Commission is reexamined, search-only theology deficiencies are revealed. When search-only proponents attempt to sow seed speedily in all UPGs at the same time without regard for receptivity, poor stewardship of gospel seed is evident. A lack of thorough discipleship results in UdPGs. Such speedy search-only theology is not the pattern set by Jesus or Paul. ƒe dangers of search-only theology’s emphasis on speed include placing unqualified people in leadership positions and getting involved in the deceptive insider movement.

The Case For Prioritism: Part 1, Christopher R. Little

Great Commission Research Journal

The global evangelical missions movement has embraced holism or integral mission as a framework for engaging the nations. Many astute observers maintain that this development indicates that present-day evangelicals are following in the footsteps of ecumenicals and repeating the mistakes of the past. The matter of the relationship between proclamation and social action in the mission of the church must therefore be revisited for the sake of the world. The first installment of this article seeks to highlight why the debate is still necessary, clarify the fundamental differences between prioritism and holism, recount the road to evangelical holism, and address …

Book Review: Donald A. Mcgavran: A Biography Of The Twentieth Century’S Premier Missiologist By Gary Mcintosh, Mike Morris

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Can These Bones Live? A Practical Guide To Church Revitalization By Bill Henard, Nicholas Clark

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Whose Story To Join? The Problem Of Social Plausibility, Social Missions Stations, And Their Relationship To Church Planting Movements, J. S. Williams

Great Commission Research Journal

Donald McGavran challenged the missions community sixty years ago to use the natural social bridges of a community, rather than create new ones, to see the gospel spread. This paper builds on this concept by applying social plausibility theory, as articulated by Peter Berger and Thomas Tuckman, to three case studies of church planting efforts among Muslims. The paper indicates, in keeping with McGavran, that missionaries may still construct “sociological mission stations” if they do not intentionally present the gospel to families and social networks instead of individuals.

William Carey’S Vision For Missionary Partnerships, Andrew D. Mcfarland

Great Commission Research Journal

When the English Baptist missionary William Carey left England bound for India in 1793, he did not attempt the effort alone. Instead, he thought a brotherhood of serious Christians residing in England as essential for the undertaking. However, he expected them to provide more than funding. He trusted them to supply the love, encouragement, and support that would make missionary service possible. As a result, the partnership of William Carey with the BMS was founded on interdependence, and Carey’s devotion to this fueled his perseverance through seasons of painful challenges. This was Carey’s vision for missionary partnerships.

Fritz's "Freedom: Battle Strategies For Conquering Temptation" (Book Review), Gary R. Averill

The Christian Librarian

A review of Fritz, E. (2015). Freedom: Battle strategies for conquering temptation. San Francisco, CA: Ignatious Press. 203 pp. $ 14.95. ISBN 9781621640691

Seventh-Day Adventism, Doctrinal Statements, And Unity, Michael W. Campbell

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

"The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of ... three statements of belief and how they contributed to the development of Seventh-day Adventist theology. This article will build on the research of others to emphasize the contextual and formative influences surrounding each of these statements. The process of [sic] behind the formation of Adventist statements of belief is instructive by revealing underlying assumptions about unity within the Seventh-day Adventist Church."

God, Power, And Gospel In A Postmodern World–A Critique Of Griffin’S Postmodern God, Jenifer Daley

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

"The paper is primarily concerned with an exploration of divine power as proffered by David Griffin’s “constructive” model vis-à-vis a biblical Seventh-day Adventist perspective. As part of the process it implies the importance of a wholistic and systematic biblical perspective of God to the understanding and reception of the gospel and broadly suggests a strategy for missions in contemporary society. Of primary importance in this paper is the potential tension as it relates to the issue of the gospel of salvation and an understanding of God’s power: can a God who is less than omnipotent save? Conversely, does a God …

Transitioning The Waldorf Seventh-Day Adventist Church To An Integrated Multiethnic/Multicultural Ministry, Kleyton Feitosa

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Charles County, Maryland, is an ethnically and culturally diverse community. The only two Seventh-day Adventist churches in the county are mono-ethnic – one White and one African-American – and do not reflect the multiethnic composition of the community. In the beginning of this study the Waldorf Church had the following ethnic composition: 81% White and 19% of all other major ethnic groups. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2008), Waldorf city was made up of 40.6% White and 59.4% of all other groups combined. In light of this reality, being a monoethnic White church presented significant church growth challenges …

Creating A Leader Development Strategy For Lay Church Plant Leaders In The Texas Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Elton Demoraes

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Texas Conference has a strong emphasis on church planting. Since 2001 more than 115 churches have been planted throughout the conference. This rapid growth was possible because 107 of those churches were started by lay planters supported by an assigned coach. However, after studying the Texas Conference Church Plant database, we discovered that only 45% have experienced growth and 55% have plateaued or are declining. It appears that the reasons for this difference may be the lack of adequate coaching and training for the lay leader to enable effective leadership in the church plant.

Methodology

A leadership development …

Reviving Family Worship In The Rocky Mountain Indonesian Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Purasa Marpaung

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Seventh-day Adventist immigrants struggle to maintain Indonesian Adventist family worship practices in the process of assimilating to the United States culture. In particular, the family worship practices of the Rocky Mountain Indonesian Seventh-day Adventist Church have been adapted to fit the American environment and lifestyle. The practical family worship activities that were an essential component of the culture and identity of the people of Indonesian heritage are disappearing through exposure to new ideas and methods of worship. This lack of family worship in immigrant families must be addressed through cultural as well as theological perspectives.

Method

Couples, with at …

A Training Program For Non-Chaplain And Volunteer Chaplains Conducting Spiritual Care At Feather River Hospital In Paradise, California, Brad B. Brown

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Responsibilities of chaplain services at Feather River Hospital (FRH) primarily include completing its mission of whole-person care by providing spiritual and emotional support to the patients and staff. However, the challenge of meeting this goal historically is due to insufficient funding to hire adequate staff chaplains to provide this service. Per conversation with fellow chaplains of other hospitals, this same staffing challenge in meeting the spiritual and emotional component of whole-person care is consistent. However, there is a potential solution. Staff and community volunteers with a spiritual bent have shown interest in filling this gap of spiritual and emotional …

Equipping The Members To Lead Cell Groups Into Emotional Health In The Nonsan Seventh-Day Adventist Church In South Korea, Kyungbo Byun

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Korean society is in a state of serious emotional distress. This is evidenced by the fact that South Korea had the highest suicide rate among the 34 member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for the years 2002-2013. Despite this alarming state of affairs, there has been no extensive or long-term plan incorporated into the discipleship and small group ministries of the Nonsan Seventh-day Adventist Church in South Korea to equip the members with the skill to improve their emotional health. If the members could be equipped with such skills, they would be empowered with …

Into Ministry : The Pastorals, The Early Church, And The Free Methodist Church In The Early Twenty-First Century, Jason Aaron Leininger

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.