Practical Theology Commons^™

An Expositional Study Of The Letter To The Philippians With Specific Application To Christian Women Serving Vocationally Or Voluntarily In Local Church Ministry, Tammy Gutierrez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis will reference the exposition, research, cultural background, and exegesis of over fifty Bible Commentaries, Bible Dictionaries, New Testament Greek word study texts, and additional writings on the Letter to the Philippians making specific application to Christian women serving vocationally or voluntarily in local church ministry. Currently, there is no resource providing both a synthesis of the writings of leading commentaries along with specific practical application for the vocational or volunteer Christian women in ministry regarding every unit of thought within the Philippians Letter. This thesis will fill this gap with a strong example of how a contemporary expositor …

Establishing A Revitalizing Strategy For Church Planters: An Analysis Of Church Planting Trends Of The 21st Century Within The Published Works During The Past Thirteen Years (2001-2013) In America, Ji Woon Choi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Church planting is the most valuable method to spread the Gospel, and God wants to see His churches everywhere. Nevertheless, many church planters have produced strikingly different results; depression or growth. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and research about current church planting trends within the published works during the past thirteen years (2001-2013) in the United States and to suggest a healthy church planting and growth model for local church planters in America and the World. After the analysis of the current trends in the 21st century, the particular statistical evidences and theological views about this study …

Sacra Domus: The Anglican House Church In Theology And Context, Alan Andraeas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The author is an evangelical Anglican priest with a recently formed sacramental house church. Though the house church movement is gaining popularity, no formal guidelines or methodologies exist which address this trend from a liturgical and sacerdotal perspective--even within his diocese. Because of this void, he will examine the following critical issues:

* What are the scriptural foundations for mandating the use of liturgy?

* What are the biblical, theological, and historical precedents for house churches?

* Can there be a complementary union between priestly liturgy and the house church model?

Without guidance from other `reference parishes,' the need for …

Developing A Contextualized Retreat Manual Based On The `Tres Dias' Movement For The Spiritual Disciplines Of Russian Churches, Sungsoo Hong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis project is to create a practical retreat manual for the spiritual disciplines contextualized to the Russian context based on the `Tres Dias' movement. It is important to develop the spiritual training program with contextualization as an effective mission strategy. While many of the missionaries in Russia have been trying to apply the spiritual disciplines in their mission field, little contextualized practical research exists on them. Tres Dias is one of the spiritual retreat programs compatible with contextualization. This project analyzes and evaluates the value and compatibility of the Tres Dias movement in Russia based on …

Parenting Again For The Very First Time/You're Raising Your Grandchildren: Now What?, Larry Lamb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Grandparents raising their grandchildren are a new demographic emerging at a staggering rate because the parents are either unwilling or incapable of raising their own children. The rationale for this work is derived from the challenges this author and his wife have because of parenting their grandchildren. The research for this project has the value to offer support, wisdom, hope, and perspective for those who are parenting again as grandparents. Opportunities abound to lead grandchildren in a direction where they never would have gone had grandparents resisted the selfless act of parenting again. This project will be approached using surveys …

A Pastor's Approach To Discipleship And Its Effect On The Local Church: A Three-Step Approach To Biblical Discipleship, Daniel Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current condition of the local church is in need for revitalization. The process of discipleship within the church has been viewed as an underlining issue for the local church. The purpose of this project is to determine the ways in which the pastor influences discipleship in the local church in the areas of formation, transformation, and application. The pastor's practice of ministry is reviewed by looking at both the pastor's and members' perspective concerning the pastor's approach to discipleship. The pastor's approach to discipleship is observed in three areas, including formation, transformation, and application. Through careful observation, a three-step …

Biblical Environmental Protection: Seven Keys For Christian Leaders, Rejoice Muwadzuri

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project examines Christian environmentalism and espouses the need for the principles of environmental stewardship to be fanned into flame among Christians through the ministry and influence of Christian leaders. It has become apparent that America and the rest of the world face an environmental crisis as is reflected by climate change, high air and water pollution, land and habitat degradation, depletion of forests and issues of waste management. However, this reality has not been matched by a corresponding level of practical action and activism to protect and restore the environment in Christian circles. This thesis project will provide …

Marriage As A Spiritual Discipline: Principles And Benefits, Richmond Laney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christians use spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, and journaling as methods to enhance their relationship with God. However, Christian rates of divorce are not different than the United States average where more than one in three first marriages ends in divorce. This is despite a Christian belief that marriage is a special relationship. The rate of divorce among Christians should be reduced. Marriage can be practiced as a spiritual discipline that will benefit the relationship as well as yielding sought after spirituality. Marriage as a spiritual discipline would help couples increase marital satisfaction, thus driving down the divorce rate. …

Becoming A Disciple-Making Church: A Strategic Transition For Dongshin Apostle Community, Hyuk Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Dongshin Apostle Community (DAC) transitioned from being a traditional church of 210 members to a hybrid church of 700 members through an organic movement called Jesus Hope Movement (JHM). In recent years, however, DAC has also plateaued in its growth due to the limitations of its institutional structure. In order for DAC to become a healthy growing church once again, it must become a disciple-making church that implements strategic biblical steps of transition that will push the church to become more organic. This thesis project will examine diverse organic factors within DAC that enabled its growth and transition to a …

Divorce In The Christian Society And A Prescriptive Model To Rekindle The Marriage Bond, Frederick Styles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to explore the history, consequences, and guidelines of divorce in the Christian world. God's plan for marriage is procreation of children and love between husband and wife. According to a Christian study by Jack Wellman, the top three reasons for Christians divorcing are adultery, communication, and abuse (physical and emotional). This thesis will assist couples who are contemplating divorce and provide guidance on the causes and effects of divorce. In addition, it will create a prescriptive model; guidelines for those couples to follow for each of the reasons above that will rekindle and strengthen …

The General Epistles And Work, Theology Of Work Project, Kelly Liebengood, Al Erisman

Theology of Work Project

1. Introduction to General Epistles
2. James - Faith Works
   • Depending on God (James 1:1-18)
   • Working for the Benefit of Others in Need (James 1:22-28)
   • Faith and Work(s) (James 2:14-26)
   • Discriminating Against the Poor and Currying Favor with the Rich (James 2:1-13)
   • Listening Well and Taming the Tongue (James 1:19-21 and 3:1-12)
   • Selfish Ambition and Investing in Others (James 3:13-4:12)
     • Selfish Ambition and Submission to God (James 3:13-4:12)
     • Investing In Others (James 4:1-12)
   • Business Forecasting (James 4:13-17)
   • Business Oppression (James 5:1-6)
   • Waiting for the Harvest (James 5:7-20)
3. 1 Peter - Serving the World as Resident Alien Priests
   • Resident Aliens and Priests (1 …

Interview: Katherine Leary Alsdorf, Katherine Leary Alsdorf, David W. Gill

Theology of Work Project

Katherine Leary Alsdorf is co-author with Timothy Keller of Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work (Dutton, 2012). She came to Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City in 2002 to establish the Center for Faith and Work to help people nurture a meaningful integration between their faith and their professional work. Prior to this ministry role at Redeemer, she spent 20 years in the high tech industry. In California, she served as CEO of Pensare, an online management education company, and CEO of One Touch Systems, a hardware/software products company. Before that, she was President of Private …

Moore Of Feminine Style: A Rhetorical Examination Of "Wednesdays With Beth", Terrie Meeks

Masters Theses

Beth Moore is a best-selling author of books and Bible studies, a speaker to crowds that fill places like the Georgia Super Dome, as well as an international speaker, a radio and television personality, and she is achieving this milestone as a woman, in a world lit with male stars. Through all of these venues it is estimated that Moore speaks to hundreds of thousands of people each year. One of Moore's most recent ventures is speaking on Life Today with James and Betty Robison. Each week features an episode of "Wednesdays with Beth." Using Karlyn Kohrs Campbell's theory of …

Education Evangelism: Sixteen Best Practices For School Outreach, Paul Steinberg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students from non-Christian homes are coming in unprecedented numbers to Christian schools in the Milwaukee area due to the unique school voucher program begun in 2001. Each of the Christian schools in the voucher program, including the one where this writer serves, is searching for the best evangelism tactics. This new frontier can learn from the outreach efforts of Milwaukee's Lutheran voucher schools.
Pioneering experience, articles and interviews will reveal the history and practice of ministry in the voucher program and look toward the future. Surveys of ministry leaders will explain the results of different strategies. Surveys and interviews of …

Justification And Sanctification In The Southern Baptist Church In West Virginia; Implications In Worship And Practice Of Faith, Todd Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to investigate the doctrines of justification and progressive sanctification and its implications in the Southern Baptist Churches in West Virginia. In the Southern Baptist Churches in West Virginia, there seems to be much confusion concerning the subject of justification and sanctification in the life of the believer. This confusion appears to grow out of a misunderstanding of sanctification and its relationship to justification from the error of Roman Catholic doctrine of blending justification and sanctification. The result of this study will expose the disparity of understanding concerning these doctrines and produce a teaching resource …

The Pastor: Forming A Shared Vocational Vision, Skip Bell

Faculty Publications

Who defines the vocat i o n a l v i s i o n fo r pastoral ministry? Is it the employing denomination? Is it the congregation the pastor serves? Is it the church board? Is it the demand of the moment—preaching, evangelism, mission, church planting? Is it the Great Commission? Or is it the One who gives the commission? The purpose of this article is to discover a biblical foundation for a pastoral vision. Such a foundation offers the hope of transcending differing perspectives while relating to the various expectations of the church and broader community. Articulating a …

Some Historical Perspectives On The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Homosexuality, H. Peter Swanson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Finance Overview, Theology Of Work Project, Leonard D. Van Drunen

Theology of Work Project

1. What Finance Is
2. God’s Purposes for Finance
   • Finance Helps Reveal the Glory of God’s Creation
   • Finance Helps Us Fulfill the Creation Mandate to Be Good Stewards
   • Finance Can Be a Means of Justice and Love
3. The Foundations of Finance are Created by God
   • We are Timebound
   • We are Social
   • We are Heterogeneous
   • We Act as Agents
   • We Make Promises
   • We Are Not Omniscient
   • We Create Resources for a Future that We Do Not Know
   • We Are Risk Takers
   • Conclusion to the Foundations of Finance are Created by God
4. Financial Institutions
   • Currency
   • Intermediaries
     • Can we really love someone through intermediaries?
   • Instruments …

Insights From Growing Churches In North America, S. Joseph Kidder

Faculty Publications

This article attempts to outline some of the challenges the Adventist Church in the North American Division (NAD) faces today and then develop an effective model for evangelistic ministry to overcome these challenges.

A House For Sale, Adrienne J. Royo

Faculty Works

This presentation is intended to elucidate the fact that Christ is in heaven preparing a home for us, which is free of charge. However, there is an obligation on the part of each human being of choosing to accept this free gift. This PowerPoint outlines what the prerequisites and guidelines are to be able to receive a home in heaven, and eternal life.