Conversations That Matter : Discerning And Responding To Prevenient Grace In Evangelistic Practice Among Australian Nazarenes,
2026
Asbury Theological Seminary
Conversations That Matter : Discerning And Responding To Prevenient Grace In Evangelistic Practice Among Australian Nazarenes, Richard H. Giesken
ATS Dissertations
No abstract provided.
The Neo-Monastic Invitation : A Rule For Church Multiplication In South Georgia,
2026
Asbury Theological Seminary
The Neo-Monastic Invitation : A Rule For Church Multiplication In South Georgia, Andrew Robert Anderson
ATS Dissertations
No abstract provided.
Chaplains In Khaki: Methodist Soldiers In Camp, On The Field, And On The March,
2026
Asbury Theological Seminary
Chaplains In Khaki: Methodist Soldiers In Camp, On The Field, And On The March, H. K.
Heritage Material
No abstract provided.
Field Notes: Introducing Godly Play In Cross-Cultural Contexts: Notes From A Short-Term Mission Trip In Kenya,
2026
Lubbock Christian University
Field Notes: Introducing Godly Play In Cross-Cultural Contexts: Notes From A Short-Term Mission Trip In Kenya, Shannon Clarkson Rains
Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry
This field note explores the use of Godly Play in a short-term mission context in Kitale, Kenya. It focuses on the author’s experience using this method to limit the temptation to impose one’s own theological and cultural interpretation when teaching Bible stories. While Godly Play emphasizes open-ended wondering, participants often hesitated to respond, reflecting familiarity with didactic learning environments. The study highlights how prior knowledge, language, and adult mediation influence theological engagement. It argues that pedagogy itself is culturally embedded and offers practical implications for cross-cultural ministry, including the need for cultural awareness, translator preparation, and realistic expectations for short-term …
Developing Leadership In Ghanaian Churches Of Christ: Problems, Principles, And Proposals,
2026
Heritage Christian University
Developing Leadership In Ghanaian Churches Of Christ: Problems, Principles, And Proposals, Francis Brown, Nathan Bills
Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry
This article explores the need for leadership development in the Churches of Christ in Ghana, focusing on Church of Christ congregations in Teshie. It highlights persistent challenges, including the lack of spiritual maturity, structure, and contextualization. To meet these challenges, this article emphasizes principles and practices of discipleship, intentional training, and cultural relevance. This study contributes to a broader understanding of ecclesial leadership of the Churches of Christ within African Christian contexts and suggests practical pathways for strengthening leadership in similar congregations.
Witness Beyond Technique: Gospel, Conversion, And The Moral Formation Of The Church,
2026
Abilene Christian University
Witness Beyond Technique: Gospel, Conversion, And The Moral Formation Of The Church, Christopher Flanders
Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry
Technique, efficiency, and measurable outcomes typically govern contemporary Western approaches to evangelism. Such approaches presume a thin account of the gospel, a punctiliar understanding of conversion, and an instrumental view of the church’s witness. This article argues that these assumptions represent not merely pragmatic missteps but theological distortions. Drawing on Scripture, historical theology, missiology, and practices of Christian initiation, I contend that evangelism is best understood as ecclesial witness oriented toward the moral formation of persons and communities under the reign of God. Conversion, on this account, is not a discrete decision secured through persuasive technique but a transformative journey …
A Phenomenological Study Of Pastoral Perspectives Of Conservative Churches Effectively Serving The Disability Community,
2026
Liberty University
A Phenomenological Study Of Pastoral Perspectives Of Conservative Churches Effectively Serving The Disability Community, John D. Hall
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This phenomenological study explored the experience of pastors leading conservative churches engaging with and serving persons with disabilities and their families. It focused on six theologically conservative churches providing special needs ministry, with at least three distinct scheduled ministry opportunities staffed by lay leadership, meeting a minimum of quarterly, and overseen by a paid staff member. This research sought to understand the perspectives of the pastors leading these churches, focusing on their personal experiences with disability, vision implementation, and leadership development. This study explored these pastors’ leadership through the lens of Transformational Leadership Theory and whether their style demonstrates transformational …
The Emotional Aspects Of Disbelief: A Study Of Negative Emotions And Their Influence On Atheists When Reasoning About God’S Existence And Christianity,
2026
Liberty University
The Emotional Aspects Of Disbelief: A Study Of Negative Emotions And Their Influence On Atheists When Reasoning About God’S Existence And Christianity, Esteban Canales
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The lack of sufficient evidence has been signaled by atheists as the main reason for their disbelief, identifying arguments such as God’s silence and the problem of evil as intellectual reasons against the existing of God and the plausibility of Christianity. While Christians found in arguments from Natural Theology, Scripture, morality, and the like, reliable sources in order to recognize God’s wonders and purpose for humanity, for atheists it seems that no argument seem sufficient neither rational. But what about if these so-called intellectual reasons are the product of an underlying emotional condition, affecting negatively the way atheists reason the …
Evaluating Inner-Tainment With A Ghetto Perspective For Positive Thought Adjustment In Ghetto Communities,
2026
Liberty University
Evaluating Inner-Tainment With A Ghetto Perspective For Positive Thought Adjustment In Ghetto Communities, Shontae L. Graham
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Environmental challenges and disadvantages impact cognitive scripts and develop persistent frustration. Frustration is both mental and physical and can be negative or positive. It evokes emotion, which is prompted by memory and its associated level of importance. The integration of emotion, memory, and imagination can set the stage and create an act to transition negative frustration and align past experiences with new perspectives. This study used a qualitative Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis approach to investigate the use of self-scripted enactment as a self-help technique for positive thought adjustment. The technique is called Inner-tainment and was used to determine if there were …
Biblical Leadership And Gender: Balancing Cultural Context And Theological Conviction,
2026
Liberty University
Biblical Leadership And Gender: Balancing Cultural Context And Theological Conviction, Lorie Lynn Heath
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
God originally made male and female in His image, imparting to them a shared authority over creation. They were co-heirs equal in purpose, mission, and value. However, cultural practices and patriarchal traditions have long obscured this original biblical design. Consider a qualified young woman in a local church, called, talented, and valued by her congregation, yet repeatedly overlooked for preaching and teaching positions because of her gender. Her story is not unique. This misapplication of Scripture not only harms women but also weakens the body of Christ and impedes the church’s testimony to the gospel. Accurate comprehension of the Bible …
Creating An Adaptable Discipleship Training Guide To Address The Absence Of Young Adult Ministry Leaders At Church A,
2026
Liberty University
Creating An Adaptable Discipleship Training Guide To Address The Absence Of Young Adult Ministry Leaders At Church A, Braeden Fleck
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This guide was designed to address a lack of young adult ministry leaders within the researcher’s local church. This thesis project serves as a witness to the development and implementation of an adaptable discipleship training guide. The project proclaims that a flexible discipleship curriculum is the key to cultivating spiritual formation in young adults, specifically those belonging to the Z generation. The primary strategy behind implementation was to use short term intervention through a period of five consecutive weeks to assess spiritual growth of young adult congregants who attend a hybrid satellite church campus. The research project was catalyzed by …
A Study Of Zomi Pentecostalism In Its Social, Cultural, And Political Context: A Pentecostal Quest For The Lost Paradise,
2026
Oral Roberts University
A Study Of Zomi Pentecostalism In Its Social, Cultural, And Political Context: A Pentecostal Quest For The Lost Paradise, Thang San Mung
College of Theology and Ministry Dissertations, Projects, & Theses
This dissertation examines the paradisal quest of the Zomi people, an ethnic Christian minority in Myanmar, through the lens of Pentecostal spirituality. Historically, the Zomi have experienced political displacement, loss of their ancestral homeland (Zogam), and ongoing marginalization. While existing scholarship has primarily interpreted Zomi struggles in terms of ethnic identity, nationalism, and socio-political resistance, this study offers a theological reorientation by interpreting Zomi paradisal longing through the Spirit-Restored Paradise framework, a Pentecostal theological model developed here. Employing a qualitative ethnographic methodology grounded in contextual theology, the research draws on semi-structured interviews with twenty-four Zomi Pentecostal participants from Myanmar and …
Solitude And Busyness,
2026
Harding University
Solitude And Busyness, Eliza Kuhlmann
Ex Sapientia Loqui
This essay addresses a prevalent problem in modern society: excessive and out-of-control busyness. It outlines some of the problems of busyness and then offers a solution---namely, solitude. Along with defining the phenomena, the benefits and practical applications of solitude are shared in an attempt to counteract some of the harms of busyness.
"A Pre-Eminently Christian Life": The Seventh Earl Of Shaftesbury As A Guide For Modern Political Engagement,
2026
Harding University
"A Pre-Eminently Christian Life": The Seventh Earl Of Shaftesbury As A Guide For Modern Political Engagement, Clara Kernodle
Harding Undergraduate Research Conference
Society has suffered in the absence of Christian courage. Today, an antagonistic culture is feeding an increasingly antagonistic government. Christians do not know how to “win” – we do not even know how to engage. Rod Dreher's "The Benedict Option" encourages us to give up and retreat. Andrew Isker's "The Boniface Option" encourages warfare-style aggression. But Dreher’s and Isker’s approaches each take an aspect of the solution and expand it out of proportion. The proper solution is found in the historic Christian tradition. The Church has always understood her role within culture as one not of fear and loathing, but …
A New Testament Theology Of Evangelistic Prayer,
2026
Liberty University
A New Testament Theology Of Evangelistic Prayer, Preston Gagnon
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Evangelistic prayer is widely assumed to be appropriate, but the biblical basis for the practice has been insufficiently argued. Some evangelistic resources assume evangelistic prayer is necessary. Others overlook the practice, and many discuss evangelistic prayer by making minimal arguments for the practice. Due to the lack of comprehensive arguments for evangelistic prayer, some authors have been able to claim that prayers for the lost are unbiblical. This dissertation enters the conversation by arguing that the New Testament presents evangelistic prayer as a biblically mandated, exemplified, and theologically supported practice. This argument is made by expositing twelve key New Testament …
Sacred Geography And The Restoration Of Divine Presence: The Garden Of Eden, Egypt, The Wilderness, And The Promised Land In The Theology Of The Torah,
2026
Liberty University
Sacred Geography And The Restoration Of Divine Presence: The Garden Of Eden, Egypt, The Wilderness, And The Promised Land In The Theology Of The Torah, Gary Ryan Perry
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation argues that the Torah presents redemption through a progressive spatial framework in which sacred geography reveals the restoration of God’s dwelling among His people. The narrative movement from the Garden of Eden to Egypt, the Wilderness, and finally the Promised Land forms a theological arc that structures the Torah’s presentation of covenant, priesthood, and divine presence. The Garden of Eden establishes humanity’s original royal priestly vocation within sacred space. Egypt functions as an anti-garden, where abundance and provision exist apart from a covenant relationship with God. The Wilderness represents a redemptive restart, in which Israel is formed through …
Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy For Careful Confidence,
2026
Liberty University
Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy For Careful Confidence, Thomas C. Farley
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
There is a subtle confusion between the objectives of evangelism and apologetics, leaving Open Door Baptist Church (ODBC) seniors unknowingly ill-equipped and intimidated to defend their Christian values. The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry research was to address that intimidation by training seniors in a dedicated faith-values curriculum to become confident apologetic communicators. The intervention leveraged the process of intergenerational values-sharing while training stakeholders to develop their own faith narratives by seamlessly integrating biblical values with relevant apologetic particulars into personal stories to be shared with their grandchildren. In this environment, participants could develop a personal faith narrative that …
The Decline Of Theology And Apologetics Teaching For Laity In Church: A Portfolio,
2026
Liberty University
The Decline Of Theology And Apologetics Teaching For Laity In Church: A Portfolio, A. Marquis Faison
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Theology and apologetics are fundamentally invaluable assets to the believer. This sentiment is not only true of modern Christians; theology and apologetics have been a pivotal ingredient in the formation of the Christian faith since the time of Christ. From the birth of the Church in Acts to the present, believers have looked to church leaders for guidance and understanding of the tenets of the faith and how best to use that understanding when engaging with an often hostile, unreceptive, and unaccepting world. For the believer, proper theology and apologetics are the tools necessary for hammering out orthodoxy—right belief, orthopathy—right …
The Development And Leadership Implementation Of Strategies Promoting Church Health In The Presbytery Of The Central West, New South Wales, Australia,
2026
Liberty University
The Development And Leadership Implementation Of Strategies Promoting Church Health In The Presbytery Of The Central West, New South Wales, Australia, Mark S. Armstrong
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Many Churches in the Presbyterian rural landscape have plateaued or are in decline. Little research has been done to address the causes and provide strategies for remediation. This study examines this problem in the Presbytery of the Central West, New South Wales, Australia. The purpose of the project is to identify factors causing church decline in rural areas and develop revitalization strategies for ministers and elders across the Presbytery. The research consists of two layered responses. The first layer identifies factors causing church decline and develops five strategies suitable for implementation. The second layer utilizes Mezirow’s transformative learning framework to …
Mentorship Leadership Succession: Implementing Paul's Discipleship Practices,
2026
Liberty University
Mentorship Leadership Succession: Implementing Paul's Discipleship Practices, Matthew Scott Beagle
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project addresses the lack of empowered, biblically qualified leaders at Pinecrest Baptist Church in Portsmouth, VA, where discipleship has often been treated as complete with conversion, baptism, and initial ministry involvement, rather than as a process that produces future leaders within the congregation. The project proposed that a mentor-based discipleship succession process, modeled on Pauline discipleship, could help current leaders shift from a maintenance mindset to a culture of multiplication and leadership development. Using an action research design, the study implemented a twelve-week mentor-discipleship succession curriculum that guided participants through four phases of leadership development: calling that …
