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Discerning What Power Is For: The Spirit’S Dynamic Work In History Will Always Rhyme With What God Has Manifested In Jesus, James K.A. Smith

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

It was the 90s, as the kids say. The Pentecostal church where we worshipped in Stratford, Ontario, was swept up in the revival rippling from Airport Vineyard in nearby Toronto. News of strange and miraculous manifestations spread around the world. But the reports that struck me were testimonies about emotional healing — gut-level emotional restoration that overcame years of pain and trauma. I can still picture my friend, Michael, weeping as he bore witness to the work the Spirit had done in his heart and soul. Whatever one wanted to make of the laughing and barking(!) and trance-like states people …

Messianic Judaism And The Church, Robert C. Greer

Liberty Theological Review

One of the more curious phenomena within the Protestant Evangelical Church is Messianic Judaism. Its gospel is essentially the same as Protestant evangelicalism since Messianic Jews worship Jesus as Messiah, Savior and Lord. Yet many shun the label "Christian," preferring such titles as "fulfilled" or "completed Jews." Messianic Jews typically worship on Saturdays and observe a kosher diet. The symbol of the cross, which is ubiquitous in Protestant Evangelicalism and regarded as its most sacred symbol,, is problematic with many Messianic Jews. Messianic Judaism therefore maintains an arm's distance from Gentile Christianity. This paper is an exploration of that separation …

Manual Formación Facilitadores 2, Marcos Kempff

Matrimonio y familia

Manual formación facilitadores 2

Asian Church History: Arise Asian Church: Outline And Chronology (Supplementary), Bong Rin Ro

ATS Digital Resources

No abstract provided.

The Calvin Forum: Winter 2025, Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

CONTENTS - Vol. 35., WINTER 2025

Main Features: 2 - Letter from the President

6 - Where are the Pastors?

10 - Formation of Leaders in a Liminal season

16 - Where do Pastors come from?

23 - The minister as a manager of the mysteries of God

29 - Pastors are there and will be there

34 - Who will disciple the next generation of Disciple-makers?

39 - Raising up Ministry Leaders from the next generation

42 - Training Ministry leaders from the next generation

48 - Hope in the ruins

55 - A journey through Seminary in …

The Calvin Forum: Summer 2025, Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

CONTENTS - Vol. 36., SUMMER 2025

Main Features: 2 - Letter from the President

6- How John Calvin Shaped Modern Seminary Education BY KARIN MAAG

12- Why Calvin? Naming a Seminary After a Theologian of Consolation BY SAM HA

18- Reformed Roots in the Global South: Indonesia’s Calvinist Heritage BY YUDHA THIANTO

24- Why Bavinck and Kuyper?

26- Herman Bavinck and the Mission of Calvin Seminary: Theology That Glorifies God BY JESSICA JOUSTRA

30- Why Abraham Kuyper’s Vision Still Shapes Reformed Theology and Education BY JORDAN BALLOR

34- Carrying Calvin’s Legacy: How Calvin Theological Seminary Equips Culturally Engaged Ministry …

God Is On The Move In Asia: Church Multiplication Stories From Southeast Asia, Carson Daniel

Books

No abstract provided.

Barriers To Spiritual Growth, Brian A. Brunke

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the barriers to spiritual growth among believers, analyzing biblical and theological sources alongside perspectives from additional literature. The study identified significant obstacles to spiritual development, including persecution, cultural and religious differences, conflict, lack of understanding, and worldly influences, as illustrated in the Book of Acts. Furthermore, modern challenges, such as the implications of neuroscience for spiritual formation, lifestyle choices, and cultural shifts, also contribute to these barriers. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing an online survey to assess spiritual growth across six dimensions: commitment to God, evangelism, engagement in spiritual disciplines, pursuit of intentional relationships, stewardship, and …

Spiritual And Theological Foundations For A Contextual Ministry For Muslims, Andrews Mondal

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

This article explored a contextual ministry’s spiritual and theological foundation by referencing Old and New Testament passages. It emphasized the importance of faith, obedience, forgiveness, inclusivity, and spreading God’s love universally. The article discussed influential figures such as Paul, Peter, and Ellen White and their contributions to sharing the gospel and incorporating faith into everyday life. It also touched on the importance of interacting with Muslims, the transformative impact of encountering Jesus and the significance of medical ministry work in demonstrating Christ’s love.

Irene Blyden Taylor: God’S Apostle To Nevis, Robert A. Danielson

The Asbury Journal

Irene Blyden Taylor was an early Holiness convert from the Island of Saba in the West Indies. Her life intersects a number of key people and places in the history of the Holiness Movement, as she worked with C.O. Moulton, one of the founding Holiness missionaries in the Caribbean, attended school at God’s Bible School and College, and as she worked as an evangelist and church planter on the Islands of St. Kitts, Nevis, and Saba. Through her story, the origins of Holiness mission work in the English speaking Caribbean can be explored as well as key missiological insights. Blyden …

Papers Of Burrell D. Dinkins Arc2025-004 - Finding Aid, Ats Special Collections And Archives

Finding Aids

No abstract provided.

A.R.C.Hitecture For Mission: Prototyping Pathways To Renew The Heart Of The Church, David Sunde

Doctor of Ministry

Despite churches’ commitment to making disciples, many earnest Christians—active in church teaching, volunteering, and community life—feel ill-equipped to disciple others. While biblical instruction and resources abound, spiritual formation weighted toward cognitive learning relies on willpower and falls short in shaping identity and desires. The focus on personal salvation often reduces faith to sin management, leaving many underwhelmed and uncertain about how to live meaningfully as citizens of the kingdom. Without qualitative, relational, and reproductive disciple-making, faith lacks transformative power. A.R.C.hitecture for Mission: Prototyping Pathways to Renew the Heart of the Church is a pracademic manuscript that explores disciple-shaping movements from …

Developing A Mentoring Model For Nurturing Worship Leaders In The Berrien Springs, Michigan Area, Jonathan Paul Rosengren

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Pastoral observation suggests that the use of worship leaders in the area of music is gaining prominence in Adventist churches today. However, because this is a relatively undefined ministry, worship leaders often lack spiritual preparedness and support for ministry in the local church.

Method

As a pastor I want to learn from worship leaders so I can help develop mentoring models that nurture their calling and ministry. The theological basis for nurturing worship leadership is based on a Seventh-day Adventist understanding of worship being central to the everlasting gospel of Revelation 14:6-7. In a practical sense, two theological stories …

Leading The Church Out Of White Supremacy And Toward Biblical Justice And Reconciliation: A Leadership Approach Using The Arc Model, Keenan Tyler

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Seventh-day Adventist church members need to be equipped to respond faithfully to injustice in their communities, beginning with an understanding as to how to respond to systemic racism rooted in White Supremacy.

Method

This Doctor of Ministry project implemented an adapted form of Jamar Tisby’s ARC model—Awareness, Relationships, Commitment—contextualized for a Seventh-day Adventist theological and ecclesial setting. The immediate goal was to move beyond raising awareness of racial injustice to equipping congregations to actively resist systemic racism and dismantle the lingering influence of white supremacy in church life and mission. Over six interactive sessions, 18 participants engaged in historical, …

A Cross-Cultural And Inter-Ethnic Awareness Strategy For Members Of Ipswich, Colchester And Clacton Adventist Churches, Robin Johannes Lewis

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The three multicultural, multi-ethnic (MCME) churches in my district were facing tension among members from diverse cultures, ethnicities, countries of origin, and languages. Factions formed cliques and vied for leadership roles, while some groups appeared to dominate the worship services. Certain members became upset when people with difficult accents from specific language groups led out in services and could not be understood. Others shared their distinctive foods only within their own groups. Some members felt isolated and believed they lacked a voice.

Method

Nine seminars and workshops were organised to raise awareness among the MCME congregants about the causes …

Project Portfolio: Ties, Strong And Weak: Toward The Flourishing Of A Leader’S Network, Matthew Travis Vaughn

Doctor of Leadership

NPO: Presbyteries promote connectionalism, yet pastors and ministry leaders experience isolation and burnout, lacking healthy communication, trustworthy relationships, and healthy life-rhythms which affect their well-being. I serve as the executive director of church planting for a regional presbytery in the Presbyterian Church in America denomination. Additionally, for many years I have served as a coach and consultant to pastors, church planters, and executives primarily in the nonprofit space. Prior to this project, I was aware of various resources available to pastors and ministry leaders who are stressed out, lonely, or discouraged. At the same time, there was a gap in …

Consider The Lilies: How Jesus Saves People And The Land, Howard A. Snyder

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews, William B. Bowes, Keldie Paroschi, Zachariah S. Motts, William B. Bowes, W. Brian Shelton

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Loving-Learning-Leading-Living: A Scholarly Personal Narrative Of A Black Gay Father, Russell E. Thornhill

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines the roles, challenges, and contributions of a Black Gay father, a demographic largely absent from academic discourse. While literature explores themes of the church, LGBTQ+ identities, and social justice, there remains a critical gap addressing the lived experiences of a Black Gay father. This study fills that void by elevating narratives as community activists, family leaders, and clergy members, acknowledging their transformative impact within familial and societal structures. The methodology used is the Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN). It allows for in-depth, reflective engagement with personal experiences in conversation with scholars while situating them within broader sociocultural, theological, …

Addressing A Lack Of Counseling Programs To Diminish The Psychological, Emotional, And Mental Impacts Of Church Closure Grief, Marcel Berrios

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Besides spiritual activities, the social activities that happen in church buildings are vital to the functioning of most communities; therefore, churches play a central role in the social fabric and social infrastructure of communities in ways not necessarily thought about until they are no longer around. The looming absence of this role or function of the church becomes the overarching focus to address when an announcement is made that a church is permanently closing. Lost in navigating the business and community aspects of a church closure is the congregation's metamorphic spiritual, emotional, and psychological journey. Subsequently, many church members are …

The Soil Test: Facilitating Increased Receptivity To Spiritual Formation In A Large Church Through Education, Motivation, And Resources, Rosemary Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Decades of recent research and writing about spiritual formation and discipleship assume that there will be growth in spiritual maturity if churches have more models and biblical information. However, the literature addresses the wrong problem; it presupposes that the church is ready for spiritual formation. In their efforts to facilitate it, those trying to help the church are like the farmer who sows seed onto unprepared soil. Good seeds, such as discipleship groups, are sown into the soil of the church without paying attention to whether the soil can produce a harvest. The project posited that five conditions should be …

Disunity Of Pentecostal Pastors Planting Churches In Suburban Areas: Unifying Leaders With The Same Goal, Jamare L. Razor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that disunity exists among suburban church planting pastors of multidenominational and nondenominational churches in a tri-state region of the United States. Approximately 4,000 churches are planted in America each year and sadly about 3,700 of those churches will close. One reason for this is disunity among pastors that leads to the lack of support needed for church plant success and longevity. This problem must be remedied if the church plants are to succeed. The purpose for this Doctor of Ministry action research project is to identify the causes of the disunity that hinder church plant success in …

Incorporating Families Experiencing Disabilities Into The Rhythm Of Small Groups At Saturn Road Church Of Christ, Robby John

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the critical gap in the inclusion of families experiencing disabilities within small groups at Saturn Road Church of Christ. The primary aim is to develop a curriculum that raises awareness among small group leaders about this significant issue. To provide a theological reflection on the necessity of such a venture, I explored the topic through the lens of four theological pillars: the image of God, the incarnation, ecclesiology, and eschatological hope. This exploration revealed several key themes that serve as foundational building blocks for the awareness curriculum. Ultimately, the final artifact is an awareness curriculum designed to …

A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship Through Faith And Learning Integration At Bracken Christian High School, Denice F. Knight-Slater

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The title of this project is “A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship through Faith and Learning Integration at Bracken Christian High School.” The purpose of the project was to create a seven-part curriculum that would empower educators to form an interconnected teaching community centered upon the practice of faith and learning integration. The development team hoped our work would articulate good practices and equip teachers to engage in faith conversations with their students. We utilized Parker Palmer’s classic, The Courage to Teach, as the scaffolding for our curriculum. The development team modeled faith and learning integration by creating a …

Latta Church Council Minutes 2011-2024, Latta United Methodist Church

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Developing A Biblical Worldview: Equipping African American Leaders With The Tools Needed To Combat The Reemergence Of Syncretism Within The African American Church, William Taft Wallace Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Historically, African Americans have grappled with questions of identity, a struggle initially precipitated by the diaspora. Over time, this ongoing struggle has led many to seek answers from various sources, each of which has influenced and shaped their worldview. In response to this ongoing identity crisis, the African American church has traditionally served as a stabilizing force, emphasizing that identity is rooted in the image of God, as affirmed by the Bible. However, today’s African American church faces significant insider threats from other African American-based groups that promote counter-biblical and anti-Christian narratives regarding identity. These threats have infiltrated the church, …

When Obedience Becomes A Sacrifice: Creating And Sustaining Resilient Leaders, Janet G. Wooten

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis, “When Obedience Becomes a Sacrifice,” discusses the role of sacrifice in obeying God's call to lead. The lay leaders of Call to Conquer Ministries do not seem to understand this role, leading to ministry challenges. This research aims to provide a deeper understanding of the role of sacrifice in leadership and how to maintain resiliency during difficult times. Potential leaders answer God’s call to lead, believing that “obedience is better than sacrifice" (1 Samuel 15:22a). However, there is a lack of full clarity concerning the sacrifices made because of their obedience. The question to be addressed is “What …

The Relationship Between Evangelism And Social Action, Isaac Rex

Mission Theology & Strategy Papers

Evangelicals take multiple perspectives on the relationship between social action and evangelism. However, all evangelicals tend to agree that both evangelism and social action are deeply important. This paper examines the relationship between evangelism and social action while both affirming the priority of evangelism and the necessity of social action.

Book Review: When Narcissism Comes To Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional And Spiritual Abuse By Chuck Degroat, Timothy Clothier

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Disciple Making: From Doubter To Disciple, Brad Ransom

Great Commission Research Journal

The theme of our 2024 Great Commission Research Network conference was “Disciple Making: from Doubter to Disciple.” Disciple making is the mission and call of the Church and therefore must be a priority for church leaders. Every church needs a clearly developed and defined discipleship strategy or pathway that leads every person in its sphere of influence to a relationship with Jesus and growth in their faith. The problem is that many churches do not have such a plan.