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A Spirit-Filled Christian-In-The Making: E. Stanley Jones's Views On Entire Sanctification, Kirk S. Sims

The Asbury Journal

With his educational formation at Asbury College, E. Stanley Jones was a scion of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement of the early twentieth century. In his early years, he seems to be a champion for entire sanctification and one may have concluded that he would have fought

the same fights for this doctrine in Methodist circles as his mentors had done. However, after he set off to India as a missionary and later become a formidable Christian leader on the world stage, he appears to eschew his preaching and teaching on "entire sanctification," except when addressing people in the Wesleyan Holiness …

Equipping Marketplace Ministers For Unity: The Need For Ministry Leaders To Model Interdenominational Partnership, Eric Laudenslager

The Asbury Journal

In recent decades, the marketplace ministry (MPM) movement has made significant progress. A predominant theme in the current discussion is a focus on how to support individuals in their place of work. While this renewed attention to supporting laity is an important change, it should be asked whether strategies that focus on the individual alone reflect the pragmatic needs of MPMs or the role models put forward in the NT. This paper will review a case study of a MPM team and how a team based approach contributed to the longevity of the ministry. It will then examine the responsibility …

Training Faithful Disciples To Meet The Challenges Of The Church In The World: Applying Bonhoeffer’S Seminary Vision To Hybrid Education, Myra L. Watkins

The Asbury Journal

This article will first examine Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s philosophy and practice of theological education to train faithful ministers of the gospel for the service of the Church. Particular attention will be given to Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together which he wrote while directing one of the underground seminaries for the Confessing Church in Nazi Germany. Second, this article will explore Paul House’s argument for a personal, incarnational, rather than a distance learning, approach. Using a small seminary for a global family of churches, Every Nation, as a case study, this article will present relational discipleship as a central, …

Mediating Role Of Transformational Leadership On The Relationship Between Pastors’ Training And Healthy Congregations, Paul Ekal Lokol

The Asbury Journal

The church remains a solid center for transformational leadership, bringing the required light to today’s increasingly troubled world. Therefore, this study’s objective was to establish the mediating effect of transformational leadership traits on the relationship between pastors’ training and church congregational health in urban churches of the African Gospel Church, Kenya (AGC-K). The study adopted a descriptive survey design and correlation methods targeting 44 pastors, 44 LCC members, and 383 members in urban churches of AGC-K. Data was collected using pretested questionnaires and was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings revealed that while not all pastors manifested …

Leadership Integrity In Kenya : The Best Leadership Practices That Promote Leadership Integrity Among Leaders In Christian Institutions Of Higher Learning In Kenya, Mike Mulwa Mutua

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Building A Better Kingdom : Leadership Formation Of Laity In Small United Methodist Churches, Daniel Sean Darling

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The M5 Movement : The Blueprint For Lay Led New Faith Communities, William T. Chaney Jr.

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Coaching In Ministry : How Training In Coaching Can Enhance Christian Ministry, Pierre M. Eade

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Hearts Perfected In Love : A Wesleyan Pursuit Of Christian Perfection Through The Practice Of The Means Of Grace, B. Keith Allen

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A New Form Of A Multicultural Church For Today's Multilingual Context, Hunn Choi

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Raising Godly Leaders : For Finishing The Task In Thailand, Weerawut Hongsa

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

“Americanized” Worship In Brazilian Churches, Leon C. Neto

Masters Theses

Motivated by the marketability of high-profile artists and bands, Christian churches worldwide may see the inclusion of profit-driven worship songs as a recruiting tool for their communities. This process of globalization or "Americanization" around the world, propagated by mass media, is yet to be thoroughly investigated. This trend is likely decreasing the use of indigenous styles in Christian worship. The primary purpose of this current study is to produce scientific data suggesting that “Americanized” worship is a trend in Brazil and is affecting the production of indigenous worship repertoire. An online questionnaire was developed and applied to Brazilian worship leaders. …

The Final Amen: Designing And Implementing A Christlike System For The Closure Of Waypointe Christian Fellowship, Christopher E. Sherwood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Like a myriad of other churches across the country, WayPointe Christian Fellowship (WCF) experienced a long decline leading to a critical question: Should the church permanently close? In the case of WCF, the answer was yes, which led to other questions about how to accomplish the task while maximizing God's glory, minimizing the pain felt by those involved, and preparing the congregation to migrate to another body of believers. This thesis project was designed to enable the leaders of WCF and other church leaders to answer these questions. In this pursuit, a comprehensive closure plan was created and implemented at …

The Worship Leadership Model At Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lead Pastor And Worship Leader Relationship, 1961–2013, David L. Ream

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

By 2050, it has been estimated that 1 billion people will be Pentecostals in the broadest sense of the term. Today, one person in twelve globally is a part of this fastest-growing segment of Christianity. The ministry model of Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa as served by Pastor Chuck Smith is a paradigmatic model that houses and stabilizes the ministry of the Holy Spirit as it reproduces. This phenomenological qualitative study explores the experiences of Worship Leaders who led worship during Sunday Morning services from 1985–2013 and sought to discover the essential characteristics of the Lead Pastor and Worship Leader interactions …

Through The Looking Glass: Worship Music With Indigenous Sounds In Los Angeles And Manila, Maria Rica Bartolome Silbol

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the Philippines’ wonderful indigenous music and talents, Manila Baptist and Los Angeles Baptist churches do not utilize indigenous sounds in typical worship practices. This paper contends that the untapped resources of cultural sounds may contribute to a dynamic worship experience that resonates more effectively as Filipino. This study investigates the absence of indigenous sound in two Filipino Baptist churches from Los Angeles and Manila (QC). It analyzes relevant ethnic music components and each church’s response to the fusion of indigenous and traditional music in the worship experience. The explanatory sequential mixed method will focus on an artistic-creative study to …

Fasting And Prayer As A Mean Of Strengthening The Spiritual Bases Of An Interdenominational Ministry For Great Commission Effectiveness, Jerome Anicet Onguene

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem identified by the researcher and addressed in this study is associated with the nature and the structure of the ministry for which the work is done. The ministry has two branches, a religious community and a philanthropic organization. This latter is actually the original one. It is composed by believers from different congregations who are united to make disciples for Christ. The problem is that communication and fellowship among ministry leaders is very slow and that negatively affects the implementation of the Great Commission. Otherwise, the purpose of this DMin Thesis Project is the improvement of the quality …

A Distinctly Dordt Vision, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Implementing And Equipping A Fivefold Ministry With Theological Education To Defend And Uphold Biblical Doctrines In The Church, Kara Yvette Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

God instructed believers to put forth their best work to rightly handle His Word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). Unfortunately, God’s truth is under attack and has been polluted with false teaching and incorrect understanding of Scripture. It is incumbent on the local church to combat this problem of incorrect biblical teaching head-on. Therefore, this action research project aims to demonstrate that through proper theological training in the church, this problem will be remedied. This action research assumes that arming the local church with theological training will strengthen its core. To this aim, this research project included teaching five theological …

Leadership Culture: An Effective Leadership Strategy For Church Growth And Spiritual Maturity, Sikiru A. Asifatu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In every organization, leadership culture patterns require a constant assessment to ensure members adhere to corporate practices. In church settings, leadership culture not only creates change but also transforms ministry strategy. Often, church leaders do not perceive culture as the driving force behind effective ministry operations. At Gateway Church, the researcher encountered church growth issues that other ministries struggle with as well, from organizational structure to leadership style. These problems will continue to be a challenge unless the church reinvents an effective leadership strategy focusing on ministry development. This research aims to address the leadership development issue at Gateway Church …

The Decline And Absence Of Young Adults At Grace Place Christian Church, Michael Carnell Mcgill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study was to address the problem of low attendance and engagement among young adults at Grace Place Christian Church. This topic is given consideration based on the researcher’s observation of the absence of this demographic within the local ministry context. The literature review revealed this is a common problem throughout the Body of Christ. Grace Place Christian Church is a predominately African American within a military community. The unique characteristics of this ministry context warranted research specific to it. The researcher interviewed twenty unchurched young adults and ten pastors and collected over one hundred nine questionnaires …

Called, Empowered, And Sent, Known And Unknown: A Reflection On Missional Leadership, Wonsuk Ma

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This issue of Spiritus focuses on Spirit-empowered mission and leadership, dedicated to the work and life of countless Spirit-filled “soldiers” of the kingdom. The movement has produced a host of dedicated leaders whose work is significant. Many publications introduce these figures.1 While Pentecostal-Charismatic “stars” receive both good and bad attention, the real heroes of empowered witnessing are often forgotten. They are the nameless “ordinary” believers who are in the same way called, Spirit-empowered, and sent by the same Lord.

A Critical Analysis Of Reinhard Bonnke’S Charismatic Leadership Paradigm, Charles Morara Obara

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

The study of leadership has evolved over the years, focusing on different approaches. In the early nineteenth century, leadership study focused on the traits, skills, and behavioral and situational approaches of leaders. In recent years the focus has emphasized servant leadership, authenticity, and charisma. This article focuses on the charismatic leadership theory propounded by Max Weber. This article aims at analyzing the charismatic leadership style of evangelist Reinhard Bonnke. The article starts with a definition of leadership followed by an overview of charismatic leadership and then delves into the life of Bonnke with a biographical sketch of his life. The …

Paradigms Of Global Spirit-Empowered Leadership, Eric N. Newberg

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Spirit-empowered leaders employ different paradigms of leadership. The aim of the article is to identify, explain, and critique these paradigms. Spirit-empowered leadership is conceived of as belonging to the category of charismatic leadership. Following Max Weber, charismatic leadership is understood as flowing from charisma or giftedness, which is attributed to the leader by his or her followers. The article starts with the findings of theorists concerning charismatic leadership. Then it delineates five paradigms of Spirit-empowered leadership—the apostle, prophet, healing evangelist, pastorpreneur, and teacher/scholar. Examples are offered from global contexts. Last, a summative assessment of the paradigms is conducted, using criteria …

The Method Is The Message: Communicating For Individual Behavior Change Toward Disciple Multiplication, Jeffrey Keith Mcdaniel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this ethnographically informed, comparative embedded case study was to understand the lack of disciple-making movements for congregations at three evangelical churches representing the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast of the United States. The theories guiding this study were Latour’s actor–network theory and Bandura’s social cognitive theory as they provide a theoretical framework to understand the influence of culture on the creation of meaning followed by the influence of meaning on individual behavior. The primary research question that guided this study asked, How can a church organization communicate to increase disciple multiplication? To answer this question, a …

Covid-19 Impact On Church Cash Inflows In Ghana As Moderated By Location Profile, Francis Osei-Kuffour, Williams Kwasi Peprah, Dickson Marfo Sarfo, Bright Osei Yeboah

Faculty Publications

The corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic brought both negative and positive impacts on all sectors of world economies since its inception in the early 2020s. Profit and not-for-profit institutions have had their levels of effects as a result of the world-wide crises. Lockdown measures imposed by governments around the world to curb the spread of the virus had various repercussions on various activities, including churches. Effects of the pandemic on businesses, education, agriculture and tourism, among others, have received massive highlights in literature. Given this phenomenon, this study sought to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on church cash inflows. The study …

Concordia Seminary Magazine Summer 2022, Vicki Biggs

Concordia Seminary Magazine

Proclaim His Name

A Process For Training In Godliness: A Team Approach To Personal And Spiritual Growth, Kraig Alan Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to address a problem relating to spiritual discipleship within a group of local church men. The men of Heritage Baptist Church may not have a process for training in godliness. The thesis will supply a process for training in godliness, developed by the author and based on numerous streams of thought from the literature with regard to spiritual growth. The thesis will also illustrate hindrances to training in godliness, looking at past and current trends which have stymied spiritual growth, particularly in men. This study will suggest that current methods for training in godliness …

Towards A Model Of Leadership Development: A Case Study Of A Large Evangelical Church In Virginia, Kyle W. Kramer

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Ministry leaders are leaving the vocation in record numbers, largely due to a lack of intentional leadership development or preparedness for the challenges they face. These leaders require a formalized process for developing both the cognitive and behavioral aspects of leading in the local church that authentic and spiritual leadership comprise. The exemplar examined in this case study, recognizing similar challenges, implemented a leadership development process derived from components of both authentic and spiritual leadership. Over the span of just 3 years, the church experienced a nearly 20-point increase in employee engagement, earning them the title of Best Christian Workplace. …

House Church Leaders: A Multisite Case Study, Lance Croy

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine house church leaders in situ within three typologies of home gatherings. Billings (2011) identified three stages of house church formats: (a) Oikos, where the congregants assemble in the home for a complete meal, including the Eucharist; (b) Domus, where the curate renovates and dedicates rooms in their homes for Christian usage; and (c) Aula, where rented facilities house larger gatherings, the liturgy becomes more formalized, and the Eucharist is no longer a full meal (Billings, 2011). House church leaders and congregants sampled fit the three typologies while addressing a gap in …

The Great Commission Research Network 2022 Presidential Address, Jay Moon

Great Commission Research Journal

Presidential message at the 2022 Annual Conference of the Great Commission Research Network held in Orlando, Florida.