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Expanding The Ecclesiastes Worship Center In Sacramento, California By Using A Documentray Of The Russian Reform Movement, Udo Sokolovsky

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

During the last decades of the twentieth century, the Greater Sacramento area of California became one of the largest Russian-speaking communities in the United States. According to Russian American Media, there are approximately 300,000 Russian-speaking residents. Many of them came to America as victims of religious persecution. However, today only about 30,000—just 10% of the total number of immigrants—are active members in different Christian churches. One reason for this is that the Russian Orthodox Church is trying to intensify its impact on Russian immigrants by linking all that is Russian with Orthodoxy. As a result, many Russian immigrants do …

Developing, Implementing And Evaluating A Leader Development Process For Stone Mountain Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Joel L. Honore

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Stone Mountain Seventh-day Adventist Church’s vision calls for a reiterative process of growing the worship attendance to 2,000 worshipers, then initiating a new church plant every four years. At the initiation of this project, Stone Mountain Church did not have the capacity to achieve its vision. Its facility could not accommodate 2,000 worshipers. There were insufficient leaders to minister to 2,000 people, neither was there adequate leadership to take the congregation through a facilities expansion process. The shortage of leaders precluded the vision of Stone Mountain Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Method

Bolman and Deal (2008) provide four approaches for engaging …

A Strategy To Increase Devotional Reading Of Ellen G. White's Books On The Bible Story At The Augusta First Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Bobby J. Boles

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Some members of the Augusta First Seventh-day Adventist Church felt the writings of Ellen G. White were irrelevant and thus had no influence in their spiritual life. The church members had dismissed her writings in their spiritual journeys and instead read the works of more contemporary authors. This group seemed to be apathetic to the matter of Ellen White as a prophet, and some avoided her written work all together. A contributing factor to this indifference might have been a lack of devotional reading of her books on the Bible story. By addressing this lack of devotional reading, I …

Teaching Christian Mission In An Age Of World Christianity, Robert A. Danielson, Linda Whitmer

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

Ethnographic Action Research In Missiological Research Design: A Pilot Proposal, E. P.

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"As an integrant part of practical theology, missiology has an advantage of not being confined within the boundaries of social science methods. Although, as an academic discipline missiological research makes use of some social science methods, its interdisciplinary nature and theological perspective should allow for innovative methodologies that not only contribute to academic research but also fulfills the mission of God even while doing research. The pilot proposal introduced in this article presented a suggestion for an innovative methodology in missiological research. The proposed method combined methodologies from two main fields, ethnography and action research, combining their elements in a …

Books Received, First Fruits Press

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

A Model For Small Church Leadership To Support Their Minister’S Self-Care, Jeremy Allard

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The complexity of vocational ministry is difficult to manage and maintain. Balancing the complex nature of the church, relationships, family life, spiritual and personal life provides the minister with a struggle that rarely ceases. Pursuing self-care within this environment can provide relief to the struggle but is difficult to do alone. The study seeks to provide a model for local church leadership to support their minister so he or she can successfully manage ministry and personal life through self-care practices. The project identified ministers employed at Stone-Campbell churches with a weekly attendance of less than 125 in Minnesota and Wisconsin. …

Calvin Theological Seminary Academic Catalog 2017-2018, Calvin Theological Seminary

Seminary Academic Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Implementing Vocational Training At Escuela Quiteña De Estudios Bíblicos, Joshua K. Marcum

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This DMin project addressed the problem of the absence of a viable training model to equip graduates of EQEB (Escuela Quiteña de Estudios Biblicos) for self-sustaining ministry. Based upon a theology of vocation, the project implemented and evaluated the inclusion of a technical-skills component to EQEB’s current seminary training. The project followed the integration of sixteen EQEB students in the vocational program implemented during the 2015-2016 school year. Qualitative research data gathered from five group interviews with these students, my own field notes, and a faculty interview provided the substance upon which I based the project´s findings. Over a seven-month …

Spiritual Renovation Through Accountability: A Contemporary Look At John Wesley's Class Meeting And His Admonition To Watch Over One Another In Love, Robert Marshall

Doctor of Ministry

The dissertation asserts that Christ-focused small groups, particularly in the Pacific Northwest, can be a primary means of spiritual transformation while developing a sense of belonging in the Body of Christ. Without these small groups, public Christian worship can be little more than sentimentality. The term, small groups, describes small gatherings of Christ’s followers who “watch over one another in love that they may help each other to work out their salvation.”

Section 1 introduces the topic of a disconnect between the Church’s promise to be a transforming community and the spiritual emptiness and loneliness asserted by many. Three challenges …

Extending The Table: A Strategic Guide Of Missional Renewal For A Declining Congregation, Phillip Vaden Faig

Doctor of Ministry

The Lord took Ezekiel to the Valley of Dry Bones and asked him, “Son of Man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3) Many churches in the large metropolitan cities of North America are looking over the Valley of Dry Ministries and asking essentially the same question, “Can these ministries live again?” The decline of the church in large metropolitan cities of the United States has been dramatic. It is not an unusual sight to drive through a major city and see church buildings that were once filled with congregants either shuttered and repurposed or with only a small remnant of …

Kerux - Vol. 51, No. 1, Calvin Theological Seminary

Kerux

Inside This Issue

• Going Monk! Page 4
• The City of Diametric Beauty Page 6
• Ben Verkerk, Speaking for Student Senate Page 8
• Taste & See Page 9
• In His Words Page 10
• Cultural Diversity & God’s Mission Page 11
• Ready. Set. Go! Page 14
• The Raw Face of American & Christian Life Page 18
• Humbling, Hard, & Holy Page 20
• Something to Drink Page 21

Formulating A Covenant Of Discipleship For The Membership Of The Gwinnett Church Of Christ, David Chisholm

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addressed the lack of a covenant of discipleship for the membership of the Gwinnett Church of Christ (GCC). The purpose of the project was to develop such a covenant document to help all the members of GCC better live out the process of becoming more like Jesus. To provide a theological foundation for this project, I explored discipleship in the exhortation sections of the book of Hebrews, which specifically addresses the need for greater commitment and intentionality amongst a community of faith. I also explored the theoretical framework of how formulating a discipleship covenant document could create progress …

Discipling Muslim Insiders: A Working Framework, Oscar Osindo

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Genuine Discipleship Empowered By Acceptance: A Case Study —Working With Youth, Petr Činčala

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Making Disciples In Buddhist Asia, Gregory P. Whitsett

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

What Is In The Name?, Gerson P. Santos

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

God’S Special Trio: Foreigners, Fatherless, And Widows, Tom Evans

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

The Challenges Of Adventist Discipleship, Gorden R. Doss

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Discipleship Structures, Movements, And The Role Of Multipliers, Laurence G. Burn

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Transforming Discipleship: Opportunities In Following The Master In A Postmodern World, Kleber De Oliveira Gonçalves

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Equipping A Local Congregation For Saturation Evangelism At The Emmaus Missionary Baptist Church, Willie David Mcclung Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the research project was to determine if a local church has failed to equip the congregation with the tools needed to share their faith, and saturate the local community with the Gospel message; and if so, to provide immediate training and test the results for its effectiveness at the Emmaus Missionary Baptist Church, Owings Mills, Maryland. Participants heard four consecutively evangelistic sermons, which were preached during the 10:45 a.m. worship service. In addition, after each sermon the participants attended a workshop that covered: (1) The biblical mandate, biblical definition, and meaning of evangelism; (2) The biblical method …

A Tale Of Three Bishops: Ideologies Of Chineseness And Global Cities In Vancouver's Anglican Realignment, Justin Kh Tse

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Most accounts of the 2002 departure of some conservative Anglican parishes from Vancouver’s Diocese of New Westminster (DoNW) over same-sex blessings seemed to fit the narrative of a battle over sexuality in the global realignment of the Anglican Communion. However, attention to the consecration of two new Chinese Anglican bishops—Silas Ng Tak-yin and Stephen Leung Wing-hong, both from Hong Kong—reveals that their split from the DoNW’s Bishop Michael Ingham had more to do with an ideology of cultural pluralization deploying “Asian values.” I, therefore, argue that the schism in Vancouver was a division over the three bishops’ imaginations of global …

Faith In A World Of Unfaith: How To Share Christ With Unbelievers., Kleber D. Goncalves

Faculty Publications

"Atheism comes out of a belief system that involves a decision. Christians have to make a similar kind of choice: to live by faith. To some extent, atheism requires “faith” that God does not exist. But how can we share our belief in the living God with nonbelievers in order to crack open a door instead of building a taller wall? How can we Seventh-day Adventists have a normal conversation about Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century without accidentally (or unconsciously) sounding aggressive, narrow-minded, or intolerant?"

Developing A Strategy To Make Young Adult Disciples In Korean Churches: Focusing On God’S Word In A Discipleship Process, Hyun Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are many discipleship programs in Korean churches; however, the programs have not had positive effects on young adult for the purpose of developing disciple makers. Discipleship for young adult requires many elements in the process including God’s word, fellowship, training in Christian habits, and spiritual maturity. The purpose of the thesis is to examine Jesus’ and the Apostles’ discipleship processes and to suggest a strategy for making young adult multiply in Korean churches, focusing on God’s words as a discipleship making process. This study will explore discipleship processes of the New Testament and discuss how God’s Word has an …

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: October 2016, Richard Mouw, Amanda W. Benckhuysen, Danjuma Gibson, Geoff Vandermolen

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

Articles
3 - From the President: Loving Your Neighbor Today (and Tomorrow!) by Jul Medenblik
4 - Loving Your Neighbor by Richard Mouw
6 - Old Testament Insights on Loving Your Neighbor by Amanda Benckhuysen
8 - Why & How Should Christians Engage Their Neighbors of Other Faiths? by Cory Willson
11 - Trauma: Suffering in Silence by Danjuma Gibson
14 - Loving Your Neighbor with Dementia by Mary Vandenberg
16 - CEP Summer Seminars 2016 by Scott Hoezee
19 - Vocational Formation — A new name, a renewed focus by Geoff Vandermolen
20 - Reflections on China Today by …

Concordia Seminary Magazine | Fall 2016, Dale Meyer, Mark Seifrid, Kim Krull, Erik Herrmann, Kendra Whittle

Concordia Seminary Magazine

His grace our gratitude

Mission In Evolving Cultures: Constructively Managing Music-Related Conflict In Cross-Cultural Church Planting Contexts, David R. Dunaetz

Selected Faculty Publications

The choice of music, an essential element of worship and church life, must be addressed in cross-cultural church planting contexts. As cultures evolve, church planters are faced with choices about musical styles that may lead to interpersonal conflicts within the church. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine factors that may enable cross-cultural church planters to constructively manage music-related conflicts when they arise. Members of church plants, like all people, have various goals when entering into such conflicts. They are concerned about the content of the conflict (i.e., the musical style) and thus have content goals. They are …

Are Christian College Students Equipped To Share Their Faith With Their Muslim Friends?: A Plan Of Action, Tim Orr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

According to Pew Research Center, the U.S. Muslim population will double by 2030. Training the church to reach this group of people is vital. This project proposes that the Christian college is the best resource to train students to reach their Muslim friends and neighbors for Christ because these institutions have at their disposal a rich reservoir of resources that are vital to providing the biblical, theological, missiological, sociological, and cross-cultural knowledge that is necessary to be effective witnesses for Christ. The project also identifies four important components to successful ministry to Muslims. The four components include spiritual vitality, cultural …

The Transitioning Of A Non-Functional Church Into A Functional Church: The Great Commission Commandment Mandate, Charlie Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

From conception, America has embraced the Christian church as its cornerstone. However, as noted by Barnes and Lowry, “Church attendance has decreased substantially in recent years in comparison to the 1950s and 60s. The majority of Americans do not attend church on a regular basis.” This thesis project will research churches with regards to their effectiveness and will both isolate and analyze the characteristics of churches that fit into operative categories. A survey using a quantitative research instrument, such as the Likert Measurement Scale, will examine the New Hope Missionary Baptist Association of North Carolina. The survey’s purpose will be …