Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating And Increasing The Efficiency And Effectiveness Of The Children’S Ministry At Victory Church Of Melbourne, Florida, Stanley R. Patton

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the children’s ministry at Victory Church of Melbourne, Florida, a growing multicultural and multigenerational church. Conversations with the children’s ministry team, parents, child participants, and the senior pastor of Victory indicated that changes needed to be implemented in order to grow the ministry. This project used a case study methodology, focusing on a church with similar demographics as Victory, to discover the underlying factors needed to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of Victory’s children’s ministry. To test the working theory that an increase in resources, team leadership, …

Teaching Peace During Multigeneration War, William J. Cork

180 Symposium Publications

For the first time in U.S. history, soldiers are deploying to a war that began before they were born. Today’s youth and emerging adults have grown up in a world of endless war, fear, and resurgent nationalism. Yet they are open to new possibilities and increasingly engaged. The earliest Adventists spoke against war and bearing of arms and in favor of peace and justice. Can this generation rediscover that vision?

A Strategy For Collaborative Leadership At Mt. Sinai Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Orlando, Florida, Herman Leon Davis Sr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Organized as a Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1899, Mt. Sinai was the first Adventist Church for people of color in Orlando. Although Mt. Sinai gave birth to several other churches in the Central Florida area, Mt. Sinai lost its ability to build a successive and collaborative leadership, giving way to conflict and dysfunction. Clashes arose between African American and Caribbean cultures related to leadership, worship, and doctrinal interpretations.

Methodology

The church was asked to help identify areas of concern related to types of conflict, conflict management, and conflict resolution as identified by the project proposal. The church was asked …

Engaging With New Generations : Integration Among Young English-Speaking Hispanics In A Spanish-Speaking Congregation, José W. Pimentel

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Talking About Religion And Politics, Steve Case

180 Symposium Publications

No abstract provided.

Introduction To Gen Z And Social Issues, Tracy Leon Wood, Vandeon Griffin, Armando Miranda

180 Symposium Publications

The 180° Symposium for 2019 focused on Gen Z and Social Issues. In North America, this age cohort consists of those born between 1995-2010. They share a number of the same social concerns as previous generations, but they also have certain issues that stand out more to them. Those who minister to Gen Z, whether they are in full-time ministry or serve as volunteers or who parent these young people, need to be aware of these issues and integrate this into their ministry to increase effectiveness in these unique times to this unique generation.

Imago Dei: A Theological Grounding For Discussions On Social Issues And Generational Cohorts, Gerardo Oudri

180 Symposium Publications

Discussing “social issues” and “Gen. Z” can be done from many angles and perspectives. While this is good and necessary, it seems imperative to provide a solid and cohesive theological foundation on which those discussions can stand. This paper proposes the biblical concept of the “image of God” as that platform, and argues that despite the differing views and understandings of “Imago Dei,” there is sufficient general consensus on fundamental points which provides both the foundation and the direction for a Christian perspective on “social issues.”

Gen Z And Their Rights To Participation, Michelet William

180 Symposium Publications

One defining characteristic of Generation Z—those who are currently collectively under the age of 25, is their concern for social justice. They fight for themselves, their friends, their classmates, and others they see treated unfairly, whether due to issues of gender, sexuality, race, pay, or environmental. Yet a major social justice concern for Gen Z and youth, in general, is limited participation or lack of access to processes that affect their lives. This paper argues that meaningful participation of young people is vital because 1) Young people have always been key players in God’s mission; 2) Youth participation is a …

Take Me Home: Practical Ways Young People Can Respond To Human Trafficking, Kate Case, Steve Case

180 Symposium Publications

Injustice, such as human trafficking, leaves an unnerving sense that something is wrong. Due to an inadequate Christian response, we need to re-think, re-imagine, and restore a theology of a good God and a good Gospel in a bad world. We need a response that is personal yet broad; one that explains but also responds. The Bible reveals a good God intervening in a world gone bad. Our response today needs to include awareness of human trafficking and those opposing it, purposeful prayer practices to connect with God, lamentation to express true empathy, advocacy on behalf of those who suffer, …

The Three Angels’ Messages: A Call To Religious And Social Justice, Michael Nixon

180 Symposium Publications

Birthed in the 19th century Great Advent Awakening in America, the Seventh-day Adventist Church saw the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14 as its calling and purpose. And while the early Adventist pioneers championed a number of social justice issues, the ensuing generations of leaders moved toward the status quo rather than challenging it. As a result, the Three Angels’ Messages became words more than actions, as exemplified in how the Adventist Church related to racism between Whites and Blacks. Yet the messages from each of the Three Angels contain social justice callings.

On Fire Or Burned Out? Involving Young People In Social Issues, Steve Case

180 Symposium Publications

As young people become aware of injustices, their response tends to be one of either getting fired up or overwhelmed to the point of burnout. There is a third way. They may need guidance to pursue a better response, recognizing it requires much more than a quick fix. This third way identifies social injustice and goes beyond the symptoms to root causes and systemic processes. Giving a dollar to a homeless person might do some good, but young people should expand their understanding and practice by asking systemic “Why?” questions. Because of the prevalence of injustice in our world, exposure …

The Lgbt+ Divide: Identity, Shame, And Equality Before God And The Church, Curtis J. Vanderwaal, David Sedlacek, Nancy J. Carbonell, Shannon M. Trecartin, Stephen Yeagley

180 Symposium Publications

Navigating one’s sexual and/or gender identity can be a difficult and complex process for Christian LGBT+ youth, leaving many of them at high risk for poor mental health outcomes and self-harming thoughts and behaviors. Seventh-day Adventist families and congregations are just beginning to grapple with how they should respond to their LGBT+ children. This survey of 310 Seventh-day Adventist adult Millennials explored perceived levels of their families’ acceptance or rejection of their sexual orientation or gender identity during their teen years. Other variables included recent levels of self-esteem, social support, depression, substance abuse, high-risk sexual activity, and suicidal thinking or …

Youth And Social Issues, Steve Case

180 Symposium Publications

No abstract provided.

Religion’S Impact On The Mental Health Of Seventh-Day Adventist College Students, Alina M. Baltazar, Amanuel Dessie, Duane C. Mcbride

180 Symposium Publications

Depression and anxiety rates among college students are increasing around the world. This paper will examine results of a 2018 survey that found high rates of depression and anxiety among Adventist College students as well as results from a focus group follow-up study that helped to explain those results. Our objective is to examine the positive and negative influence of religion on the mental health of Seventh-day Adventist college students.

Generation Alpha: Diapers, Training Wheels, And Artificial Intelligence, Sherri Uhrig

180 Symposium Publications

Marketing researchers have invested their time and study into quantifying the purchasing power of the spending patterns of Millennials and Gen Z. Now they are shifting their focus to the newest big spenders: The Alphas—the children of the Millennials. This new generation is barely out of diapers and most do not even have their permanent teeth, much less a wallet. Yet researchers are targeting the spending power of this new generation. This chapter looks at the effects of Millennial parents, who are entering their prime spending years, to the exciting possibilities the Alpha generation will have on the future of …

Creating Dialogical Safe Spaces For Gen Z Discussions On Social Issues And Creating Meaningful Change, Heather Cook, Milton Daniel Marquez

180 Symposium Publications

Gen Z is interested in participating in impactful societal change. The process of change begins with intentional dialogue. After dialogue, a process of seeking and implementing change is necessary for true societal impact. Using research on current methods used in various settings and real-life stories we propose elements that foster safe spaces for Gen Z to have constructive dialogue that leads to change, both in them and in the church.

Ambition And Leading Teams Effectively, Nicholas R. Ruport

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem that this project addressed was the impact of ambition and ambitious leaders in relation to team effectiveness. In response to this problem the researcher explored the biblical foundations of ambition and ambitious leadership, with special interest in one’s ambition being aimed at knowing God more fully, fulfilling God’s mission, and glorifying God. He reviewed literature related to CliftonStrengths, team leadership, and the practice of the first-among-equals in teams with attention to the CliftonStrength of Competition and its connection to ambition. He conducted two case studies by way of interviews with four pastors who had Competition as a top …

St. Benedict Parish For The Deaf Church Bulletin, December 27, 2020

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in San Francisco, CA

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin Finding Aid

St. Benedict Parish For The Deaf Church Bulletin, December 20, 2020

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in San Francisco, CA

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin Finding Aid

St. Benedict Parish For The Deaf Church Bulletin, December 13, 2020

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in San Francisco, CA

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin Finding Aid

St. Benedict Parish For The Deaf Church Bulletin, December 6, 2020

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in San Francisco, CA

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin Finding Aid

Loving The Unloveable: A Biblical Approach For The Local Church To Homosexuality In A Morally Declining Society, Robert Jonathan Archer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis will strive to prove that local churches worldwide have been highly ineffective at providing true recovery for parishioners that struggle with homosexuality often ostracizing them as a diseased product rather than a creation of the Father. The goal is to help the church discover, assess, and address the sin, healing, and recovery for homosexuals in their ministry in a healthy biblical manner that promotes freedom in Christ and true recovery. This will allow the local church to partake in the healing process of broken parishioners promoting evangelism and discipleship that will in turn extend into the communities of …

The Impact Of Sunday School Participation On Spiritual Formation In African American Baptist Churches In North Carolina, Christopher Eugene Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational quantitative study was to determine a relationship between Sunday School participation and spiritual formation upon participating congregations of the General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (GBSCNC). The process of spiritual formation comes through the spiritual disciplines being practiced. The spiritual disciplines were measured through the study sample of GBSCNC churches in this study using four spiritual development modes from the Christian Spiritual Participation Profile: growing through a relationship with God, growing through the Word, growing through critical reflection, and growing through relationships with others (Thayer, 1996). The research findings were based on a sample …

​Burned Out But Barely Begun: A Qualitative Study On Newer Clergy And Communication Surrounding Emotional Labor And Personal Well-Being In South Mississippi, Lauren Noll

Master's Theses

This study provides an overview of the concepts surrounding clergy burnout,

organizational culture, and emotional labor theory. Furthermore, it explains the need

for  clearer understanding of clergy perceptions of their own personal

experiences with burnout and their emotional wellbeing in relation to their organizational environment and careers as clergy members. The methodology of qualitative interviews sought to understand the narratives and experiences of clergy members from their own words and worldviews rather than from a statistical basis or analysis.

This research found answers to key questions involving communication about burnout in the context of organizational culture and emotional labor, including …

An Effective Strategy Of Family Ministry In Korean Church To Build A Biblical Family, Ikjae Jin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to assist churches in building a biblical family and developing an effective strategy for family ministry programs. Additionally, it will address the problems and difficulties of Korean families. The study will be based on Korean churches in South Korea. A study of what churches are doing to assist these families will be conducted. This project will suggest how to build a biblical family in Korean churches. This research will survey at least 50 Korean pastors living in Korea and will conduct research on existing family ministry programs in Korean churches based on biblical and …

Intentional Discipleship: Effective Disciple-Making For Church Growth In Liberia, George L. Suah

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastors of extremely effective disciple-making churches are conscious of the degree of church efficiency, and they recognize the significance of intentional discipleship for church growth. The purpose of this study is to investigate intentional discipleship for church growth in Liberia. An anonymous research study of 12 pastors and church leaders (evangelists) from Unity Light Ministry Network (UCC) in Kakata, Liberia, West Africa, was conducted to explore why Unity Light Ministry Network (UCC) in Liberia is struggling to grow their church numerically and spiritually. The study found that the Ministry does not have adequate and systematic training on intentional discipleship for …

St. Benedict Parish For The Deaf Church Bulletin, November 29, 2020

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in San Francisco, CA

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin Finding Aid

St. Benedict Parish For The Deaf Church Bulletin, November 22, 2020

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in San Francisco, CA

Saint Benedict Parish for the Deaf Church Bulletin Finding Aid

In Memoriam : Vinson Synan: Model Of Spirit-Led Leadership, Sally Jo Shelton

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

H. Vinson Synan (December 1, 1934—March 15, 2020) was a key successor to David du Plessis, known as Mr. Pentecost, to Catholic and mainline Protestant leaders. Like du Plessis, Synan was a classical Pentecostal who dedicated much of his life to promoting the move of the Holy Spirit beyond the confines of his own classical Pentecostal denomination, the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. His call to this work came in 1972 at an annual Catholic Charismatic Conference held at Notre Dame University when seeing some 8,000participants singing in the Spirit, he came to the conviction that Catholics had indeed received the …

Full Issue - Spiritus 5, Vol 2 (2020), Spiritus Journal

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This special journal issue devoted to Spirit-empowered leadership.

John Thompson, guest editor.