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My Pilgrimage In The Growth Of The Church, Charles Van Engen

Great Commission Research Journal

I have lived a life invested in the growth of the church and forming leaders who would mobilize the church toward growth. I have sought to pay forward what others did for me. Born of missionary parents, I was raised in the state of Chiapas, in southern Mexico. From 1973 to 1985, my wife, Jean, and I served the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico in Chiapas, Mexico, in leadership formation, training evangelists, pastors, and teachers of rapidly growing churches. In 1981, I received a Ph.D. in missiology under Johannes Verkuyl at the Free University of Amsterdam. I taught Mission Theology …

Repairing The Missional Breach: Why The Church Isn’T Making Disciples And How We Can Fix It By Kevin Blackwell, Henry E. Walker

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Outside The Church Walls: An Empirical Exploration Of Organizational Culture And Pastoral Leadership In Two Urban Churches, Althea P. Gordon-Scott, Joshua D. Henson, Bethany D. Peters, Katrina Hutchins

Great Commission Research Journal

A mini-ethnographic case study explored the interconnections of organizational culture and pastoral leadership with sustainable outreach in two very different churches that focus on ministry to people with life-controlling issues and economic need: a small, primarily Black church in the Great Lakes region and a large, primarily White and Hispanic church in the western United States. Despite their differences, the churches shared similar espoused values and leadership characteristics that facilitated their outreach initiatives. Themes derived from the data include altruistic foundations, the value of relationships, exemplary pastoral leadership, organizational challenges, agile organizational systems, and the centrality of God.

Using Demographics And Psychographics To Advance The Great Commission: Lessons From The National Association Of Free Will Baptists, Edward E. Mooody Jr.

Great Commission Research Journal

For decades, marketers have used demographics and psychographics to engage different segments of the population. Psychographics refers to the study of people’s activities, interests, opinions, values, attitudes, and lifestyles to better understand and predict behavior beyond what can be learned from demographic characteristics alone (Demby, 1974; Wells & Tigert, 1971). This paper examines whether these strategies can be effectively adapted to advance the Great Commission. The practices of the early church, particularly those of the Apostle Paul, reflect principles that are consistent with contemporary demographic and psychographic analysis. In this paper, the process of using an approach to help churches …

Formed Together: A Value-Based Model Of Mutual Spiritual Formation For Pentecostal Pastors And Churches Under 500, W. T.A. Mcmillan

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28) is both a warning and an invitation. It insists that the pastor's inner life and the congregation's shared life cannot be pulled apart without doing damage to both. This dissertation grows out of that conviction and out of years of pastoral ministry in Pentecostal churches where the pressure to perform often overwhelms the slow work of being formed. It asks a simple but searching question: How do Assemblies of God pastors serving congregations under 500 in attendance understand the connection between their own spiritual health and the spiritual …

Sanctified Rhythms Of Rest: Reclaiming Sabbath And Spiritual Retreat For Pastoral Renewal And Burnout Mitigation In The Georgia Assemblies Of God, Philip Sosebee

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

“Sanctified Rhythms of Rest: Reclaiming Sabbath and Spiritual Retreat for Pastoral Renewal and Burnout Mitigation in the Georgia Assemblies of God” explored how intentional rhythms of Sabbath observance, solitude and silence, and spiritual retreat shaped the lived experiences of credentialed ministers within the Georgia District of the Assemblies of God. Pastoral burnout, emotional exhaustion, and unsustainable ministry expectations continue to affect ministers across denominational contexts, raising questions regarding the role of biblically grounded rhythms of rest in fostering pastoral renewal and sustainability. Using a six-month longitudinal hermeneutic phenomenological design, twenty-nine credentialed ministers participated in the intentional practice of weekly Sabbath …

The Quest For Sacred Truth In A Secular Society What Is Fueling Gen Z’S Return To Faith And Church Attendance In America?, William W. Dornbush

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This dissertation investigated the Critical Research Question: What are the key external factors influencing Generation Z’s internal quest for spiritual renewal? The study examined biblical, historical, and contemporary revival movements, including the Exodus, Pentecost, the Great Awakenings, the Jesus Movement, Charismatic Renewal, Brownsville, Toronto, and Asbury, to identify recurring patterns linking external pressures to spiritual awakening. Using a qualitative design, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with twelve Generation Z participants who experienced spiritual searching, renewal, or a deepened faith between 2020 and 2025, exploring how contemporary external pressures influence spiritual openness and transformation. The findings revealed six major themes: (1) …

A Mixed-Method Investigation Into A Possible Correlation Between Forced Terminations Among Church Members, An Exodus Of Young Adults, And An Exponential Decay In Church Attendance, Chastity Selma Jhingree

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the preservation of the biblical church, church members are mandated in the Face of God (Coram Deo) to feed all Christians with the Word of God. However, extant literature reveals a major crisis confronting the church: the exponential decay in church attendance. Therefore, the overarching question is: how can church members feed on and receive the Word of God when church attendance continues to decline? Forced terminations and an exodus of young adults from the church were examined in an investigation to determine whether they significantly contributed to the decline in church attendance. A mixed-methods research design was used …

The Role Of Ghanian Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches In Fighting Sexual Violence Against Women, Christian Tsekpoe

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

The Intersection Of Mental Health And Demonic Activity, Robert A. Willis

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Five Years Of Salubritas: Looking Back With Gratitude And Forward With Expectation, Haley R. French

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Full Issue Salubritas 5 (2026), Editors Salubritas

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Building Sustainable Ministry Through Leadership Development: Evaluating A Biblically Grounded Leadership Model, Christopher David Brisco

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many churches face declining participation, leadership fatigue, and inadequate succession planning, often due to a lack of intentional, structured leadership development systems. Although research indicates that mentoring, leadership training, and supervised ministry experiences strengthen leadership capacity and organizational sustainability, many congregations struggle to implement leadership development models that effectively integrate biblical principles with strategic organizational practices. This researcher examined the implementation and effectiveness of a biblically grounded leadership development model within The Church of the Redeemed of the Lord in Baltimore, Maryland, a multigenerational church with diverse ministry departments that provided an appropriate context for evaluating intentional strategic leadership development. …

Tracing God’S Plan To Restore Eden In Biblical Theology: The Edenic Restoration Of Man And The Land, Jared Crossno

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study is characterized by the assertion that the restoration of the earth is inextricably linked to the restoration of humanity and that the biblical narrative consistently portrays these realities as interdependent. By defining the restoration of Eden as both an eschatological hope and a present process, biblical theology is advanced in three ways. First, there will be a clarification of the canonical trajectory from Eden to the new creation. Second, soteriology will be reframed to a holistic perspective, rather than an anthropocentric one. Finally, there will be an emphasis on the ethical implications of God's mission to renew humanity …

A Critique Of Richard Carrier’S Jesus-Myth Theory: Examining Select References To The Historical Jesus In Paul’S Epistles, John P. Nichols

Masters Theses

Richard Carrier is arguably the contemporary voice promoting Jesus-mythicism, the idea that Jesus of Nazareth never existed. Though in the scholarly minority, Carrier has assembled numerous arguments for rejecting the Gospels and Acts as historically reliable, as well as all historical references to Jesus in Paul’s letters. He has proposed his own rules for historical inquiry to replace the traditional criteria of authenticity used by historical-Jesus scholars. In conjunction with his own criteria, Carrier has demonstrated the use of Bayes’ Theorem to assess the probability of Jesus’ existence. This thesis has considered certain portions of Carrier’s thesis against the historical …

Recapturing Evangelism: A Biblical-Theological Approach, Bruce Gregory Gale

Witness

No abstract provided.

Holy Hunger: A Study Of How Spiritually Formative Practices Shape A Faith Community At The Cedar Lane Church Of Christ, David W. Mitchell

DMin Project Theses

I have served in leadership as an elder/shepherd at the Cedar Lane Church of Christ in Tullahoma, Tennessee, since 2011. Before serving in this leadership position, I was in full-time ministry with churches of Christ from 1982 to 2005 (as a youth minister, education minister, and preaching minister). Since 2007, I have been a public educator, first as a High School Civics teacher and now as a Middle School Social Studies teacher. My primary work as an elder includes education, spiritual formation, and community engagement. Another role I have is to assess the spiritual health of the believers I am …

From Christology To Ontology: A Diachronic And Exegetical Evaluation Of A Maximalist Sacramental Interpretation Of John 6:51–58, Andrew R. Johnson

Masters Theses

John 6:51–58 occupies a central place in the debate regarding the ontological nature of the Eucharist, frequently serving as a primary scriptural warrant for sacramental realism such as articulated by the Council of Trent as it concerns the dogma of transubstantiation within the Roman Catholic tradition. This thesis conducts both an evaluation of historical reception and a critical exegetical analysis to determine whether the Evangelist’s primary intent was to establish sacramental doctrine in this passage or to further develop already pervasive Johannine soteriological and christological themes.

Methodologically, this study bridges the gap between historical reception and synchronic exegesis. The first …

God’S Design For Human Nature: Paul’S Biblical-Theological Use Of Creation Theology In Romans 1:18–32, Eunsoo (Daniel) Seo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The world in which the Apostle Paul ministered was not a theological vacuum, but a sophisticated marketplace of competing worldviews and diverse moral frameworks. Within the specific milieu of first-century Rome, the cultural forces of Stoic philosophy, Roman imperial ideology, and pagan polytheism created an environment where complex expressions of human nature and sexuality emerged. Dominant Roman social stratifications often celebrated or normalized same-sex relations and blurred the distinctions of the created order. Paul found himself proclaiming a message of a Sovereign Creator in a society that had been conditioned for centuries to view the human nature through the lens …

Knowing Life In The Gospel Of John, Daniel Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the concept of life (ζωή) in the Gospel of John and argues that Johannine life is best understood as present, covenantal participation in God through Jesus Christ. While the Fourth Gospel has long been recognized for its distinctive emphasis on life—using ζωή more frequently than any other Gospel—scholarly treatments often define eternal life primarily in relation to eschatological destiny, soteriological status, or Christological revelation. This study addresses a gap in Johannine scholarship by asking not only when life is received, but what kind of existence John intends his readers to understand and experience. It contends that John, …

Covenantal Allegiance In The Epistle Of James: An Integrative Critical-Covenantal Interpretation, Lorpu Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation argues that the Epistle of James presents faith as covenantal allegiance enacted through communal practices under social and theological pressure. While scholarship on James has frequently separated socio-historical analysis from theological interpretation, this study proposes an integrative reading through the Integrative Critical-Covenantal Method (ICCM). ICCM employs a three-step procedure comprising close textual analysis, text-triggered socio-historical diagnosis, and theological analysis, with integrated adjudication. The dissertation examines seven strategically selected “pressure texts” in James: 1:9–11; 1:27; 2:1–13; 2:14–26; 3:13–18; 4:1–10; and 5:1–6. These passages reveal how James addresses status competition, patronage expectations, economic vulnerability, partiality, rivalry, and injustice within diaspora …

Ethnicity And Evangelism: Understanding The Crucial Role Of Ethnic, Social, And Cultural Factors In Proclaiming The Gospel, Bernardo Salcedo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the pivotal role of ethnic and socio-cultural backgrounds in proclaiming and expanding the gospel to the nations during the early church's formative period. Building upon the theological foundation of God's overarching mission plan throughout Scripture, the research examines how these factors influenced the development of early Christian evangelism, particularly concerning the context of Jewish, Samaritan, and Gentile cultures. The study argues that the early church’s approach to spreading the gospel was profoundly influenced by the ethnic and cultural contexts of the people it encountered. Thus, the dissertation proposes that understanding these cultural dynamics is essential for a …

Second Temple Period Foundations Of The New Testament: A Teaching Model At Longview Evangelical Community Church, Stephen T. Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project examined whether a structured Bible study focused on the Second Temple Period could improve participants’ ability to recognize historical context in the New Testament and apply that knowledge to a more Christocentric understanding of Scripture. The project was conducted at a local church and involved adult participants from diverse educational and spiritual backgrounds. The study used a six-week instructional model that integrated historical background, theological reflection, and guided discussion. Data were collected through an initial questionnaire and Likert-scale surveys administered before the study began, observational notes and recordings during the study, and a final assessment after …

Imago Dei Leadership Model, Jessica Lei Kritner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Dissertation-in-Praxis sought to observe the intentional application of leadership styles at Birmingham Master Commission (BMC), a traditional discipleship program for college aged adults (ages 18–25). While biblically centered and focused on spiritual formation, BMC lacked healthy leadership precedent and defaulted to peer-leadership only. This practice created a sporadic leadership culture that restricted student growth, autonomy, and investment in the program. This Dissertation-in-Praxis served as a process-based intervention on the psychological and spiritual impacts leadership styles have on young adult leaders. Transformational, servant, and participative leadership practices were modeled in existing ministry systems: one-on-one mentoring, leadership labs, and small group …

Walking With The Wounded: Chaplains As Agents Of Christ’S Healing Ministry, Fred Okechukwu Anucha

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project evaluated the effectiveness of an eight-week Christ-centered training intervention designed to strengthen hospital chaplains’ confidence and clarify sacramental boundaries in end-of-life care at AdventHealth Celebration. Hospital chaplains frequently encounter situations in which patients and families request sacramental or spiritually significant practices during moments of crisis, yet chaplains often lack structured training that addresses how to respond with both pastoral sensitivity and theological clarity within a multifaith healthcare environment.

The project implemented an eight-week training program that integrated theological reflection, case-based discussion, and practical ministry applications intended to strengthen chaplains’ confidence in providing spiritual …

Empowering Lay Leaders For Relational Discipleship At Christian Stronghold Church, Philadelphia, Pa, Keith Paul Bethel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project examines how empowering lay leaders for relational discipleship can revitalize member engagement and spiritual formation at Christian Stronghold Church, an evangelical, multi-generational congregation in West Philadelphia experiencing declining participation and stagnating discipleship models. The ministry context includes significant demographic diversity, leadership transitions, shifts in discipleship structures, and the lingering effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, all of which have weakened historical patterns of evangelism, Bible study involvement, and leader development. The purpose of this study is to design, implement, and evaluate a relational, leader led discipleship intervention that strengthens lay leaders’ capacity to disciple members, deepens member …

Missional Hospitality: A Contextualization Of God’S Hospitable Mission For New Lisbon Christian Church, Jonathan Willmore

DMin Project Theses

The town of New Lisbon, originally called Jamestown, has been home to Restoration Movement churches. The first congregation began in 1839, not long after the town’s official incorporation and renaming as New Lisbon. It unfortunately died out in the decades that followed, and not much is known about its history. The second is called New Lisbon Christian Church (NLCC) and was planted in 1893.1 The records indicate that NLCC changed Senior Ministers approximately every three years, until the 1970s, when a pastor stayed at New Lisbon for nine years. That minister was the longest tenured until the most recent one …

"This Poor Man Cried": Moving The West Metro Church Of Christ From Transactional To Incarnational Benevolence Among The Homeless Community In Hiram, Georgia, Richard E. Gray

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

A Curriculum To Empower And Equip Women For Leadership In The Monash City Church Of Christ In Melbourne, Australia, Devni Yasindra Attygalle

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses women in Christian leadership in the Monash City Church of Christ Melbourne, Australia. The problem identified within this ministry context was a lack of appropriate theological teaching around women in leadership, especially in the areas of preaching, teaching, and leading, which has led to misconceptions and prejudices in the minds of church members, negatively impacting the congregation’s mission. The purpose of the project was to develop a curriculum specific to MCCOC that provides a theological foundation for advocating for future senior leadership roles for women. The curriculum provides biblical teaching on women in leadership that will equip …

Evaluating The Impact Of The Rejuvenation Project In Local Church Communities, Caleb Stayton

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.