Digital Commons Network^™

A Resilient Faith: Lessons For The Church From Church Leavers, Carol Mclaughlin

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation began by seeking to understand why people leave church, particularly baby boomers that no longer attend church. Section One introduces the changing perceptions and dynamics of religious identification and church attendance practices. The question I ask and endeavor to respond to is how the church might live a resilient faith in the liminal space between a church-centric faith and faith apart from church affiliation. Section Two considers three responses to church leaving and perceptions of faith. The first considers the shift taking place in faith development when authority moves from the church to the individual. The second is …

Incarnational Discipleship: Inquiry Into The Need For For Cross-Shaped Discipleship And Cruciform Spiritual Formation In Charismatic Churches In A Post-Christendom Culture, Wayland Henderson

Doctor of Ministry

A synopsis of the Project Portfolio begins with the NPO statement: This Doctoral Project includes a discipleship model to help the Gathering Kingdom Community be spiritually formed through Pentecostal and Orthodox traditions and shows the relationship between prophetic function and discipleship for members to flourish personally and function as witnesses of the Crucified Christ in a post-Christian culture. Key insights that emerged from the research are that the current discipleship models in many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches are disconnected from how the Early Church viewed discipleship and what it means to be a witness to the culture. My ministry context …

Commonplace: Gathering Families Of Faith Around The Table In The Manner Of The Earliest Christian Communities For The Future Of The Church, Daniel Hues

Doctor of Ministry

It has become evident that American Christianity is declining at a staggering rate throughout the nation. In my own denomination, the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, membership dwindled by 5% even before COVID impacted our churches even more significantly. Over the last decade the amount of non-religiously affiliated persons has increased exponentially as many people of faith are leaving behind their religion altogether. Research suggests that there are various reasons for this decline. This project aims to answer the problem of individuals leaving their churches and their beliefs behind by creating innovative spiritual communities designed to form, integrate, and re-engage …

No Leaders But The Laity: Equipping, Educating, And Training Laypeople To Lead The Local Church, Christian Bass

Doctor of Ministry

The unfortunate story for many modern independent local churches is decline, disconnect, and irrelevance. This was only exacerbated by the 2020 global pandemic. Despite well- intentioned staff and many “church growth” tools, the independent local church saw many pastors and members leave and institutions close. The good news, however, is the church was never intended to be a cookie-cutter home, a franchise, or a satellite location. It was designed to be a contextualized incarnation of the unique Gospel expression of a local community by and for the people. More than ever, the church needs its laypeople to see themselves as …

Leadership And Emergent Faith Communities In Canada: A Phenomenological Study, Anne Anderson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The purpose of this study is to explore how participants within emergent faith communities in Canada experience leadership. Through a phenomenological approach, members from five emergent faith communities across Canada have been interviewed in a semi-structured format. Emerging themes of transformational leadership, community along with belonging, and possible future areas of research will be discussed.

Latina Mothering As Diaspora Mission : The Role Of Latina Immigrant Mothers In The Religious Identity Formation Of The Next Generation, Rebekah R.S. Clapp

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Church Planting As Evangelism : How People Are Influenced And Worldview Assumptions Impacting Church Plants And Church Multiplication, W. Bud (Walter Bud) Simon

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Sharing The Rules Of Life : Forming Intentional Communities That Create Mature Disciples Of Christ, James Andrew Mcwilliam Barnett

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Church Planting In The East Of Germany : The Importance Of Missions, Discipleship, And Community Formation, Maria Boschker

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

New Church, New Leaders? : How Do We Select The People Who Plant New Churches In The Future?, David Richards

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Impact Of Spiritual Disciplines Among Disciples Of Christ, Sharon Yvette Hardy Hunter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Spiritual disciplines have long been recognized as a means to foster more significant spiritual growth and maturity in the life of disciples of Christ. However, in today’s culture, there is a perceived lack of commitment to spiritual growth with new and established disciples of Christ of the twenty-first century vs. those of the twentieth century at Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan. Therefore, this study will look at the impact of introducing spiritual disciplines to new disciples of Christ to foster more significant spiritual growth and a commitment to a life of faith in Christ. Although faith community members embrace a …

A Grounded Theory Study Of Digital Discipleship Methods For Effectiveness In The Phygital Church, Daniel L. Tebo Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to investigate digital discipleship methods and their effectiveness in the phygital (physical + digital) church within various US- based evangelical networks. Throughout this research, a grounded theory study was generally defined as one “in which a researcher derives a general, abstract theory of a process, action, or interaction grounded in the views of participants” (Creswell & Creswell, 2017, p.13). Furthermore, the phygital church was defined as a group of 10-100 people who “utilize the strengths of physical church and the strengths of digital church” (Stadia Church Planting, 2020, p. 4) to gather …

Oral Roberts And Billy Graham: A Friendship That Influenced The Christian World, John Paul Thompson

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Spiritus 8.2 (Fall 2023), [email protected]

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A special issue on the history of ORU College of Theology and Ministry.

Grace-Based Faith Discipleship Approach Of Adults In South Rock Christian Church: Addressing The Contemporary Legalistic Lifestyle Of Disciples, Nicholas John Pannone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Discipleship often evokes different responses. However, contemporary Christians have a faithfulness dilemma driven by the constant messages they hear. This DMIN project seeks to develop and promote a ministry structure that educates, equips, and enriches the Christian life based on God’s grace. The project seeks to provide a framework for participants to be transformed holistically by God’s grace. Often, the members of South Rock Christian Church understand grace as the entry point into salvation, but not the identifying trait of their faithful life in Christ. This action project consists of qualitative research that demonstrates a gap between belief and action …

How A Novel Research Framework Resulted In Fruitful Evangelism And Discovery: Introducing Ethnoscopy And Spiritual Patronage, L. Lynn Thigpen

Great Commission Research Journal

Faced with an unusual question from a Cambodian friend who had heard stories from God’s Word, I embarked on a quest for an answer. He worshipped an unusual and unfamiliar object and wondered whether he must abandon it to serve Christ. I knew he did, but I needed to explore the meanings ascribed to that object of worship to communicate the gospel more clearly, just as Paul did in Acts 17 while in Athens. According to Jesus’ parable of the soils in Matthew 13, fruitful evangelism involves understanding. How might individual missionaries and evangelists aid in that crucial need? With …

Book Review: Church Plantology: The Art And Science Of Planting By Peyton Jones, David Thiessen

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: New Funding Models In Global Mission: Learning From The Majority World By Tim Welch, John Cheong

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Need-Oriented Evangelism: Encountering, Embracing, And Experiencing God, Petr Činčala, Allison Sauceda

Great Commission Research Journal

This article provides a fresh perspective on evangelism by reflecting a belief in the Triune God--the source of saving truth and loving community. Mission is part of God’s nature; he is the ultimate Missionary. Mission happens naturally whenever children of God intentionally invite and facilitate God’s presence. Over time, the word “evangelism" has become contaminated by myths, a false understanding of God, and unpleasant religious experiences and practices. Genuine evangelism addresses the most burning issues of people’s lives and should be treated as such. True evangelism involves caring about, praying for, and sharing with people. The practical part of this …

About The Great Commission Research Network, David R. Dunaetz Azusa Pacific University

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: No Shortcut To Success: A Manifesto For Modern Missions By Matt Rhodes, Kenneth Nehrbass

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Great Commission Research Journal Fall 2023, David R. Dunaetz Azusa Pacific University

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Administry: The Nuts And Bolts Of Church Administration By Thomas F. Tumblin, Timothy Clothier

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Faithful Is The Word: Forging A Pastoral Mentality Based On An Analysis Of The Phrase “Pistos Ho Logos” And Its Effectiveness When Applied To Pastoral Succession, Israel Sotolongo

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The aim of this thesis is to develop a biblically grounded resource that will prepare incoming pastors who will succeed retiring pastors of local churches. Studies show that most church succession attempts are not deemed successful, which is concerning since, over the next ten to twenty years, the American church will experience the largest wave of retiring pastors it has ever seen. This work addressed two learning gaps, as little exists in the form of resources directed primarily at incoming pastors and research on the clause Pistos ho Logos. Therefore, the primary research questions were “What are the meaning and …

Being Present Without Being Present: An Internet-Based Approach To Providing Pastoral Counseling To An Always Online Generation, Stephen Lyon Woolverton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The increasing reliance that Millennials and Gen-Z Christians have on the internet for almost every question that comes up in their lives should be viewed by pastoral counselors as a cultural context that need to be understood as part of the counseling process and not an obstacle to the counseling process. The emergence of the internet, and the part that it has played in the culture of American Christians who have grown up with constant access to this avenue of communication, has only recently begun to be seen and utilized by pastoral counselors. This research uses the perspective of a …

Counseling By Default: A Study Of Pastoral Burnout Among Liberian Pastors, Helen Gibson-Newman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Liberians turn to their pastors for help before considering going to a professional counselor. Pastoral counseling in Africa, especially in Liberia, is framed within African life and thought based on appropriate backgrounds that are evident in cultural assumptions and practices. Hence, pastoral counseling in Liberia assumes a cultural background central to the holistic Christian life that connects all dimensions of one’s social and spiritual life. Thus, the Liberian view of pastoral counseling is distinctly African, with a unique blend of noticeable Liberian values, traditions, and cultural practices based on a combination of its American and indigenous African heritage. The …

Intergenerational Model Of Discipleship, David Lyn Sampson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Some of God’s most prominent spiritual leaders are characterized by their deep intergenerational connections. People like Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, and Jesus and John exemplify it. In this study, “intergenerational” means creating opportunities for intentional dialogue and interaction cross-generationally to foster mentoring and biblical discipleship. This research aims to create an intergenerational model of ministry that will encourage churches to embrace intergenerational discipleship concepts. It is not uncommon for church ministry to seem like silos, with people compartmentalized according to age or phases of life. Silo ministry can hinder individuals from forming generational relationships. Unfortunately, …

Resetting Foundations. Congregational Training For The Small Group Ministry: An Action Research To Correct Intent, Cultivate Community, And Grow Spiritually, Jarrett Gallardo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Small group ministry is crucial for the health and well-being of the church. The problem this DMIN action research sought to address was that Valley Gate Church did not grasp the purpose of small group ministry due to not implementing small groups with well-defined intent. Valley Gate Church is a church plant that launched in 2016. This DMIN action research aimed to create and implement a six-week congregational training to develop small group leaders and members at Valley Gate Church. Twenty-two participants were involved in the entire six-week training. All participants took a pre- and post-training assessment consisting of surveys, …

Positive Factors Related To The Decision To Study For The Office Of The Ministry By Men Of The Lutheran Synod Of Nicaragua (Iglesia Luterana Sínodo De Nicaragua/Lutheran Church—Canada), Edmund Auger

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Auger, Edmund D. “Positive Factors Related to the Decision to Study for the Office of the Ministry by Men of The Lutheran Synod of Nicaragua (Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua / Lutheran Church—Canada).” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2023. 128 pages.

The Lutheran Church throughout the world needs a continuing supply of men to serve as faithful pastors in the public ministry of the Gospel. The identification and spiritual formation of candidates for Word and Sacrament ministry is critical for the young national church body, Iglesia Luterana Sínodo de Nicaragua (Lutheran Synod of Nicaragua).

This project is …

Behind The Numbers: A Traditional Church Faces A New America, Larry Vogel

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The dissertation examines membership data for The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) from the mid-1970s to the present. It considers the analysis of LCMS decline by two scholars, George Hawley and Ryan MacPherson, who independently proposed that LCMS membership decline was internal in causation due to diminished birthrates and fewer young families. While acknowledging the reality of such internal decline, this dissertation argues that the lack of external growth is a greater cause for LCMS decline. Its lack of external growth is due primarily to the racial and ethnic homogeneity of the LCMS and its failure effectively to evangelize the increasingly …