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Genesis 10 & 11: A Theological And Geographical Framework For The Mission Of Paul, Jackson Scott Richardson

Masters Theses

The aim of this thesis is to offer a holistic solution to the purpose problem. Current scholarship has yet to provide a perspective that accounts for both the theological perspectives of Paul’s missional work and geographical plans of Paul’s missionary journeys. By establishing the Table of Nations and the Tower of Babel as a common factor from which Paul’s theological perspectives and geographical decision making derive, this study will build a foundation from which future work can gain insight into Pauline thought and encourage a renewed emphasis on understanding Genesis 10 and 11 when considering biblical study of the New …

A Mixed Methods Approach To The Implementation Of Simple Church At Greenhouse Community Church, Jeff Michael Wheeland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The majority of Evangelical Churches in America are declining. The majority of Christian and Missionary Alliances churches in America are also declining. Greenhouse Community Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Houston, Texas was in decline. Greenhouse Community Church lacked a simple discipleship plan. Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger wrote Simple Church and discovered after conducting research that vibrant, growing churches in America had a simple discipleship plan, whereas declining and plateaued churches had a complex plan or no plan at all. A mixed methods approach of both quantitative and qualitative research was applied to the congregation at Greenhouse …

Reviews, Arden C. Autry Phd, Christopher G. Foster, Jennifer Greig-Berens, John Austin Helm, Thad R. Horner, Wonsuk Ma, Sandra Richardson, R. Samuel Thorpe, Jeffrey Voth, Ruth Whiteford

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

Eldercare In China: Lessons From The Trenches - One Organization's Experience Planning, Training, And Consulting To Open A Continuing Care Retirement Community In Beijing, Mark A. Steele

Doctor of Ministry

The need for not for profit organizations to develop new paradigms to care for the elderly is increasingly important, given the challenges of a rapidly aging population across the globe; and particularly in China. Concerns related to this growing age wave are compounded by political and social shifts within society. Over the past few decades, China has experienced immense demographic shifts and changes in terms of long-term care needs for older adults. For example, a recent report by the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics published that there was an estimated 185 million people over the age of 60 (Shobert, Senior …

Developing Civically Engaged, Justice Oriented Churches Right From The Start - A Hispanic Pentecostal Perspective, Elizabeth D. Rios

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Most church planting training programs train pastors in typical church operations systems as well as how to build their teams with a strong mission. However, often their training is vague and even non-existent in the area of biblical justice and advocacy, an area of pressing need in the changing face of the United States. We are more racially divided than ever, and we struggle with a myriad of socio-economic issues that need to be addressed at the root level. Those who are called to plant churches must therefore understand that unlike any other time in history, church planting today requires …

A Missiology Of With: The Catalyst For Missionary Effectiveness In The 21st Century, Jennifer Williamson

Doctor of Ministry

The world is a very a different place than it was a century ago, and while the modern missionary movement has slightly evolved through time, many of the accepted standards and approaches are predicated on realities that no longer exist. Global connectivity, the ease of travel, and shift of the global center of Christianity mean that practices which may have been effective even fifty years ago are becoming outdated and fruitless. Nevertheless, mission agencies continue to employ these archaic practices, burning-out missionaries, alienating nationals, and wasting Kingdom resources.

This dissertation proposes cross-cultural collaboration as the needed paradigm for missionary effectiveness …

Contextual Intelligence: One Intelligence To Serve Them All, Michael Adam Beck

Doctor of Ministry

The purpose of this paper is to explore the phenomenon of Contextual Intelligence (CI) and suggest a Contextual Intelligence Framework (CIF) for its cultivation in local churches. This will be accomplished by learning from both practitioners of pioneer ministry and inherited congregations, as well as researching the literature. While possessing CI has been shown to be a critical competency for leaders across multiple fields, it is yet to be explored theologically or assessed for practical application ecclesiologically. Amid symptoms of decline, a new breed of leaders first identified by the Church of England as “pioneers,” are planting “fresh expressions of …

Loaded Language: Missiological Considerations For Appropriating Political Rhetoric, Alan Howell, Jessica Markwood

Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Mitigating Decline Of Church Growth Resulting From Misunderstanding Of Selected Messianic Passages In Psalms And Isaiah, Hiwatha Bell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Paul admonishes the leaders in Ephesus to guard the flock whom God gave them oversight, to develop their spiritual insight by advancing their Scriptural aptitude so they would be able to withstand opposing forces outside the church as well as threats that would emerge from inside the church (Acts 20:28-30). Christ often engaged religious leaders in Judaism, accusing them of evangelizing to others (Matt. 23:15) and misleading those whom they had evangelized and proselytized (Matt. 15:1-13). The Bible is replete with Scriptures that require the shepherd to protect the sheep from wolves, thus the impetus for this report. This report …

Easter 6 Series C 2019, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

This PDF comments on the Propers for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Series C and offers ideas for proclamation and preaching.

Worldview, Aspirations, Folkways, And Perceptions Of Folk Muslims: Promising Pathways For Adventist Missions, Jiamah Adil

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

An ethnography conducted in a Muslim community reveals that the incarnational example of Jesus Christ may be relevant in Muslim ministry as the missionary participates in people’s lives and engages them in meaningful conversations. Such approach opens up gospel avenues and wonderful opportunities for Muslims to know about the authentic Adventist faith and lifestyle.

Discovering Church Planter Building Blocks For Integration Into Every Nation Campus Missionary Training Providing A Seamless Path From Campus Ministry To Church Planting Ministry, Ralph David Houston

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Teaching Church And Group Reproduction : An Adult-Education Approach For Small Groups, Geoffrey S. Geyer

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Post-Founder Sustainability : Building Ministries That Outlive Their Founders, William Stephen Murrell

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Faith In The Marketplace : Measuring The Impact Of Church Based Entrepreneurial Approaches To Holistic Mission, Samuel Lee

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Wilson's "More: Find Your Personal Calling And Live Life To The Fullest Measure" (Book Review), Amy C. Rice

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Sacred Roots Thriving In Ministry: Equipping Under-Resourced Urban And Rural Ministry Leaders, Loyal Juraschek, Lucas Hagen, Hank Voss

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Declining Inner-City Church Membership: Creating Spiritually Healthy Inner-City Churches Through Acts 2:42-47, Arthur L. Foster

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Churches Are Declining in the Inner-City Multi-ethnic, inner-city churches are declining in membership. This premise is validated through surveys of inner-city church leaders and rigorous academic reviews from books, theses, dissertations, and peer-reviewed journal articles that discuss typical church problems in multi-ethnic, inner-city churches. Corroborated by applied research (qualitative and quantitative surveys), and academic research, this thesis project proposes a biblical solution to the problem of declining membership in the form of a step-by-step practical church model based on Acts 2:42.

The Black Church And The Current Generation: A Program To Address The Decline Of African-American Church Attendance In Johnston County Of North Carolina, Robert Allen O'Neal Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study concentrates on issues dealing with the decline of attendance in African American churches. Although long-standing statistics since the Civil Rights Era have always shown the African American Church keeping higher audience percentage than European American churches, the tide has changed, and now African American churches are uncharacteristically declining at a faster rate than usual. Unchurched young adults, particularly African American males, are disproportionately missing in the African American church. The fundamental purpose of this study is to focus specifically on evangelical denomination African American churches in Johnston County, North Carolina by employing quantitative and qualitative research. The survey …

Cultural Kingdom Architects: Defining Success In Building God’S Kingdom, Philip Roy Bassham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Identifying success or failure in “Building God’s Kingdom” can be challenging, considering the various circumstances and contexts in which one may find himself. The American Church is somewhat divided on what success looks like in this pursuit, and therefore people in ministry can feel discouraged or unaffirmed when their measure of success does not hold up to others’ views of perceived ministry success. The purpose of this project is to shed light on the various measures of success in building God’s Kingdom and enable church leaders to feel justified and affirmed in their approach. The research for this project will …

Finding The Church Planting Model For Our Church: How Existing Churches Can Be Part Of The Church Planting Movement, Seungsoo Jun

Great Commission Research Journal

Church planting has become an effective method for revitalizing denominations. In many cases, however, church planting is limited to one or two charismatic leaders or a large church’s multi-site movement. This article attempts to present a roadmap to categorize the models of church planting. After understanding pathways for church planting, it suggests a method that enables existing churches to be part of this exciting movement of God.

An Alternative Mission Paradigm For Healthy Church Growth, Paul Seung-Oh An

Great Commission Research Journal

Christianity is becoming weaker and nominalized, and it is expected to be surpassed quantitatively by Islam in 2070. The purpose of this article is to analyze the limitations of the holistic mission paradigm, a representative view of mission today, in terms of healthy church growth, and to propose key points of an alternative mission paradigm which would be helpful for overcoming these limitations. The history of holistic mission is examined to show the identity and characteristics of the paradigm, and then an alternative mission paradigm that can contribute to healthy church growth is presented.

Lifters And Gifters: Keeping Millennials And Boomers Together To Build The Church, Richard Wilkerson

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

One of the great needs of the church at this moment is to keep the primary funders, “Gifters,” and the primary workers, “Lifters,” of the church together in order to grow healthy, thriving, life-giving, Spirit-inspired churches. Inspired by the experiences of declining and plateauing church the author has witnessed and experienced, this dissertation will examine how to keep the church family together generationally, while at the same time planting new churches with the generations still intact. The research within this project, comprised of a theological study of biblical principles, a study of current literature, and surveys and interviews from pastors, …

Technological Discipleship: How Modern Platforms Can Improve Devotional Habits In Core Church, Greg D. Phelps

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

In a society immersed and fascinated with technological devices and tools, the researcher explored the extent to which online platforms can provide a productive means to implement discipleship programs in a church plant through the use of internet video devotional materials. The relatively low practice of regular devotional habits in today’s Church has become an increasing problem. The purpose of this project was to examine the possibility of spiritual formation within the congregants of Core Church through the use of online video devotions. The project consisted of sixteen online video devotions that were created from four sermons delivered at Core …

Toward A Post-Religious Urban Theology: The Missionary Movement Ethos In Secularized Contexts, Marcelo E. C. Dias

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"An urban theology should be the center of conversation with the current post-religious context that takes into serious consideration people’s search for meaning and the new spirituality in this age. Perhaps popular culture can give clues about contemporary meaning-making as well (Shannahan 2014:207-217). On the one side, history assures that an urban setting does not need to feel like a threat to the Christian faith. “Early Christianity was primarily an urban movement. The original meaning of the word pagan (paganus) was ‘rural person,’ or more colloquially ‘country hick.’ It came to have religious meaning because after Christianity had triumphed in …

Perceived Strengths And Weaknesses Of American Churches: A Quadrant Analysis Of Church-Based Ministries, David R. Dunaetz, Joshua Mcgowan

Great Commission Research Journal

The needs and expectations of both Christians and non-Christians concerning churches vary according to the cultural context. Similarly, a church’s ability to respond to these needs depends on its ability to fine-tune ministries so that they are appropriate to the cultural context. This study uncovers various elements of American church ministries (especially those that can be supported by technology) which church members consider important but which are poorly executed. A sample of 325 members of American churches indicated which ministries they considered most important and to what degree they believed that they were carried out well in their church. A …

Reach, Assimilate And Develop: Essential Keys For The Resurgence Of The Church In America, Gordon E. Penfold

Great Commission Research Journal

This article presents a way to understand church growth from the perspective of reaching, assimilating, and developing people in the church. In Re:Vision: The Key to Transforming Your Church, Aubrey Malphurs and Penfold researched the characteristics discovered in re-envisioning (turnaround) pastors. The two researchers gathered a great deal of information about the ministry and practices of effective pastors including statistics on worship attendance, conversions, and baptisms. The statistics on conversion and baptism did not find their way into the book. This article examines worship attendance, conversion, baptism, and assimilation rates of reporting pastors. These rates reveal a great deal about …

Visionary Differences, Chris Messerer

Great Commission Research Journal

Organizational vision is nearly universally accepted as being critically important to a church in any stage of growth or decline. Church plants and church revitalization efforts depend on organizational vision because it provides focus and direction. Organizational vision is also important because it inspires people to participate. Successful church planters and church revitalization leaders excel at casting vision. While church plants and church revitalizations have similarities, leading one is significantly different from leading the other. Likewise, organizational vision is different between a church plant and a church revitalization. This article analyzes the differences between an organizational vision for a church …

Attractional To Missional: A Strategic Transition Plan For Anastasia Baptist Church, Samuel F. Thigpen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Anastasia Baptist Church (ABC) has existed for fifty years and has grown into a church of roughly sixteen-hundred regular worshipers. Over the last five years, ABC has plateaued in growth due to its focus on maintaining an attractional church structure. For ABC to grow and be healthy again, it must shift from an attractional model of discipleship to a hybrid one that utilizes both attractional and missional models of discipleship. This thesis seeks to investigate how ABC can strategically shift from an attractional to a hybrid model of discipleship. Research for this project will examine a biblical model for discipleship, …

Block Adoption: Evaluating The Impacts Of Neighborhood Care On Church Attendance At House Of Joy, Victor King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When a church plateaus, it is a major indication that the church is no longer adding new members. This is a dangerous stage for any church to be. If nothing is done to turn the situation around, the church will likely head down toward decline and death. This Thesis project addresses the problem of stagnation in church attendance. The Thesis project examines how block adoption can be used as an evangelism strategy to reach the people who live in the same community where a local church is located. The thesis project shows how block adoption can be planned and implemented. …