Digital Commons Network^™

Working Papers Of The American Society Of Missiology; Vol. 5 Conversations On The Future Of Mission, Robert A. Danielson, William L. Selvidge

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

Disciple-Making: Key Ingredients For Building God’S Kingdom, Sid Emory

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first century Church was founded in response to the disciple-making processes of Jesus. His disciples were transformed by following Jesus in a way that obedience, transformation, community, education, worship, and the expansion of God’s kingdom became the central themes of their lives. This study addressed the need to understand the disciple-making process found in Scripture in a way that will yield the results that are found in the Book of Acts primarily those found in Acts 2:42-47. Christian churches of every denomination, tradition, model, and size have been called to make disciples. The Scripture, literature, interviews, and surveys researched …

The Need To Equip Lutheran Congregations In Mission For Christ Church Planters For Spiritual Warfare, David John Heinrich

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research project was to address the need for spiritual warfare training and equipping for church planters to be more efficient in mission within the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) movement. The researcher designed a sequential mixed method approach to this research with LCMC church planters. The research findings demonstrated that church planters were well educated but 96 percent did not receive any formal spiritual warfare training and equipping in seminary or Bible school; the spiritual warfare training environment preferred was hands-on activation workshops.

The Spirit-Led Coach: An Alternative Approach To Athletic Coaching, Sean Silverii

Doctor of Ministry

The world of sports is an approximate 620 billion dollar industry, claiming an attendance of a little over 124 million fans in 2016 just within the top five professional sports leagues. In the United States alone, it is estimated 20 to 30 million kids play recreational sports, while another 10 million teenagers play interscholastically each year. With these factors in mind, all forms of power, greed, corruption, violence, selfindulgence, etc. has seeped its way into athletics and culture like a virus. Recently, a bleacher report revealed that findings of an FBI probe into college basketball is expected to be released …

Towards Women Leaders In The Palestinian Evangelical Church, Madleine Sara

Doctor of Ministry

The Palestinian evangelical church needs to proactively address the way in which most male church leaders ignore anointed women leaders who are active in the ministry of the Kingdom. Women have been actively involved in various roles in the church, but their role as leaders has not always been acknowledged officially. In this thesis, I discuss the limitations of women in leadership roles and positions of responsibility, and address the inequality in the manner in which women are treated as well as the opportunities they are offered to advance in leadership in the Arab Palestinian evangelical church. Although the church …

A Cost-Sensitive Model For Revitalizing United Methodist Churches, Kory Knott

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation addresses the topic of church revitalization in United Methodist churches that are experiencing prolonged seasons of stagnation and decline. In particular, it examines various revitalization models so as to determine how well they address the issues related to cost and sustainability. Section 1 describes the state of decline in mainline church attendance over the past 60 years and in particular during the last 15 years in the United Methodist Church. In addition to providing sobering statistics, this section includes a fictional story of a dying church, outlining the costs associated with the root problems that are responsible for …

The Contributions Of Spiritual Formation Questions To Redeeming The Shadow Side Of Pastoral Identity, Natalie Hendrickson

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a well-documented problem of shadow side issues, hidden sin or dysfunction, derailing many pastoral leaders and devastating families, congregations, and whole communities. In response to this problem, this Doctor of Ministry thesis project sought to explore the contributions of spiritual formation questions to redeeming the shadow side of pastoral identity. This researcher explored biblical questions and focused on the questions of Jesus in the Gospels to identify an efficacious spiritual formation approach to using questions in redemptive work. In addition, this researcher conducted more than a year of fieldwork with pastoral participants utilizing mixed-method data analysis. Quantitative data …

Protestantism In Macedonia Today, Ruzhica Cacanoska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Protestantism arrived in Macedonia in the second half of the nineteenth century. Since then, a number of Protestant communities were established and their current membership is relatively small. The United Methodist Church in the Republic of Macedonia is considered to be traditional and is listed as such in the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia. The contemporary Protestant structure is composed of 12 Evangelical-Protestant churches. The subject matter of this paper is a sociological research on the Protestant communities in Macedonia and it will focus on key issues related to the structure and functioning of their communities, their mutual cooperation, …

Evangelism Training For The 21st Century: Complexities And Opportunities For Seminary Education, Jay Jay Moon, Tim Robbins, Irene Kabete

Witness

No abstract provided.

Thailand Church Planting As A Mission Field Through The Korean Church With A Focus On The Church Of Thailand Sarang, Taewan Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research is a study on planting Thailand churches as mission fields, with a focus on the Church of Thailand Sarang (CTS). Christians in Thailand are estimated to be 0.5 % of the whole population. Bangkok is considered a gateway city for Buddhism in Southeast Asia; the city is strategically important for Christian mission. Thailand has had a Christian influence during the past 190 years, but the number, influence, and self-support of the churches are still weak. Therefore, the necessity for the cooperation between Korean churches in Thailand and Korean missionaries is present. The human, material, and spiritual resources may …

Same Titles, Different Formats: Does Print Or Electronic Get More Use?, Alex Rolfe, Merrill Johnson

The Christian Librarian

This article examines the use of both print and electronic monographs at George Fox University libraries over a period of thirty-three months for 8,500 titles that were held in both formats. Results indicate that print is more likely to be used than electronic. The implications of the findings, as well as related factors determining future decision making relative to format, are discussed.

An Examination Of Art In The American Evangelical Church For The Purpose Of Discipleship And Evangelism, Joshua Dugan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christianity, in previous eras, has been the foundation of the art community. But, it has surrendered that role over the past three centuries and with it a significant potion of its influence on culture. In addition the church is not effectively reaching an entire demographic of people, those who would define themselves as creatives and artists, because it has distanced itself from the arts. This paper will research the previous methods employed by the church and the current limitations of art within the American Evangelical church through applied academic research as well as interviews with church leaders and artists. The …

Kerux - Vol. 52, No. 1, Calvin Theological Seminary

Kerux

Inside This Issue

• Welcome Page 1
• The opening word Page 2
• How are you? Page 4
• A dark and stormy night Page 7
• Leading in times of trouble Page 8
• There are seeds and they are trying Page 12
• A prayer for Fiji Page 16
• A grand and rapid change Page 19
• Big on Newbigin Page 22
• A bobo in Sierra Leone Page 26
• Mix well before use Page 31
• The disciple challenge Page 32
• Be frank with me Page 36
• God’s Chinese kingdom Page 40
• The gift of presence Page 46
• The mind of a child Page 50
• Kenya …

Gajung (House) Church Ministry As A Renewal Movement For Korean Protestant Church : Focusing On The Ministry Of Seoul Baptist Church Of Houston, Texas, Sinhyung Seo

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Of Disciple-Making Practices Of The Korean Immigrant Churches In The United States : The Principles Of Reproduction In Disciple-Making, Sung Hyuk Nam

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Lessons Learned In Eurasia Ministry: Mostly The Hard Way, Mark R. Elliott

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The present article is based on a speech delivered at a conference of the United Methodist Church: “Eurasia-Central Asia – In Mission Together,” Fulton, Maryland, May 5, 2017.

Beyond The Barriers Of Discipline And Culture, Erich Baumgartner

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"culture sometimes prevents us from appreciating the very gifts offered to us, at least at first. in one place i learned a dimension of friendship that my culture does not allow me to experience easily. it happened when i was teaching Leadership Development to teachers and administrators of religious organizations in India. the first thing i noticed was their eagerness to learn in the classroom and their desire to share the beauty of their city and cultural sites with me. i enjoyed both, the classroom and the time outside the classroom. But i was unprepared for a gesture of friendship …

Corporatization Of The Church Compromises Christian’S Priorities, Purpose, And Practices, Edwin Alston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In effort to mainstream its exposure, income, agenda, and influence among the people all over the world, some churches have embraced a corporate model in operating and ministering to the masses. Corporatization advocates business mindset, which leads to less sensitivity to building a relationship with God. This trend focuses on revenue and the bottom line. By seeking a self-gratifying importance in society, a growing number of churches are no longer the institution that houses individuals who serve as the salt of the earth and light of the world. This strategy minimizes spiritual formation and discipleship in order to promote a …

Five Steps For Developing Biblical Pastoral Leadership Teams Within South Korean Presbyterian Churches, Yeongkwang Yoon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to suggest five steps for developing biblical pastoral leadership teams within South Korean Presbyterian churches, which are presently stagnating and declining under their non-biblical leadership. Growth of a church is directly dependent upon a healthy body of leaders who reflect sound biblical leadership, and the senior pastors of South Korean Presbyterian churches must intentionally conform all non-biblical leadership styles within their churches to biblical pastoral leadership. This project will attempt to provide the pastors of South Korean Presbyterian churches five steps for developing a biblical pastoral leadership team by identifying the relationship between church …

Book Reviews, Denise A. Austin, Jon K. Newton, Timothy B. Cremeens, Daniel Isgrigg, John Christopher Thomas, Robert K. Whitaker, Arden C. Autry, Henkholun Doungel

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

No abstract provided.

The Good Life: Descriptors Of Change In Roma Pentecostal Communities In Serbia And Croatia, Melody J. Wachsmuth

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Studies in specific geographical contexts have shown that the spread of Pentecostalism’s impact on Roma communities is twofold: it is linked to social change including a rise of education levels, literacy, decrease in crime, better relationships with the majority culture, and also is instrumental in the fostering of a “trans-national” identity and revitalization of their respective Roma identities. However, Pentecostalism cannot be considered a formula that intersects with a Romani community with consequential predictable results— in fact, in Southeastern Europe, Romani Pentecostalism is growing at a much slower rate than that of its counterparts in Western Europe and in places …

A Study On The Factors Of Church Growth By Building Young Adults: The Case Of Busan Happy Church, Sung Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to suggest a church model that can raise up young adults based on a case study focusing on Busan Happy Church, which has experienced a great young adult revival amidst the reality of a decline in Korean churches. Korea has become an aging society due to a decreasing birthrate, and the Korean church is aging more rapidly than society is because young people continue to leave church. This researcher investigates reasons for the rapid decrease in the number of young adults in the Korean church, analyzing both the social and theological aspects in order …

Southeastern Alumni Magazine- Summer 2017, Southeastern University - Lakeland

Southeastern Alumni Magazine

Since its inception in 1935, Southeastern has been training servant leaders in ministry. This issue of the magazine features alumni from the Barnett College of Ministry & Theology. In this special issue, we will share the history of the college, future plans and new programs along with some stories of our alumni from the college who have pursued a lifetime in ministry.

The Case To Redress Evangelism In North America, Gary Comer

Great Commission Research Journal

This article is a response to a warning made by George Hunter regarding the church’s adherence to its own “folk wisdom.” It explores the question of how the church could change, particularly in how it currently views evangelism, and how church leaders and members are unprepared to face the mission complexity unique to our time. It offers an alternative perspective with methodology that is theologically formed on the pattern of Christ, and built around the notion of spiritual influence. To that end, the kind of research that is most needed is discussed along with ideas on examining existing presuppositions.

Orthodox Background Believers: Listening And Learning, Cameron D. Armstrong

Great Commission Research Journal

Evangelical church and organizational leaders in majority-Orthodox Romania often find themselves at a loss in understanding how to conduct outreach to Orthodox people. Often the cultural differences between Orthodox and evangelical Romanian Christians seem impassable. One approach is that of listening and learning from the transformational narratives of evangelical Christians converted out of Orthodoxy. The following article moves in this direction through qualitative analysis of conversion stories by four Romanian Orthodox background believers. Five common themes that arise from the data are discussed. The article concludes by offering an initial “evangelism rubric” to better posture evangelical groups to begin outreach …

Book Review: The Benedict Option: A Strategy For Christians In A Post-Christian Nation By Rod Dreher, April Berg

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Founding A School, Gary L. Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

With the Institute of Church Growth in Eugene, Oregon, set to close in June 1965, McGavran was thinking of retiring to his small farm in Oregon. However, his plans changed when he was chosen to become the founding dean of Fuller Theological Seminary’s new School of World Mission and Institute of Church Growth in September of that same year. The story of McGavran’s selection, as well as that of getting Alan Tippett back into the USA, demonstrates God’s miraculous work in bringing about the establishment of the new school.

Entrepreneurial Church Planting, Jay Moon

Great Commission Research Journal

Entrepreneurial church planting (ECP) explores innovative approaches for church planting in the marketplace. This article describes how entrepreneurial church plants leverage the networking and value creation provided by business in order to form communities of Christ followers among unchurched people. Biblical, theological, historical, and missiological support is provided to guide ECP planters. Four contemporary examples provide a paradigm of church planters that are typically suited for this approach to include the artist, social scientist, evangelist, and builder. These examples demonstrate the potential of ECP to break out of limited contexts and plant churches in larger networks of relationships in the …

Book Review: Church Planting In The Secular West: Learning From The European Experience By Stefan Paas, John P. Thompson

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Building Community, Shelbi Gesch

The Voice

No abstract provided.