Digital Commons Network^™

Vol. 5 Issue 2 (April 1909)

Inasmuch

No abstract provided.

Visible Faith: Teaching Young Men Of Generation Z Principles In Practical Theology Through An Intergenerational Mentorship Program At The First Baptist Church Of Jacksonville, Alabama, Todd Borders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Gen Z, defined as people born between 1997 and 2012, is the first truly post-Christian generation and a key missional challenge for the Christian church. This researcher aimed for this thesis to contribute to practical ministry in the local church by creating a specialized curriculum for Gen Z men and delivering it through a newly developed intergenerational mentorship program at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Alabama. The project paired older, spiritually mature men with micro-groups of three to four mentees to guide them through the curriculum. Five mentors and sixteen mentees, ages fifteen to twenty-six, from First Baptist’s congregation, participated. …

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 …

Digital Discipleship And Whole-Person Flourishing: A Mixed-Methods Study At Celebration Church, John W. Wyatt

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This study examines how digital participation influences whole-person flourishing within the context of Celebration Church, a contemporary American megachurch, addressing a critical gap in empirical research on digital discipleship and its theological implications. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, quantitative data from the Barna ChurchPulse survey compared in-person and online participants, while qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with leaders from eighteen American megachurches were analyzed thematically. Findings indicate that flourishing outcomes are largely comparable across digital and in-person cohorts, challenging assumptions that embodied participation is inherently superior for spiritual formation; however, statistically significant differences emerged in leadership involvement, serving, and engagement …

Patterns, Pressures, And Pathways : An Ethnographic Study Of Discipleship In Nepali-Speaking Immigrant Churches In The United States, Ram Kumar Budhathoki

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Performing "Manly" Worship Music: Gender And Timbre At Mars Hill Church, Maren Haynes Marchesini

Yale Journal of Music & Religion

Ten years ago, Mars Hill boasted fifteen campuses and 15,000 members. Amid mounting allegations of abuse and mismanagement leveled against founding pastor Mark Driscoll, the church famously collapsed, closing its doors at the end of 2014. Driscoll had built Mars Hill’s core brand around his opposition to the perceived feminization of the Christian mainstream, and appointing himself the “leader of a heterosexual male backlash” in the church and broader culture. While Driscoll’s muscular Christianity stands in a wide historical stream, Mars Hill long led the charge in establishing a youth-oriented, hipster brand of hypermasculine Calvinism. And while rhetoric and theology …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Six-Week Missional Discipleship Training Program For Youth At Ipc Prayer Centre Thiruvalla, Jibbin Raju Poovakala

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Jesus Seminary: More Than A Classroom, Jeff Thorp

Doctor of Ministry

Ember Discipleship College (EDC) reimagines church internships for young adult Christians in the Northwest U.S., revitalizing spiritual formation and equipping them with practical ministry experience. This opportunity helps deepen their faith and engage in ministry within a rapidly changing culture. Unlike traditional programs that focus on students serving the church, EDC combines theological education, hands-on ministry, and immersive experiences to cultivate well-rounded disciples of Jesus. Research indicates that immersive learning, referred to as “experiential learning,” “action learning,” or “orchestrated immersion,” is among the most effective learning methods. This approach emphasizes formation over mere information, creating environments where context serves as …

Timothy Keller: Champion For The City: Keller's Philosophy Of Urban Contextualization, Michael W. Cunningham

Liberty Theological Review

Timothy Keller's 2023 passing serves as an occasion to consider his ministry legacy. His magnum opus, Center Church, encapsulated his philosophy of contextualization. This philosophy was rooted in a robust theology that informed and balanced missions, evangelism, and church planting. Keller's passion for city missions defied current ministry trends that favored suburbia and avoided urban contexts. His ministry conviction overcame cultural opposition and ministry bias and grew a thriving ministry in an unlikely ministry setting. Keller’s ministry captured the imagination of rising generations of pastors, missionaries, and ministry practitioners and provided the needed theological framework and training for successful …

Discovering Discipleship : Evaluating The Impact Of An Intentional Discipleship Training Program At Grace Christian Church, Daniel J.H. Jackson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Coherent Chiastic Oeuvre In The Unity Of Luke-Acts: Two Volumes Conjoined As A Single Book, John Matthew Powell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A thorough examination of the life and works of Saint Luke has always been an interest and desire to survey, and because of his eruditeness, which produced two amazingly inspired books in the New Testament resulted in the reason behind this dissertation project. Another important thing for this research is animated from the perspective that Luke is the only gentile writer in the NT. It encourages the world that God placed gentiles on equal footing with Jews of the Old Testament era. Unlike the additional three inspired Gospel writers (i.e., Matthew, Mark, and John), Luke did not take it for …

The Spiritual Impact Of Female Pastoral Leadership On Members Of New Heritage Fellowship, Cheryl Russell

DMin Project Theses

This April 2023 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University examines how, today, many females are waiting for opportunities to serve in pastoral leadership, hoping to partner with local churches to help carry the story of God forward in a moment of great vulnerability for the church, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, very few churches are opening their doors to females for key leadership roles, upholding a long tradition of male-only leadership. This project explores the spiritual impact of egalitarian culture and female pastoral leadership on the members of New Heritage Fellowship. My hope is that …

Reformed Worship (Rw) 147 - Ascension / Pentecost (March 2023), Reformed Worship Editors

Reformed Worship Magazine

Editorial: Christ has Ascended, the Spirit's Come...Now What? by Joyce Borger....2

The Fruit of the Spirit: Connecting Ascension and Pentecost by Joyce Borger....3

Prayer for the Fruit of the Spirit by Hilary Ritchie....10

Ascension and Pentecost by Brian Hehn....11

Songs of Young and Old by Michael Huerter....14

Worship Series: Psalm 23 by Bethany Besteman and Kathryn Ritsema Roelofs....18

Q&A: Preaching Culture by John D. Witvliet....29

Listening to the Book We Love....31

For Pastors: Pulpit Care by Scott Hoezee....34

The Apostles' Creed and the Christian Year by Faye Dykema....36

Worship and Mission …

The Impact Of Studying Abroad On The Intercultural Spiritual Formation Of Harding University Latin America Students, Jeremy Daggett

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Be Fruitful And Multiply : Developing An Intentional, Missional, And Reproducible Discipleship Model For The Pentecostal Churches In Romania, Adrian Vlad

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Unfinished Task In North American Evangelism And Its Impact On Spirit-Empowered Christianity, Daniel D. Isgrigg

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

This study explores the state of evangelism in North America, particularly the Spirit-empowered church in the US. Charted through the history of evangelism movements, most of which originated in North America, this essay will look at those movements, their impact on the church, and some theological reasons why North America has not been more effective in its own evangelistic efforts.

The Calvin Forum: Winter 2022, Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

CONTENTS - Vol. 30. No. 1, WINTER 2022

Main Features: 3 - Rooted in Christ, reforming for the future.

4 - Seminaries aren't just for pastors anymore: Equipping the priesthood of all believers

8 - Formation and the act of being attentive

11 - Vocational Ministry in Action

12 - Ready and open to God's leading: Seminary renovations to be completed this Spring

18- Handlon's priesthood of believers

22- Next steps initiative

26- Center for excellence in preaching

Calvin Seminary News: 26 - Faculty Book Highlight

27 - New Staff

The Effectiveness Of A Missional Preaching Series To Produce Cognitive, Affective, And Behavioral Change At Auburn United Methodist Church, Anthony J. Paulson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Concept Mapping To Identify Threshold Concepts Of The Missional Church Paradigm, Andrew M. Causey

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Being Dordt Alumni, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Chaplain Leadership: The Absence Of Spiritual Leadership At Winston -Salem State University For Spiritual Advocacy, Leroy H. Izzard Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students living in an academic environment need a consistent spiritual presence to enhance the overall academic experience. Spiritual advice should be available in times of crisis and a chaplain could be the spiritual leader to fill that void. . Chaplain leadership should parallel secular academy professionals and religious professionals to fortify spiritual and community awareness on the campus of Winston Salem State University. On a broader scale, the absence of spiritual leadership is a vital component of this problem. Chaplain leaders must answer the call outside the boundaries of religious comfort zones and address the absence of spiritual leadership crippling …

A Look At Short-Term Mission Trips In The Context Of Cypress Baptist Church As A Sending Unit, John Daniel Bodine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project is a study on short-term missions in the context of Cypress Baptist Church as a sending unit. The purpose of this project is to seek answers of why many of Cypress members are choosing not to engage globally by being part of the ministry of short-term missions at Cypress. Cypress Baptist Church is a rapidly growing church, and as it grows it should see more members participating in short-term missions. The goal is to ask the people of Cypress questions centered around this project so the project manager can get candid, real answers to why many are …

The Sent Life: Discovering The Mission Of God And The Christian's Place In It, Cliff Roberts Jordan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The church in the West today has separated something that was never intended to be divided. This critical error impacts the very core of who a Christian is which informs and empowers what a Christian does. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you,” and in doing so He designated all Christians as “sent ones.” This means living on mission as a sent one is not reserved for a special class of Christians, but is the very calling of all Christians. Since that is true, all Christians need to understand and be equipped for the mission …

4d'S Of Spiritual Growth : The Local Church's Role In Spiritual Growth And Discipleship, Christopher M. Johnson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Missionally Engaging Our Neighbors : Equipping Christians To Reach Their Neighbors For Christ, T. Scott Rawlings

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Remission: Rethinking How Church Leaders Create Movement By Gary Comer, Jim Roden

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

A Multiple Case Study Identifying Factors Influencing Church Attendance And Engagement With Unchurched And Dechurched Families, Jason Robert Waters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many medium-sized churches experienced significant growth followed by years of declining attendance (Haskell et al., 2016). Many of them are in locations that could allow for significant growth. It seems as if some once growing churches no longer recognize how to best reach their communities and how to minister to the needs of the families making up their surrounding communities. The purpose of this multiple case study, a comparative analysis, is to identify factors that positively and negatively influence church attendance and engagement among unchurched and de-churched persons and families. At this stage in the research, regular attendance and engagement …

Lay Leader Development And The Model Of Christ: Intentional Small Group Organization For Multiplying Groups At Green Acres Baptist Church, Michael Wayne Gossett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to develop a strategic process for leader development utilizing small groups at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. The development of lay leaders will determine the efforts of starting and sustaining small groups and ministry efforts in the local church. The structure of groups and the strategy to develop leaders should be a replicable system formulated within biblical parameters. The biblical research is concentrated toward the methods practiced by Jesus with his disciples. Biblical discipleship is examined for the purpose of assessing adequate organization that cultivate leader development and group multiplication. Effective small …

Giftive Mission Lives : Verbeck, Judson, Ricci & Timothy I, Zonia Mitchell

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

God's Missional Spirit : The Acts And Agency Of The Holy Spirit In The Missional Life, John W. Freeland

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.