Digital Commons Network^™

Equipping Local Pastors To Develop A Comprehensive Chaplaincy Ministry For The Cullman County Sheriff's Office, Matthew W. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Law enforcement officers’ high incidence of suicides and career abandonment is often attributed to work stress and inadequate support. The unmet emotional, physical, and spiritual needs further compound this situation. The researcher addressed the problem of unmet needs by training local pastors to serve as chaplains. Seven deputies, including six males and one female, and ten ministers, including eight males and two females, participated in the program. The training sessions included the following topics: introduction to law enforcement chaplaincy, personal issues LEOs’ battle, ministry of presence, building relationships, the chaplain’s purpose and role, qualities desired in a chaplain, ride-alongs, death …

Exploring How Pentecostals Preach About Depression, Robert D. Mcbain

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

A qualitative analysis was completed on twelve sermons into how Pentecostal preachers talk about depression from the pulpit using the Assemblies of God (AG) as a purposive sample. Findings illustrate that preachers talked about faulty thinking as the source of depression and interpreted depression as a transformative journey occurring within the context of a God encounter where the believer fixed their faulty thinking. While the way the preachers interpreted depression is not without critique, the article suggests that preaching about depression as a journey of encounter may help listeners frame their depression experiences within a narrative framework that helps them …

Pentecostalism And Current Development In West Africa: Reimagining The Pentecostal Landscape, Politics, And Vision, Fred Cudjoe Adadey, Yisa Barnabas

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

A growing body of literature on African Pentecostals in sub-Saharan Africa is highlighted in this article, highlighting a more defined contribution of African Pentecostals to the development landscape. Until recently, the African Pentecostal development landscape recorded little visibility at the national level, on the assumption that their experience only highlights cultural and theological relevance. However, this emerging visibility has identified, as a conceptual category, an imaginary social space with practical ramification. Based on a critical analytical review of literature, this article examines the shift from traditional Pentecostal theology to a more focused attention on the social transformation created by a …

The Need For Standardized Training For Volunteer Healthcare Chaplains, Dominic Anthony Korzecki

Masters Theses

For the past 50 years, many studies have examined the effects of Spiritual Care in medical environments. Though these studies have helped support the legitimacy and necessity for the presence of spiritual care in medicine, a lack of attention has been given to the level of professionalism of those who have been granted permission to administer care. The objective of my thesis is to determine the following: 1) if medical organizations that utilize volunteer-only spiritual care programs for their patients, and families, provide the same level of care as ones staffed by trained professionals, 2) if volunteer-only chaplaincy programs generate …

Mentorship For African American Female Officers Of Faith In The United States Air Force, Tanquer L. Dyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Mentorship has emerged as a critical component for the cultivation and development of leaders. Mentoring is beneficial for the mentee and mentor both personally and professionally. The United States Air Force (USAF) encourages formal and informal mentoring for their leaders through initiatives and regulations. Other branches emphasize leadership development; whereas, the USAF emphasizes career development. While African American female officers of faith continue to hold leadership positions, it is unclear whether mentorship serves as a factor of success. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and understand the lived experience of African American female officers in the USAF …

Able Leaders: A Ministry For Developing Executive Pastors, A Philosophy And Strategy For Ministry, Jayden Jeriah Wilhelm

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

This paper examines relevant literature to design an effective training program for executive pastors.

The Experience Of Religious Organizations In The Formation And Development Of The Chaplaincy Movement In Ukraine, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Vadym Sluysar, Olha Hordiichuk

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The formation and development of relations between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and religious organizations, as well as the conditions and factors that influenced the formation of the institution of military chaplaincy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, were analyzed. It was determined that Russia's military aggression against Ukraine actualized the issue of urgent reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The modernization of the Ukrainian army required not only structural changes in the military administration, the transition to NATO standards, but also the creation of qualitatively new conditions for meeting the religious needs of Ukrainian servicemen. With the beginning …

Addressing Chaplain Care And Resiliency As Protective Factors To Burnout In Community Chaplaincy, Robin Jonell Ratcliff

Masters Theses

This paper will address Chaplain Care and Resiliency as Protective Factors to Burnout in Community Chaplaincy. There will be a problem stated, literature review covered on the subject, the results of the assessments, scales, and screening used to address burnout. Then the author discusses training and interventions and shows analysis of said training and interventions.

A Phenomenological Study Of Church Polity And Its Impact On Pastoral Leadership And Congregational Health, Travis L. Biller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is reported that deacon-led churches produce conflict and high pastoral turnover (Harbuck, 2018; Payne, 1996). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how a church governance structure impacts a pastor’s ability to lead, the health of the church, and pastoral retention. The experiences of pastors from deacon-led churches were evaluated for clusters of meaning and compared with the experiences of pastors who serve under an elder-led model of leadership. Nine interviews were conducted—five pastors from deacon-led churches and four from elder-led churches. This study approached the phenomenological design from an interpretive, or hermeneutical approach to understand the …

Pastoral Care During Widespread Disruptions : Pastoral Care Practices In Small Rural Churches During Widespread Disruptions, Jerry L. Dicks

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Descriptive Study: What South Carolina Church Leaders Believe About Congregational Active Shooter Preparation, Charles David Watts Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to establish a baseline of understanding what experiences South Carolina Southern Baptist church leaders have in active shooter training and what they believe about preparing, training, and equipping congregations for an active shooter incident in their house of worship. This researcher examined how church leaders prepare, train, and equip congregations for security threats like active shooter incidents. This study fills a gap in the existing literature, adding to the research by Auten (2021), Rainer (2017), and the FBI (2016). This researcher examined how churches prepare for security threats like active shooter incidents. …

Introduction:Towards An Economic Anthropology Of Catholicism, In The Age Of Pope Francis, Samuel Weeks, George Bayuga

Journal of Global Catholicism

Introduction to Towards an Economic Anthropology of Catholicism, in the Age of Pope Francis.

The Power Of Spiritual Leadership In The Rite Of Christian Initiation Of Adults, Stefanie Mingari

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Executive Summary Faith and spirituality are becoming increasingly sought-after anchors in mounting challenges in the contemporary world. The need for effective leadership, spiritual guidance, and mentorship have become more pivotal. Evidence also suggests that spiritual leadership values and practices are related to leadership effectiveness and encompass the behaviors needed to motivate oneself, satisfy spiritual well-being, and positively influence others within that organization. However, more research has yet to explore how spirituality affects leadership behavior and action in faith-based programs such as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). This study explored the lived experiences of RCIA leaders and participants …

For The Church, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Bioethics And A Theology Of Vulnerability, Carrie Oneil-Smith

Obsculta

This essay looks at how a theology of vulnerability can contribute to ethical decision-making in an increasingly secular society. Relationality, power dynamics and scriptural justifications are considered, as well as early contributions made to this nascent field of Christian thought. This essay was written for a class on Health Care Ethics taught by Dr. Mary Ann Kish.

81st Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectureship--Harbor: Running With Perserverance (2024), Mike Cope

Pepperdine Bible Lectures: Programs

Program booklet for the 81st Annual Pepperdine Bible Lectures, held at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, April 30-May 6, 2024. The Pepperdine Bible Lectures is an annual event hosted by Pepperdine University featuring a wide variety of lectures and classes on topics and themes in the Bible and Christianity.

Mike Cope, Lectureship Director

Evan Woods, Tami Williamson, and Rachel Higgins, Lectures Team

Hybrid Faith: A Study On The Impact Of Digital Technology On Church Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gertrude Dzirasa-Payne

Doctor of Ministry

The 21st Century has witnessed a new age characterized by exponential growth of global internet users and the central role of digital technology impacting the economy, science, religion, government, and society.1,2 Information is available via digital channels in every form, whether word, image, or sound.3 Digital technology is integrated into society and has influenced the practice of the Church, leading to the emergence of a phenomenon known as “Hybrid Faith,” the merging of in-person faith and online faith into one holistic integrated experience.4 This study explores how small and medium-sized churches in two cities adopted digital communication technology to engage …

How Does Therapy Impact African American Christians?, Suzette Theresa Law

Doctor of Ministry

A fundamental problem for African Americans is the underuse of mental health services, leaving mental health needs unmet. Many African Americans have already been subjected to enough stigmatization to the point they refuse to open themselves up to further ridicule and do not acknowledge mental health problems as medical. As a culture, African Americans continue to be distrustful of Caucasians, who fill most roles in the mental health field. 1 The researcher found cultural mistrust was the most consistent and powerful predictor of help-seeking attitudes.

This research explores the reasoning behind why those in African American communities are reluctant to …

Carriers Of The Cloak: Six Steps For Christian Chaplains To Grow As Humble Leaders And Healthy Servants, John Gabriel Lawson

Doctor of Ministry

Chaplains are expected to be the spiritual leaders of their units, sometimes for thousands of people at a time, while also being expected to maintain the highest professional standards of regular military officers. They are charged with defending religious freedoms and guarding the spiritual development of those under their care, regardless of their faith background. These expectations, coupled with combat deployments and high levels of vicarious trauma that is often experienced through counseling, make it very difficult to maintain spiritual health. Given all these pressures, I noticed how spiritual health and leadership quality can suffer in the lives of military …

Calvin Theological Seminary Academic Catalog 2024-2025, Calvin Theological Seminary

Seminary Academic Catalogs

No abstract provided.

The Calvin Forum: Summer 2024, Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

CONTENTS - Vol. 34., SUMMER 2024

Main Features: 5 - Letter from the President

8 - Calvin Theological Seminary: A living tradition of service for the 21st Century

12- Virtuous reasoning

15 - Why on Earth look to the church for help in society?

19 - Bringing the trouble to church: the call to Christ-Centered mental health support

22 - The need for effective leaders: Competency-based education on the rise

24 - A challenging journey: Preaching through competition, wariness, and trauma

Calvin Seminary News: 28 - Calvin Theological seminary partners with Missional training center

31 - Calvin Theological …

The Calvin Forum: Winter 2024, Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

CONTENTS - Vol. 33., Winter 2024

Main Features: 5 - Letter from the President

8 - Introduction: What does it mean to be Reformed?

10- Coming around the table to explore our reformed identity

14 - Understanding reformed identity from a teaching, learning, & scholarship perspective

18 - Essays on being Reformed

20 - Reformed identity through the eyes of a Professor of philosophical theology

24 - New faculty members' reflections on Reformed Identity

28 - Looking ahead: A faculty project on the Reformed Identity of Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Seminary News: 32 - Latino Minitries program update …

A Triage And Case Management Approach To Membership Management Prioritizing Soul Treatment, Dwayne K. Jones

Doctor of Ministry

Many individuals and families feel disillusioned by churches failing to address their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. With limited research demonstrating how the needs of members are prioritized, the research we have done has shown triage is critical in evaluating the priority of treatment needs in life-saving matters. The question this dissertation addresses is if there is a triage and case management approach that can set a better course for prioritizing treatment and healing for an individual or family seeking restoration when joining the church. It aims to assess how this approach can target critical needs beyond regular church activities …

[Review Of The Book The Cambridge Companion To The Council Of Trent, By N. Minnich (Ed.)], Anne H. Muraoka

Art Faculty Publications

[First paragraph] The Cambridge Companion to the Council of Trent brings together recent scholarship by an international group of scholars. True to Cambridge’s Companion series, this broad yet informative volume provides accessible discussions of the key issues addressed by the Council of Trent, which met in twenty-five sessions from 1545 to 1563.

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 …

To Whom Is The Chaplain Beholden? Guest Editor Introduction To Special Issue, Jordan Mason

Funded Scholarship

In this issue of Christian Bioethics, we invite chaplains and theologians to examine the role of the hospital chaplain in the contemporary institutional setting of the hospital. The simplicity of the chaplain’s role is often taken for granted; yet, this role is actually multivalent, with duties and loyalties pulling from many different sides. Chaplains are people of faith, ordained and/or endorsed ministers, and pastoral care professionals; they are at once beholden to God, to their own faith expression, and to their sense of vocation, to the hospital, and to the patient. With various loyalties and responsibilities in mind, we must …

Herding Cats And Other Ironies:A Practical Theology Of Ecclesial Administration, Richard C. Wood Jr.

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement

Pastors of congregational or similarly structured churches are not prepared for theological, philosophical, and Spirit-led oversight of the administrative or business aspects of leading a church.

Key Insight

The key insight is while there are several places pastors can get “how to” information on church administration, there few people talking about church administration as a spiritual or theological topic that is just as important as leadership and biblical studies. The “why” has to be addressed before the “how” in order to break the cycle of having pastors unprepared to oversee the administrative aspects of a local church.

Vocational …

Regarding The Centrality Of The Covenant Motif In Heinrich Bullinger’S Theological Thought, Isaias D'Oleo Ochoa

CTS Student Publications and Creative Works

This article offers some statistics from Heinrich Bullinger’s The Decades with a brief analysis as evidence that Bullinger must be understood as the forerunner, not the father, of federal theology, since his discussion of the covenant doctrine is limited, inconsistent, exploratory, and slightly integrated with the rest of his theological thought.

Spiritual Practices And Artistic Professionals Of Faith, Daniel L. Wilt

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Switching The Narrative: Pastors’ Beliefs And Reasonings, Dejaune K. Thompson, Sheriyse M. Williams, Shuntay Tarver, Portia C. Stokes

Psychology Faculty Publications

Although many African Americans experience mental health/addiction (MH/A), only 39% of the population seek professional treatment. Several significant barriers contribute to their ability to seek treatment, and as such, many African Americans feel more comfortable relying on the Black Church and pastors for support. However, many pastors are not prepared to support the MH/A needs of their parishioners thus leaving those who seek help without the proper MH/A care they need. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions held by African American pastors on preparedness based on experience and theological beliefs to address MH/A issues within …