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Theologian Of Sin And Grace, Robert Kolb

Concordia Journal

This volume is a must for anyone seeking an understanding of the transition from the Wittenberg Reformation to seventeenth-century Lutheran theology as well as the developments in hermeneu- tics, history, and biblical exegesis shaped by this unique figure, Matthias Flacius, the Illyrian.

“I Make These Confessions My Own” Lutheran Confessional Subscription In The Twenty-First Century Robert Kolb And Charles P. Arand, Robert Kolb, Charles Arand

Concordia Journal

The spirit of Augsburg and the method of the Wittenberg theologians carry the content of the Lutheran confessional documents into the many societies and cultures of the twenty-first century in which God calls Lutherans to repeat their confession of faith for the benefit of church and world.

Our Stories, His Story : Unveiling The Sociolcultural Barriers Of Singapore Chinese Elderly When They Follow Jesus, Nam Seng Koh

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Cubans In The United States, Antonio J. Lopez

Great Commission Research Journal

The term “Hispanic” is used in the United States for a large and diverse group of people. Cubans are among those that fall under this category, though they differ from other Hispanics. To understand some of the characteristic of Cubans, and to effectively reach them it is important to understand their history and culture. Mainly in Florida, Cubans are diffused throughout the United States, which requires flexibility and intentionality in reaching them. This article seeks to familiarize the reader with some of the historical, and cultural aspects of Cubans in order to reach them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Young Adults Leaving The Church: The Tie To Intentional Spiritual Mentoring Among Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Teens Through Youth And Confirmation Ministry, Serena Alexandria Pace

Doctor of Ministry

Previously churched Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS)1 young adults are leaving the worship community post confirmation and post high school. Is this truly what is taking place? If so, what structures within churches and youth ministries might contribute to this problem? In order to address this problem, it is proposed that the lack of youth mentorship ministry, especially of teen-agers in the church, contributes to the problem. Worship communities can help ensure that young adults stay connected by establishing mentor relationships during the confirmation and teen years.

Effects Of An Electronically Guided Prayer Intervention, Brian Lee Goetsch

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Abstract Hope has been identified as an important factor in a variety of positive outcomes in psychotherapy, medicine, academic success, and for general levels of functioning. However, until now most studies on hope have been correlational in nature, and researchers have rarely sought to understand how hope can be facilitated. The present study considered the effect of prayer on experiences of hope in a national sample of Christian college students. An intervention group completed a guided prayer exercise once a day for 2 weeks. Pre and post-test levels of hope were assessed and compared to a control group, and a …

The Pastor Search Process: A Proposed Manual For The Objective Investigation And Evaluation Of A Church By The Pastoral Candidate, John David Lones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is commonly acknowledged by both clergy and laity that a problem exists in the Southern Baptist Convention concerning both the length of pastoral tenure and the number of forced terminations of ministerial staff. Solutions have been proposed but little measurable change has been forthcoming. Much has been written about conflict resolution, communication between staff and lay leadership and realistic expectations. However well-intended these efforts may be, the statistics seem to indicate little or nothing has changed. This project intends to evaluate the pastor-search process from the perspective of the pastoral candidate. Churches make efforts to evaluate and investigate candidates …

A Priority For Ministers : Being In The Presence Of God As The Fountainhead For Personal Prayer, Mark Brent Arni

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Compassion : The Inward Journey To Love, Vaughn W. Thurston-Cox

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Surviving The Other War: Group Intervention For Military Sexual Trauma In The Local Church, Ed Ellis Barker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is, together with the current military suicide epidemic, arguably the greatest danger to soldiers serving at home or abroad, and sadly the former is a contributing factor for the latter. MST involves the sexual assault or sexual harassment of an individual by one or several fellow service members. An important avenue of assistance is through the local church; however, "the quality of mental health providers does not include a sufficient number of faith-based counselors (especially Christian) to serve the predominantly Christian demographic in the U.S. Armed Forces." To assist in this, a psycho-educational support group has …

Youth And The Posthuman: Personhood, Transcendence, And Siri, Erik Leafblad, Andrew Root

Faculty Publications

When everything gets turned into a technology, and existence is about practical mastery, the mystery of being is buried and everything is made an object, blurring the lines between human personhood and other technological objects.

Church And Homosexuality, Aaron Baart

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"How do we present a Biblical interpretation of this issue while remaining true to the grace that covers us all?"

Posting about the Church and homosexuality from In All Things - an online hub committed to the claim that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has implications for the entire world.

http://inallthings.org/answering-your-question-the-church-and-homosexuality/

Intimate Partner Violence In The Black Church: Bridging The Gap Between Awareness And Policy Development, Carlos Jermaine Richard

Doctor of Ministry

The perennial problem of intimate partner violence (IPV) has gained national attention due to the increased awareness efforts of advocates, law enforcement, government, education, and social service agencies. This awareness serves as the catalyst for the upsurge in legislation, law enforcement involvement, and incarceration of abusers. Although the secular community has strategically implemented tactics and policies to combat abuse, the Black church continues to experience challenges with awareness and effective stratagems to address the issue. Further, the issue of domestic violence in the Black church has significant impact on women who suffer intolerable mistreatment at the hands of their abusers. …

God's Focus On The Fatherless: A Lens To Inform Spiritual Impact In The Local Church, Dwight David Croy

Doctor of Ministry

This study concentrates on God’s focus on and vision for the fatherless as an informal lens from which local churches may measure and implement ministry impact and outreach principles. As a pastor and a military chaplain, I see many young people who are fatherless to the third and fourth generation. The ministry of the present day Church is limiting its impact because it does not see the fatherless as God sees them. Here the question is asked, “What in God’s exhortation of supporting the fatherless are churches to incarnationally infuse into their local outreach to the community?” The claim is …

Shepherding The Flock: C.A.R.E. - A Model For Pastoral Ministry, Ronald Hughes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A seminary graduate is often well equipped in a variety of areas including preaching, languages, church growth, and the like. One area that graduates often feel ill equipped is the practical area of pastoral care; however, every minister, whether in a church of ten or ten thousand, must have a way to effectively deal with this part of their ministry. From a review of the literature and a survey of pastors, this project will confirm the current need for further training in the area of pastoral care. In addition, this project will offer a plan to meet those needs within …

Listening To Your Listeners: A Preaching Preparation Process That Changes... Everything!, Lori J. Carrell

Symposium on Worship Archive

A vast majority of listeners attending U.S. churches have never talked with a pastor about a sermon. And, unfortunately, those listeners report by the thousands that though they expect spiritual growth as they listen to their preachers, it usually does not occur. Preachers who listen to their listeners as a regular part of sermon preparation can expect to change these patterns, increasing the spiritual impact of preaching for individuals, congregations, communities—and culture. During this workshop, participants will discover how diverse congregations have established and maintained pre-sermon dialogue groups (without adding to the preachers’ limited sermon prep time!).

2015 Program Book

Symposium on Worship Archive

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Effect Of Worship Education And Worship Renewal At First Baptist Church Kings Mountain, North Carolina, Jonathan Bundon

Doctor of Ministry Projects

For many Christians, worship has been reduced to the entertainment value centered on self rather than the Triune God. Ignorance must be combated with worship education and worship renewal. For the worshiper, how one prepares for corporate worship affects their worship experience and informs their private worship. The four-week study, Spirit and Truth, introduced members of First Baptist Church Kings Mountain to worship education and renewal and challenged them to assess their own worship practices. Quantitative and qualitative test results and observations validated this project's needs. In addition, the project afforded opportunities that might contribute to a life-long experiment of …

Resiliency-Based Spiritual Support: A Preventative Approach Empowering Spiritual Resiliency In Clinical Pastoral Education Students At Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, Michael Gross

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Resiliency-Based Spiritual Support: A Preventative Approach was designed to empower a minister's spiritual resiliency practices. These practices allow him/her to courageously navigate the seasons of ministry and bounce back from stressful experiences. The six-week curriculum intervention for clinical pastoral education participants involved control and intervention groups. It focused on five spiritual resiliency themes (community, hope, sound of the genuine, meditation, stewardship) and related spiritual resiliency practices. Research methods included quantitative and qualitative instruments. Post-training evaluation scores evidenced participants were empowered by a greater understanding of the biblical/theological foundations and exploration of practices. Participants did recommend spiritual resiliency training for clergy.

Discovering The Work Of Baptist General Conference Mission In Ethiopia: The Essence Of Mission That Lasted For Six Decades, Kebede Gonfa

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The researcher has explored six decades of mission work and leadership development by the Baptist General Conference (BGC) in Ethiopia. The main purpose of this project is to summarize the work of the mission in Ethiopia and its relationship to the national church with comments from local pastors and missionaries in regard to the conclusion of the work of the missionaries and the turnover to the local church, so that the current and coming generations may benefit from the strengths and weaknesses of the BGC Ethiopia ministry. The evaluations by missionaries and local leaders provides a balance of perspectives on …

Developing Pastoral Identity In Level One Clinical Pastoral Education Students At Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, Biju Chacko

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Pastoral identity development is a necessity in today's pastoral context. Clarity on one's emerging pastoral identity creates authenticity in pastors to fulfill their pastoral duties. Pastoral identity development is an ongoing process. This project studied how Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) developed pastoral identity in Level I CPE students at Duke University Hospital. The project used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to gather and analyze data. The project found that pastoral identity is a combination of multiple components namely call, perception, skills, community, and experience.

An Experiment In Civil Dialogue In A Clinical Pastoral Education Group At Caromont Regional Medical Center, Gastonia, North Carolina, Stephen Allen Lemons

Doctor of Ministry Projects

An Experiment in Civil Dialogue... was designed to create a setting for civil dialogue concerning homosexuality and Christian faith. The seven-week process involved eight daylong sessions with eight Clinical Pastoral Education students. Sessions focused on a study of biblical passages regarding homosexuality. Passages were examined from a traditional and progressive viewpoint. Six guests presented from a traditional or progressive viewpoint. Participants wrote verbatims and theological integration papers focusing on pastoral care to LGBT persons/families. Research methods included focus and control group and quantitative-qualitative research. Interviews, surveys and written reflections attest that the group maintained civil dialogue throughout the process. The …

A Theology And Practice For Implementing Pastoral Care Through Community Groups At Calvary Church, Joshua Paul Mateer

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As a church of over 4000 attenders, Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan was in need of a system and structure that would provide care for all who were in need. This project developed a system of care based on the biblical principles of care and community. This newly designed care structure infused care into community groups by mobilizing the people of Calvary to care for one another rather than solely relying on the Pastoral Care Department to accomplish the care. This project addressed the problem that exists for a Pastoral Care Department in a large church (4,000+) to care …

The New Reformed Pastor: Zwinglian Wisdom For Modern Ministers, Scotty Jermaine Williams

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Throughout churches in the Reformed tradition, there is a growing interest in renewing Eucharistic practices. This growing interest has led to a series of discussions among Reformed clergy regarding the role of pastors in the Eucharistic context. According to some church leaders, many Reformed pastors have a faulty sacramentality that stems from a misunderstanding of John Calvin’s pastoral vision. Instead of compelling faith in action through the Eucharist, where communicants share the grace they receive, this sacramentality leads them to be passive recipients that keep Eucharistic grace within the church. Unlike other research, which addresses the aforementioned issue by only …

A Qualitative Study Of Doubt In The Evangelical Tradition, Benjamin B. Young

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explored the difference between evangelicals who doubted and stayed in the evangelical Christian faith and those who left the fold. Grounded theory was the primary research methodology and data was gathered from interviews with people who struggled with doubt. This data was used to develop a strategy for people going through doubt and for pastors helping others process doubt. Pastors need to provide a safe a place to doubt by listening and being patient, and by waiting to see how God will work in the lives of the people who are struggling with doubt.

An Investigation Of Adversity In Christian Living And Proposal For Discipleship Response, Christopher Payne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With numerous ministries teaching a cultural gospel comprised of prosperity and pleasure, people have the impression that a saving faith limits personal hardships. Jesus taught his disciples the truth about hardship and how to struggle well and the Church is called to do likewise. This thesis will present five key biblical truths to equip Christians for growing their faith through personal struggle. Moreover, the project will give leaders a guide for discipling hurting church members. The author will research current and historical discipleship materials and models, examine current teachings on faith and struggle, explore relevant biblical teachings, and survey fifty …

What Is Your Main Business?, George G. Hunter Iii

Great Commission Research Journal

In chapter one of his forthcoming book, Christianity’s Main Business, George Hunter recalls the question that Peter Drucker advised leaders of all types of organizations (including churches) to ask, repeatedly, “What is our main business?” Hunter distinguishes between what church leaders typically say (and believe) is their main business, and their actual main business as revealed by their data—from budgets, to time expenditure, to interview data. He then unpacks the “top ten” themes he found driving most local churches. Hunter contends that Christianity’s mission to the world was supposed to be Christianity’s main business, and, drawing from N. T. Wright, …

Kazakhstan: Religious Freedom Survey, March 2014, Mushfig Bayram, John Kinahan

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

The Systemic Integration Of Kenyan Immigrants Into The American Culture, Yabesh Nyakang'o Maroko

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Important social transformation has occurred for many Kenyans migrating from Africa to the Twin Cities, Minnesota in the last two decades of the 1900s. This influx of immigrant singles and families migrated to the West in hope of transforming their lives. However, little is known about how these immigrants can integrate into the American culture. This project is an attempt to find strategies on how these groups can smoothly integrate and help their children retain good Kenyan traditional values. The researcher studied the Kenyan and American cultures and drew conclusions based on the findings. The project analyzed the relationship between …

A Petition For God's Forgiveness In Gambella Ethiopia, Omot Olopk Aganya

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project explored the root causes of the ethnic conflicts in the Gambella region of Ethiopia. It examined the issues of ethnic, social, political, and historical conflict occurring at the regional level, which are vital to comprehensively understanding the nature and outcome of the local conflicts. These are embedded in geopolitics, the politics of established administrative agencies established in Gambella by different empires and governments, militarization, ethnicity, socio-economics, deprivation, inequality, marginalization, discrimination, racism, and the undemocratic institutions of the region, as well as the absence of effective mechanisms for national and sub-regional dispute resolution. The lack of implementation and …