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Walking In Promise, Living In Reality: Exploring The Mental Health Implications Of The Pentecostal Discourse Of Divine Calling, Robert D. Mcbain

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

Pentecostalism places a strong emphasis on the discourse of divine calling, where individuals believe they are purposefully created, guided, and empowered by God to fulfill a specific mission. This sense of calling profoundly shapes Pentecostals’ sense of identity and purpose. Using Grounded Theory, this study analyzes open, in-depth interviews with Pentecostals in the U.S. to explore the impact of the Pentecostal discourse of divine calling on their mental health. The metaphor of ‘walking in’ one’s calling emerges as the central theme used by participants to explain the interaction between their perception of divine calling, their lived realities, and their mental …

The Making Of Disciples : Developing An Effective Discipleship Process For Current And Emerging Lay Leaders At Crossroads Community Cathedral, Ermias Feleke

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Embodying Biblical Hospitality : Threshold Moments For God's Welcome In Secular Workplaces, Sandra Lynn Blumanhourst

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Church Revitalization Through The Practice Of Spiritual Disciplines, Emmanuel Afful

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

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.

From Transactional To Transformational : A Relational Model Of Discipleship For The Local Church, Adam K. Thornton

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Converting Membership Into Discipleship: A Spiritual Formation Program In Discipleship For Rural African American Churches, Ernest L. Williams Sr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project addresses the need for rural African American churches to focus on spiritual formation and discipleship for their parishioners. Churches that emphasize the importance of the gospel and believers’ daily commitment to it represent progress toward discipleship. Discipleship creates a connection between worship and lifestyle. Churchgoers, particularly African American Christians in rural settings, may struggle to understand and practice discipleship. Historically, church worship and attendance have been prioritized in this faith community. However, Sunday worship that fails to provide a plan for daily spiritual formation may contribute to the issue. If the gospel is not the church’s primary …

Direct And Mediating Relationships Between Divine Grace, Legalism, And Mental Health, Branwyn H. Mccormick

Senior Honors Theses

Positive psychology has popularized the integration of religious ideas into psychological treatment. According to the literature, the experience of divine grace is correlated with favorable mental health outcomes, whereas legalistic attitudes are correlated with adverse mental health outcomes. It has also been found that the experience of divine grace is a mediator between legalism and mental health. However, the constructs of divine grace and legalism have both been relatively unexplored aside from a few studies using Latter-day Saints (LDS) populations. The current study seeks to analyze relationships between divine grace, legalism, and mental health using a conservative evangelical Christian population. …

From Inherited Belief To Owned Faith: Mentoring Emerging Adults Through Fowler’S Faith Stages, Elijah Gutierrez

Christian Ministries Student Projects (All)

This paper explores how James Fowler’s theory of faith development and Richard Dunn’s model of mentoring through pacing can be used together to support the spiritual growth of emerging adults. Focusing on the transition from Stage 3 (Synthetic-Conventional Faith) to Stage 4 (Individuative-Reflective Faith), the paper highlights the challenges young adults face as they move from inherited to owned belief. Practical strategies are offered for ministry leaders and mentors who want to walk with emerging adults through this process of spiritual formation with empathy, patience, and intentional guidance.

Analyzing The Methods And Effects Of Implementing Multiple Service Styles In The Church, Chloe E. Dillman

Selected Honors Theses

This thesis explores the motivations and methodologies behind offering different styles of worship services in churches in Lakeland, Florida. The study is inspired by the ongoing debate over modern worship, which has intensified over the past fifty years. As contemporary worship grew in popularity, many churches adapted by incorporating various worship styles into their services. In response to the controversy surrounding these changes, some churches implemented multiple service options—one reflecting a contemporary/modern style and another adhering to a more traditional approach. As this practice became more widespread, it sparked further discussion among church leaders regarding its impact on congregational unity, …

Wholely: A Youth Ministry Program To Develop Life Skills For Students, Brenda Antigua

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

Churches usually focus primarily on people's spiritual lives. The mission of youth ministries is to foster a relationship with God among young people from an early age, but the church is called to do more because God cares holistically for his children. Wholely is a ministry that works with the academic, educational, and professional needs of students in Humboldt Park, Chicago, IL, providing them with monthly workshops that teach them life skills to prepare them for the future; mentorship from devoted leaders; inductive Bible study to learn what the Word says about them and what they are learning; a resource …

Youth Mac: Exploring The Impact And Influence Of Varied Youth Pastor Leadership Qualities And Practices That Lead To Efficacious Student Ministry, George L. Fultz Ii

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Congregations across the United States are experiencing significant declines in youth and young adult engagement and retention, raising a red flag when thinking about the long-term sustainability of the church. While previous research has focused on senior pastoral leadership, there has been limited exploration of youth pastor leadership and its effects on church growth and adolescent retention. This qualitative study utilizes McGavran’s church growth theory to investigate how youth pastors’ leadership styles influence ministry effectiveness. This research used semistructured interviews with six youth pastors from diverse congregations to collect the data. After completing thematic analysis, four themes emerged: (a) the …

Pastors Of Smaller And Larger Churches Face Different Challenges: Empirical Evidence, William Ingersoll, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

This study seeks to expand our understanding of the differences between the challenges faced by pastors of smaller churches and the challenges faced by pastors of larger churches. Pastors of North American churches (N = 347), generally with a theologically conservative orientation, responded to an online survey indicating how difficult they perceived each of 79 challenges to be. In general, evangelism and retaining youth were the most difficult challenges. However, clear distinctions were found between pastors of smaller churches and pastors of larger churches for over one-third of the challenges. For example, pastors of larger churches found that adequately addressing …

Wilderness & Wonder: Creating Compassionate Spaces For Those Who Have Been Wounded And Forgotten By The Church, Tyler Dresbach

Doctor of Ministry

Harm caused by Fundamentalist Evangelicalism prevents individuals from re-engaging in a faith community, creating a need for compassionate spaces that foster healing and reconciliation. What is one supposed to do when the only group they have known to be a healing and life-giving community is the source of their hurt, disappointment, and confusion? Often, individuals disengage from the religious community and are left to navigate the complexities of life and faith on their own. Yet these individuals, while skeptical of the Church, have increasingly expressed a desire to reengage with a faith community—but if not within the formal structures of …

Raising Worshippers: Cultivating A Life Of Praise, Angela Perigo, Jeremy Perigo

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"One of the best things we can do for children in worship is to model what it means to be a worshiping community—especially on Sunday mornings, but also in other areas of life."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­faith formation in families from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Raising Worshippers

Focused On Faith, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

“Off To Greek Camp”: A History And Examination Of Greek America And Its Adaptation Of American Summer Camp Culture, Julia J. Walsh

Honors Theses

Camps are one of the most distinct institutions of American childhood, offering children a place to socialize and explore their identities. Since the late 19th century, camps have been used to inspire religious, social, and ethnic identity. Extensive research has been done into some kinds of summer camps, this thesis attempts to add to this literature through analysis of Greek Orthodox Summer Camp programs run under the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (The Metropolis of Boston Camp and Ionian Village). This dissertation examines the role of the modern religious summer camp in building and maintaining Greek American and Greek Orthodox …

In Praise Of Dust, Hasler Gomez-Perez

Theses and Dissertations

A desire path is a physical manifestation of where a system has failed, but also where it has been refused, where a new path has been made. The wake exists in the post, it is not a singular, untethered event, but a subtle double entendre that lives in the post-death, but also in the pre-life—not a liminal limbo, but a superposition of dying and waking.

This collection was assembled and composed over the course of two years as I navigated my practice, myself, and others. Present here are my thoughts, my experiences, and in many ways my beliefs. IN PRAISE …

Solutions To Building Consistent And Sustainable Youth Ministry Programming, William C. Kincy

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods convergent study explored strategies for building consistency and sustainability in Baptist youth ministry programming, with a particular focus on the AFC Youth Ministry. Guided by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Hitt et al., 2018) and Senge’s (2006) Systems Thinking approach, the study addressed three key research questions: What needs are youth seeking to meet that lead them to join a Baptist church youth ministry? What programming can AFC Baptist Church’s youth ministry provide to youth that would promote retention of the youth in the youth ministry? What are the best practices in delivering programming to youth in a …

Barriers To Churches Understanding How They Are Impacted By White Supremacy Culture, Pamela R. Ngunjiri

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem this project addressed was the barriers to Christian churches' understanding how they are impacted by white supremacy culture. The research identified themes that hinder racial equity and arrived at recommendations on how to disentangle white supremacy culture and the Christian Church. Biblical and theological resources were utilized to provide support for the scriptural foundation of the Christian faith, and current literature provided scholarly backing to identify the barriers to understanding the possibility of the entanglement of Christian churches and white supremacy culture. Conclusions reached included that the same foundational faith among folks of different races/color, results in a …

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 …

Children Evangelism In The Kingdom Cathedral Reaching Children Ages Five To Ten Years Of Age, Gayle Vernice Sampson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Former President George W Bush initiated the “No Child Left Behind Act” in 2001 aimed at improving schools and the child’s ability to learn. The phrase coined by the former president is still relevant today. The writer believes this phrase can be initiated in this research because no child or children should be left behind in any instance, especially in the Kingdom of God. According to Mark 10:13–14, King James Version: “And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, …

Innovations In Engaging The Next Generation Towards Discipleship And Mission, Billy Mcmahan

Great Commission Research Journal

This research addresses the central question: How can the church adapt to reach and disciple Generation Z in a way that speaks to their distinctive experiences and needs? To answer this question, the paper will first explore Gen Z’s defining characteristics and then examine how various organizations, particularly for-profit organizations, engage this emerging generation. Finally, the study will highlight innovative ministries gaining significant traction with Gen Z, offering insights and models for broader church applications.

Cultivating Multicultural Christian Youth Ministry Team Leaders Through Covenant Relationships With Youth In Kc And Stl Metro Area Churches, Christopher D. Edin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One significant challenge for today’s Christian churches involves bridging the gap between youth involvement in church after high school graduation and moving on to college (Owens, 2014). Owens (2014) asserts that today’s adolescents experience parental and church support during high school, but once they head off to college, they leave that support and stability at home. Students leave the church for many reasons. This study proposes that one significant reason is that Christian churches do not educate youth ministry team leaders on multiculturalism. This research explored satisfactory multicultural competencies necessary for youth ministry leaders to disciple youth by asking adult …

In Honour Of Gordon Jensen, William H. Harrison

Consensus

No abstract provided.

South Carolina Conference Journal 2024, United Methodist Church. South Carolina Conference

South Carolina Conference Journal

No abstract provided.

Mentoring As A Catalyst For Change: Creating A Mentor Training Curriculum Using The Servant Leadership Model, Alana S. Freeman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation-in-praxis was a response to the problem of a lack of youth involvement at Warren Chapel United American Free Will Baptist (UAFWB) church in Winterville, NC. The Collaborating Coach, Pastor Betty Haddock, and the Collaborating Team were concerned about the church's future amid its aging congregation. The importance of investing in the spiritual formation of the younger generation in preparation for them being mature successors of current leaders is a principle reflected throughout Scripture. The Bible encourages the older generation to teach the younger generation about Godly principles so they will retain what they have learned when they are …

'I Didn't Know What Sex Was': Effects Of Christian Youth Group Involvement On Women's Sexuality In Adulthood, Aubrey K. Rhoadarmer

Honors Projects

This article analyzes the ways Christian youth group involvement in high school affects women’s perspectives and opinions on sex later in their lives. Through the intertwining of 12 stories, this research sheds light on how both implicit and explicit social and religious messages can shape women’s opinions of their sexuality. Themes include harms caused by purity pledges, unfair expectations placed on women during their “first time,” the pressure women feel to become wives and mothers, the importance of openness around discussing sexuality — particularly by parents — and how multiple communities influence women’s sexual development.

Beyond The Pulpit: A Quantitative Analysis Of Midwest Church Leaders' Confidence And Competence In Addressing Sexual Trauma, Eryka Mcmillan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study investigates the interconnectedness of confidence and competence within the context of Midwest church leaders in addressing survivors of sexual trauma. Sexual Trauma encompasses crimes like sexual assault, rape, and sexual abuse, and it presents complex challenges within faith communities. This research employs an ordinal logistic regression, combining a survey instrument to assess leaders' confidence, known as the Readiness to Work with Trauma-Exposed Patients (RTEPS), and a comprehensive tool to measure competence, referred to as the Trauma-Informed Care Questionnaire (TICQ). Additionally, demographic factors, including race, age, gender, denomination, previous trauma training, and years of ministry experience, are analyzed …

Mentoring : An Essential Tool For Developing Committed Disciples And Leaders In The Liberia Baptist Missionary And Educational Convention Churches, Frederick Nyah Gbatu Sr.

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.