Digital Commons Network^™

Passing The Mantle: An Explanatory Sequential Study Of Mentoring And Succession In Ministry, Carol Anne Hankinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project developed an eight-week mentorship framework to address leadership succession in collaborative organizations. According to the Barna Group (2023), the aging of the American clergy has reached crisis levels for the Church. Christian institutions of worship must adopt a plan of action to address this concern. Scripturally and historically, mentorship has been God's plan for passing the mantle from senior to junior leaders (Akoto, 2024). Burns's (1978) theory of transformational leadership advocates relational mentorship to advance an organization's mission and purpose. To this end, the researcher explored an intentional mentorship program with 28 participants. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design …

A Strategic Research Project Exploring An African American Church’S Engagement In Public And Nonprofit Healthcare Partnerships, Josephine Louise Evans

Transformations

This Strategic Research Project examines how churches engage in public and nonprofit healthcare partnerships to address community health disparities and strengthen congregational well-being. Guided by organizational leadership principles and supported by frameworks such as the Social Ecological Model, change theory, and systems thinking, the study explores the perceptions, experiences, and decision-making processes of pastoral leaders involved in cross-sector collaboration. Using a mixed-methods design, the research analyzes qualitative insights from leadership interviews alongside quantitative data on community health trends to identify facilitators, barriers, and perceived effectiveness of these partnerships. Findings reveal that trust building, cultural competence, shared mission alignment, and resource …

Organizational Change Model Modified For A Biblical Worldview, Mark Alan Van Dyke

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goal of this proposal was to implement the first six steps of Kotter’s eight-step organizational change model at Emmanuel Lutheran Church to help the leadership improve unity and cohesion within the congregation. A key part of this process was training a guiding coalition of important leaders in essential communication skills, team leadership, and intergenerational ministry concepts. Successfully completing this process and training positioned the congregation to serve its community as a family-oriented culture where disconnected and disillusioned people can find belonging. Using a well-known organizational change theory in a church setting presents its own challenges for pastoral leaders, who …

Intelligence-Based Missionary Preparedness, Barry Marbach

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Dissertation in Praxis applies Biblical imperatives, theoretical research on leadership, relevant training models, and leading with intelligence to improve missionaries’ overall effectiveness. The dissertation supports CLUB1040 as a relational missionary movement created to contribute to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. CLUB1040 trains and mobilizes indigenous church leaders throughout the Middle East and North Africa. This mission includes inspiring the church to make this generation the one that reaches every unreached nation. Recognizing the possibility of hostility to the Gospel due to religion and culture, the intent of the training is to introduce intelligence to mitigate the danger and …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of The Nazarene Course Of Study For Developing Lay Leaders In Virginia District Hispanic Ministries: A Competency-Based Assessment, Jeffrey A. Hernandez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Hispanic ministries within the Virginia District of the Church of the Nazarene continue to experience sustained membership growth; however, leadership development has not expanded proportionally, creating emerging capacity gaps. Many Hispanic pastors serve bi-vocationally, limiting capacity to meet increasing congregational demands, and lay leaders are leveraged to meet those needs. Using an assessment tool designed to measure lay leadership competencies, this research project evaluates the effectiveness of a Nazarene Course of Study to function as a leadership development framework for laity within Hispanic church contexts. The study examines the implementation of a pastoral-level ministerial education program among Hispanic laypersons and …

Church Survivability: A Qualitative Study On Planters’ Leadership Development Role In Southern Baptist Texas Convention Planting, Alton R. Mckinley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the pandemic, there has been an accelerated decline in church membership, and within groups of young adults, there are alarming trends that raise concern for the direction of the church. Wang (2022) wrote that the decline is about 10 percentage points between 2019 and 2021 for those under age 35 and those 65+, but only four percent for the middle-aged group. This increased decline in attendance can be addressed by developing leaders who are well-equipped to handle many issues and problems simultaneously. Many secular leadership development concepts will help leaders become more efficient and practical. Winston (2018), in his …

Sustaining The Future Of The Local Church By Equipping Ministry Leaders Through A Development Program, James Wesley Harrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation-in-praxis addressed the pressing need for intentional leadership development within local churches, focusing on preparing the head, heart, and hands of aspiring ministry leaders to fulfill the calling God has placed on them. The rationale for this praxis project stemmed from the observed shortage of trained ministry leaders in many local churches. The project emphasized that many churches fail to implement deliberate efforts to equip ministry leaders to fulfill the church's mission. The Legacy Leadership Ministry Training program served as a viable solution to this problem. The purpose of this project was to develop and implement a comprehensive training …

Pastoral Unity Community Engagement Of Shiprock Area Ministry Association In Shiprock, New Mexico, Rosalind Ann Russell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This praxis project examines the Shiprock Area Ministry Association (SAMA), a pastoral group which represents different religious denominations of faith in the community. SAMA is located on the Navajo Indian reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico and has struggled to return as a group amid the post COVID-19 pandemic. Since its founding as an organization, the group has gathered for support in unity, prayer, and engaged in activities in Shiprock. The return of SAMA members and new membership is to include pastor spouses, church workers, and ministers within a 15-mile radius. The Hershey and Blanchard (2001) Situational Leadership Self-Assessment will be …

Equipping East African Church Planters For Evangelism And Discipleship: An Evaluation Of Oral Bible Storying Training, Cynthia A. Easton

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This training evaluation study assessed the effectiveness of an oral Bible storying training on evangelism, discipleship, and the overall efficacy of a 5-day oral Bible storying training program conducted for 40 indigenous church planter leaders (CPLs) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Using Kirkpatrick’s evaluation framework, the study assessed training effectiveness across all four evaluation levels: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. Through an observational learning assessment, a feedback session, and interviews conducted 6–8 weeks and 6 months after the training, the study documented the CPLs’ implementation of the method in their Christian ministries across Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Uganda. The findings revealed …

Light & Faith: April 2025, Taylor University

Light & Faith

No abstract provided.

Following The Mission Leader: The Value Of Imitational Learning In The Training Of Apostolic Church Planting Teams At Memorial Lutheran Church In Katy, Texas, John F. Davis Jr

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Davis, Jr., John F. “Following the Mission Leader: The Value of Imitational Learning in the Training of Apostolic Church Planting Teams at Memorial Lutheran Church in Katy, TX.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2025. pp. 272

Reaching the unchurched and unbaptized in our communities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a huge challenge for most of our churches. In The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, the number of adults being baptized in the churches (a measure of our effectiveness in carrying out the Missio Dei) is less than one per year. To reach people who have no …

Loving-Learning-Leading-Living: A Scholarly Personal Narrative Of A Black Gay Father, Russell E. Thornhill

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines the roles, challenges, and contributions of a Black Gay father, a demographic largely absent from academic discourse. While literature explores themes of the church, LGBTQ+ identities, and social justice, there remains a critical gap addressing the lived experiences of a Black Gay father. This study fills that void by elevating narratives as community activists, family leaders, and clergy members, acknowledging their transformative impact within familial and societal structures. The methodology used is the Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN). It allows for in-depth, reflective engagement with personal experiences in conversation with scholars while situating them within broader sociocultural, theological, …

A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship Through Faith And Learning Integration At Bracken Christian High School, Denice F. Knight-Slater

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The title of this project is “A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship through Faith and Learning Integration at Bracken Christian High School.” The purpose of the project was to create a seven-part curriculum that would empower educators to form an interconnected teaching community centered upon the practice of faith and learning integration. The development team hoped our work would articulate good practices and equip teachers to engage in faith conversations with their students. We utilized Parker Palmer’s classic, The Courage to Teach, as the scaffolding for our curriculum. The development team modeled faith and learning integration by creating a …

The Congregation In All Her Glory: How The History Of The Association Of Free Lutheran Congregations (Aflc) Can Be Used To Teach Free And Living Church Polity, Stephen Mark Mundfrom

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Among Lutheran denominations in America, the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations privileges the free activity of the congregation with a unique church polity. Because of its rarity, the AFLC is especially concerned that a correct understanding of its polity be taught at its schools and passed on effectively to future generations. One way to ensure that this occurs successfully is through a combination of theological and historical instruction. Historical education has been in decline for several hundred years due to developments in Western thought. Nevertheless, significant arguments can be made for the necessity of an historical and narrative understanding of …

A Mixed-Method Approach Identifying Antecedents Of Employee Engagement In A Nondenominational Church: Perspective From Volunteers And Employees, Gregory A. Rodriguez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Employee engagement is a crucial factor that affects organizational success, productivity, and overall well-being. Extensive research has been conducted on factors contributing to employee engagement in secular organizations. However, additional study on the volunteer workforce is needed, particularly on the factors influencing engagement within the Christian community. This study explored the antecedents of employee engagement from a comparative perspective, examining volunteers and employees to shed light on the factors that drive engagement across different work commitments. Drawing upon a mixed-methods research approach, data was collected from a diverse sample of Christian church volunteers and employees. The research used an adapted …

A Phenomenological Study Of Pastors Who Were Mentored And The Perceived Value Of The Mentor Relationship, Reginald L. Horner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore the value of a mentor in the life and ministry of a pastor who began pastoring with less than thirty (30) regular attendees and surpassed one hundred (100) regular attenders. The following research questions (RQ1-3) were used to guide this study. RQ1.: What perceived effect does the use of a mentor have on a pastor’s overall leadership and congregational growth of regular attendees? RQ2.: How did the participating pastors describe the value of having a mentor or coach? RQ3.: What coaching or mentorship models exist for pastors who lead …

For The Church, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Discouragement And Supportive Relationships In Latin Pastors Planting Churches In Virginia, North Carolina, And Tennessee, Jeannette Arroyo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study investigated the impact of discouragement on Latin pastors planting churches in the missionary field and provided a psychological resource for pastors coping with the challenge. Due to their unique characteristics, supportive relationships were investigated regarding how it impacts the variable of discouragement due to emotional exhaustion and the absence of self-care (Williams, 2019). Since pastors and ministers face this challenge regularly (Stott, 2014), exploring networks for support and help in distress is essential. Social constructivists see motivation as a social phenomenon crucial for individuals, and the Adlerian Theory (Carlson & Englar-Carlson, 2017) calls attention to relationships and …

A Phenomenological Study Of Church Growth Strategies Used By Pastors Of Digital Churches During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicholas D. Cole

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the digital church growth methods that pastors of digital churches in the United States used to increase church attendance during the 2020-2022 COVID-19 pandemic. For the purpose of this study, pastors of digital/online churches were studied. Since the 1950s, the church growth strategy for many Christian churches has been to attract as many people as possible for in-person worship services. However, in-person church attendance has declined consistently for the past 20 years. The shutdowns of churches worldwide during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic amplified this trend. The only option available …

Gathered Together: The Impact Of In-Person Experiences In A Virtual Age, Consuela Knox

DMin Project Theses

This February 2024 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University analyzes how following the height of a global health pandemic which required that individuals quarantine, in-person attendance at West Harpeth Church worship services has not reached the pre-pandemic level. The goal of this project was to enhance West Harpeth members’ theological understanding of the importance of in-person corporate gatherings as compared to virtual gatherings. The key research question was: Can awareness of the value of in-person corporate gatherings at West Harpeth, in comparison to virtual gatherings, be raised among members by them engaging in theological reflection? Related questions were: …

Hospitality And Seminary Culture: A Phenomenological Study On The Presence And Practice Of Hospitality Between Seminary Leaders And Students, Jesse Matthew Adams

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

While hospitality is a major biblical doctrine and a requirement of Christian living and outreach, few ministers begin their ministries recognizing the essence and essentiality of hospitality in ministry or intentionally highlight and model it to those they lead. One root cause for this may stem from the seminaries in which our ministers train, that our seminaries have no apparent agreement on a formal framework for teaching hospitality and too few seminaries are marked by a culture of hospitality. This study seeks to establish a formal framework for hospitality in seminary education. Such a framework could be used to instigate …

A Distinctly Dordt Vision, Sarah Moss

The Voice

No abstract provided.

Literate Change Agents Working In Oral Communities: Navigating Paradigm Shifts, Regina Marie Manley

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This research documents the experience of 12 local leaders implementing an oral curriculum over 13 months in Karnataka, India. These leaders were Change Agents interested in influencing a community with new information. They created audio materials referred to as “content” in their group’s mother tongue: In a Kannada-Telegu mix for the Madiga group (a Scheduled Caste); in Vaagri Booli for the Hakkipikki group (a Scheduled Tribe); and in Kannada for the Kannadiga group. The first two languages are unwritten. The Kannada language is the official language of Karnataka state. The oral curriculum followed the Spoken Worldwide® model. Each team of …

Complete Spring Issue

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Discipleship And Leadership: The Correlation Between Discipleship And Servant, Transformational, And Shared Leadership In The Marketplace, Daniel E. Gifford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study explored the intersection of Christians in leadership positions who are not in full-time ministerial positions and the transformational nature of discipleship. It focused on determining if a correlation exists between a marketplace Christian leader’s involvement in a discipleship relationship and exhibiting characteristics of servant, transformational, or shared leadership in the marketplace. It did this by examining the concept of discipleship as currently practiced in today’s environment, comparing it with similar terms and practices prevalent in the literature, such as spiritual formation, mentoring, and coaching. It also reviewed three specific leadership styles, arguing that servant, transformational, and …

Art As Contextualization: Using Visual Communication As Christian Missions In Native American And Alaskan Cultures, Hali Gehring

Senior Honors Theses

Contextualization is an important aspect of Christian ministries and cross-cultural missions to create sustaining churches around the world. There are many forms of communication that use contextualization for religious purposes, such as theatre, story, art, and dance. These important forms of communication can be used with cultural practices to contextualize the Gospel to different people groups. For Native Americans and Alaskans, artistic works that promote cultural heritage are highly regarded. A beadwork piece that explains the Gospel could be a creative way to contextualize to Native American and Alaskans.

A Phenomenological Study Of Anger's Dissonance: Exploring The Attribute Of Meekness Among Christian Exemplars, Stephen Ethan Halstead

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological research examined the role of cognitive dissonance in the process of spiritual and behavioral change in the lives of mature Christian exemplars within the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) located in the Southeast Region of the United States of America by peering through the lens of the emotion of anger to explore one’s transformation toward meekness. Utilizing a purposive sampling, this study sought to explore the magnitude of behavioral change from a tendency toward anger to a tendency toward meekness as one matures as a Christian. It sought to close the gap in understanding how Christians viewed …

Servant-Leadership: Social-Science Model Or Biblical Model--Which Is Predominant Within Southern Baptist Ministry Leadership?, Norman Custis Snead Sr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative descriptive research study was to discover the most predominant leadership style, of the five styles being measured (Autocratic/Authoritarian, Bureaucratic, Democratic, Laissez-faire, or Servant-Leader), that was found within the ministry leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention, and to discover which servant-leadership model (social-science or biblical) was more predominantly followed by those using a servant-leadership style. Furthermore, the correlation of their leadership position and educational level were analyzed for those ministry leaders predominantly following the social-science model of servant-leadership. The social-science model was identified and defined through a literature review. Whereas, the biblical model was defined and …

Complete Fall Issue

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

There Is A Need For A Biblically Sound Education For Developing Healthy Blended Families At Healing The Broken Hearted Ministry, Canuta Daganio Price

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Blended families experience repeated divorce and contribute to the growth of dysfunctional families because churches do not have a dedicated biblically sound education that is specifically designed for blended families. Such an education, addressing issues representative of what blended families experience, will help establish blended families that follow the biblical model as stated in Colossians 3:18-21, with a submissive wife, a loving husband, and obedient children. Blended families will continue to struggle if they cannot access additional resources that will help them in dealing promptly with blended family issues as they surface, using God’s precepts. Family therapists and counselors, including …