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Going Inside A Church Staff Group: A Qualitative Case Analysis Of Team Characteristics, Decision-Making, And Identity, Hillary Rose Hamilton

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Many organizations, including churches, rely on leadership groups to coordinate efforts and fulfill their mission. Guided by the characteristics of highly effective teams, the functional theory of group decision-making, and symbolic convergence theory, this study examines how one church staff group engages in decision-making and enacts identity through socioemotional and task-related communication. This group is unique in that its members each lead different areas necessary for the church’s functioning. Data for this qualitative case-study consists of semi-structured interviews with each group members and five meeting observations. Findings provide insight into the group’s dynamics, decision-making process, and identity. However, of most …

Tell Me The Old, Old Story: An Educational Curriculum For Junior Week At Christian Youth Encampment, Justin Lance Simmons

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to create a curriculum framework for the Junior Week of camp at Christian Youth Encampment (CYE) in DeRidder, LA. The initial step in this project was to develop information on the ministerial context of CYE by investigating its history and interviewing those who have experienced camp both as campers and staff. Next, an examination of theological and theoretical foundations was made, considering the history of narrative in the instruction of children both for Israel and the church. Also, the concept and practices of narrative and its usefulness as a pedagogical tool were explored. Using …

Developing Practices Within The Lord’S Supper That Develop Central Identity At Queen City Church Of Christ, Ryan Russell

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project was designed to meet a need at the Queen City Church of Christ (QCC) for developing intentional practices around the Lord’s Supper for forming a central identity in a diverse community. The scope of this project focuses on the project group’s ability to develop practices based on the theology of the Lord’s Supper, biblical teaching, engaging in practices of spiritual formation as a group, and their observations of Lord’s Supper practices in other Christian traditions. Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth provides the textual context for the discussion of the role the Lord’s Supper plays within …

Creating An Action Plan To Increase Diversity And Inclusion At Northwest Church Of Christ, Kenton Reeves Brown

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project was designed to meet a need at the Northwest Church of Christ in Oklahoma City to help the church transition from a church that values diversity to one that realizes its vision of being diverse and inclusive. The scope of this project was to create an action plan to increase diversity and inclusion to present to the church leaders for their consideration. The theological foundation for the project comes from Paul’s convictions, expressed in Gal 1–2, that any who are in Christ should not be excluded or treated as a lower-class member of the community based on their …

​Burned Out But Barely Begun: A Qualitative Study On Newer Clergy And Communication Surrounding Emotional Labor And Personal Well-Being In South Mississippi, Lauren Noll

Master's Theses

This study provides an overview of the concepts surrounding clergy burnout,

organizational culture, and emotional labor theory. Furthermore, it explains the need

for  clearer understanding of clergy perceptions of their own personal

experiences with burnout and their emotional wellbeing in relation to their organizational environment and careers as clergy members. The methodology of qualitative interviews sought to understand the narratives and experiences of clergy members from their own words and worldviews rather than from a statistical basis or analysis.

This research found answers to key questions involving communication about burnout in the context of organizational culture and emotional labor, including …

Adolescent Spiritual Formation: Practical Theology As A Filter For Youth Ministry, Jeremy Smith

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

There seems to be a disconnect between the practice and scholars of youth ministry. Historically, the practice of youth ministry has been overly concerned with method, creating multiple approaches, each with its own inherent shortcomings. Responding to this overemphasis on method, scholars of youth ministry have argued for a more theological framework, assuming that the problem lies within a lack of theological education among youth ministry practitioners. In 2001 youth ministry scholarship made a case to place the field of youth ministry under the discipline of practical theology in hopes of grounding the practice of youth ministry in theology. Over …

Cultivating Virtue: Developing A Guiding Document For Youth Ministry At Cookeville First United Methodist Church, Adam Daniels

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to produce a guiding document of virtues that represented the type of Christ-like character qualities desired in youth at Cookeville First United Methodist Church. The six virtues chosen in the document represent a comprehensive vision for character growth over the course of students’ time in the program. To provide a theological foundation for this project, I examined the idea that virtue has a narrative shape where words find their meaning in a story. For our purposes, this story is generally stated as the story of Jesus at first but is then seen as best …

The Practice Of Children’S Ministry: Developing A Cohesive Vision Of Practice With Church Leaders, Shannon Clarkson Rains

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to create a congregational workshop for church leaders that leads to the development of a cohesive vision for the practice of children’s ministry. In order to do this, I began by presenting the evolution of children’s ministry in the Churches of Christ along with the current tensions that exist between ministers and church leadership created by a lack of cohesive vision for the practice of children’s ministry. This foundational understanding of the origins of this tension supports my discussion of a vision for children’s ministry that includes attention to the spiritual formation of children—an …

Gold & Blue, Spring 2019, St. Mary's University- San Antonio, Texas

Gold & Blue

This is the Spring 2019 edition of Gold & Blue which is St. Mary's University's official school publication.

Branding Faith: Do Christian Ministries Reach Millennials With Branding?, Bolashade Hanson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research study is to discover what branding techniques used by Christian organizations are effective in connecting with Millennials and why, and to determine what are effective branding practices in a religious context. A convergent parallel mixed–method research design was used to gather the data. It included a content analysis of the branding components of four Christian organizations that target Millennials—The Passion Conference, The VOUS Conference, Acquire the Fire and Winterfest. A survey of 150 Millennials of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds within the age range of 18-34 was conducted to collect quantitative data on Millennials’ predispositions …

Cultivating The Practice Of Missional Hospitality For Small Groups At West Houston Church Of Christ, Kevin Stewart

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents the results of a project in which I led a team to develop a plan to cultivate the practice of missional hospitality for small groups at West Houston Church of Christ. I used missional theology as a framework to give shape to the practice of hospitality. The project team met for nine weeks in the fall of 2014. The team practiced lectio divina focused on Luke 10, participated in theological reflection on missional hospitality, and fulfilled assignments to practice missional hospitality. These activities helped form the group spiritually and informed the development of a …

Facilitating Holistic Spiritual Formation At The Northside Church Of Christ In Laredo, Texas, Kirk R. Cowell

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes a project to facilitate holistic spiritual formation at the Northside Church of Christ in Laredo, Texas. A program consisting of seven weekly sessions of intergenerational religious experiences was enacted at the church in hopes of catalyzing growth in the cognitive, relational, affective, and behavioral domains. These sessions were constructed on a foundation consisting of the experiences of the non-class Churches of Christ—a group of congregations that has historically rejected the Bible class model—and informed by the intergenerational formation literature. Evaluation of this project showed relational and affective growth greater than what the congregation had experienced with the …

Developing An Intentional Mentoring Model For Disciple Formation At The Mayfair Church Of Christ, Jason Bybee

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents the results of a project to lead a team in the development of an intentional mentoring model for disciple formation at the Mayfair Church of Christ. This intervention involved the team members in a series of sessions during September and October 2013. Project sessions were designed to provide participants an intentional mentoring experience through exposure to four core practices: exploration of the biblical text, appreciative inquiry exercises, communal sharing, and prayer. Sessions were informed by (1) an understanding of discipleship as following behind Jesus and walking alongside our fellow sojourners, (2) the nature of …

Extending Story Listening As A Practice Of Communal Formation At The Lake Orion Church Of Christ, Eric R. Magnusson

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents the results of a project that explores the potential for extending a practice of story listening as a way of forming community across social circles at the Lake Orion Church of Christ in Lake Orion, Michigan. The intervention involved guiding a group of six participant-researchers, each of whom had previous experience in story listening, through six sessions in the fall of 2011. Each phase of the project was informed by a participatory social Trinitarian theology. The first three sessions were designed to empower participant-researcher pairs to facilitate story listening groups of four to five …

Implementing A Discernment Phase For Those Nominated In The Shepherd Selection Process At The Cinco Ranch Church Of Christ, Aaron Walling

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents the results of a project that implemented a discernment phase for those nominated in the shepherd selection process at the Cinco Ranch Church of Christ. Occurring in the fall of 2010, this project involved nominees in a series of six one-hour, thirty-minute sessions designed to establish the theological foundations for shepherding and to explore its practical expression at Cinco Ranch. For the theological component, this project primarily utilized Ephesians 4:11-16, and for the practical side, it incorporated group interactions with those serving as shepherds along with the review of guiding leadership documents. The project‟s …

Communally Discerning A Covenant Of Hospitality For The Care Of Children At Westview Boys' Home, Ron Bruner

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addressed the lack of a covenant defining the practice of hospitality towards children for team members of Westview Boys’ Home. The purpose of the project was to facilitate the creation of such a covenant. The Westview ministry team already claimed hospitality as a strength; the hope was that reframing the ministry around this strength would improve the quality of care for children and the quality of life for the community. Invited into a communal discernment process (the methodology), the ministry team invested weeks in the examination of biblical texts, theological tradition, personal and communal narratives, cultural trends, psychological …

Central Florida Future, Vol. 39 No. 148, December 10, 2007

Central Florida Future

Thanks for the memories; DUI charges follow hit-run; Counseling program addresses suicide; Board allots tuition money.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 39 No. 135, November 5, 2007

Central Florida Future

Freshman dies in car crash Friday; The parade comes home; Students tackle climate crisis; Saving the date; Research event gives voice to fresh ideas.

Living Waters: An Invitation To Contemplative Spirituality For The Quail Springs Church Of Christ, Wyatt E. Fenno

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addressed an acknowledged need for ministry action to promote and facilitate communal spiritual formation in the present and future life of the Quail Springs Church of Christ. The focus of the project was to present a model of contemplative spirituality determined to be accessible to the ministry context at Quail Springs. In addressing the problem of community fragmentation at Quail Springs, this model was offered as a means of grace to deepen faith and strengthen relationships in church life at Quail Springs. A pilot group of six women and six men served as the working group for this …

University Reporter - Vol. 04, No. 07 - March 2000, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

University Reporter - Vol. 04, No. 06- February 2000, University Of Massachusetts Boston

1996-2009, University Reporter

No abstract provided.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 20 No. 50, March 15, 1988

Central Florida Future

Students dance for free; Big budget gets too big for SG, SG hires business manager to oversee million-dollar budget; Libertarian stumps for limited government, The Central Florida Future Sex Survey.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 20 No. 49, March10, 1988

Central Florida Future

Board selects new editor for newspaper; Bikes, spokes only business for this campus attraction; GSL deadbeats would like to pay, but can't; Computer viruses spreading Malignant programs eating up memories across U.S. schools.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 20 No. 48, March 8, 1988

Central Florida Future

Working the road for Dad; University should try to mirror Orlando area growth; Students "stop out" Many drop semesters to raise money.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 20 No. 47, March 3, 1988

Central Florida Future

UCF 4th and rising in school tag game; Campus Democrats favor Durakis, Jackson on Tuesday; Time has passed to register for primary; Guest walks with loot Dorm thief claimed to be SAC performer.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 20 No. 46, March 1, 1988

Central Florida Future

UCF union leaving dorm issue lonely for attention; They're not just Book Exchange, this frat is into helping all sorts; Navy coming in May; Arizona blacks recall injustice Students pass out 1962 literacy test given to Miss, blacks; Grads of '88 doing better in job market.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 15 No. 20, February 18, 1983

Central Florida Future

Advisement, O-Team threatened; Compromise on graduation recommended; Black retention program may be axed; Speaker warns blacks to maintain identity (with photo of Na'im Akbar); News Beat: Homecoming committee to organize; UCF alumni funds 23 scholarships; Brainwashing? Ex-Moonie tells experiences, exposes cults' trickery (with photo); Panelists discuss homosexuals' legal rights (with photo); Forum: Compromise is acceptable; Encore: TP: With help from some British friends, Petty returns on another Florida tour (with photo of Tom Petty); China, England tours offered (with photo); Jazz is alive and well at UCF (with photos); Sportsweek: Knights' baseball prepared to spring loose against Tars (with photo).

Central Florida Future, Vol. 14 No. 34, May 28, 1982

Central Florida Future

[Future] Now Weekly Throughout The Academic Year; Senate rejects Perez's appointment; Q & A: Chandler recalls work as SG's executive; Steinbrenner, Bleier to kick- off UCF fund drive; Summer-and life's a beach.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 14 No. 32, May 14, 1982

Central Florida Future

Spring cleaning, University ordered to clean up private landfill site a second time (with photo of pit); Perez pulls Rotter's Student Government posts; Wrestling coach quits, salary not enough (with photo of Mike Aspesi); Future Sound & Vision: The Tube: Looking into the future (with photo); Future Sportsweek: Crew team wins at nationals; Students, staff evacuated from Health Center; Future Opinion: Future begins new year, Traditional values key to editorial policy; Future Letters: The problem with UCF Baseball is...; The bus stops here; A 'childish' idea.

Central Florida Future, Vol. 14 No. 24, February 19, 1982

Central Florida Future

Chandler reinstates charter; $2 million for engineering?; No funds for Women's Week speaker; Future Inside Lines: Navel maneuvers Sunday at UCF (with photo); Secretary drops pen, picks up veil; Chandler changes mind appoints executive adviser; Future Opinion: Offset rising costs of state tuition by cutting private school subsidy.