Digital Commons Network^™

Church-Based Qualitative Research, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

Qualitative research is collecting, analyzing, and interpreting subjective data to answer an important research question. It can be contrasted with quantitative research, which focuses on collecting numerical (relatively objective) data to test specific hypotheses. It is an attractive form of research in church contexts because it does not require training in statistics and can be conducted in almost all ministry settings. It is especially appropriate for topics that are under-researched, poorly understood, or involve concepts that are difficult to measure. Common problems associated with church-based qualitative research include overly broad research questions, weak descriptions of what has been observed, shallow …

My Pilgrimage In The Growth Of The Church, Charles Van Engen

Great Commission Research Journal

I have lived a life invested in the growth of the church and forming leaders who would mobilize the church toward growth. I have sought to pay forward what others did for me. Born of missionary parents, I was raised in the state of Chiapas, in southern Mexico. From 1973 to 1985, my wife, Jean, and I served the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico in Chiapas, Mexico, in leadership formation, training evangelists, pastors, and teachers of rapidly growing churches. In 1981, I received a Ph.D. in missiology under Johannes Verkuyl at the Free University of Amsterdam. I taught Mission Theology …

How Did We Get Here? Examining 70 Years Of The Church Growth Movement By Todd Wilson, Mike Morris

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Outside The Church Walls: An Empirical Exploration Of Organizational Culture And Pastoral Leadership In Two Urban Churches, Althea P. Gordon-Scott, Joshua D. Henson, Bethany D. Peters, Katrina Hutchins

Great Commission Research Journal

A mini-ethnographic case study explored the interconnections of organizational culture and pastoral leadership with sustainable outreach in two very different churches that focus on ministry to people with life-controlling issues and economic need: a small, primarily Black church in the Great Lakes region and a large, primarily White and Hispanic church in the western United States. Despite their differences, the churches shared similar espoused values and leadership characteristics that facilitated their outreach initiatives. Themes derived from the data include altruistic foundations, the value of relationships, exemplary pastoral leadership, organizational challenges, agile organizational systems, and the centrality of God.

Formed Together: A Value-Based Model Of Mutual Spiritual Formation For Pentecostal Pastors And Churches Under 500, W. T.A. Mcmillan

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28) is both a warning and an invitation. It insists that the pastor's inner life and the congregation's shared life cannot be pulled apart without doing damage to both. This dissertation grows out of that conviction and out of years of pastoral ministry in Pentecostal churches where the pressure to perform often overwhelms the slow work of being formed. It asks a simple but searching question: How do Assemblies of God pastors serving congregations under 500 in attendance understand the connection between their own spiritual health and the spiritual …

Church Revitalization In A Southwest United States Retirement Community Church: A Case Study, Donald L. Fraser

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Eighty percent of churches in the United States are either plateaued or declining. Across all denominations, as many as 7700 churches permanently close their doors each year. Pastors of once-vibrant churches transition to survival mode rather than continuing to build their churches. However, there are bright spots where a declining church reverses the downward trend and begins a renewed cycle of growth. This case study examined church growth and revitalization of Southwest Community Church (the name has been changed to protect the identity of the participants), a revitalized church in a dedicated retirement community. For this research, revitalization has been …

A Brief History Of Canadian Pentecostal Women: How Did They Overcome The Obstacles?, Carmen Ramirez

Consensus

The rise of Canadian Pentecostalism created unique opportunities for women to navigate structural patriarchy and achieve leadership. Tracing historical developments from early twentieth-century origins to an ethnographic study of a female-led Latina congregation in Toronto, the analysis demonstrates how Holy Spirit empowerment, pneumatological authority, and practical theological adaptations enable women, particularly marginalized Latinas, to overcome institutional obstacles.

On Thursdays, We Wiggle, Beth Evers

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

Churches of all stripes, including Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant, and non-denominational churches, have early childhood learning centers (sometimes called daycares, preschools, or child development centers) as part of their ministry profiles. Many of these churches are missing an important opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ by not intentionally ministering with the children and adults of their early learning centers.

In September 2019, University United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, began a worship gathering specifically designed for the infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and adults of their Child Development Center. While the specifics of University UMC’s decision to begin Wiggle …

The Neo-Monastic Invitation : A Rule For Church Multiplication In South Georgia, Andrew Robert Anderson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Clergywomen, Cliftonstrengths, And Spiritual Formation : A Leadership Development Study In The Kentucky Annual Conference, Tamara H. Coleman

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Witness Beyond Technique: Gospel, Conversion, And The Moral Formation Of The Church, Christopher Flanders

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

Technique, efficiency, and measurable outcomes typically govern contemporary Western approaches to evangelism. Such approaches presume a thin account of the gospel, a punctiliar understanding of conversion, and an instrumental view of the church’s witness. This article argues that these assumptions represent not merely pragmatic missteps but theological distortions. Drawing on Scripture, historical theology, missiology, and practices of Christian initiation, I contend that evangelism is best understood as ecclesial witness oriented toward the moral formation of persons and communities under the reign of God. Conversion, on this account, is not a discrete decision secured through persuasive technique but a transformative journey …

Creating An Adaptable Discipleship Training Guide To Address The Absence Of Young Adult Ministry Leaders At Church A, Braeden Fleck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This guide was designed to address a lack of young adult ministry leaders within the researcher’s local church. This thesis project serves as a witness to the development and implementation of an adaptable discipleship training guide. The project proclaims that a flexible discipleship curriculum is the key to cultivating spiritual formation in young adults, specifically those belonging to the Z generation. The primary strategy behind implementation was to use short term intervention through a period of five consecutive weeks to assess spiritual growth of young adult congregants who attend a hybrid satellite church campus. The research project was catalyzed by …

A Phenomenological Study Of Pastoral Perspectives Of Conservative Churches Effectively Serving The Disability Community, John D. Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored the experience of pastors leading conservative churches engaging with and serving persons with disabilities and their families. It focused on six theologically conservative churches providing special needs ministry, with at least three distinct scheduled ministry opportunities staffed by lay leadership, meeting a minimum of quarterly, and overseen by a paid staff member. This research sought to understand the perspectives of the pastors leading these churches, focusing on their personal experiences with disability, vision implementation, and leadership development. This study explored these pastors’ leadership through the lens of Transformational Leadership Theory and whether their style demonstrates transformational …

The Development And Leadership Implementation Of Strategies Promoting Church Health In The Presbytery Of The Central West, New South Wales, Australia, Mark S. Armstrong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Churches in the Presbyterian rural landscape have plateaued or are in decline. Little research has been done to address the causes and provide strategies for remediation. This study examines this problem in the Presbytery of the Central West, New South Wales, Australia. The purpose of the project is to identify factors causing church decline in rural areas and develop revitalization strategies for ministers and elders across the Presbytery. The research consists of two layered responses. The first layer identifies factors causing church decline and develops five strategies suitable for implementation. The second layer utilizes Mezirow’s transformative learning framework to …

Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy For Careful Confidence, Thomas C. Farley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a subtle confusion between the objectives of evangelism and apologetics, leaving Open Door Baptist Church (ODBC) seniors unknowingly ill-equipped and intimidated to defend their Christian values. The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry research was to address that intimidation by training seniors in a dedicated faith-values curriculum to become confident apologetic communicators. The intervention leveraged the process of intergenerational values-sharing while training stakeholders to develop their own faith narratives by seamlessly integrating biblical values with relevant apologetic particulars into personal stories to be shared with their grandchildren. In this environment, participants could develop a personal faith narrative that …

Book Review: The Unwavering Pastor: Leading The Church With Grace In Divisive Times By Jonathan Dodson, Jordan Ickes

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Developing A Church Growth Strategy For Church Revitalizations In Suburban Communities Within The U.S. Assemblies Of God, Thomas A. Galban

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Suburban communities are experiencing demographic and socioeconomic shifts that have presented challenges for the local church. These changes have correlated with the decline and plateau of many suburban churches within the U.S. Assemblies of God. This dissertation explores which successful models of church revitalization can be adapted, learned from, and created for suburban church contexts within the U.S. Assemblies of God. Using a qualitative research approach utilizing interviews, this study examined seven suburban churches and the pastors who successfully led through a revitalization process. Each pastor was interviewed concerning their leadership approach, strategies that were employed, contextual realities, funding models, …

Haitian Protestant Leaders’ Perceptions Of Social Media Use For Discipleship, Cherubin Dorcil

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This qualitative descriptive study explores how Haitian Protestant church leaders in a large urban area of the northeastern United States describe the influence of their use of social media on promoting discipleship. The study addresses a gap in understanding how digital ministry practices are interpreted within Haitian Protestant diaspora contexts and how these practices inform both theory and ministry application. Using a qualitative descriptive design, data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 Haitian Protestant church leaders selected through convenience sampling. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis, which resulted in the identification of five primary themes: social media as …

Digital Discipleship And Whole-Person Flourishing: A Mixed-Methods Study At Celebration Church, John W. Wyatt

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This study examines how digital participation influences whole-person flourishing within the context of Celebration Church, a contemporary American megachurch, addressing a critical gap in empirical research on digital discipleship and its theological implications. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, quantitative data from the Barna ChurchPulse survey compared in-person and online participants, while qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with leaders from eighteen American megachurches were analyzed thematically. Findings indicate that flourishing outcomes are largely comparable across digital and in-person cohorts, challenging assumptions that embodied participation is inherently superior for spiritual formation; however, statistically significant differences emerged in leadership involvement, serving, and engagement …

Patterns, Pressures, And Pathways : An Ethnographic Study Of Discipleship In Nepali-Speaking Immigrant Churches In The United States, Ram Kumar Budhathoki

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Review Of Becoming A Missionary Church: Lesslie Newbigin And Contemporary Church Movements. By Michael W. Goheen And Timothy M. Sheridan., S. Slade Hogan

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

Review of Becoming a Missionary Church: Lesslie Newbigin and Contemporary Church Movements. By Michael W. Goheen and Timothy M. Sheridan.

A Roadmap For Equipping Saints For The Work Of Ministry At Sugar Land Church Of Christ, Lewis Anthony Parker Iv

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to create a roadmap for a process that invites and equips saints at Sugar Land Church of Christ to work in ministry. As part of the research process, a design team was empaneled and met for eight sessions, during which participants offered valuable insight into Sugar Land’s ministry context. This data informed the final roadmap. Ephesians 4, which discusses the importance of every member getting involved in ministry, serves as the foundation of this project. The work of every member is for the edification of the entire group, and the calling and gift of …

A Brief History Of The American Society For Church Growth And Great Commission Research Network, Gary L. Mcintosh

Witness

No abstract provided.

The Receptivity Principle For Effective Evangelism: Its Biblical Basis, Mike Morris

Witness

No abstract provided.

Ministry Through Agriculture : An Evaluation Of Community Farming Among Displaced People, Emmanuel Jatau

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Discovering An Effective Disciple-Making Method For Men, Clifton J. Hefley

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This dissertation explores the development of an effective disciple-making method for men by integrating insights from early church discipleship practices and modern missional strategies such as Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and Church Planting Movements (CPM). Rooted in biblical theology and the teachings of the Patristic Fathers, the study evaluates how obediencebased, relational discipleship shaped early Christianity and compares it with contemporary missional frameworks promoted by leaders like David Garrison, Alan Hirsch, and Steve Addison. Against the backdrop of a sharp decline in church attendance and male engagement in Western Christianity, this research identifies the need for a reproducible, movement-oriented model …

The Receptivity Principle For Effective Evangelism: Its Biblical Basis, Mike Morris

Great Commission Research Journal

Donald McGavran’s receptivity principle remains relevant today as Christian mission agencies and individuals make decisions about prioritizing evangelistic efforts. This article examines the scriptural basis of the principle. The author analyzes various passages that confirm the logical progression of the following statements: The preliminary work of God is necessary for evangelistic effectiveness. God works unevenly around the world as he works in the evangelistic process. Because of God’s uneven work, some individuals and groups are more receptive to the gospel than are other individuals and groups. Christians can and should discern where God is causing increased receptivity, and they should …

A Brief History Of The American Society For Church Growth And Great Commission Research Network, Gary Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

This article surveys the 40‑year history of the Great Commission Research Network, originally founded in 1985 as the American Society for Church Growth. It traces the Society’s origins in the vision of C. Peter Wagner, its early development alongside emerging academic and consulting roles in the Church Growth Movement, and its subsequent evolution through changing leadership, themes, and institutional partnerships. The narrative outlines major milestones, including organizational restructuring, name changes, expanding conference formats, and increasing collaboration with seminaries, denominations, and the Society for Church Consulting. Across four decades, the Society has produced significant research, cultivated key leaders, supported academic scholarship, …

About The Great Commission Research Network Fall 2025, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Concordia Seminary Magazine Summer 2025, Vicki Biggs

Concordia Seminary Magazine

Bearing Witness to the Truth