Digital Commons Network^™

Symphonia Catholica: The Merger Of Patristic And Contemporary Sources In The Theological Method Of Amandus Polanus (1561-1610)., Byung Soo Han

CTS PhD Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation intends to answer, by investigating the merger of patristic and contemporary sources in the theological method of Amandus Polanus, a significant question concerning the way in which the intellectual and methodological eclecticism of the Reformed was able to establish a coherent “system” of thought capable of defense as not only confessional but also orthodox in its theology and broadly catholic, drawing both on the thought of the Reformers and on the resources of the great tradition of Christian thought that extended back to the church fathers. From a methodological perspective, Polanus’s development from the Ramistically-organized doctrinal framework of …

The Cleansing Of The Temple In The Fourth Gospel As A Call To Action For Social Justice, Douglas Thompson Goodwin

MA in Religion Theses

Historically, there has been the attitude that the writer of the Fourth Gospel, due primarily to his emphasis on the high Christology of Jesus, is uninterested, or even unconcerned, with the issues of social justice. The contention of this study is to show that this is just the opposite. By placing the Temple cleansing episode at the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry, instead of the end as the Synoptics do, the author of the Fourth Gospel uses Jesus' Temple episode as the vehicle for showing the importance of caring for those in society who have no voice and no future. …

Learning Together: Integrating Worship, Education, And Personal Devotion At Oakhurst Baptist Church Of Asheboro, North Carolina, Hunter Duncan

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The hypothesis of this project is that an integrated worship experience that engages church members with one biblical concept each week through various interactions will strengthen the community of faith. The ministry experiment sought to accomplish this goal by integrating weekly worship, Sunday School, daily devotions, and an internet-based discussion forum. Data was collected from project participants before the project began, weekly to measure the ongoing impact, and again at the project's conclusion. The results of the project revealed that integrating worship elements does improve engagement with the community of faith and the overall satisfaction with the weekly worship experience.

The Impact Of A Functional Understanding Of The Image Of God On Mission, Gary Hubbard

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to apply the work of biblical scholars regarding the functional image of God to the mission of the Church in order to argue for a comprehensive understanding of mission. By demonstrating continuity between God's creation purposes for humanity and his post-Fall work among his people, this study will seek to demonstrate that the Lord has always desired that his image bearers participate in the missio Dei. Furthermore, by explaining how Christ restores the imago Dei in the Church, this work will show that the mission of the Church is comprehensive, involving active participation in …

Act, Values, And Christian Psychology: A Response To Sisemore, Mark R. Mcminn

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

“Amen, brother” is probably too brief a response for an academic journal, but it would be a fitting summary for my observations of Sisemore’s (2015) article, “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A Christian Translation.” Sisemore demonstrates both a good understanding of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Christian wisdom. Rather than repeating all our points of agreement, I limit my observations to two anecdotes about ACT and Christianity, a few positive reflections regarding Sisemore’s article, and two suggestions for further translation work.

"We Thank God For You" How Thanksgiving Transforms Our Walk: A Study In The Theology Of Colossians, Thomas R. Shepherd

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

United We Stand': A Biblical Perspective On Ecumenical Relations, Gerald A. Klingbeil

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

A Discipleship Program For Developing Community In The Amazing Grace Seventh-Day Adventist Church Plant In Johannesburg, Samuel O. Misiani

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Many believers hunger for a deeper experience with Christ in their spiritual life, but do not know how to go about it. This discipleship and spirituality project was an attempt to discover a model that one could use to develop an authentic community in the ministry context of the researcher. Discipleship is a loving relationship with Christ in which the one whom He calls submits to His Lordship, and makes God’s purpose and glory the sole reason for being. In essence it is about total commitment to the Lordship of Christ, and cooperation with the Holy Spirit in His …

Cyprian The Apologist, Philip Palmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cyprian has not generally been viewed as an apologist of the Patristic era. This study examines whether Cyprian should be considered an apologist under a four-part definition of the term, which coheres with the New Testament uses of apologia and apologeomai and finds expression in the work of the recognized second-century apologists Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Mathetes, Minucius Felix, and Tertullian. It is argued that Cyprian engaged in an extensive program of apologetics characterized by these same four elements.

An Examination Of A.W. Tozer's Life As Practical Applications For Korean Pastors To Combat The Prosperity Gospel, Sin Soo Jeon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In recent years, more Korean pastors are preaching the prosperity gospel in order to pursue quantitative church growth and seem uninterested in companionship with God. However, faithful men, like Aiden Wilson Tozer, always preached the gospel of the Cross alongside an intimate relationship with God. His life and ministry are examples of a true pastor called by God. Like Tozer, pastors in South Korea must discipline themselves to walk with God. The purpose of this thesis is to provide Korean pastors with practical applications for combating the prosperity gospel by building intimate companionship with God in their ministries by examining …

Global Diasporas And Mission, Chandler Im, Amos Yong

Edinburgh Centenary Series

In this volume, we endeavor to view the world through the lens of the global diasporas and their missiological implications in the twenty-first century. Combining both the numbers of their countries of birth and their current places of residence, this work’s 21 contributors represent 13 nations and four continents – Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.

Mission At And From The Margins Patterns, Protagonists And Perspectives, Peniel Rajkumar, Joseph Prabhakar Dayam, I. P. Asheervadham

Edinburgh Centenary Series

It is our hope that these chapters, though fragmentary in nature, will provide glimpses of how the ‘margins’ can both inform and re-form missiological thought as we build further upon what has happened since Edinburgh 1910. These fragments are offered with the hope that they will not only feed and nourish but also provoke hunger for working towards God’s kingdom of justice and righteousness.

Christ And Karma: Mission In The Land Of Theravada Buddhism, Siroj Sorajjakool

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Seeking The Shalom: Wholistic Adventist Urban Mission And Centers Of Influence, Gary Krause

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Missional Models Of A Church For Postmoderns In Urban Contexts, Kleber D. Gonçalves

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Adventist Leadership’S Understanding Of Urban Mission In Africa: Reflections From The Adventist University Of Africa 2014 Cohorts, Rebecca Omwenga

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Authority, Autonomy, And Healthy Communication: Embracing The Organizational Complexities Of The Multisite Church, Jamus Edwards

Great Commission Research Journal

A perplexing matrix-style of leadership that reflects numerous leadership teams across multiple locations typically characterizes multisite churches. As a result, the most volatile element in the multisite church is the distribution of decision-making authority. The unique organizational challenge for multisite churches is determining the balance of trust, freedom, and control in the relationship between each campus’s leadership and the primary leadership team of the overall church. Inevitable frustrations among campus pastors can often be decreased when multisite leadership teams are characterized by clarity in roles and authority. Additionally, responsiveness in the areas of authentic communication and the embracing of conflict …

Book Reviews, Nathan Crawford, Frederick Long, David J. Zucker, Jeremy B. Griffin, Luke Allen, Robert A. Danielson, Ryan K. Giffin, Benjamin D. Espinoza, J J. Henderson, Jeremiah K. Garrett, Steven Lane, Charles Meeks, David Bundy, Robert Baker, Jeff Hiatt

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

'We Thank God For You' How Thanksgiving Transforms Our Walk: A Study In The Theology Of Colossians, Thomas Shepherd

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Theological And Practical Significance Of Health Reform In The Writings Of Ellen G. White, Angel Manuel Rodriguez

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

A Strategy To Share The Gospel With The Hindu Community In The South Kenya Conference, Willys M. Oruta

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Adventist Church in the South Kenya Conference has not developed a strategy to share the Gospel with the Hindu community. The Hindu community is generally looked at as an idol worshipping group. However, this community conducts most of the business in many towns in Kenya. For this reason, they should not be neglected because God wants them to be part of His kingdom. Jesus died for the salvation of the whole world; therefore, a strategy to share the Gospel with the Hindu community is a divine command. In the South Kenya Conference, particularly in Kisii, the Hindu community …

A Strategy To Increase Giving In The South Kenya Conference, Julius M. Bichang'a

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The South Kenya Conference (SKC) was the first to gain conference status in Kenya in 1981. Unfortunately it continues to struggle financially to the point of receiving subsidies from other conferences for its day-to-day operations. The annual stewardship statistical reports for the last 10 years show that the tithe is slightly higher than the offerings. While 14 % of the members return their tithes; only 8 % of them give offerings. This was one of the challenges I was faced with when I was elected as the conference Stewardship Director. This indicates that there is a weak commitment to …

New Member Retention Strategy For The Makoko Church, Yoseph Nyambega Otieno

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The effort made by the Makoko Seventh-day Adventist Church to fulfill the great commission (Matt 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16) through public evangelism is challenged by the constant exodus of newly baptized converts out of the church. The emigration of new members out of the church has a compound effect on the church; it denies the church the opportunity to disciple new converts and discourages church members from continuing to fund public evangelisms as they are considered a waste of resources. When people accept Jesus they also receive eternal life, but when they leave the church they risk forfeiting the gift …

A Strategy To Present The Concept Of Headship: Healing Families In The North Burundi Mission, Ndikubwayo Joseph

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The headship of a husband over a wife is one of the concepts that creates a lot of misunderstanding in some Seventh-day Adventist homes in the North Burundi Mission. This situation has impacted both families and the church. On one hand, a husband believes he is to be strong, that he is the only one who can think logically, and that he should make all the decisions for the household. On other hand, a woman is considered to be weak, and therefore must respect her husband, have babies, and keep quiet. Unfortunately many women show respect out of fear …

Toward A Biblical Model Of Culturally Appropriate Persuasion For The Evangelistic Mission Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Imo State, Nigeria, Aloysius Ntiwunka

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a worldwide denomination, but it is one of the smallest in Imo State, Nigeria, even though 90% of the population is Christian, Protestant and Catholic, with only 2% Muslim. Since most of the population of Imo State is Christian, the common belief in God should open the opportunity to present the unique teachings of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; namely, the message of the Three Angels of Revelation. However, numerous approaches to evangelism do not seem to have been successful in producing changes in the lives of the citizens.

Method. This project document followed a …

Strategy To Develop A Culture Of Biblical Spirituality Among South New South Wales Conference Pastors, Kendell Cobbin

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The majority of the pastors in the South New South Wales Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church work in isolated rural settings. In the past, there has been minimal connection between these pastors, with little sharing of plans, ideas, deeper concerns, or spiritual accountability. This has been compounded by their demanding roles and responsibilities. Such realities have the potential to deplete the spiritual health of individuals.

Method

This project developed, implemented, and evaluated a strategy over a 12 month period that fostered an enhanced intentional journey with God among 18 South New South Wales Conference pastors. The main focus …

A Biblical-Based Strategy For Discipling Women Who Convert To The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Malawi, Alice Abigail Takomana-Luwemba

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

New converts, particularly women, continue to leave the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Some converts experience adverse conditions after joining. Some women are rejected by their significant others: Parents, spouses, or other family members. Some are even banished from the community and often deprived of the joy of bringing up their own children. It seems that the lack of follow-up after baptism is one issue, but many are not spiritually grounded.

Method

In this study, historical, religious, and traditional practices are explored. The library research, interviews, and personal experience formed the basis for the contextualization of the traditional practices. The information …

Developing A Model For Planting Multiethnic Churches In The Diaspora : A Case For Zimbabwean Reverse Missionaries In Britain, Anderson Moyo

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Man Behind The Curtain: Who Is This Covenant Theologian? - Chapter 1 From "Covenant-Making: The Fabric Of Relationship", Marykate Morse

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

No abstract provided.

In The Times Of Elijah And Elisha: The Universal Mission Of God In The Narratives Of The Sidonian Widow And Naaman The Aramean, Sarita Gallagher

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

No abstract provided.