Digital Commons Network^™

Editorial: Worship Leadership In Action, Hayoung Lim

Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning for Christians in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Full Text

Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning for Christians in Higher Education

No abstract provided.

A Quantitative Study Of The Influence Of Emotional Intelligence On The Ministerial Effectiveness Of Executive Pastors As Scored By Their Lead Pastors., Thomas P. Frisinger

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Over the past two decades, churches have expanded their pastoral staff to include executive pastors (XP) to support lead pastors (LP) by mitigating stress and enhancing effectiveness (Krenz-Muller, 2022; Tidwell, 2020) in finances, facilities, and governmental entities, and staff oversight and development. This study involved an examination of the relationship between the emotional intelligence (EI) levels of XPs, using the TEIQue-SF (Cooper & Petrides, 2010), and their perceived ministerial effectiveness (ME) as assessed by LPs on the Ministerial Effectiveness Survey (MES; Dobrotka & Frisinger, 2024). The aim of the study was to identify any significant correlation between XPs and ministerial …

Discerning The Missional Implications Of Context: A Demographic Study Of Great Falls For The Great Falls Church Of Christ, Matthew C. Burleson

DMin Project Theses

The purpose of this Lipscomb University June 2024 Doctor of Minstry project thesis was to discern the missional implications of GFCC’s (Great Falls Church of Christ) context. Three components comprised the larger purpose. First, the purpose was to survey the mission of God in Scripture with a team made up of members from GFCC. This survey would facilitate the missional aspect of discerning the missional implications. Second, the purpose was to acquaint this team with practices and principles of spiritual discernment. Acquainting the team with these practices would facilitate the discerning aspect of discerning the missional implications. Third, the purpose …

An Evaluative Assessment Of Leadership Retreat As A Spiritually Formative Experience For Leaders Of Campus Churches Affiliated With The Churches Of Christ In Ghana, Frank Obeng Essien

DMin Project Theses

This June 2024 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University examines the Churches of Christ in Ghana are a mission plant. They were planted by two American missionaries, Wendell Broom and Sewell Hall, around 1958. The Churches of Christ in Ghana pursue a theology of ministry which resolves around evangelism, edification, and benevolence. These are often referred to as the “mission of the church.” They represent the holy trinity of activities which was once and for all time delivered to the church in Ghana. Against these, there must be no rival theological focus. Any innovation beyond this risks the …

Protocols For Enhancing The Role And Value Of Spiritual Care Resources In The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Garrett Harper

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the assessment of innovative practices in police chaplaincy. The purpose of the project intervention is to develop protocols that can guide police chaplains through an assessment process. The intervention relies on practical theology as exemplified through the ministry of chaplaincy. This ministry comprises police chaplains offering spiritual comfort to persons encountering critical incidents involving violence, accident, or other trauma-intensive events and situations. Adoption of innovations can allow police chaplains to be more effective in fulfilling many outward-focused tasks such as delivery of death notifications. I conclude that: (1) police chaplaincy is amenable to use of protocols to …

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.

Catalyzing The Kingdom : A Church Staff System For Corporate Spiritual Leadership Formation, Christy J. Lipscomb

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Providing Biblical Knowledge To Women Ages 25–70 To Place Women In Ministry And Leadership Positions In The Church, Evelyn Diane Scott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide biblical knowledge to equip women to assume scriptural roles in church ministry and leadership. The project was conducted at The Word Ministry Church in rural Dallas County, Alabama. The writer reviewed women’s challenges and issues in the Christian community dominated by patriarchal theories. This project provides an overview of the study group and the training criteria for preparing women for ministry and leadership. The goal was to educate women not serving in leadership or ministry positions to obtain biblical knowledge to give them the confidence and support to accept their gift of …

The Role Of Spirituality In The Lives Of Counselors: Reframing The Focus, Greg A. Meyer

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

The term spirituality is often hard to hear without prior, preconceived ideas and bias attached to it, and is often used interchangeably with other words, depending on one’s past and culture. The field of counselor education and supervision has also used the term in ambiguous ways, which has led to apprehension and a lack of clarity with which the term is taught and understood. This paper explains the historical focus of spirituality within the counselor education field, then redefines the focus towards the lives of counselors, but more specifically the lives of counseling students and the impact counselor educators might …

The Prayer Tongue And The Jesus Prayer: The Witness Of Abbot David Geraets, Clyde Glandon

Spiritus: ORU Journal of Theology

To my knowledge Abbot David Geraets (1935–2012) of the Pecos Benedictine Monastery has been the only Christian witness and writer, past or present, to join the practice of the ancient Jesus Prayer and the prayer tongue. He simply says that “repeating the name of Jesus can become a masterful art of glossolalia prayer.” Abbot David’s statement is not found as such in the centuries of Eastern Orthodox literature about the Jesus Prayer. Nor is such a joining found among classical Pentecostal Christians who, while fully familiar with the prayer tongue and with life and power in Jesus’ name, commonly have …

Spiritual Fathering: Does It Really Make A Difference?, Jeffrey A. Jacob

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The importance and impact of having a father in the home is undisputable. Statistics dictate that the effect of fatherlessness on children is devastating. Could it be that having a spiritual father or mother involved in a believer’s life makes a verifiable difference as well? This dissertation will investigate the effects of spiritual fathering as evidenced by the spiritual disciplines of those who identify as having a strong spiritual father or mother. The Apostle Paul said, “Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through …

The Content And Practices Of Spiritual Formation : Determining Best Practices, Patterns, Content, And Delivery Methods For Spiritual Formation In Local Churches In Nagaland, Kedo Peseyie

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Addressing Chaplain Care And Resiliency As Protective Factors To Burnout In Community Chaplaincy, Robin Jonell Ratcliff

Masters Theses

This paper will address Chaplain Care and Resiliency as Protective Factors to Burnout in Community Chaplaincy. There will be a problem stated, literature review covered on the subject, the results of the assessments, scales, and screening used to address burnout. Then the author discusses training and interventions and shows analysis of said training and interventions.

Review Of John Tracy Ellis: An American Catholic Reformer, Michael Sean Winters

The Journal of Social Encounters

No abstract provided.

Contributors

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Doctrinal Development: The Doctrine Of Lesser Magistrates And American Political Theology, Daniel Christopher Samms

Liberty Theological Review

The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate plays a unique role in the development of political theology. While the principle is found in Scripture, the doctrine is developed across church history during catalytic moments in which civil or religious authorities are at odds with Christian convictions. While the principle made developmental strides in the early centuries of Christianity, it was codified in the Magdeburg Confession of 1550, leading to more rapid development throughout the Reformation, and eventually influencing the American War for Independence. This analyzes the development of the doctrine, identifying it as a natural maturation of biblical principles. The doctrine …

Supporting Christian Gen Z Undergraduates Through Life Setbacks By Equipping Spiritual Directors, Brandon Taylor

Doctor of Ministry

The project within this portfolio seeks to help Christian Gen Z undergraduates at Biola University navigate setbacks in a way that fortifies their faith. Both anecdotal evidence at Biola and survey data demonstrate that Gen Z required increased support and intervention when they reached college campuses in the mid 2010’s. The American College Health Association has surveyed hundreds of thousands of Gen Z college students over the past seven years and found as far back as 2016 that 87.1 percent of the 27,787 undergraduate respondents to their Fall 2016 survey said they felt “overwhelmed by all they had to do'' …

Contributor Biographies

Obsculta

No abstract provided.

Formational Living: A Blueprint For Spiritual Formation Within A Virtual Church Community, Darcy Lynn Shepherd

Doctor of Ministry

An opportunity exists to design and develop an educational and experiential spiritual formation website for the virtual E-Church community at The Potter's House to create safe fellowship space, offer formational resources and inspire the community to "Live More Like JesusTM."

Three key insights emerged upon completion of the research: (1) 100% of respondents found The Daily Clay to be a helpful resource to learn more about spiritual formation; (2) 100 % of respondents thought The Daily Clay would be a helpful resource for a church community; and 100% of respondents indicated that they would subscribe to The Daily Clay. Collectively, …

Project Portfolio: Questions Leaders Ask As Modeled By Jesus, Kristy Newport

Doctor of Leadership

For people to be seen, heard, and understood, it is important for a leader to ask good questions. If this does not take place in a small group or within an organization, people do not feel appreciated. Often the result is people leaving a small group or organization. In order to address this need I have wanted to educate organizational leaders in the skill of asking good questions. As a marriage and family therapist I have experienced the power that questions bring. It is my hope to empower organizational leaders with tools for them to connect with those they lead. …

Incarnational Discipleship: Inquiry Into The Need For For Cross-Shaped Discipleship And Cruciform Spiritual Formation In Charismatic Churches In A Post-Christendom Culture, Wayland Henderson

Doctor of Ministry

A synopsis of the Project Portfolio begins with the NPO statement: This Doctoral Project includes a discipleship model to help the Gathering Kingdom Community be spiritually formed through Pentecostal and Orthodox traditions and shows the relationship between prophetic function and discipleship for members to flourish personally and function as witnesses of the Crucified Christ in a post-Christian culture. Key insights that emerged from the research are that the current discipleship models in many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches are disconnected from how the Early Church viewed discipleship and what it means to be a witness to the culture. My ministry context …

Dare To Serve: The Importance Of Servant Leadership To Christian African American Women Ceos Within The Nonprofit Industry, Sheila Tolbert

Doctor of Ministry

African American Christian women CEOs of smaller nonprofit organizations face multiple challenges in developing the necessary leadership skills to ensure their organization’s success including a deficiency in formal leadership training, difficulties in balancing Christian beliefs with leadership responsibilities, and limitations in interacting with boards of directors. The lack of appropriate leadership skills hinders their ability to effectively lead their nonprofit organizations, improve their organization’s performance, and limits career advancement.

The current options for leadership training do not adequately address the challenges and opportunities faced by these leaders. The lack in leadership development results in a deficiency of African American women …

Project Portfolio: Connecting Women With God Through Reflective Spiritual Practices, Victoria Niebrugge

Doctor of Ministry

Although there are various learning offerings within the context of the church, women can experience a disconnect between the head and the heart, between knowing about God and knowing God. The women involved in this study hunger for greater intimacy with God. They attend weekend worship services and weekly church Bible studies. Yet, they say they know there is more of God, desire to know Him more profoundly, and are searching for a deeper relationship with Him.

The roots of the practices used for spiritual formation today are found in the ancient rhythms of the desert mothers and fathers of …

Befriending Doubt: Finding Freedom And Belonging In The Face Of Uncertainty, Jana Koh

Doctor of Ministry

The NPO for this project is as follows: American Millennials (adults aged 25-45) experience a lack of safety and welcome in their communities of faith during a season of spiritual doubt, causing them to disengage from their communities of faith and falling into risk of negative outcomes.

Throughout history, from Galileo to the American Colonies to present day, the church has not handled those who experience doubt in their faith with care, leaving the doubter feeling unsafe or unwelcome in their community of faith. However, a close reading of Scripture reveals that God is not intimidated or deterred by doubt; …

Intergenerational Christian Community: A Vision For Spiritual Formation For All Ages, Robin Pyles

Doctor of Ministry

For decades, American churches have been struggling with shrinking attendance, particularly among young people. An increasingly polarized society that elevates individualism and secularization, along with widespread escalating age segregation, has contributed to this trend. In response to these societal norms, many local churches have defaulted to a primarily age-segregated programming model. This model results in the absence of a sense of community and belonging, and a lack of Christian spiritual formation growth among both youth and adults within the church. This research revealed that creating regular opportunities for meaningful cross-generational interactions that combine shared experiences of play, creative expression, intentional …

Examining The Synergy Between The Marketplace And The Church In Ghana: Strategies For Enhancing Socio-Economic Development, Grace Opuni-Darko

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation explores the complex relationship between the marketplace and Church in Ghana, seeking to identify collaborative strategies that lead to sustainable socio-economic development. The study aims to unravel the complexities of this relationship and identify effective strategies that can foster sustainable growth and development within the Ghanaian context. At the core of this research is an in-depth historical analysis, tracing the evolution of the Churches' role in the Ghanaian economy from colonial times to the present day. This historical perspective provides a critical backdrop for understanding current dynamics and trends. The study employs a multifaceted approach, incorporating both qualitative …

Thin Places: A Six Week Prayer Guide For Experiencing God In Your Everyday, Keith Riley

Doctor of Ministry

My NPO statement is that at Menlo Church, Menlo Park Campus there is a lack of applied knowledge for adults in how to listen to God. My ministry context is at Menlo Church which is a historic presbyterian church set in the highly educated and affluent town of Menlo Park, which is in the San Francisco Bay Area. I began working at Menlo Church in 2019 and found there was a general intellectual knowledge of prayer and spiritual formation. This intellectual knowledge of spiritual formation has been influenced by leadership of John Ortberg as senior pastor, and other voices such …

Spiritual Practices And Artistic Professionals Of Faith, Daniel L. Wilt

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Discipling Young People According To The Shema, Scott R. Ward

Journal of Adventist Youth and Young Adult Ministries

If pastors, teachers, and parents can learn to live and teach the gospel in front of and with our young people on a daily basis during their pre-teen and teenage years, our young people will be much more likely to find and embrace a meaningful personal relationship with Jesus before graduating high school (Barna Group 2023; Williams 2017, 22-24). It is imperative that we do all we can to help our young people develop their own personal relationship with Jesus before they enter the collegiate/young adult developmental stage where they frequently leave home—which often also means leaving their home church …