Digital Commons Network^™

A Strategic Study Seeking To Increase Tithe And Offering At The Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Harlem, New York, Silburn I. Reid

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This doctoral thesis explores the complex relationship between church members and financial giving at the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church. The study aims to understand why members refrain from contributing to tithes and offerings by examining their trust in local church leadership and the denomination at large. The study identifies several underlying reasons for the reluctance to give by using qualitative and quantitative research methods, including surveys, teaching seminars, and participant group observations. These are grouped into three primary themes: transparency, education, and dissatisfaction with church governance. One of the key findings was that the lack of trust in church leadership …

Understanding How The Spiritual Formation Process Has Been Affected In A Post-Covid 19 World, Matthew E. Hunter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The need for community is essential in the life of the believer. Without a solid community, a believer may fall into isolation and even driven away from God instead of closer to Him. Psychologists have stated that community impacts human cognitive and moral development. James Fowler takes this a step further, outlined a believer’s stages of faith compared to human development. These levels of development directly impact the spiritual formation process in the life of a believer and demonstrate the vital role it plays in the believer’s life. Discipleship remains an important tool for helping a believer move through these …

Understanding Dissonance Between Clinical Theory And Christian Principles In Counseling: Equipping Clinically Trained Professional Counselors To Counsel Through A Christian Worldview, Herbert Douglas Geiger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action project focuses on addressing the need for a research-based activity to understand the operational worldviews related to the counseling practices of the counselors at the Abundant Life Counseling Center. With the increasing demand for clinically and theologically informed counseling, the study explored how a counselor's worldview affects faith integration into a clinically based, therapeutic approach. The goal is to equip counselors to provide wisdom through theologically grounded and clinically informed training within a Christian philosophical framework, improve their Christian counseling skills, and reduce dissonance caused by the lack of integration skills in Christian-principled counseling (Prov 29:18). Every Christian-principled …

Biblical Servant Leadership And Physical Therapists' Clinical Decision Making For Breast Cancer Patients After Breast Cancer Surgery: A Correlational Study, Cleve Carter Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to determine whether a relationship exists between physical therapists’ (PTs’) perceptions of their manager’s or director’s application of BSL and the clinical decision-making of the PT when treating patients of varying socioeconomic status (SES) and race after breast cancer surgery (e.g., mastectomy, lumpectomy) in the United States (U.S.). This study utilized case-based vignettes for a patient population seeking skilled physical therapy services after breast cancer surgery within the U.S. healthcare system context. The sample population consisted of PTs from across the U.S. who actively evaluate and treat patients following breast cancer (BC) …

Examining The Relationship Between Biblical Characters And Mental Health: Identifying A Christian's Well-Being, Shanetia Sharie Chapman

Masters Theses

This thesis aims to examine the intersection between biblical texts and mental health within the framework of Christian belief systems. Through a critical analysis of key biblical narratives involving figures who exhibit experiences analogous to contemporary psychological struggles, this study investigates the influence of scriptural interpretation on believers’ perceptions of mental health and their coping mechanisms. By employing textual analysis, the research seeks to evaluate the potential of biblical teachings as therapeutic resources. Ultimately, this thesis aims to contribute to developing culturally and theologically informed approaches to mental health awareness and support within Christian communities.

Living The Text: A Phenomenological And Metacognitive Analysis Of Nehemiah 9 As The Embodiment Of Scripture In The Processing Of Stored Trauma, Dimitrije Stanojevic

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study defends the thesis that Nehemiah 9:5–37 is a sermon with psychotherapeutic qualities, aimed at processing unaddressed and cross-generationally stored trauma. It does so through two modes of interpretation: מְפֹרָשׁ “informing” andשֹׂום שֶׂכֶל “forming.” The sermon is delivered on the Day of Atonement, in the aftermath of a communal Scripture reading in Jerusalem, sometime after the return from the Babylonian Exile. Phenomenological and metacognitive frameworks inform the analysis of the passage as transformative and identity-shaping, grounded in repentance and self-reflection.

This textually rich passage weaves together quotations, allusions, echoes, reinterpretations, and summaries—likely the result of multiple editorial hands. Yet, …

The Meaning And Essence Of Rationalizing Workplace Injustice: A Phenomenological Study, Wendy F. Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The extant literature on organizational justice (OJ) involves employee perceptions of fairness and justice in workplace decisions, outcomes, procedures, and interpersonal treatment. This research examined the dark side of these justice dimensions, including injustice acts of discrimination, bias, and unfair treatment. Workplace injustice is not an uncommon occurrence; however, a different reality emerges as employees are rationalizing their experiences. In this context rationalization involves individuals creating plausible explanations to justify the injustice, making it more acceptable and the psychological processes individuals employ through rationalizing. This qualitative study employed an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) examining the lived experiences of 12 participants. …

Seeing Through The Incense Smoke: Understanding The Meanings Of Ancestral Rites In Vietnam For The Sake Of A Pastoral Approach In Christian Mission, J.P. Cima

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Cima, J.P. “Seeing Through the Incense Smoke: Understanding the Meanings of Ancestral Rites in Vietnam for the Sake of a Pastoral Approach in Christian Mission.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2025. 285 pp.

The veneration of ancestors at family altars has long been a defining feature of everyday Vietnamese life that poses a critical missiological problem for Christian mission in Vietnam. May Christians participate in ancestral veneration rituals? Current and historical responses to this question, among Protestants and Catholics alike, have not been uniform. Moreover, many responses have been based on assumed or oversimplified understandings of the rites’ meaning which recent …

Hoping Forward, Haley R. French

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Full Issue Salubritas, Editors Salubritas

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

No abstract provided.

Hearing God's Word Through Ecclesial Listening, Nathan Burrow

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project dissertation was designed to enhance ecclesial listening when sermons are preached at the Hillcrest Church of Christ. The challenge of listening to the Word of God in a way that forms community is not unique to Hillcrest. It is a common problem for preachers and churches today. Our context, marked by shifts in church membership, societal division, and the isolating effects of digital culture, calls for a renewed emphasis on listening as a church community. This project explores the ways in which we can cultivate practices that encourage ecclesial listening—a way of hearing the preached Word that draws …

A Descriptive Study Exploring The Role Church Leaders Have In Maintaining Liberty Within A Free Republic, Rashad R. Gibson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study explored the assumptions, perceptions, and understood responsibility of church leaders in New England to maintain liberty and virtue in a free republic. The theory that guided this study is transformational leadership, as it emphasizes morality in both the leader and the follower (Burns, 1978; Northouse, 2015). Within the last six decades, the United States Supreme Court has made rulings to remove from public schools, prayer, general Bible reading, and the Ten Commandments (Abington School District V. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203 (1963); Facts and Case Summary - Engel V. Vitale, 1962; Stone V. Graham, …

Raised Military: A Phenomenological Study On Military Upbringing And Recommended Military Parental Practices, Hannah L. Reed

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military children face unique opportunities and challenges associated with their upbringing. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual effects of study participants who experienced a military upbringing and uses their insights to recommend the most effective parenting practices military parents might employ to provide optimal support for their child’s development. The research participants were individuals between 18 to 40 years of age who were raised in a military home in which at least one parent served active duty for a minimum of 20 years and relocated a minimum of three times between birth and 18 …

A Phenomenological Qualitative Study Of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Rural West Virginia, Kristen Shaylee Copenhaver

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe young adults’ experiences with high-functioning ASD and ACE in underserved regions of West Virginia. As ACEs are more prevalent in low-income and underserved communities, it can be essential to focus attention on the autism population and their recollection of the events that occurred, as well as the challenges they have experienced receiving treatment to adequately address their needs in West Virginia. The theory guiding this study was the theory of mind, coined by Premack and Woodruff; This theory focuses on the deficits in a person's mental state (Beaudoin et al., 2020), …

Direct And Mediating Relationships Between Divine Grace, Legalism, And Mental Health, Branwyn H. Mccormick

Senior Honors Theses

Positive psychology has popularized the integration of religious ideas into psychological treatment. According to the literature, the experience of divine grace is correlated with favorable mental health outcomes, whereas legalistic attitudes are correlated with adverse mental health outcomes. It has also been found that the experience of divine grace is a mediator between legalism and mental health. However, the constructs of divine grace and legalism have both been relatively unexplored aside from a few studies using Latter-day Saints (LDS) populations. The current study seeks to analyze relationships between divine grace, legalism, and mental health using a conservative evangelical Christian population. …

The Fear Of Yahweh: Introducing Scripture’S Wisdom Literature For Biblical Counseling, Alexander Lee

Senior Honors Theses

Biblical wisdom literature is one of the most neglected areas of Scripture related to biblical counseling. Biblical counseling is formulated on the sufficiency of Scripture, so a deeper examination of any area of Scripture is sure to enlighten the biblical counselor. Wisdom in biblical counseling was introduced through an examination of the fear of Yahweh. A proper fear of Yahweh connects the counselee with the revelation of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, leading to a transformation of the client’s character toward a flourishing life. An existing case study was examined, highlighting how these findings can be implemented in the …

Strategic Steps Applied Using A Team Leadership Model To Implement A Restructured Leadership Program, Angel Cynthia Gayle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

To fulfil its mission, an organization must operate effectively and efficiently. The role of the organization’s leadership is to implement the most appropriate solution to alleviate the problems. However, when the leadership of the organization itself is the strategic problem, organizational theory is a valuable source to implement as steps are taken to solve the problem. Team leadership was the topic of discussion in this research project. The topic of team leadership was researched with the quest of selecting an appropriate team leadership model for Christians In Action International Network, Inc. in Tamarac, FL. The benefits and values in the …

Exploring The Concept Of Cultural Divinity In Supporting Religious Moderation In Indonesia, Andi Suhardiyanto, Tutik Wijayanti, Hendri Irawan

Jurnal Civics: Media Kajian Kewarganegaraan

As a diverse nation, Indonesia often experiences clashes regarding diversity in life. The culturally embedded concept of divinity is believed to be a driving force in supporting religious moderation in Indonesia. This concept is crucial in religious pluralism in Indonesia, a country with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. This study adopts a qualitative approach through a literature review referencing national and international journals indexed in Scopus. The research findings indicate that maintaining harmony among religious communities and religious moderation serves as a strong foundation. Culturally embedded divinity refers to understanding cultural and religious diversity, a noble heritage of the Indonesian …

Exploring A Collective Grief Experience In The U.S.: Qualitative Findings From Older Parents Whose Only Child Has Died, Yongqiang Zheng, Leslie Wuest, Jeongah Kim, Rebecca Rodriguez

Faculty Publications - College of Social Work

Despite its profound physical and mental health impacts, research on the loss of an only child in later life among older U.S. adults remains scarce. This phenomenological qualitative study explores the lived experiences and meanings older bereaved parents attribute to their loss. Data from 24 participants were collected through written narratives guided by structured questions, and online focus groups. Inductive thematic analysis revealed 6 themes: the enduring intensity of grief, significant secondary losses, feelings of isolation and alienation, the role of social support in coping, and spirituality and religion’s influence on their journey. By amplifying these parents’ voices, the study …

Spanish Conquistadors As God’S Chosen People: The Role Of Biblical Metaphor In Angélico Chávez's Recounting Of Southwest History, Nicholas L. Chavez

International Journal of the Linguistic Association of the Southwest

This study presents a critical discourse analysis of Fray Angélico Chávez’s My Penitente Land: Reflections on Spanish New Mexico through a cognitive linguistic lens based on Hawkins’s notion of iconographic reference. A metaphor analysis first identifies Chávez’s framing of New Mexican history as biblical narrative, mapping Old Testament stories, locations, and characters onto Spanish colonial events. The iconographic reference analysis then demonstrates how this metaphor functions discursively: a biblical iconographic frame of reference allows Chávez to create a biblically-based heirarchy which maps onto Spanish–Indigenous relations, positioning Spaniards as a chosen people and implicitly justifying colonial atrocities by aligning Indigenous groups …

Exploring Spiritual Leadership Theory's Beneficial Member Outcomes By Women Who Founded And Lead Nonprofit Evangelical Christian Organizations, Barrie Milton Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem under investigation has two facets: the lack of testing the Spiritual Leadership Theory (SLT) in religious organizations and the lack of any study of Christian women who lead the nonprofit evangelical ministry organization or the classical Christian education (CCE) school they founded or cofounded. This qualitative phenomenological study addressed this problem by exploring the phenomenon of beneficial member outcomes from SLT’s practice by these women who lead those Christian organizations. The literature review includes SLT’s compatibility with Christian leadership and an extensive analysis of the biblical, theological, and historical literature concerning the leadership role of women in the …

Created To Be Slaves: Reexamining The Doctrine Of Original Sin, William Daniel Gamble

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the earliest debates in the church was over the nature of Sin, its transmission to subsequent generations, and its effects upon man’s nature. Two terms, “sin nature” and “original sin,” have become the prevailing terminology, yet there remains debate concerning the meaning or appropriateness of these terms. This discussion will examine and assess the doctrine of Original Sin through the prism of the metaphor of slavery as found and utilized throughout the OT and NT. Ancient Slavery, in its various forms, serves as the background for understanding the idioms and metaphors employed concerning the power and role of …

The Development Of A Men’S Ministry At Remnant Church To Foster The Spiritual Leadership Development Of Men To Provide Leadership For Family, Church, And Community, Anthony L. Herron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem this student seeks to address is that the Remnant Church in Midwest City, Oklahoma, does not have a men's ministry to develop men as spiritual leaders. The Remnant Church is a non-denominational church focused on growing and developing people to become more like Jesus Christ. The men of the Remnant Church do not meet regularly for discipleship or fellowship.

The men of Remnant Church are not organized to provide a network of support for men. Men need a support network within the church to develop spiritually. Men need a forum for discussing men's issues, such as leading in …

The Heart Of The Matter: Prioritizing The Mental & Emotional Wellbeing Of Pastoral Leaders, Ashley M. Herron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastoral leadership is a unique and peculiar leadership vocation. It is unique and peculiar in its expectation that those in the pastoral leadership vocation should operate in multiple roles. It is also particularly unique in its experience of occupational stressors. The pastoral vocation is considered by many to be the single most stressful occupation in the United States and perhaps around the world (Thordarson, 2022). Although pastoral leaders are experiencing mental and emotional stress and distress at high rates, they are not seeking help at the same rate. Research indicates that pastoral leaders are reluctant and slow in pursuing care …

The Phenomenological Study Of Women Mentoring Younger Women: A Titus 2 Action Research Project, Shannon Bludworth

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Though church attendance is down, women still comprise the largest percentage of churchgoers. With the decline in church attendance, a decline in programs for women has ensued. Nevertheless, the continued need for mentoring women remains the same. This DMIN action research aims to address this need and develop a mentorship program where mature women mentor younger women in their continued personal spiritual growth. This research project includes a training seminar for the mentors, a six-week Bible study for the mentees, and six weeks of one-on-one mentoring, during which the mature women mentor the younger women in their faith. Triangulation of …

Incorporating Families Experiencing Disabilities Into The Rhythm Of Small Groups At Saturn Road Church Of Christ, Robby John

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addresses the critical gap in the inclusion of families experiencing disabilities within small groups at Saturn Road Church of Christ. The primary aim is to develop a curriculum that raises awareness among small group leaders about this significant issue. To provide a theological reflection on the necessity of such a venture, I explored the topic through the lens of four theological pillars: the image of God, the incarnation, ecclesiology, and eschatological hope. This exploration revealed several key themes that serve as foundational building blocks for the awareness curriculum. Ultimately, the final artifact is an awareness curriculum designed to …

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 …

Leadership Emergence And Factors Preventing Emergence Of Elders In The Churches Of Christ In The Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, Francis Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the persistent absence of formally appointed elders in five Churches of Christ within Teshie in the Ledzokuku municipal assembly, Ghana, despite these congregations’ existence for over two decades. The research seeks to critically examine the factors contributing to the inability of long-serving leaders to align with biblical qualifications. Utilizing a case study methodology, the research examines leadership emergence within the congregations, exploring the discrepancy between tenure and adherence to scriptural standards, and emphasizing the causes and implications for leadership effectiveness and spiritual integrity that facilitate or obstruct the ordination of elders. The study employs a qualitative research …

Conforming To The Image Of Christ: Addressing Spiritual Immaturity Utilizing Strategic Bible-Based Pastoral Counseling In A Rural Church Context, Leonard Carpenter Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Strong and healthy churches are made up of strong and healthy disciples. The ministry context for this qualitative action research project was the Saint Mark Missionary Baptist Church, a predominately Black congregation located in the Pea Ridge community of Brewton, Alabama. The problem was some members at Saint Mark engaged in spiritually immature actions that evoked immature reactions which yielded unhealthy relationships. To address the problem, the researcher developed and implemented the “Strategic Bible-Based Pastoral Counseling Program” (SBPCP), a strategic Christian ministry that provided participants one-on-one pastoral counseling opportunities for the purpose of building up spiritually healthier Christians. SBPCP consisted …

An Explanatory Study Of Toxic Leadership And Servant Leadership Related To Organizational Culture And Behavioral Trust, Daniel Timothy Thames

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto correlational study was to determine if a relationship exists between followers’ perceptions of toxic leadership and servant leadership as they relate to organizational culture and behavioral trust as measured by the Toxic Leadership Scale (TLS), the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (SL-7), the Organizational Culture Scale (OCS), and the Behavioral Trust Inventory (BTI). Toxic leadership was evaluated through the framework of Padilla et al.’s (2007) toxic triangle and Thoroughgood et al.’s (2012) susceptible circle of followers of toxic leaders. Exploring the theoretical context of toxic leadership, this project studied the effects of toxic leadership …