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Constructing A Theological Framework That Revitalizes The Missional Nature Of Churches Of Christ In South Australia, Mark Daniel Riessen

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This thesis addresses the need for a theological framework that revitalizes the missional nature of Churches of Christ in South Australia. The problem identified within this ministry context was a lack of clear theological principles that informed a common understanding of identity for missional engagement. The purpose of the project was to create a study guide that informs common theological commitments and grounds congregations for missional vitality. A research and development team made up of seven Church of Christ ministers from different backgrounds was assembled to design a curriculum that addressed the problem. Through eight two-hour sessions over four months …

Toward Wholeness: Discovering Intimacy With Jesus Through Holistic Healing, David H. Brown

Doctor of Ministry

NPO Statement: Christians longing for inner healing and wholeness along with growing intimacy with Jesus need a confident, competent pathway to follow.

Key Insights from Research: Intuitively true, but still surprising, the top factor for improving someone’s confidence in pursuing their healing and wholeness in a ministry setting is trust of the minister. This factor topped perceived competence of the minister, community support and biblical soundness as other confidence-building factors. Another key insight, this one brought about through my stakeholders, is the importance of telling one’s story, one’s testimony, to help gain trust and grow the confidence of a potential …

Christian Nationalism Among Evangelical Christians Through A Critical Race Theory Lens, Marina I. Rivera Ramos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

In this study, I conducted ethnographic participant observations and semi-structured interviews at two evangelical congregations in central Florida, Free Baptist Church (FBC) and Cornerstone Church (CC), to explore how Christian nationalist ideas (CN) are negotiated, embraced, and/or rejected in church messaging and among congregants. I collected notes from eight sermons at each church and interviewed a total of 14 congregants regarding their concerns and lived experiences as Christians in the U.S. and their opinions on racial injustice. Expanding on previous research on CN, I incorporated Critical Race Theory (CRT) as an analytical framework to understand CN as inextricably connected to …

Predictors Of Trust Between The Southern Baptist Pastor And Congregation, Jared Thompson

Dissertations

Trust is at a low point in American life regarding institutions in general but particularly the church. This study examined the relationship between a Southern Baptist pastor and the congregants that he serves. Specifically, a model was proposed in which perceived consistency between words and actions, perceived warmth, and perceived competence predict trust in the pastor from the congregation. To test this model, a quantitative study with a survey design was performed. A survey was created using a combination of instruments for authentic leadership, behavioral integrity, competence, warmth, and trust. The survey was distributed through digital mediums to Southern Baptist …

“Americanized” Worship In Brazilian Churches, Leon C. Neto

Masters Theses

Motivated by the marketability of high-profile artists and bands, Christian churches worldwide may see the inclusion of profit-driven worship songs as a recruiting tool for their communities. This process of globalization or "Americanization" around the world, propagated by mass media, is yet to be thoroughly investigated. This trend is likely decreasing the use of indigenous styles in Christian worship. The primary purpose of this current study is to produce scientific data suggesting that “Americanized” worship is a trend in Brazil and is affecting the production of indigenous worship repertoire. An online questionnaire was developed and applied to Brazilian worship leaders. …

Leadership Culture: An Effective Leadership Strategy For Church Growth And Spiritual Maturity, Sikiru A. Asifatu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In every organization, leadership culture patterns require a constant assessment to ensure members adhere to corporate practices. In church settings, leadership culture not only creates change but also transforms ministry strategy. Often, church leaders do not perceive culture as the driving force behind effective ministry operations. At Gateway Church, the researcher encountered church growth issues that other ministries struggle with as well, from organizational structure to leadership style. These problems will continue to be a challenge unless the church reinvents an effective leadership strategy focusing on ministry development. This research aims to address the leadership development issue at Gateway Church …

Addressing The Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences Of Adults Through The Pastoral Counseling Ministry Of Victory Church, Joseph Randall Tapp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Dr. Vincent Filetti's landmark 1998 study exposed the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on children and adults. His analysis determined that childhood traumatic experiences could strongly correlate to serious health issues in adults. Exposure to childhood adversity has been shown to correlate not only with mental health issues such as depression, suicide, and substance abuse but also with chronic, life-threatening health issues such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and immune system issues. This DMin study aims to address the impact of ACEs on adult clients of the pastoral counseling ministry of Victory Church, a large non-denominational Christian church located …

The Method Is The Message: Communicating For Individual Behavior Change Toward Disciple Multiplication, Jeffrey Keith Mcdaniel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this ethnographically informed, comparative embedded case study was to understand the lack of disciple-making movements for congregations at three evangelical churches representing the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast of the United States. The theories guiding this study were Latour’s actor–network theory and Bandura’s social cognitive theory as they provide a theoretical framework to understand the influence of culture on the creation of meaning followed by the influence of meaning on individual behavior. The primary research question that guided this study asked, How can a church organization communicate to increase disciple multiplication? To answer this question, a …

A Process For Training In Godliness: A Team Approach To Personal And Spiritual Growth, Kraig Alan Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to address a problem relating to spiritual discipleship within a group of local church men. The men of Heritage Baptist Church may not have a process for training in godliness. The thesis will supply a process for training in godliness, developed by the author and based on numerous streams of thought from the literature with regard to spiritual growth. The thesis will also illustrate hindrances to training in godliness, looking at past and current trends which have stymied spiritual growth, particularly in men. This study will suggest that current methods for training in godliness …

Towards A Model Of Leadership Development: A Case Study Of A Large Evangelical Church In Virginia, Kyle W. Kramer

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Ministry leaders are leaving the vocation in record numbers, largely due to a lack of intentional leadership development or preparedness for the challenges they face. These leaders require a formalized process for developing both the cognitive and behavioral aspects of leading in the local church that authentic and spiritual leadership comprise. The exemplar examined in this case study, recognizing similar challenges, implemented a leadership development process derived from components of both authentic and spiritual leadership. Over the span of just 3 years, the church experienced a nearly 20-point increase in employee engagement, earning them the title of Best Christian Workplace. …

House Church Leaders: A Multisite Case Study, Lance Croy

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine house church leaders in situ within three typologies of home gatherings. Billings (2011) identified three stages of house church formats: (a) Oikos, where the congregants assemble in the home for a complete meal, including the Eucharist; (b) Domus, where the curate renovates and dedicates rooms in their homes for Christian usage; and (c) Aula, where rented facilities house larger gatherings, the liturgy becomes more formalized, and the Eucharist is no longer a full meal (Billings, 2011). House church leaders and congregants sampled fit the three typologies while addressing a gap in …

Burn On, Don't Burn Out: Factors That Promote Longevity In Ministry, Gary William Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Scientific literature in the social sciences is rife with studies on burnout and how this phenomenon affects those in various occupations, especially the helping professions. Clergy members are not immune to the influence and effects of burnout. The rate at which clergy members are affected by burnout is evidenced in the documented shortage of clergy currently serving churches and the paucity of ministers going into ministry. The purpose of this study was not to reiterate the effects of burnout on clergy members, but to discover and to explore those factors which promote longevity in ministry. This study used an …

Realising Contingent Religious Subjects Through Relational Spaces Of Missionary Encounter, Orlando Woods

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This paper explores the ways in which the religious subject can be a contingent position that is responsive to the broader socio-religious context within which it is expressed. These contingencies are acutely observed amongst short-term missionaries (STM), who seek out encounters with difference in pursuit of a more cosmopolitan subjectivity. Yet, whilst spaces of missionary encounter are inherently relational, the missions literature has tended to downplay the effects of relationality on the realisation of these subject positions. By focussing on the experiences of Singaporean missionaries working amongst Christian communities in Southeast Asia, I contribute a more nuanced and less predetermined …

Exploring Strategy Planning And Execution Methods In Church Missions Programs, Jonathan Daniel Deming

Masters Theses

The aim of this thesis is to explore the extent to which church missions programs employ strategic planning and execution methods. In order to validate available literature on the topic of strategic planning (both biblical and secular), the author contributes a current survey dataset which validates the problem and highlights specific areas of potential improvement. This research successfully articulates the need for North American Southern Baptist Convention churches to focus on strategic planning. In analyzing the survey data, one is able to understand the cause-and-effect relationships between successful strategic planning and a church’s ability to optimize their ability to advance …

A Strategic Plan To Grow A Healthy New Church Start, Andrea Bernadette Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the health and spiritual maturity of a new startup church, namely People of Destiny Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PODHDM) and identify ways in which PODHDM can grow spiritually and numerically, in the 21st century. The thesis will supply characteristics of a healthy church from the writer’s viewpoint, and from suggestions by notable scholars. The thesis will also explore hindrances to church growth, looking through the lenses of the church, as well as scholars, and provide insights and strategies to foster healthy church growth. This study will suggest that Sunday sermons are not …

Incorporating Wisdom Christology Into The Phronesis Of Courtyard Church Of Christ, Tiffany A. Dahlman

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to address an identified problem Courtyard Church of Christ members were having with decision-making in a way that promoted shalom and reflected Christ to the world. I proposed that Wisdom Christology could assist in the decision-making process and formed an intervention team of five additional people from within the congregation to explore the situation through participatory action research. We met for six sessions in the early months of 2020. The team embarked on a thorough examination of Wisdom Christology through the Scriptures climaxing in the Wisdom Hymn of Col 1:15–20. Our subsequent collective understanding …

Developing Ethical Training Curriculum For University Short-Term Missions, Elizabeth P. Sutphin

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

This thesis addresses common problems associated with short-term mission (STM) trips and the gaps in existing training materials for these trips. The research throughout this project is designed to inspire community-specific training materials for college students participating in domestic STM trips through their universities. The final chapter of this thesis includes the framework for a sample curriculum to promote sustainable STM work — providing cross-cultural communication techniques and relationship-building tools to avoid harming the communities students seek to serve.

Understanding The Perceived Effect Of Chapel And Discipleship-Group Models In Christian Education, Bailey Humphrey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Jesus’ final command before ascending to Heaven, otherwise known as The Great Commission, is detailed in Matthew 28:19-20. While the overall aim of Christian education is to provide students with an education from a biblical worldview, this education must expand beyond the academics taught in classrooms. Christian education should be equally concerned with making disciples of students who will then go forward to be disciple-makers themselves. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the students’ perceived spiritual effect of chapel and discipleship-group models in Christian education. The data collected analyzed the positive and negative elements of the …

Complete Spring Issue

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Review Of Accept How You Feel: How To Find Balance And Enjoy Freedom From Stress, Robin J. Lewis

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Discipleship And Leadership: The Correlation Between Discipleship And Servant, Transformational, And Shared Leadership In The Marketplace, Daniel E. Gifford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study explored the intersection of Christians in leadership positions who are not in full-time ministerial positions and the transformational nature of discipleship. It focused on determining if a correlation exists between a marketplace Christian leader’s involvement in a discipleship relationship and exhibiting characteristics of servant, transformational, or shared leadership in the marketplace. It did this by examining the concept of discipleship as currently practiced in today’s environment, comparing it with similar terms and practices prevalent in the literature, such as spiritual formation, mentoring, and coaching. It also reviewed three specific leadership styles, arguing that servant, transformational, and …

Exurbanization And Rural Churches In Wright County, Minnesota, Gary A. Goreham

Great Plains Sociologist

The population of many rural communities in counties adjacent to metropolitan areas is increasing through the process of exurbanization. This study used structured interviews, documentary and secondary data, and direct observation to examine the impact of exurbanization in one nonmetropolitan county —Wright County, Minnesota —on the county's churches. The characteristics of natives and exurbanites were compared, their relationships examined, the impact of exurbanites on the county's congregations explored, and implications for church, denominational, and community leaders offered.

Church Planting: Exploring The Actual Experiences And Stories Of Four Church Planters Of The Plant1000 Evangelism Initiative In The North American Division Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Hyveth Williams

Dissertations

Problem. Plant1000 was launched in 2016 by the North American Division (NAD), the fifth largest of 13 divisions of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church. Since then, it has been reported that over 1000 new church plants have been started, but we do not really understand how healthy most of these are, or not. We also do not know what they are actually experiencing in their developing into viable congregations. The focus of this dissertation is the story of four selected church plants that may be able to help us understand those dynamics that, at the moment, are little understood. -- …

Caring For The Soul Of A Pluralistic Army: An Exploration Of Servant Leader Behaviors In Active Duty Chaplains, W. Joshua Grimes

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Army Chaplaincy is charged with the unique and sacred mission to “Care for the Soul of the Army” ─an Army with an increasingly pluralistic culture with respect to religious and spiritual beliefs. The purpose of this study was to explore the presence and degree of servant leadership behaviors in active duty chaplains, as an initial step in discerning the potential of servant leadership as a conceptual framework to help the chaplaincy provide effective pastoral care within a diverse organization. The study used an embedded mixed-methods design to capture quantitative data regarding servant leadership behaviors in 250 individual chaplains …

A Model For Identifying, Developing, And Installing Elders In The Church: The Path Family Church Has Taken, Stephen Harrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that Family Church does not identify, develop, and install their potential elders well. This intervention research project addressed this problem by establishing prerequisites for elder identification, a seven-week elder training workbook, and guidelines for installation after the research project. Current elders at Family Church completed a questionnaire, participated in case studies, and evaluated their intervention project in a focus group to establish an effective method of identifying, developing, and installing potential elders. This intervention research project produced a list of prerequisites for identifying potential elders, a seven-week elder training manual, and clear guidelines for ordaining elders at …

Keeping Culture: An Evaluation Of Organizational Culture In The Multisite Church, Michael John Grayston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to explore the attendee perception of organizational culture, including the communication pathways, vision, and mission in the three common multisite church models: the local franchise model, the national franchise model, and the live teaching model. The study evaluated the attendee perception of the methods and strategies used by the multisite church to create and keep one unique culture in spite of their method, proximity, or demographics. The researcher attempted to evaluate these methods through a survey and face-to-face interviews with multisite church leaders from six different churches representing three different models. The …

Complete Fall Issue

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

The Way Of Jesus: A Leadership Development Journey Within City Church Marietta, Eugene Fidell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The leadership of City Church Marietta has identified the need to create a leadership development process for adult volunteers. This is due primarily to the fact that the church does not currently possess a process that would accomplish this. In addition, there is a lack of understanding amongst the majority of the current volunteer leaders concerning what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus. The research will emphasize the the fact that apprenticeship and leadership are best understood when examined side by side. This research will propose a leadership journey, The Way of Jesus, as the remedy to this …

Implementing A Discipleship Strategy At Open Door Evangelical Church, Samuel Odney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project aims to address the lack of involvement of church members in leadership at Open Door Evangelical Church. With the implementation of a discipleship strategy that will coach those not involved, they will become true disciples of Christ and serve in the church with any ability they have received from the Lord. The researcher will use three different methods for data gathering, including surveys, focus groups, and interviews. Every Member of the church will participate in the survey phase of the project. Still, the bulk of the study consisting of focus groups and interviews will focus on members …

Creating Collaborative Missional Communities To Enhance Church Revitalization, Bradford William Reaves

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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This project utilizes the revitalization efforts of Grace Community Church in Winchester, VA to examine the precedence of collaborative strategies for church revitalization. In this study contemporary literature, theological foundations, surveys of church leaders in the United States, and interviews with collaborative church and ministry leaders from around the United States are evaluated to determine the need for greater collaboration for the health and revitalization of church and ministries. The findings of this research argue that contemporary church growth strategies that emerged from the recent church growth movement may actually inhibit church revitalization efforts …