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Young People And Full Time Pastoral Ministry In The Church Of Pentecost U.S.A., Inc, Frank Asirifi
Young People And Full Time Pastoral Ministry In The Church Of Pentecost U.S.A., Inc, Frank Asirifi
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The shortage of young pastors to replace the aging and retiring pastorate is an alarming reality confronting Christian churches regardless of location, size, and denomination. This research project's primary objective was to explore the factors discouraging young Christian adults born in the United States of America from responding obediently to God's call into full-time pastoral ministry and create corporate awareness of the holistic nature of the problem and seek a collaborative solution plan to motivate young Christian adults to obey God’s call into full-time pastoral ministry. The project focuses on young American-born adults in the ministry context of The Church …
Characteristics Of Growing Churches In Estonia: A Qualitative Study, Ago Lilleorg, Kaido Soom, TõNu Lehtsaar
Characteristics Of Growing Churches In Estonia: A Qualitative Study, Ago Lilleorg, Kaido Soom, TõNu Lehtsaar
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe
This is an overview of the characteristics of growing churches in Estonia. The study is grounded in semi-structured interviews conducted in 2019-2020 in nine Protestant congregations that have grown in 2003-2017. There were three to four interviewees from each congregation, a total of 14 being women and 18 men. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed by combining both the open and the invivo coding model. No prescribed categories were used in the analysis. The results were formulated as characteristics of growing churches: spiritual life; inner climate; human focus; the minister of the church; relationships outside the church; and a …
Palestinian Evangelical Christian Music In Bethlehem, Israel/Palestine, Abby Smith
Palestinian Evangelical Christian Music In Bethlehem, Israel/Palestine, Abby Smith
Senior Honors Theses
Often the story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is portrayed as Jewish vs. Muslim, Hebrew vs. Arab. There is little room in the international dialogue for minorities such as Arab Christians. Though Palestinians have a rich culture of Arabic musical and poetic heritage, they are unable to produce their own new songs. In this study I interviewed three members of Immanuel Evangelical Church on their experiences and opinions on local Christian worship. The findings show that Palestinian Christians may feel unable to write worship music because of a prevalent feeling of inadequacy and a lack of musical training. I propose several …
Making A Safe Space For Young Adults, Pivot Nw Research
Missional Social Media: Content And Strategies For Missions Organizations, Kathryn Larson
Missional Social Media: Content And Strategies For Missions Organizations, Kathryn Larson
Senior Honors Theses
Technology can be used in amazing and creative ways to spread the gospel and create community across borders. The Apostle Paul used the communication tool of his time, letters, to communicate with churches from a distance. Today’s tools include social media which, when used properly and with intent, can positively influence an organization in the name of the gospel. Missions organizations have an incredible opportunity to use strategies and content to create a viable social media ministry. Theories such as the Community Development Theory and various reception theories contribute to an understanding of two-way communication and engagement between organization and …
Exploring Missional Partnership Practices Between The Littleton Church Of Christ And Her Peruvian Missionary Partners Through Dwelling In The Word, Justin L. Thompson
Exploring Missional Partnership Practices Between The Littleton Church Of Christ And Her Peruvian Missionary Partners Through Dwelling In The Word, Justin L. Thompson
Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations
This Doctor of Ministry thesis presents the results of a project in which twelve individuals from two churches on two continents (North and South America) came together via video conference to explore missional partnership practices. These two churches connected through a common missionary and utilized a spiritual discipline called Dwelling in the Word to cultivate relationships, thereby creating a pathway to shared discovery of partnership practices. The problem I identify at the beginning regards transactional partnership, which commonly propels churches toward relationships that treat the other as unequal partners through unilateral, top-down interactions. In response, I present a perichoresis-inspired …
Activity Of Evangelical Baptist Christians In Ukraine (1991-2021), Hnat Mierienkov, Mykhailo Fedorenko, Serhii Makarchuk
Activity Of Evangelical Baptist Christians In Ukraine (1991-2021), Hnat Mierienkov, Mykhailo Fedorenko, Serhii Makarchuk
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe
The religious movement of Evangelical Baptists is the largest in terms of the number of believers in the Ukrainian Protestant community. The review of missionary activity and social projects of this denomination presented is an outline of the key areas of work of Evangelical Baptists in Ukraine. The largest number of Protestant educational institutions in Ukraine belong to the Baptists. All Baptist educational institutions can be divided into two types: 1) general preparatory programs of state institutions (kindergartens, schools, institutes, educational centers), and 2) theological seminaries, which aim to train ministers to meet the spiritual needs of the church. Baptist …
Pastoral Leadership Strategies For A Multisite Church In A Small Church Setting In The African American Community, Lionel Reynard Catchings
Pastoral Leadership Strategies For A Multisite Church In A Small Church Setting In The African American Community, Lionel Reynard Catchings
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
There are many mega churches that are moving to multisite facilities. This project focuses on the small church that wishes to establish multisite facilities to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. The project will provide a guide for small churches who may desire to embrace multi worship sites for their congregations. It will identify strengths of small churches and the challenges they face when they seek to found multisite churches, and ultimately demonstrate that small church multisite facilities are possible and feasible. This project will also validate the importance of teamwork in recruiting, enlisting and training volunteers for multisite responsibilities. …
Shared Oversight: Equipping Elders To Shepherd The Flock, Eric Michael Hartman
Shared Oversight: Equipping Elders To Shepherd The Flock, Eric Michael Hartman
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Leadership structures vary greatly across various faith traditions, but how much flexibility is biblically warranted? Far from being silent, the Bible is descriptive and prescriptive with regard to a plurality of leadership within a congregation. These elders, also called overseers, are to shepherd the flock (Acts 20:17, 28). The problem is that there is often lack training to that end. This study constructed a process for training elders and/or potential elders within a congregation to better understand the nature of plurality and parity of those tasked with caring for God’s people. The four training sessions covered the following: (1) The …
Understanding And Equipping Female Leadership At Prosperous Temple Church Of God In Christ, Jonathan R. Hackett
Understanding And Equipping Female Leadership At Prosperous Temple Church Of God In Christ, Jonathan R. Hackett
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Debates on whether women qualify to take up church leadership have persisted over the years. In 2016, there was an instance in Alabama where a woman was appointed as the assistant pastor of a church. Within three months of her service, the number of congregants dropped. Efforts by the church management to unravel the cause of the decline revealed that a majority of the people, particularly women, who canceled their church attendance were uncomfortable with women taking up leadership positions. The case informed this research, which will use the case study of Prosperous Temple Church of God in Christ. The …
Challenges On The Mission Field: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Experience And Impact Of Traumatic Events On Christian Missionaries, Julie Nixon
Theses
There is a long and rich, albeit at times complex, history of Australian Christian mission work abroad. Missionaries have been motivated to enter the field by a desire to support the local church and other indigenous communities to attain a range of social, economic, and socio-developmental improvements for individuals and groups alike. However, this work is not without risk for the missionaries, especially when exposed to traumatic events and experiences that may adversely affect their physical, psychological, and or spiritual health and well-being. Understanding the impact of such experiences from the missionaries' perspective is important, particularly in the context of …
The Decline Of Ministry Participation And Leadership Amid Black Males In The Worthington Missionary Baptist Church In Houston, Texas, Joseph Ray Davis
The Decline Of Ministry Participation And Leadership Amid Black Males In The Worthington Missionary Baptist Church In Houston, Texas, Joseph Ray Davis
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This DMin thesis project sought to address the decline of male participation in ministry leadership at the Worthington Missionary Baptist Church (WMBC) in Houston, Texas. Not only are males absent from many church congregations, but those that do attend church services tend to be seemingly content with the female populace leading an abundance of church ministries. This research study accessed rationales prompting male withdrawal and then ascertained how to restore balance to the initial design of God at WMBC. Assessment tools of questionnaires, surveys, and one-on-one interviews were utilized to gain insights from 10 WMBC males between the ages of …
A Project To Implement A Missional Development Program Within The Sandy Creek Baptist Association Of Illinois, Robert Thomas Kean
A Project To Implement A Missional Development Program Within The Sandy Creek Baptist Association Of Illinois, Robert Thomas Kean
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The following dissertation will present the issue of declining membership and baptisms over the past fifty years in Sandy Creek Baptist Association of Illinois, (SCBAI). This study will show the need for collaboration by the Association members to address this issue and encourage the members to consider spiritual formation towards vitality. The study will include surveys seeking pastoral input, Director of Missions input, and membership of the SCBAI input regarding missional endeavors in local ministries. A plan toward new missional goals in the churches of SCBAI and in the local communities will be discussed. The goal of the project is …
Religion In Latvia After The Fall Of The Soviet System: Fragmentation And Postsecularism, Valdis Tēraudkalns
Religion In Latvia After The Fall Of The Soviet System: Fragmentation And Postsecularism, Valdis Tēraudkalns
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe
"The purpose of this article is to analyze changes that religions in Latvia have experienced since the collapse of the USSR. This is too broad of a topic, therefore I will concentrate on only two aspects, fragmentation of religious groups and postsecularism."
Megachurches Can Have Mega Problems - Insights From Toxic Leadership In Modern Megachurches, Brandon Billings
Megachurches Can Have Mega Problems - Insights From Toxic Leadership In Modern Megachurches, Brandon Billings
Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects
The Christian megachurch is a relatively recent phenomenon, championing new ideals and theological practices for faith communities around the world. Megachurches, by definition, are Christian churches that consist of over a thousand attendees. Most megachurches are independent from a denomination – a characteristic that brings a multitude of advantages as well as challenges. One specific challenge for megachurches is the problem of potential abuse by pastors that are characterized by toxic and destructive leadership. In recent years, many Christians, as well as non-Christians, have been shocked by the number of megachurch pastors revealed as bullies, narcissists, or sexual assailants. Although …
Universal Leadership Model, Derwin Lamont Hickman Sr
Universal Leadership Model, Derwin Lamont Hickman Sr
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Great Commission is the call of Jesus to his people to go out into the world and make disciples. The universal leadership model presents an opportunity for disciples/leaders to step up and fulfill the Great Commission. The church should be involved in discipleship training, outreaches and supporting the issues that are aligned with Christian ideology and important to people in the communities they serve. An effective universal leadership model should include diversity, training, desired change, accountability and effectiveness of change. In so doing, the church can then find parishioners within the church who may be transformed into disciples/leaders and …
Friendship Projects Within Embargo: Peacemaking And Power Between Us And Cuban Quakers 1987-2019, Jade Souza
Friendship Projects Within Embargo: Peacemaking And Power Between Us And Cuban Quakers 1987-2019, Jade Souza
University Honors Theses
This paper analyzes Quaker friendship projects between US and Cuban Quakers within the embargo period, with friendship construction being looked at as creative act within a contact zone. How are these intercultural friendships formed and sustained within communities from two countries in conflict? How do they relate to larger social dynamics such as intractable conflict and tourism? How do the friendships change the dynamics within these communities? Two examples of friendship projects are looked at in terms of the strategies they employ to navigate the dynamics of conflict and social inequality between the two states.
Smooth Transitions: An Examination Of Succession Planning And Leadership Continuity Among Directors And Associate Directors Of The Potomac Conference Corporation Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Fred-Richard T. Warfield
Smooth Transitions: An Examination Of Succession Planning And Leadership Continuity Among Directors And Associate Directors Of The Potomac Conference Corporation Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Fred-Richard T. Warfield
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Far too many organizations fall short of the strategic task of succession planning. The absence of satisfactory solutions in this area stifles the ability of an organization to achieve its mission and vision. Lack of planning in this area also contributes to a negative impact on overall morale, staff performance, and effectiveness as these turnovers ensue. The purpose of this thesis project is to explore the perceived absence of intentional succession planning and leadership transitioning among director and associate director-level leadership positions within the Potomac Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists. In this project, surveys and one-on-one interviews are conducted among …
Atomization, Decentralization, And Sustainability: Prominent Trends On The Russian Protestant Church Scene, William Yoder
Atomization, Decentralization, And Sustainability: Prominent Trends On The Russian Protestant Church Scene, William Yoder
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe
"At least in Russia–and China–the age of euphoria prominent 30 years ago is gone. The church missions committed to short-term gains have left for greener pastures and the congregations remaining behind are now, more than ever, required to determine their own fates. Increasingly required to live from their own funding, church projects are becoming more sustainable. Huge building and educational projects are only a memory. This general and expected course of events can be attributed in part to short attention spans in the West; increased government pressure is only one of numerous factors."
'Converted Co-Ethnics': Romanian Migrants In The Northern Serbian Province Of Vojvodina, Aleksandra Djurić-Milovanović
'Converted Co-Ethnics': Romanian Migrants In The Northern Serbian Province Of Vojvodina, Aleksandra Djurić-Milovanović
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe
In this paper, my case study highlights Romanian neo-Protestant migrants from Serbia who either returned to their “home country,” or work on different missionary activities among their co-ethnics after the fall of communism. To a large degree, members of the Romanian minority in Serbia belong to the Romanian Orthodox Church, which is the dominant confession, then a smaller number to the Romanian Greek-Catholic church and various neo-Protestant communities, such as the Nazarene, the Adventist, the Baptist, and the Pentecostal community. Starting from the hypothesis that the conversion of the Romanians in Serbia to neo-Protestantism is closely related to issues of …
Harvesting Hope: Biblical Preaching With People Of The Land, Catherine Belles
Harvesting Hope: Biblical Preaching With People Of The Land, Catherine Belles
Doctor of Ministry Theses
This project seeks to customize generic preaching skills to better serve rural Midwest churches in a time of great transition. “What seeds are we planting that our harvest will be hope in Jesus Christ? Does the Word of God affect our response, and are we transformed by that change, so that hope becomes part of our faith DNA?” Seeking to encourage prophetic visioning, preacher, leaders, and members to live into God’s ongoing new creation. Harvest is a major theme in rural communities and biblical narrative, a metaphor of grace and judgement. Preachers are encouraged to glean the faith stories of …
[Social Work] Newsletter, 2019-2020, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Social Work.
[Social Work] Newsletter, 2019-2020, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Social Work.
Social Work Newsletter
Inside This Issue:
--Year In Review Fall 2019-Spring 2020
--New Faculty Spotlight
--Student Spotlight
--Alumni Spotlight
--Student Services
--Highlights from the Field
--Snapshots
‘The Open Letter To The Evangelical Church’ And Its Discontents: The Online Politics Of Asian American Evangelicals, 2013-2016, Justin K. H. Tse
‘The Open Letter To The Evangelical Church’ And Its Discontents: The Online Politics Of Asian American Evangelicals, 2013-2016, Justin K. H. Tse
Research Collection School of Social Sciences
Recent treatments of Asian American evangelicals tend to focus on a shift of attention from their identity-based attempts to found autonomous congregrations to online self-publications. I evaluate this new trend by considering two episodes in Asian American evangelical self-publication: the 'open letter to the evangelical church' in 2013 and the Killjoy Prophets initiative from 2014-2016 when their leader Suey Park disappeared from the Internet. I argue that while Asian American evangelical online self-publication is intended to reform evangelicalism, its discursive nature leads to debates among Asian American evangelicals about whether the cyber-discourse about them is adequately representational. This sobering analysis …
A Mixed Methods Approach To The Implementation Of Simple Church At Greenhouse Community Church, Jeff Michael Wheeland
A Mixed Methods Approach To The Implementation Of Simple Church At Greenhouse Community Church, Jeff Michael Wheeland
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The majority of Evangelical Churches in America are declining. The majority of Christian and Missionary Alliances churches in America are also declining. Greenhouse Community Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Houston, Texas was in decline. Greenhouse Community Church lacked a simple discipleship plan. Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger wrote Simple Church and discovered after conducting research that vibrant, growing churches in America had a simple discipleship plan, whereas declining and plateaued churches had a complex plan or no plan at all. A mixed methods approach of both quantitative and qualitative research was applied to the congregation at Greenhouse …
Conservative Mennonite Storybooks And The Construction Of Evangelical Separatism, Jennifer Anderson, Cory Anderson
Conservative Mennonite Storybooks And The Construction Of Evangelical Separatism, Jennifer Anderson, Cory Anderson
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
Group-produced literature is representative of and reinforces group behaviors, norms, and beliefs. This study focuses on the missionary theme in literature from three Conservative Mennonite publishers, identifying two major constructs of what we term evangelical separatism. First, Rod & Staff depicts evangelism as establishing stable, integrating church communities in places where none exist, making their offering accessible to any who would care to join while also withholding assessment of outsiders. Second, Christian Light Publications and TGS present missions in a more aggressive, individualized mode, whereby the outside is viewed as a land of darkness and the missionary, in embodying Christ’s …
The Growth Of Amish And Plain Anabaptist Communities In Kentucky, Joseph Donnermeyer, Cory Anderson
The Growth Of Amish And Plain Anabaptist Communities In Kentucky, Joseph Donnermeyer, Cory Anderson
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
This article examines the growth of Amish and plain Anabaptist communities and population in Kentucky, one of the few southern states with a sizeable plain Anabaptist presence across much of its rural areas. Within the Amish religious tradition, this study focuses on both the broadly defined Old Order Amish, namely, those who prohibit ownership of motor vehicles for transportation, and the Amish-Mennonites, those who allow ownership. We provide an overview of their community formation and present a county-based estimate of their population. There are now 53 Amish communities in Kentucky, and a population of nearly 10,000. Over half (27) of …
Where Are The Plain Anabaptists?, Cory Anderson, Joseph Donnermeyer
Where Are The Plain Anabaptists?, Cory Anderson, Joseph Donnermeyer
Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies
This article discusses geographic analytical units of plain Anabaptist groups relevant for conceptualizing spatial dispersion across Canada and the United States. All plain Anabaptist groups are tied to the land, hence, the religious values, cultural traditions, and social organizations of plain Anabaptists are intimately and reciprocally bound up with geography. We discuss six geographic units of the plain Anabaptists and describe how we gathered information about their locations. These include: local church, local affiliation, settlement, region, broad affiliation, and global region. We present maps of their geographic distribution throughout Canada and the U.S., noting spatial patterns. Hence, this article provides …