Digital Commons Network^™

The U.S. Workplace Is An Essential Environment For Christians To Evangelize Their Coworkers Who Do Not Know Jesus, Douglas Hurley

Doctor of Ministry

The workplace is an essential environment to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Due to the impact of postmodernism, fewer and fewer people are going to church; yet the Church (the Body of Christ) can take the message of Christ to the workplace. The workplace is where most people spend most of their time; therefore, it stands to reason that the Christian could have ample influence with their unchurched or dechurched coworkers. An unbeliever could take steps toward Christ because of the relational evangelism conducted by believing coworkers.

Educating church staff and laity on evangelizing wherever they …

Children's Faith Formation As Mutually Transforming Opportunity: Leading Systemic Change, Robin Michelle Turner

Doctor of Ministry

Training congregational leaders in the theological foundations and practical resources of children’s spiritual formation helps them lead congregations to value and nurture the entire communities’ spiritual formation.

An exploration of the role and nature of children from both biblical and theological perspectives reveals they are welcomed and valued members of the faith community and the Kingdom of God. Attempts to welcome and value children in faith communities have focused on their acquisition of religious knowledge rather than their holistic formation. Learning to value their presence, worship, and holistic formation in community requires a shift in vision and methodology.

Children’s sense …

Local Church Revitalization Through Christological Discipleship, Philip Rolsing

Doctor of Ministry

Evangelical churches, in stagnation or decline, can find greater effectiveness by theologically reframing their goals and processes of formation to a Christological discipleship method based on union with Christ. Recent attempts, by Evangelical churches, to spiritually mature its members are proving to be ineffective. Data indicates Evangelical churches desire to disciple their members, however; current approaches initiate congregants into the programs of the church rather than the body of Christ.

The results indicate a growing number of people love the Lord and dislike the church. Studies affirm this to be true and identify growth in America’s religious landscape with those …

My Daily Labor To Pursue: A Wesleyan Perspective On The Integration Of Faith And Work, Jason Wellman

Doctor of Ministry

Work is a central part of being human. Yet, in the Church, few discuss how one’s faith impacts his/her work. Laity struggle with discerning how their faith should be integrated with their career. While this is a problem in many churches and denominations, it is prevalent in churches from the Wesleyan theological tradition. This dissertation lays the groundwork for developing a Wesleyan perspective on the integration of faith and work.

Chapter one addresses the problem many experience in the Wesleyan tradition to find any substantive literature that provides a uniquely Wesleyan perspective on work and faith. This chapter looks at …

Forming Anglican Wayfinders In Aotearoa: A Contextual Approach To Ministerial Preparation, Karen Kemp

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation begins with a Church in crisis and a story of vocation under pressure. It identifies the need for clergy who are resilient and adaptive in the face of change.

Using the four phases of Appreciative Inquiry, Sections Two through Six build a picture of what New Zealand Anglican leaders need today.1

Discover: Section Two surveys bright spots in ministerial education, and exegetes the Rule of Benedict using a leadership lens.

Dream: Section Three identifies key challenges, evaluates emerging models of leadership, and proposes a fresh approach to training.

Design and Destiny phases (Sections Four through Six) present the …

“Me? An Addict?” Good News For Shame And Addiction, Rebecca Grisell

Doctor of Ministry

Addictions have penetrated all segments of society, including the Church. The problems addicts face is complicated, complex, and challenging for the church and ministry practitioners. Alongside the rising rate of addiction, society’s shame-awareness has also risen. This is not coincidental or unimportant. While addictive behavior seeks bonding, shame resists bonding. It is the contrary and paradoxical nature of this problem that makes it confusing, mysterious, and perplexing.

Yet there is hope. When shame is addressed with the good news of the Gospel, addiction will lose its grasp and new recovery solutions will arise. This dissertation suggests that the inability to …

Half Speak Ashdodite And None Can Speak Judean: Code-Switching In Ezra-Nehemiah As An Identity Marker For Repatriate Judeans And Koreans (Chapter In Landscapes Of Korean And Korean American Biblical Interpretation), Roger S. Nam

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

Excerpt: "Ezra 4–7 narrates the reconstruction of the house of the Lord during the Judean repatriation under the Persian Empire. In the narration, there is a linguistic alteration between Hebrew and Aramaic for an extended portion of the narrative. The first Aramaic portion occurs in Ezra 4:8–6:18, beginning with the royal letter to King Artaxerxes, which would naturally be composed under the standard lingua franca of Aramaic. Similarly, the second Aramaic portion in Ezra 7:12–26 begins with the Artaxerxes Rescript, giving imperial support for the reconstruction. The contents of these passages befit the Aramaic language. Although the shift between the …

The Future Of Undergraduate Biblical Higher Education: Abhe And The Bible College Movement, T. Scott Womble

Doctor of Ministry

The Bible college movement can trace its roots to the late nineteenth century and was given greater credibility when the accreditation era began in 1947. Today, the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) is still the leader of the Bible college movement. But a quick glance at the sixty-three ABHE institutions (64%) with undergraduate enrollment under 250 raises concern. Furthermore, 31 percent have enrollment under 100.

Rising costs and escalating student debt are creating enrollment challenges. The smallness of most Bible colleges makes them particularly vulnerable, especially since many lack endowments. Adding to the problem is the changing landscape of …

The Ethic Of Care And Inclusive Education, David W. Anderson

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal

This article deals with the ethic of care in education, with a specific focus on classrooms that include students with disabilities. After a brief overview of historical and legal issues which led to the inclusive education movement, the discussion focuses on what an ethic of care involves from a biblical/theological perspective.

Das And Hamounds' "Strangers In The Kingdom: Ministering To Refugees, Migrants, And The Stateless" (Book Review), Leslie Starasta

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Arthurs's " Preaching As Reminding: Stirring Memory In An Age Of Forgetfulness" (Book Review), Deborah Mcconkey

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Low's "Preaching That Comes Alive: Delivering A Word From The Lord" (Book Review), Deborah Mcconkey

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Tamar’S Legacy: The Early Reception Of Genesis 38, Julianna Kaye Smith

Seminary Masters Theses

The story of Tamar and Judah is one of the Torah’s more morally complicated narratives. As such, interpreters throughout history, but specifically early Jewish interpreters, grappled with how to relay this story in their translations of the Hebrew Bible. Using the theories and methods of reception history, this study demonstrates how the translations these early interpreters produced shed light on the dynamic relationship between a text and those who interpret it. Examining both the Greek Septuagint and Aramaic Targumim, the study identifies places in the translations where hints of the socio-historical position and theological commitments of the translators and their …

Key Components Of A Culturally Relevant Multiethnic Church Model, Pablo Morales

Doctor of Ministry

The increasing ethnic and lingual diversity of the City of Richardson in north Texas is a microcosm of a social trend observed in the United States and around the globe. This demographic shift has propelled Ethnos Bible Church to pursue a multiethnic church model, yet, Ethnos does not understand the unique components of a culturally relevant multiethnic church. Therefore, this dissertation seeks to answer one question: What are the key components that Ethnos Bible Church needs to implement in order to cultivate a culturally relevant multiethnic church poised for ministry impact? This research reveals that although the current degree of …

Shema, Shabbat, Shalom, And A Savior: Implications For Pastoral Ministry, Richard Hovey

Doctor of Ministry

In the Global North there are disparaging figures within evangelicalism for both pastors and the churches they lead. Evangelical pastors have lost their moorings, suffering the consequences of a lost call and purpose in ministry. This has lead to an abandonment of post by the contemporary evangelical pastor in North America, and to a church left to drift in a secular sea. This project will suggest an answer in the return to a true pastoral ministry which will have positive implications for both pastor and church. Chapter 1 will provide an overview of the problem within contemporary evangelical pastoral ministry. …

Where The Desert Fathers And Mothers Meet Permaculture, Brenda Nagunst

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that a retreat center with an eco-spiritual focus is one way to introduce Christians to the connection between stewardship of God’s creation and relationship with God. For the purposes of this paper the word “creation” is used to identify the natural world: earth, soil, plants, animals, birds, fish, and humans. Many Christians do not steward the earth as God commanded in Genesis, thus missing a spiritual connection with God that can uniquely happen through creation. This dissertation addresses the question, “In what way is care of creation a critical part of a modern Christian’s relationship with God?” …

The Promised Land: A Postcolonial Homiletic Of Promise In The Asian American Context, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Asian American Christians carry within them a triple consciousness by being Asian, American, and Christian. Being Christian specifically means being a pilgrim bound for the Promised Land. The Asian American pilgrim preacher’s message issues from this triple consciousness and from a spirit of postcolonial liberation. Such a preacher’s message is therefore a declaration or assurance of God’s liberative promise of the Promised Land for Asian Americans, the Land already being realized here and now in the foreign land. By being this-earthly and other-worldly, the pilgrim preacher’s message is synthetic-ethical in nature. This article shows that the triple consciousness is a …

Following The Man Of Sorrows: A Theology Of Suffering For Spiritual Formation, David Russell Beach

Doctor of Ministry

Suffering. Salvation’s conduit. People are often reluctant to talk about suffering, unable to find words. This reluctance usually lasts until, in the midst of crisis, the only way ahead is through suffering. In these crises, people typically reach out to caregivers— pastors and priests, counselors and social workers. But what if the same reluctance affects these caregivers? What if they, too, are often unable to find adequate words? Jesus—Man of Sorrows—makes plain the imperative of taking up our cross. How is this accomplished? This dissertation offers an answer, a theology of suffering focused on spiritual formation—formation into the image of …

Creating An International Learning Community, Marc D. Andresen

Doctor of Ministry

Thousands of university students travel to the United States every year to engage in higher education, both as undergraduates and as graduate students. This provides a strategically rich opportunity for Christian ministry that has potential for global impact. Part of this potential is to provide ministry leadership training, particularly if students are from countries that allow little freedom for such education. The challenge is to offer culturally appropriate leadership training that is applicable in various cultural contexts and that does not inadvertently cause offense by violating cultural norms of the various students. The desire is to create an educational environment …

Faith Formation In A Frantic World: Leverage Your Phone To Transform Your Heart And Mind, Gregg Peter Farah

Doctor of Ministry

Many faithful Bible readers fall short of experiencing a vibrant, growing relationship with God. Their daily reading has little impact on their Christian formation. This dissertation associates this failure with the pace of modern life and proposes a solution that capitalizes on a modern invention: smartphone technology supporting instant access to bite-sized Bible readings with engaging commentary. Daily engagement with God can be achieved with the help of an app that reminds users to pause, pray, and review a “sticky moment” from their Bible reading. Section one of this dissertation notes that individuals have allowed themselves to be caught up …

Satanic Influences In The American Christian Church In A Post-Modern Consumer Society, Jerry F. Ressa

Doctor of Ministry

This study seeks to propose evidences as to how and why the contemporary Christian church is satanically influenced, resulting in pain and suffering from devastating personal dysfunctions, interpersonal conflicts and divisions. This situation presents a great dilemma facing many, if not most, Christians in that they simply do not understand and are unaware of profound life altering significances of the spiritual battle being waged for souls and the satanic deceptions that draw people away from God. Satan, his fallen angels, and demons influence Christians and others through his primary tools of deceit and deception, delivered to the culture through media, …

Wellum's "Christ Alone - The Uniqueness Of Jesus As Savior" (Book Review), Jon Jones

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Foreword To The Testament Of Jesus, A Study Of The Gospel Of John In The Light Of Chapter 17, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

AMONG THE MOST PROVOCATIVE New Testament scholars of the twentieth century, Ernst Kasemann tops the list, and his most striking work is The Testament of fesus. 1 This brief book is significant not because the bulk of Johannine scholars have fully agreed with it; indeed, most have taken exception to many of its points. The impact of Kasemann's 1966 Shaffer Lectures, delivered at Yale Divinity School and rendered in book form in German and English over the next couple of years, lay in his capacity to communicate worthy insights in sharp and provocative ways, blocking some paths of discussion while …

Meaning-Making As A Formational Pathway For Christian Adolescents, Timothy C. Prewette

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that Christian adolescents will flourish when using a narrative approach to both scripture and life as part of an intentional meaning-making process. Narrative theology offers the controlling story (worldview) needed by adolescents and aids in meaningfully framing life experiences. Chapter 1 identifies the problem of Christian adolescents abandoning the church and/or their faith as they move into young adulthood. Nuances of this exodus are explored, and a particular brand of adolescent faith is articulated, one which is lacking in both substance and relevance. Meaning-making is then characterized as an intentional, guided process in which Christians construct meaning …

Successful Libraries Survey, The Tcl Editorial Team

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Roots, Routes, And Religion: Calling Playful Pilgrims To Follow The Way Of Jesus, Pamela Morse

Doctor of Ministry

People who own and utilize their second homes frequently live in such a way that they rarely intersect with the local church in either locale, limiting opportunities to follow the Way of Jesus. An understanding of this population can help the church in a resort community to engage these second-home owners. This thesis explores two driving needs of second-home owners: the longing to escape the daily routine found in their primary home community, and the desire to significantly attach to a place of personal meaning. Play is one key way that they meet these desires. Spending rejuvenating time outdoors is …

Revitalization Of Assemblies Of God Churches In Stagnation Or Decline, Mark L. Merrill

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation examines church revitalization in Assemblies of God churches in the United States experiencing stagnation and decline. It examines a contextualized perspective of various factors, both practical and theological, as well as various approaches that are being utilized in the field. The result is the formulation of an approach to church health from the semiotic perspective of the human body that can be used to diagnose and overcome the pervasive problem of church decline. Section 1 delineates various problems associated with church decline. Statistics and data are used to define the current reality. The problem of church decline will …

Instilling Health And Vitality Into The Third Wave Oraon Churches In Jharkhand, Samuel Stephens

Doctor of Ministry

This study is based on the observation that large numbers of Oraon tribals in the state of Jharkhand, India are embracing Christianity, and an increasing number of small churches in the region is evidenced. The Oraon new believers, however, lack adequate spiritual nurture, resulting in spiritual stagnancy, a leaning to syncretism, and practice of unhealthy traditions. These traits leave the Oraon churches spiritually impoverished and unsustainable. The study seeks to ascertain appropriate measures to infuse and instill such health and vitality.

Chapter one describes the nature of the Oraon people movement first and then places it within its national context. …

Virtues And Exchange: A Biblical Reframing Of Adam Smith’S Vision Of Marketplace Ethics, Nate Peach, Joshua Sauerwein, Seth Sikkema

Faculty Publications - College of Business

This paper explores ways in which Christian business educators can integrate Adam Smith’s views on marketplace ethics into a biblical framework. Often Smith’s thoughts on self-interest are highlighted without reference to his insights regarding the role of virtue in commercial life. After outlining two dominant interpretations of Smith, his ideas are integrated with a biblical conception of commercial life as stewardship. The goal of this integration is to aid Christian business faculty in their continued efforts to go beyond career preparation in their courses to include the higher telos of Christ-like character.

Multi-Denominational Belonging And Quakers In Evangelical Friends Church Southwest, Jennifer M. Buck

Quaker Religious Thought

Quakerism is a tradition rich for the intersection of conservative tradition and emergent positioning to the culture. Some understand this term as ‘convergent Friends,’ and in this context today, the convergent nature of some strands of Quakerism opens it up for hybridity and multi-belonging. Rather than assess Quakerism in regards to other faith traditions or religious communities, this paper seeks to look at a recent movement in Evangelical Friends in the Southwest region, that of multi-denominational belonging.