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Convergent Friends: The Emergence Of Postmodern Quakerism, C. Wess Daniels

Quaker Studies

Postmodernism is ushering in radical change for the Church. Some theologians argue that this change, especially given the discontinuities between modernism and postmodernism, affords new opportunities. Because of these changes there is a decline in many Christian traditions in the West, but there is also a renaissance of ' emerging churches'. The same can be said for Quakers who are experiencing a renaissance of their own. 'Convergent Friends' are a decentralized, international, body of Quakers seeking to renew their tradition through a growing awareness of the need to interact with culture missionally. Their origins and interactions are unique to Convergence …

Revitalization Of Moderate Baptist Churches, George Hambric Brooks

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation examines church revitalization in Moderate Baptist churches that are experiencing decline. It looks at various models and principles that can be addressed by church leadership to help revitalize a congregation. Section 1 describes the problem of decline in church attendance since the 1950s. It looks at the natural Life Cycle of church. Special attention is paid to Moderate Baptists, especially the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and its formation and separation from the Southern Baptist Convention. Section 2 examines the problem. The problem of decline in churches has existed for numerous years. This has led to new innovations and attempts …

Faith And Practice: A Book Of Christian Discipline 2016, George Fox University Archives

Faith and Practice

Faith and Practice: A Book of Christian Discipline, Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends Church 2016. Publication of the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends.

Sustainable Church Planting: A Missional Approach, Brandon Hempel

Doctor of Ministry

In my experience with church planting today, there is a concern for its sustainability due to financial constraints, leadership burnout, and results. The purpose of this dissertation is to discuss the problems therein with traditional church planting and to also lay the foundations for a more sustainable church planting option through the vehicle of missional community. My intentions are for my local Wesleyan conference to benefit from this work as it has been constructed through the culmination of my research and study as well as my own practical ministry experiences as a church planting pastor. While church planting is not …

Monastic Missional Pilgrim Communities In Liquid Modern Spain, Garrick C. Roegner

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation answers the question of how to start spiritual movements amongst young adults and university students in Spain. It begins by examining the current cultural context of present day Spain, exploring why Christianity is in decline. In the Introduction it argues for understanding Spain as being characteristic of Bauman’s liquid modernity. Here the dissertation adopts Bauman’s typologies of liquid modern society being populated by tourists and vagabonds, constantly on the move, but without destination. Chapter One discusses the need for community as the base structure for mission and the importance of missional theology (missio Dei) before suggesting missional communities …

Journeying With Jesus: A Transformational Discipleship For Canadian Chinese Churches In Toronto; A Paradigm Shift, Suzan Kam-Shan Ho

Doctor of Ministry

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He charged His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Bill Hull comments that in a fast-food, instant-access generation, true discipleship is often substituted by a superficial community experience and a program-driven approach to faith which requires …

Emerging Young Adult Spiritual Formation: A Developmental Approach For An Intergenerational Church, Frederick R. Fay

Doctor of Ministry

There is a growing disconnect between young adults and the church. Research into this specific and recent phase of life shows how cultural trends have shaped the spiritual lives of emerging adults. This dissertation claims that the loss of relevancy of the church for young adults is rooted in how the church has either capitulated or ignored these trends. Section 1 addresses the current immature faith that is endemic in many contemporary churches. The church’s history and the culture within which it is embedded are examined. Section 2 describes other approaches to spiritual formation of young adults. Section 3 asserts …

Mind The Gap: The Relevance Of Contextualization For The Training Course Fresh X-Der Kurs By Kirche2, Sandra Bils

Doctor of Ministry

In Germany, the Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Hannovers and the Roman Catholic diocese of Hildesheim are partnering in the ecumenical network. Searching for an appropriate endeavor, which supports the emergence and Kirche2 sustainment for new forms of being church, they were encouraged by the fresh expressions movement in the UK and their training model, mission-shaped ministry. The use of this foreign material in Germany needs adaptation. Hence, this dissertation enfolds the relevance of contextualization and seeks to reflect the adaptation process, following the main research question: How can the Fresh-X course by Kirche2 adapt the foreign material for the context in Germany …

Liminal Spaces: A Narrative Spirituality Of The Bible, Thomas J. Rundel

Doctor of Ministry

Liminal space is a place in-between what was and what will be. It is crucial for ongoing Christian formation. However, the Evangelical Church currently has no space for supporting those in liminality. Evangelical theology and practice actively discourage those in liminal space. As a result, Christian maturity is frustrated. Future leaders and contemplatives are endangered. This dissertation explores how the Evangelical Church could acknowledge, support, and educate those in liminal spaces.

The Bible repeats three liminal themes which create a paradigm of ongoing Christian formation. The themes are desert/wilderness, pit/grave, and exile/pilgrimage. The desert/wilderness is a liminal space, the grave/pit …

Toward A Corporeal, Biblical Narrative: A Study In Church Transformation, David C. Scafide

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that church leaders can enact healthier church-wide transformation when changes are processed on the narrative level of culture. As the church’s narrative is transformed, the church lives out her new identity more readily and with less resistance. Chapter 1 defines key terms and examines the state of current transformation models and why they are not having widespread impact in transforming churches. Without understanding underlying narratives, church leaders face unnecessary resistance resulting from the attempt to impose changes that are not assimilated by the narrative of the church. Chapter 2 demonstrates how people always live out their perceived …

Convergent Friends: The Emergence Of Postmodern Quakerism, C. Wess Daniels

Quaker Studies

Postmodernism is ushering in radical change for the Church. Some theologians argue that this change, especially given the discontinuities between modernism and postmodernism, affords new opportunities. Because of these changes there is a decline in many Christian traditions in the West, but there is also a renaissance of ' emerging churches'. The same can be said for Quakers who are experiencing a renaissance of their own. 'Convergent Friends' are a decentralized, international, body of Quakers seeking to renew their tradition through a growing awareness of the need to interact with culture missionally. Their origins and interactions are unique to Convergence …

In His Disciple Making Ministry, How Did Jesus Christ Determine What To Say And/Or Do?, David A. Toth

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation answers the question, “How did Jesus Christ ascertain what to say and do in his disciple making process?” The thesis is that Jesus Christ used the immediate life circumstances of his disciples to determine what he would say and/or do in the process of his disciple making. Jesus was remarkably effective in terms of quality and quantity leaving behind disciples who reflected his lifestyle and commitment to the mission of God and who powerfully reproduced themselves. The research supports the thesis as a partial answer and reveals three additional dimensions that significantly informed Jesus Christ’s disciple making approach. …

A Simple Cup Of Coffee: What Starbucks Can Teach The Church About Hospitality In How We Reach Our Neighbors, John Austin Hinkle Jr.

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation explores a local church’s implementation of Christian hospitality through the examination of a local Starbucks coffee house that successfully offers hospitality to its customers both in and outside its community. A critical problem facing mainline churches today is a decline in overall membership and worship participation. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has experienced a significant decline over the last 40 years. This decline is now being experienced even in larger evangelical churches. In this dissertation the researcher plans to explore whether a local Presbyterian Church can more effectively reach out to its neighboring community by renewing and implementing outward …

Northwest Yearly Meeting Minutes 2015, George Fox University Archives

Northwest Yearly Meeting Minutes

Northwest Yearly Meeting Minutes 2015

Ethnic Identity Maintenance Within The Latino-American Church: A Structuration Perspective, Charles W. Choi, Deborah Berho

Faculty Publications - Department of Sociology

The Latino ethnic/immigrant church plays a significant role in maintaining the ethnic identity of its congregants. Through the perspective of structuration theory, this qualitative analysis investigates how the activities of the church impact its members and how an individual might contribute to the cultural structure of the Latino church (i.e., duality of structure). Interviews of 25 pastors from Spanish-speaking congregations in both urban and rural settings in Oregon resulted in several themes including the initial planting of the church, the denominational structure, the emergence of a new multiethnic cultural identity, generational differences, and the influence of Spanish.

Zakaria's "In Defense Of A Liberal Education" (Book Review), Mark E. Roberts

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Pratt, Sills, And Walters' "Introduction To Global Missions" (Book Review), Georgianne Bordner

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Nowell's "Dirty Faith: Bringing The Love Of Christ To The Least Of These" (Book Review), Amy C. Rice

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Moreau's "Effective Intercultural Communication: A Christian Perspectives" (Book Review), Paul B. Drake

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Learning Curve In Rwanda: A Long Journey Of Transformation, Debby Thomas

Faculty Publications - College of Business

This brief glimpse into one community visit offers a taste of what holistic community development through discipleship looks like. This community has studied issues of farming, salvation by grace, animal husbandry, financial management, discerning God's will, health and cleanliness, and other topics over the last five years. They are learning how to identify the barriers that trap them in poverty, and they are learning to overcome these problems through a holistic discipleship process that teaches them to become problem solvers, to study God's word, and to use the resources they have to address the problems their community faces.

Missional Communities: Equipping Churches To Reach Their Local Context, Robert Glen Parker

Doctor of Ministry

In the Northeast region of the United States, surveys suggest church participation is steadily declining. We contend that a primary reason for this decline is that churches have become insular and exclusive, leading to a failure to meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of their communities. The problem raises the question, "How do churches move beyond exclusivity to engage in relevant ministry within their local communities?" Throughout the Bible, God is the initiator of a relationship with humanity. God created Adam and Eve, and set out a redemptive plan to restore them to right relationship when their connection to …

Congregational Leadership Development Through Mentorships: Preparing Each Generation For The Church's Future Through Family Systems Theory, Danny Wayne Russell

Doctor of Ministry

For some churches the most important qualification for a church leader is the person's age. When traditional churches have less younger people, they begin thinking of ways to attract the younger generations. Some churches may conclude that having a younger person in a leadership role will help them attract young people. Because the focus on the church becomes getting younger people, a younger person in a leadership role is most desired; therefore, the person's age becomes the deciding factor of who should be a deacon or elder in the church. Through looking at family system theory, the above approach to …

Evangelical Friends, Wayne Evans

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Northwest Yearly Meeting Of Friends Minutes, 2014, George Fox University Archives

Northwest Yearly Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the Northwest Yearly Meeting of Friends, previously known as the Oregon Yearly Meeting.

An Expression Of Faith That Fits (Chapter 8 Of Starting Missional Churches), A.J. Swoboda

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

With a wealth of dynamic information regarding the people of his city, Pastor AJ Swoboda, of the Foursquare Church tradition, writes a compelling chapter on planting a church in the unique place of Portland, Oregon. Beginning in their living room, AJ's family pursued God's initiatives by meeting people in a local coffee shop. In three years they have missionally joined God in creating an expression of faith that fits the unique people of Portland. If you are interested in bivocational ministry or how your academic background can equip you for church planting, please continue to read.

Friends In India And Asia, Ron Stansell

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Friends In Central Africa, D. Elizabeth Todd

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Friends In Central America, D. Gene Pickard

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

The Future Of Quakers In Central America, Alvin Anderson, Lucy Anderson

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Church-Based Alcohol Rehabilitation In The Former Soviet Union, Mark R. Elliott

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.