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Parental Phubbing And Adolescent Social Anxiety, Julie Ann Bowman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how parents experience social anxiety in their children, of ages six to fourteen, in the presence of parental phubbing. The modified version of Moustakas’ modified version of Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen’s analysis method was used to gather and analyze data. Participant requirements included being at least 21 years of age, having a child between the ages of 6-14, own a cell phone with texting and internet capabilities, and speak English fluently. Fifteen participants were used, however, data saturation was found by the ninth participant. This study explored two research questions: How do parents …

The Apostle Paul's Teaching On Life After Death: A Model Of Christ's Life, Death, And Resurrection, Keri A. Thompson

Masters Theses

There are many questions and differing views surrounding what happens to the soul after death. Through his letters collected in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul offers insight into the existence of the believer's soul in an intermediate state following death and prior to the resurrection of the body. Through a brief overview of Old Testament teachings on the subject, Jewish views on life after death during the intertestamental period, and common Greek thought on the body and soul, the possible presuppositions and influences on the Apostle Paul's view of life after death and the intermediate state are uncovered. Detailed …

The Undoing Of Eve: A Biblical-Theological Critique Of John's Portrait Of The Female Image Of God, Melissa A. Fields

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation offers a fresh exploration of the Gospel of John through a biblical theological lens, tracing the dynamic motif of the female imago Dei and its development within the Johannine narrative. By merging literary analysis with a close examination of the biblical portrayal of femininity, the study sheds light on how the Fourth Evangelist reimagines the female image of God within the context of a new creation, presenting a vision that may reshape the complementarian-egalitarian debate within today’s Christian communities. Applying the “worldview-story” biblical-theological approach, the researcher asserts that John’s positive depiction of femininity suggests a restoration of woman’s …

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 …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Faculty Perceptions Of A Humanistic Classical Education, Nils Ivan Borquist

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the descriptions of experiences for faculty members at classical education curriculum academic institutions at the PreK-12 school level. The descriptions of experiences were defined as phenomenal experiences of faculty through the subjective lens. The theory guiding this study was the humanistic learning theory of education as it focuses on self-directed and self-evaluative classwork as well as the common use of canonical works to cultivate a desire for students to learn and study great texts for their entire lives. The Central Research Question asked “How do faculty at classical education institutions …

Ensuring Careful Interpretation And Application Of The Bible Through The Lens Of The Covenants, James Kenneth Rainwater

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For centuries, believers in Jesus Christ have turned to the Bible to discover His will for their life. For the most part, this discovery has resulted in joy and significance and has benefited the journeys of millions. However, there have been many examples where the misunderstanding and misinterpretation of the Bible has brought about devastating consequences. Wolves have crept in and used the Bible for their own nefarious purposes. This paper offers a bridge for believers to navigate many of the difficult passages of the Bible and their behavioral application. Specifically, this is achieved through a closer look at how …

Job 28 As A Thematic Unifier Clarifying Human Responsibility Through The Revelation Of Wisdom And Understanding In Relationship To Yahweh, Michael G. Potter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The goal of the project was to discern and articulate the literary relationship of Job 28 to its larger literary context and demonstrate that the chapter serves the rhetorical purpose of the author to legitimize the kingship of Yahweh over creation. The study argues that Job 28 functions as a thematic unifier that clarifies human responsibility in relationship to Yahweh. The project demonstrates that Job 28 functions as the integrative center of the book and is a figurative interpolation, a metaphorical embellishment to the search for wisdom and answers observed in the defense and debate cycles (Job 4-27; 28:1-22) while …

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 …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Undergraduate Psychology Students At An Evangelical University: The Integration Of Psychology And Christianity, Claire Voshell

Senior Honors Theses

The integration of psychology and spirituality has gained attention in both religious and secular communities over the last decade, and there has been an increased emphasis on Christian integration in the last few years. Current literature is primarily focused on frameworks and theories for integration. This thesis examines the existing literature on current methods of teaching integration and its applications within social work, church ministry, counseling, and education. By completing the Psychology-Faith Integration scale and a brief semi-structured interview, participants detailed how they understood and experienced the integration of psychology and Christianity throughout their undergraduate psychology programs. Scores on the …

Equipping Church Leadership Through Team Ministry: A Dissertation-In-Praxis Model, Judith Aarian Hawkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Using teams in the workplace has become an efficient means to employ workers' creativity, productivity, and effectiveness (Ross et al., 2008). Likewise, ministry through teams offers the Church these same outcomes to meet its charge of the Great Commission (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Matthew 28:16-20). This research was implemented with BOLD Deliverance Ministries Incorporated (BOLD), a non-denomination church in Temple Hills, Maryland. The church’s theme of “Where together we equip the saints to serve all people” indicates an existing ideology of collaboration. This project aimed to build on this collaborative mindset by applying team leadership theory within a team ministry …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of A Blended Learning Community Designed To Encourage Biblical Literacy, Discipleship, And Formation Of A Biblical Worldview In Members Of A Local Church, Denise O. Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand biblical worldview development of church members at Community Church. The theory guiding this study was Garrison et al’s (2010) Community of Inquiry (CoI). The central research question for this study was: Using a blended online learning approach based on instructional design and technology principles founded in Community of Inquiry CoI theory, how was the development of a biblical worldview influenced by discipleship in a local assembly to increase biblical literacy and community engagement? The study focused on perceptions from 12–-15 members of a small local church in the southern United …

Moral Injury In Military Corrections, Jeremy Ryder Meyers

Masters Theses

Over the past thirty years moral injury has been a topic of concern regarding the behavioral and spiritual health of military members. Part of that work has given a voice to Vietnam veterans and the events they faced while in combat. Some of these events were acts of betrayal at the hands of another military member or their own. This act led to an injury to their moral code. Military chaplains may have morally injured soldiers in need of pastoral care as they serve. This includes soldiers working the military prisons like the United States Disciplinary Barracks in Fort Leavenworth. …

The Moderate Use Of Wine And Alcohol Among Church Elders: An Analysis Of Νηφάλιον And Πάροινον In 1 Timothy 3:1-7 And Titus 1:5-9, Charles Douglas Tarver Miller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The use of alcohol in the Bible is well established. The ancients were known to consume alcohol and fully understood the pain and pleasure associated with it. So, two things are true: the use of wine is permitted in the Scriptures, but only in moderation. Historically, the conversation about the use of wine has focused on answering the question, “Was the wine used by believers in the Scriptures alcoholic or non-alcoholic?” That debate has largely been settled and will not be the subject of this dissertation. What has not been addressed nearly as often is the question, “How was wine …

Embracing Spiritual Growth: Laying The Groundwork To Address Spiritual Growth Anxiety Through A Covenant Union With Christ, Will M. Hunsaker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project addresses spiritual growth anxiety within BrandofMan Ministries by helping members better understand their covenant union with Christ. The goal was to use this understanding to promote grace-based spiritual growth through positional righteousness. The project involved analyzing existing literature and integrating theological and theoretical concepts to develop a teaching method that effectively addresses anxiety linked to spiritual development. The project measured the participants’ prior knowledge and application of spiritual growth through a covenant union with Christ and how a systematic curriculum on the topic could be used to enhance their knowledge, improve application, and reduce anxiety. Sixteen …

The Two Gospel Hypothesis, Nicholas Wischman

Masters Theses

The Two Document Hypothesis, the view that Matthew and Luke used Mark independently alongside a lost source called Q, has become the predominant theory of the order of the Synoptic Gospels. This is a defense of the Two Gospel Hypothesis, the theory that Luke used Matthew and Mark used both Matthew and Luke.

Crisis Of Youth Homelessness In Birmingham, Alabama, Velma Annette Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The economic and educational conditions of Jefferson County, Alabama, have contributed significantly to the increase of homeless families with children (LaGory et al., 2018). The failures of the foster care system have exponentially increased the population of homeless youth ages 19 to 26 (Burge et al., 2021). The lack of efficient public transportation emergency and affordable long-term housing has created a permanent population of homelessness (Kelly, 2020). Within the homeless culture, the increased incidents of violence, substance abuse, and sexual and physical abuse combined with functional illiteracy create an environment that breeds repetitive behaviors that reproduce the homeless outcomes (Burge …

Biblical Counseling Curriculum: Building A Counseling Curriculum To Train Ministry Students To Counsel Advanced Topics, Nicholas A. Piervicenti

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project was dedicated to the creation of a higher education curriculum that would support the needs of ministry students who study at West Coast Baptist College. Counseling is at the heart of what Christ committed himself to during His earthly ministry. (Mark 2:16–17, King James Version). The skills to counsel advanced topics in the local church arena should be an essential element of instruction that takes place in colleges that train ministry leaders. In order to effectively transfer these truths to students, a qualitative research project was implemented which utilized thirty-six interviews of alumni in order to assess areas …

Success Treating Substance Use Disorder: A Case Study Of Minnesota Adult And Teen Challenge, John Joseph Lenss

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge (MNTC) is an addiction treatment center. The reason for this qualitative case study was to discover why clients of substance use disorder treatment programs believe that they can graduate from their program when 50% of those who start the same long-term program drop out. This case study focused on graduates from MNTC in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This study discovered the graduates' common attributes that may improve MNTC treatment center programs, which could decrease the number of people who walk away from addiction recovery programs prematurely and increase the number of those who graduate. According to MNTC …

What Christians Should Expect: Life Immediately After Death, Larry Kuka

Masters Theses

This paper examines Old Testament, New Testament, ancient Jewish, Near Eastern, and Christian documents to determine what the Word of God says about life immediately after death (afterlife). I will not examine references to the resurrection or to end times. The research for this paper from primary, secondary, and tertiary sources will be examined and explained, and the conclusions drawn will identify the passages in Scripture and other scholarly sources that explain life immediately after death for believers of Jesus Christ. Theological documents, cultural interpretations, societal perspectives, as well as biblical teachings will be examined to establish understanding, reassurance, and …

Church Adoption: Three-Pronged Elements That Support The Revitalization Of Coastal Church Battery Park Location In Virginia, Michael Christopher Bard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The church is God’s plan for delivering the good news of Jesus Christ’s finished work on the Cross. This finished work is evidenced through the bodily resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15). In the US a steady decline in church attendance has been prevalent over the past three decades and church buildings are either near empty or closing. This research explores the concept of church adoption merger in hopes of one avenue that would promote revitalization of local fellowships. Though multiple elements are supportive in revitalization this research explore three elements that should lead towards centralizing the church on Christ. …

The Loaves Of The Tree Of Life: A Historical And Biblical Analysis Of The Origins And Purpose Of The Bread Of The Presence Within The Torah, J. Christian Doling

Masters Theses

The bread of the Presence refers to the twelve loaves of bread which were laid in the presence of God every Sabbath and consumed by the Israelite priesthood as part of the cultic rituals. The wheat for the bread was presented as part of Israel's first fruits offering during the Feast of Weeks, where Israel also presented an elevation offering of bread, a ritual bread with many similarities to the bread of the Presence. Once a week (according to Leviticus) the priests would collect some of this wheat to bake into twelve loaves of bread which were then placed in …

An Examination Of How Training Impacts The Leadership And Management Competency Of Pastors Of The New Beginning Family Of Churches, Christine R. Rudolph

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Research has concluded that clergy need management and leadership skills to effectively lead the 21st-century church and meet its diverse challenges (Porter, 2014). These leadership skills can be taught and developed through training, mentoring, and modeling. New Beginning Worship Center Family of Churches comprised eight non-denominational churches that experienced various challenges, including membership decline and economic problems. The strategic problem was that these clergy members lacked the skills to address the challenges faced by their churches effectively. There was a need to improve the leadership and management skills of the New Beginning Worship Center pastors to allow them to address …

The Implications Of A Post-Supersessionist Hermeneutic Applied To James’S Use Of Amos 9:11–12 In Acts 15:16–18, Mary Kathleen Yarbrough

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 marks one of the most critical moments in the life and development of the New Testament church as James set forth a scriptural response to the debate surrounding Gentile inclusion into the kingdom of God. The importance of James’s response is encapsulated in his appellation and adaptation of Amos 9:11–12 which both brought closure to the Council’s debate and clarified the identity and mission of the New Testament community. It is of note, however, that James did not directly quote Amos 9:11–12 but instead adapted its structure so that, in agreement with that set …

The Efficacy Of Group Therapy As A Primary Treatment For Military Veterans, Sheldon Kauffman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral injury (MI) are often comorbid in military veterans. While various manualized group treatments have demonstrated efficacy in reducing symptom severity, the effect sizes for these diverse treatments have been similar indicating something other than the intervention (e.g., peer social support) may be driving symptom reduction. This mixed methods study examined the efficacy of non-manualized group psychotherapy for reducing PTSD and MI symptom severity in military veterans. The sample (n = 34) consisted of post-911 and Vietnam military veterans, aged 30 - 78, who attended voluntary government and non-government funded PTSD groups in southcentral Pennsylvania. …

Review Of The Return Of The Kingdom: A Biblical Theology Of God’S Reign By Stephen G. Dempster., Abigail Hamilton

Liberty Theological Review

Dempster, Stephen G. The Return of the Kingdom: A Biblical Theology of God’s Reign. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2023. 213 pages. $19.59. ISBN-13: 978-0830842919.

Slaughtering Slaughter-House: An Assessment Of 14th Amendment Privileges Or Immunities Jurisprudence, Caleb Webb

Helms School of Government Undergraduate Law Review

In 1872, the Supreme Court decided the Slaughter-House Cases, which applied a narrow interpretation of the Privileges or Immunities Clause of the 14th Amendment that effectually erased the clause from the Constitution. Following Slaughter-House, the Supreme Court compensated by utilizing elastic interpretations of the Due Process Clause in its substantive due process jurisprudence to cover the rights that would have otherwise been protected by the Privileges or Immunities Clause. In more recent years, the Court has heard arguments favoring alternative interpretations of the Privileges or Immunities Clause but has yet to evaluate them thoroughly. By applying the Court’s previously articulated …

Abiding Presence, Abundant Provision: Water Imagery Within The Temple Motif, Mindy N. Ziegler

Masters Theses

This thesis highlights the richness of the New Testament Christological truths in the Fourth Gospel by tracing the connections John made to the Old Testament history and traditions. John wrote his Gospel account after nearly a lifetime of reflection on the Christ-event and its significance. What had been misunderstood while Jesus walked among his disciples had been illuminated by the Spirit through many years of reflection and study. The New Testament, including the Fourth Gospel, was not written in a vacuum, but drew on a rich and colorful history of Yahweh’s revelation to his people that spanned millennia. The Evangelist’s …

Exegetical Analysis Of The Vision In Daniel 10-12, Sydni M. Howard

Masters Theses

The thesis examines the visions and divine communications described in the Book of Daniel, particularly chapters 10-12. The study demonstrates that God gave his wise people supernatural insight and revelation of his plans to aid and give hope in perilous times .

The research employs an exegetical approach to analyze Daniel 10-12, utilizing a detailed review of prominent scholarly interpretations by Adolf Leo Oppenheim, John Joseph Collins, Tremper Longman III, J. Paul Tanner, John T. Willis, John Walvoord, and John C. Whitcomb. The study focuses on understanding the historical, literary, and cultural contexts of the visions, exploring the mechanisms of …

Disciple-Making At St. Louis Baptist Church, Vasquez R. Granberry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In careful reflection, the members at St. Louis Baptist Church need a more structured way to train on disciples making disciples. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to develop and deliver a structured small group training process for making disciples who will become St. Louis Baptist Church disciple-makers. The current thesis for a Doctor of Ministry degree focuses on disciple-making. The objective is to learn and teach the membership how to become disciple-makers within the St. Louis Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. Allowing these matters to address disciple-makers will also enable the researcher to discover the topics …

Establishing A Christ-Centered Understanding Of The Minor Prophets At First Baptist Church, Greenville, Ky, John Michael Galyen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this action research project is to help members of First Baptist Church Greenville, KY, interpret and apply the Minor Prophets from a Christ-centered perspective. This project measured church members’ understanding of the Minor Prophets as they pertain to Christians today. It also measured attitudes and affections toward the Minor Prophets. A total of eleven people participated in the study. Eight were female; the other three were male. Each participant completed a pre-intervention survey, along with three instructional workshops that focused on biblical exposition, biblical theology, and hermeneutics. An eight-part sermon series was implemented to model the kind …