Digital Commons Network^™

Engage In The New Age: Understanding Why Emerging Adults Stay Or Stray In The Church, Michael D. Douglas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of emerging adults (ages 18–25) who were raised in small to midsize Black Baptist churches in Norfolk, Virginia, to examine the factors influencing their continued engagement or disengagement from the church. Against the backdrop of declining participation among young adults in African American congregations, the study investigates how preaching, discipleship practices, church-sponsored activities, and resource allocation shape patterns of belonging and retention. Through semi-structured interviews with emerging adults ages 18-25, the research uncovers the spiritual, relational, and organizational dynamics that either foster sustained involvement or contribute to disengagement. Findings highlight the critical …

A Mixed-Method Investigation Into A Possible Correlation Between Forced Terminations Among Church Members, An Exodus Of Young Adults, And An Exponential Decay In Church Attendance, Chastity Selma Jhingree

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the preservation of the biblical church, church members are mandated in the Face of God (Coram Deo) to feed all Christians with the Word of God. However, extant literature reveals a major crisis confronting the church: the exponential decay in church attendance. Therefore, the overarching question is: how can church members feed on and receive the Word of God when church attendance continues to decline? Forced terminations and an exodus of young adults from the church were examined in an investigation to determine whether they significantly contributed to the decline in church attendance. A mixed-methods research design was used …

Tongues In 1 Corinthians 12–14: Their Role In Gospel Proclamation And Unity, Adam Rimmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The gifts of the Holy Spirit have been controversial throughout the ages. Many theologians, apologists, and church fathers have tried to clarify glossolalia. This dissertation is an exposition of 1 Corinthians 12–14 that argues that glossolalia is an actual human language that supports the gift of prophecy for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, but was being misused within the church at Corinth as ecstatic speech, which was not the valid biblical gift of glossolalia. It will demonstrate that this gift served as a divine means to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who spoke different languages before …

Co-Dominion: The Changing Nature Of The Adamic Covenant In An Age Of Artificial Intelligence, Corey Hastings

Masters Theses

Theologians and religious bodies attest to the rising influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in governments, the economy, and the lives of the people of God. Through the covenant with Adam, God gave humans the blessing of dominion and capabilities unique to creation to till the earth. Today, humans retain the image of God but AI increasingly displaces human functions with coordinated agency. Using Hebrew language exegesis of passages from Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, this study compares capabilities gifted to humans with the scope of current and near future AI models. It incorporates direct artifact analysis of a large-language model as …

Timothy Baptist Church Of Amherst, Virginia, And Technology, Christopher L. Groom

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The contemporary local church faces a critical crossroads, challenged by a widening gap between traditional ministry approaches and today's digital-native world, resulting in decreased engagement and relevance. This research tackles the urgent issue of ecclesiastical stagnation in a highly connected society. When the local church and technology strategically unite, they can dramatically shift the church’s path from static tradition toward active, missional innovation. Embracing digital tools will transform preaching from a localized, one-dimensional event into a rich, multi-layered homiletic experience that enhances message impact and clarity. By intentionally using these tools, the church can reach a wider, more diverse audience …

A Christ-Centered Approach To Ai-Assisted Sermon Preparation For Cedar Grove Community Church, Andrew Michael Poe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping nearly every sector of society, presenting both opportunities and ethical challenges for Christian ministry. Amid this technological shift, many pastors, Bible teachers, and lay leaders experience ethical uncertainty about the appropriate use of AI in expository preaching and teaching. This Doctor of Ministry action research project developed and evaluated an eight-week training designed to equip the teaching team at Cedar Grove Community Church with a Christ-centered approach to AI-assisted sermon preparation. The purpose of this project was to provide biblical, theological, and practical guidance enabling communicators to leverage AI responsibly without compromising ministerial integrity …

Jesus Leads Worship: A Theological Investigation Of The Role Of Jesus Christ In Worship, Vernon M. Whaley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are many books, published articles and formal studies by well-known evangelical theologians and authors that make the case of how Jesus is sufficiently prepared to serve the role as our own personal high priest. But, few studies provide theological and practical evidence that Jesus is passionate in accepting His responsibility to lead us in worship. The purpose of the study is to demonstrate how Jesus Christ is central to our worship and, as Sovereign, He is superior to all of the Old Testament forms of worship. This research seeks to provide a theological, historical and philosophical study of Jesus …

The Paradox Of Fear In Scripture: Humanity’S Fear Encounters The Fear Of The Lord, Denise K. Travanti

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research portrays a biblical theology of God’s presence in response to humanity’s natural fear when people are engaged in relationship with him. The Bible is framed with God dwelling with people and the absence of fear at the beginning of their existence and at the end of time in the new heaven and new earth. Fear arrives in the garden with Adam and Eve’s choice for autonomy and their relationship with God, and thus his presence, undergoes a change. From Moses through the Writings and the Prophets, then through the apostles’ experiences conveyed in the Epistles, the reality of …

The Word Of Faith Which We Preach: Perspectives On Core Doctrines Of Word Of Faith Theology, James Clifford Crew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Primary Research Question:

What are the distinctive core doctrines that are officially recognized and universally taught within the Word of Faith movement - as distinguished from some common aberrant or excessive popular teachings - and are these core doctrines biblically and theologically defensible as orthodox teachings within the broader scope of the universal Christian Church? The research problem is a glaring gap in the literature characterized by the general absence of a clear delineation between official core doctrines and controversial popular teachings that are neither officially codified in its doctrinal statements nor universally accepted and taught within the Word of …

The Incarnational And Christological Link Of The Servant In Isaiah 52:13–53:12 And Philippians 2:5–11, Heather Green

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is much written about the Suffering Servant passage in Isaiah and the Christ Hymn in Philippians. This dissertation examines the incarnational and Christological relationship between the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 52:13–53:12 and the Christ Hymn of Philippians 2:5–11. The common themes in both passages are incarnation, humiliation, obedient suffering, substitutionary atonement, exaltation, and divine vindication. This study also evaluates major scholarly interpretations regarding the identity of the Servant in Isaiah and the extent to which Paul intentionally appropriates Isaianic servant imagery in Philippians 2. While acknowledging the influence of Isaiah 45:23 on Philippians 2:9–11, this dissertation argues that Isaiah …

The Doctrine Of Salvation In The Old Testament: Elective Grace Through Faith In The Triune God, Yoojeung Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The doctrine of salvation in the Old Testament (OT) remains a contested topic in biblical theology, particularly its coherence with New Testament (NT) soteriology. Much of this debate centers on the tension between distinct redemptive administrations across history and the specific means of salvation, such as the relationship between covenantal obedience and elective grace. This dissertation addresses whether OT believers were saved differently from NT believers or if a unified redemptive pattern spans both Testaments. The dissertation asserts that Old Testament believers were saved in the same manner as New Testament believers: by God’s elective grace through faith in YHWH, …

The Practical Application Of The Greatest Commandments In Mark 12:28–34: A Holistic Framework For Spiritual Formation, Mark R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian spiritual formation is a field abundant in materials, resources, and programs to help people become fully devoted followers of God. Yet a disconnect appears to exist between the biblical concept of discipleship, which encompasses both a process and an event, and the lived reality of Christians in the United States today. A new model that lays the foundation for a new spiritual formation framework grounded in the practical application of the Greatest Commandments may be of benefit. This dissertation develops a model that includes orthodoxy and orthopraxy to apply the Greatest Commandments in an easy-to-understand framework in a practical, …

Building Sustainable Ministry Through Leadership Development: Evaluating A Biblically Grounded Leadership Model, Christopher David Brisco

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many churches face declining participation, leadership fatigue, and inadequate succession planning, often due to a lack of intentional, structured leadership development systems. Although research indicates that mentoring, leadership training, and supervised ministry experiences strengthen leadership capacity and organizational sustainability, many congregations struggle to implement leadership development models that effectively integrate biblical principles with strategic organizational practices. This researcher examined the implementation and effectiveness of a biblically grounded leadership development model within The Church of the Redeemed of the Lord in Baltimore, Maryland, a multigenerational church with diverse ministry departments that provided an appropriate context for evaluating intentional strategic leadership development. …

Sovereign Borders: John’S Deuteronomic Framework For Israel And The Nations In The Apokalypsis, Kevin W. Mullen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation concludes that John’s imagery of Israel and the nations in the Apokalypsis is distinctly shaped by his interpretation and incorporation of Deuteronomic theology. It employs a canonical and intertextual approach to inductively argue that Deuteronomy presents three pillars, or roles, for biblical nationhood: (1) objects of and instruments for divine judgment, (2) custodians to restrain evil, and (3) revelations of God’s sovereignty. These three Deuteronomic pillars establish the foundation for biblical nationhood and are expressed by John throughout his Apokalypsis. Moreover, this dissertation concludes that John’s imagery for the nations is due to his reliance upon the Deuteronomic …

The Revelation Of The Pre-Incarnate Christ: A Canonical Exposition Of The Gospel Of John And The Old Testament Witness In Fulfilling God’S Eschatological Promises, Robert R. Coon Sr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation researches how the Gospel of John presents Jesus Christ as the eternally pre-existent and ontologically divine Logos, fulfilling Israel’s scriptural patterns of divine presence, revelation, and glory. Employing a canonical-critical and prosopological approach, the study demonstrates that John’s Christology is best understood as the culmination of Old Testament theophanic witness rather than as a later theological innovation. Through focused exegesis of the Prologue, key theophanic texts, and the Gospel narrative, this work argues that the Logos is not merely a functional agent or literary symbol, but the personal subject in whom God’s self-disclosure reaches its historical and eschatological …

Tracing God’S Plan To Restore Eden In Biblical Theology: The Edenic Restoration Of Man And The Land, Jared Crossno

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study is characterized by the assertion that the restoration of the earth is inextricably linked to the restoration of humanity and that the biblical narrative consistently portrays these realities as interdependent. By defining the restoration of Eden as both an eschatological hope and a present process, biblical theology is advanced in three ways. First, there will be a clarification of the canonical trajectory from Eden to the new creation. Second, soteriology will be reframed to a holistic perspective, rather than an anthropocentric one. Finally, there will be an emphasis on the ethical implications of God's mission to renew humanity …

Ecclesiastes’ Framework For The New Testament Doctrine Of Personal Eschatological Judgment, Brent D. Denney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the relationship between the assertions of divine judgment in the book of Ecclesiastes and the New Testament passages that depict the final judgment of humans. Chapter One introduces the topic and thesis by foregrounding modern scholarship's neglect of the conceptual relationship between Ecclesiastes’ assertions of divine judgment and the New Testament’s mature doctrine of personal eschatological judgment, which underpins this study. Chapter Two examines Qohelet’s deployment of the term הֶבֶל (heḇel) as a tensive symbol for the conditions stemming from the fall and its effects on humanity's pursuit of anything of lasting value (יִתְרוֹן, yiṯrôn). For Qohelet, …

Trinity And Moderate Communitarianism: The Shape Of Social Engagement Within The Godhead, Harry Allotey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explores the doctrine of the Trinity through the lens of Social Trinitarianism in dialogue with African communitarian anthropology, particularly the Ghanaian construct of moderate communitarianism as articulated by Kwame Gyekye. The central thesis is that the concept of moderate communitarianism in African cosmology provides an appropriate conceptual framework for understanding the intra-Trinitarian relationship, one that complements Western insights and avoids some concerns associated with modalism and tritheism. By engaging African categories of personhood, community, and relational ontology, the study demonstrates that the life of the Triune God resonates deeply with African communitarian insights, while also offering theological correction …

The Role Of The Prophetic Commissioning Formula In Matthew’S Gospel, Marcus N. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Scholars have long examined Matthew’s Gospel for its fulfillment quotations and theological emphases but have often overlooked its structural dependence on the Old Testament (OT) prophetic commissioning formula. This formula—divine encounter, mission mandate, prophetic objection, divine reassurance, and a sign of validation—serves as a critical framework throughout Matthew’s narrative, linking Christology, discipleship, and mission. This study addresses the gap by demonstrating how Matthew integrates these commissioning motifs to present Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of Israel’s prophetic tradition and to emphasize the continuity between Israel’s covenantal promises and the mission inaugurated by Jesus.

While the Limited Commission (Matt 10:5–42) and …

A Critique Of Richard Carrier’S Jesus-Myth Theory: Examining Select References To The Historical Jesus In Paul’S Epistles, John P. Nichols

Masters Theses

Richard Carrier is arguably the contemporary voice promoting Jesus-mythicism, the idea that Jesus of Nazareth never existed. Though in the scholarly minority, Carrier has assembled numerous arguments for rejecting the Gospels and Acts as historically reliable, as well as all historical references to Jesus in Paul’s letters. He has proposed his own rules for historical inquiry to replace the traditional criteria of authenticity used by historical-Jesus scholars. In conjunction with his own criteria, Carrier has demonstrated the use of Bayes’ Theorem to assess the probability of Jesus’ existence. This thesis has considered certain portions of Carrier’s thesis against the historical …

Analysis Of Song Choice At An Anglican Church In The North West, Yvette Wong

Masters Theses

The rise of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) in the last hundred years has gradually led to the so-called worship wars in the late twentieth century. While scholars (Lester Ruth, Ted Peter, and Vernon Whaley) note that the tension has several fronts, Ruth points out that the most obvious front line of combat in the wars was music on instrumentation, song repertoires between hymns and choruses, and the role of song in corporate worship. To keep the peace, many churches have settled for either one style of service, combined the two in the same service, commonly known as a blended service, …

Lived Experiences In South Carolina Released Time Education: A Phenomenological Study Of Middle School Student Perceptions, Jacqueline L. Mack

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study investigated how middle school students perceive the influence of Christian Released Time Education (CRTE) on their spiritual development. Through in-depth interviews and survey questionnaires with thirteen middle school participants in South Carolina, the research explored their lived experiences relative to embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, growing in Christian faith, and applying biblical principles to everyday life. Analysis of the data revealed four major themes: Spiritual Growth/Maturity, Sound Doctrine, Moral Integrity, and Personal Transformation. Each theme manifested through distinct subthemes that demonstrated the multidimensional impact of CRTE on participants’ spiritual development. The findings challenge prevailing assumptions about …

Missional Hermeneutics And The Lukan Version Of The Great Commission (Luke 24:44-49): The Dual Hermeneutical Key, Israel Martin Lemos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines the relationship between Christological fulfillment and the mission of God within the framework of biblical interpretation, with special emphasis on Luke 24:44-49. In recent decades, missional hermeneutics has moved from the margins of theological discussion to a more visible place within biblical studies, although the field remains conceptually diverse and methodologically underdefined. On one hand, a growing body of scholarship has argued that Scripture must be read within the horizons of the missio Dei, understood as God's redemptive purpose for creation and the nations. On the other hand, mainstream biblical scholarship has often continued to privilege either …

The Fellowship Of Christ's Sufferings: Toward A Practical Philosophy Of Worship For Missions In The Latin American Church, Moriah Hope Joseph

Senior Honors Theses

Within Latin America, evil and suffering are ever-present realities that cannot be concealed, and the Hispanic society is aching for relief. Liberation Theology and the prosperity gospel – and their accompanying worship practices – have been offered as tools to help alleviate the experience of suffering. But these theological perspectives and practices have accomplished little in edifying the Church by way of truth. Thus, the call for the modern missionary is to instead preach worship that is a response to the incarnate Christ in suffering. The missionary must advocate for worship practices that provide space for biblical lament, reveal a …

From Christology To Ontology: A Diachronic And Exegetical Evaluation Of A Maximalist Sacramental Interpretation Of John 6:51–58, Andrew R. Johnson

Masters Theses

John 6:51–58 occupies a central place in the debate regarding the ontological nature of the Eucharist, frequently serving as a primary scriptural warrant for sacramental realism such as articulated by the Council of Trent as it concerns the dogma of transubstantiation within the Roman Catholic tradition. This thesis conducts both an evaluation of historical reception and a critical exegetical analysis to determine whether the Evangelist’s primary intent was to establish sacramental doctrine in this passage or to further develop already pervasive Johannine soteriological and christological themes.

Methodologically, this study bridges the gap between historical reception and synchronic exegesis. The first …

Linguistic And Cultural Analysis Of Divine Command In 1 Samuel 15: Implications For Biblical Interpretation, Timothy Arnell Dunn

Masters Theses

This thesis argues that ḥērem in 1 Samuel 15 is not a relic of ancient warfare but a sacred act of covenantal devotion that reveals the tension between divine holiness, human obedience, and Israel’s identity as a people set apart for YHWH. Through historical, philological, narrative, and canonical analysis, the study demonstrates that ḥērem functions as a ritualized declaration of divine sovereignty in which destruction becomes consecration and obedience becomes worship. Saul’s partial compliance is therefore not strategic misjudgment but a rupture in covenant fidelity that exposes the costliness of holiness and the danger of selective obedience. Yet the canon …

Asynchronous Theologetics For A Digital Church, William Ck Yomes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The world is currently living through a digital reformation. The advent of the smartphone has forever changed the way people share information and communicate. In the same way that the technological advancement of Gutenberg's printing press fueled the Protestant Reformation, the widespread rapid adoption of the smartphone has begun a digital reformation. Just as academia has proven education can be accomplished online, so too can the local church adopt online teaching strategies. Teaching has always been foundational to formation in the faith. Now, in the era of digital reformation, the local church can take full advantage of tools like asynchronous …

A Theocentric Approach To The Identity Of The People Of God And Its Impact On The Interpretation Of Revelation 7, 12, And 20:1–6, Paul Burnes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation applies a theocentric definition of the people of God to the interpretation of three pericopes within the book of Revelation: Revelation 7, 12, and 20:1–6 to yield a clearer interpretation than present ethnocentric methods. The identification of the people of God is central to the understanding of many pericopes within Scripture. The reason for the choice of these pericopes is that they present ideal views into the theocentric definition of the people of God.

Theocentricity defines a God-centered relationship. All people have a relationship to God, but only some have a relationship with him. Everyone has a relationship …

The Canonical Use Of The Psalter In The Formal Quotations Of Jesus, Didactically Applied To His Self-Identification As Messiah, Andrew W. Richardson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation investigates the canonical use of the Psalter in the formal quotations of Jesus, focusing on how he uses these citations didactically in his self-disclosed explication of a holistic, Old Testament Messiah. Rather than treating Jesus’s use of the Psalms as isolated prooftexts or rhetorical devices, this study contends that Jesus interpreted and applied the Psalter as a unified canonical whole whose theological trajectory assimilates disparate Old Testament messianic expectations. These layered expectations are encapsulated in Jesus’s own self-disclosure as that Messiah. This study adopts a canonical methodology that emphasizes the final form, theological unity, and intertextual development of …

A Critical Examination Of Visions, Dreams, And The Authority Of The Holy Spirit In Biblical Prophecy, Michael Turner-Muhammad

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Holy Spirit's function as the mediating agent of perceptible prophetic encounter remains underdeveloped in the works surveyed for this study. Scholars in pneumatology, prophetic studies, and divine embodiment have each addressed at least one of these dimensions. Pneumatology explains the Spirit’s role in inspiration but not how revelation becomes perceptible; comparative studies provide context, but not its pneumatological structure; and embodiment scholarship affirms anthropomorphic encounters but does not identify the Spirit as their mediating agent. The result, in the works examined here, is the absence of a unified theological account of how the Spirit mediates perceptible divine communication across …