Digital Commons Network^™

A Jesus Seminary: More Than A Classroom, Jeff Thorp

Doctor of Ministry

Ember Discipleship College (EDC) reimagines church internships for young adult Christians in the Northwest U.S., revitalizing spiritual formation and equipping them with practical ministry experience. This opportunity helps deepen their faith and engage in ministry within a rapidly changing culture. Unlike traditional programs that focus on students serving the church, EDC combines theological education, hands-on ministry, and immersive experiences to cultivate well-rounded disciples of Jesus. Research indicates that immersive learning, referred to as “experiential learning,” “action learning,” or “orchestrated immersion,” is among the most effective learning methods. This approach emphasizes formation over mere information, creating environments where context serves as …

Forming Resilient Rostered Ministers: A Proposed Model For First Call Ministry Formation For The North/West Lower Michigan Synod-Elca, Christian A. Timm

Doctor of Ministry

According to the Gospels, Jesus of Nazareth selected twelve men to be his disciples. Three years later, one of the twelve had betrayed Jesus and ended his own liferepresenting an apostolic attrition rate of eight percent. One challenge to Christian denominations today is the attrition rate of trained pastors and deacons serving in congregational settings. Research suggests that up to 50 percent of pastors leave congregational ministry within ten years of their ordination. Other sources dispute these figures. Although up to 20% may leave congregational ministry in favor of specialized ministries, further study, or retirement, a significant number report leaving …

Redirecting The International Church From An Oasis Paradigm To Missional Thought, Community And Practice, David W. Young

Doctor of Ministry

The International Church (IC) environment is dynamic—people from dozens of different nations and Christian heritages worship together each week. ICs, often in global cities, can have strategic influence helping diaspora make adjustments, welcoming them and bringing a sense of community, connection, and peace during stressful transitions. As a consequence, ICs often adopt “a home away from home” vision—where the IC believes it fundamentally exists as a temporary oasis to meet the religious and social needs of its members. However, the oasis/nurture paradigm—with its consumer undertone, inward focus on member care, and shepherding is inadequate for making and mobilizing disciples. Third …

Infusing A Paradigm Of Mission And Multiplication Into The Greater Ohio District Of The Wesleyan Church, Christopher Dyer

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation will explore appropriate methodology for reinvigorating the Greater Ohio District of The Wesleyan Church by creating a new paradigm of mission and multiplication. Statistics show there is a declining number of congregations in The Wesleyan Church of North America, and specifically, within the Greater Ohio District. Local churches are being closed at a rapid rate and multi-faceted congregational multiplication is needed to replace these lost congregations and restore missional presence. The narrative of the District is one of fear, fatigue, and closed-mindedness; discriminatory against church multiplication due to nearly two decades of perceived failed attempts which resulted in …

An Enlivening And Concrete Life-Together: Discovering A Fresh Rootedness In The Gospel For Local Organizations And Families In A Global Economic And Postmodern Consumerist Culture, Charles Estanol

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that the transmission of the gospel falls short in postmodern rural life because the message has not meaningfully integrated with community life as a whole and asserts that the witness of the church must employ a greater connectedness to local culture to affirm a rootedness in the gospel. Section 1 describes the abstract nature and influence of the global economy and postmodern consumerism, highlighting the growing negative effects on rural communities, families, and ultimately the witness of the gospel. Section 2 surveys a range of Christian organizations in today’s society analyzing how they can become polarized, absorbed, …

Short-Term Missions -- Long-Term Change, Christopher Ellis

Doctor of Ministry

The amount of participants sent yearly on short-term missions (STMs) and the cost to send teams is astounding. Unfortunately, the change of participants that occurs on these trips is often overstated, especially if one is to believe existing data that counters the STM mantra that “my trip changed my life.”

Section 1 examines the current status of STMs, seeking to place them in their global context. It then answers the question of why many STM trips don’t lead to participant change.

Section 2 examines the solutions to the current problem, including books, dissertations, conferences, and other media. I then state …

Promoting Missionary Mutual Care Through Spiritual Community, David L. Shepherd

Doctor of Ministry

Personal struggle and the stressors that catalyze them are inevitable in missionary life. When overly focusing on ministry and enculturation demands, cross-culturally based Christian workers can often neglect intra and inter-personal spiritual formation. The result of such neglect is a lack of purpose, vitality, endurance and effectiveness, and in some cases, the missionary leaves the field altogether. For missionaries to thrive and succeed requires that they place a high priority on mutual and intentional care. Therefore, I will explore the necessity and means of cultivating spiritual community among on-thefield missionaries for their mutual care and development. Chapter 1 introduces the …

Global Discipleship Communities Empowered By The Holy Spirit, Fueled By The Gospel For The Mission Of God, Andrew Bloemker

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Saturday Leadership: Submitted, Engaged Leadership For The Exilic And Templeless Church, Henry Berg

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

The Nature Of Evangelism In Missional Churches, Russell York

Doctor of Ministry

Evangelism has long been at the heart of God's mission for the church. The arrival of the twenty-first century brought with it renewed interest in both the mission of the church and evangelism, a practice central to the church's mission. A leading factor in this resurgence is the decline in church attendance over the past several decades. The most influential factors leading to the decline in attendance are culture changes from modernism to postmodemism and from a Christendom society to a post-Christian pluralistic society. These culture shifts resulted in the diminishing influence of the church and non-Christians' often harboring hostile …

Elegant Leadership In Heterogeneous Ministry Settings, Karen Louise Palmbaum Claassen

Doctor of Ministry

Most Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations are heterogeneous when viewed from some demographic angles. Age, economic status, theological viewpoint, ethnicity, language, family structure, and culture all provide angles through which to contemplate demographic heterogeneity. Part of the variety within my denomination occurs naturally. Other is due to changes in our society. Regardless of origin, increasing diversity is likely to continue. While some argue that uniformity in one or two overarching categories means that a congregation is not diverse, I affim1 that acknowledging diversity points, and exploiting those differences at times, is critical to health and vitality in a congregation. This dissertation …

Building An Ethos Of Discipleship For Transition In The Twenty-First Century, Greg J. Boulton

Doctor of Ministry

The tension between old and new tears at the heart and soul of the church in the United States. For example, does the church focus on building new churches and allow old ones to die? Do church leaders develop a more effective ethos that renews the hearts and minds of Christians in old and new churches? This paper deals with how leaders can develop an ethos that sustains discipleship in the life of its members. It is the thesis of this paper that long-term members of the Christian faith can be revivified through a biblical discipleship process. The paper explores …

Emotional Intelligence: The Core Of The Church Leader For Missional Living In The Emerging Culture, Chad David Johnson

Doctor of Ministry

The modem western church is experiencing a crisis of leadership. This crisis of leadership within the church is driven largely by the lack of emotional intelligence among the churches leaders. The lack of emotional intelligence is debilitating to the missional effectiveness of the Church in this emerging culture. The problem of the lack of emotional intelligence among leaders will be addressed by crafting a model of leadership composed of a core with four key components. The core is emotional intelligence (EI). With EI at the core of the leader, four ways of life and leadership emerge. These will equip the …