Digital Commons Network^™

Young Adults Leaving The Church: The Tie To Intentional Spiritual Mentoring Among Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Teens Through Youth And Confirmation Ministry, Serena Alexandria Pace

Doctor of Ministry

Previously churched Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS)1 young adults are leaving the worship community post confirmation and post high school. Is this truly what is taking place? If so, what structures within churches and youth ministries might contribute to this problem? In order to address this problem, it is proposed that the lack of youth mentorship ministry, especially of teen-agers in the church, contributes to the problem. Worship communities can help ensure that young adults stay connected by establishing mentor relationships during the confirmation and teen years.

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 …

God's Focus On The Fatherless: A Lens To Inform Spiritual Impact In The Local Church, Dwight David Croy

Doctor of Ministry

This study concentrates on God’s focus on and vision for the fatherless as an informal lens from which local churches may measure and implement ministry impact and outreach principles. As a pastor and a military chaplain, I see many young people who are fatherless to the third and fourth generation. The ministry of the present day Church is limiting its impact because it does not see the fatherless as God sees them. Here the question is asked, “What in God’s exhortation of supporting the fatherless are churches to incarnationally infuse into their local outreach to the community?” The claim is …

Accessible Spiritual Practices Through Classic Forms Of Prayer, Clyde Vernon Hartline

Doctor of Ministry

But Jesus often withdrew to the lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

When God-followers feel distant and disconnected, they often describe their experience as a “lonely place.” The feeling of being distanced from God is exacerbated by a lack of knowledge on how to resolve the distance. Retreats and resources might help one reconnect with God; however, the means for connection is often housed in the deep recesses of books or is hidden in the teachings of spiritual sages far away on desert retreats. Simple classic prayer practices remain largely unknown in evangelical circles as a result of inaccessibility, unfamiliarity, …

The Multiple Intelligences As Holistic Spiritual Formation In Youth Ministry, Grant E. Carey

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that there is a great need for holistic spiritual formation in the lives of the adolescents that are part of our churches. Section 1 describes the influence of postmodernism and Moralistic Therapeutic Deism on our teenagers, especially as they go through an intense time of change and development. Because of this awkward developmental stage, adolescents are often thought of in ways that are mostly untrue, which creates myths that are explored and debunked in this section. Section 2 explores recent trends and programs in youth ministry that have been used for bettering spiritual formation in the lives …

The Great Co-Mission: A Postmodern Missiology, Greg G. Glatz

Doctor of Ministry

The Great Commission has often been interpreted as a directive to colonize people and subject them to our agenda. We interpret “make disciples of all nations” as make other parts of the world Christian the way we are Christian. We interpret “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” as compelling them to repudiate any beliefs or practices that conflict with our understanding of Christianity. We interpret “teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” as indoctrinate them with creeds and catechisms. As a postmodern pilgrim, I want to …

The Role Of Spiritual Formation And Ministry Governance In Developing Mission-Oriented Governing Boards, Allen Schoonover

Doctor of Ministry

Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have struggled over the last generation to reach out effectively to new members. This struggle is the byproduct of a changing ministry context leaders are trying to address. By the 1980s, those elements that had fueled the growth of the Lutheran Church the United States throughout the previous century had largely faded. An awareness of these changes and the corresponding decline in membership and contributions has prompted leaders to examine how to reach out more effectively to those outside traditional ethnic and cultural Lutheran enclaves. In order to improve their congregation’s effectiveness, …

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.

The Faith Journey In H3, Randall J. Davis

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

The Once And Future Church: Discipleship And The Hope Of United Methodism, William H. Watson

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Adventures In Churchland: Discovering The Beautiful Mess Jesus Loves, Dan Kimball

Doctor of Ministry

A growing number of young adults (those in the 18-30-year-old age range) are not
engaging, becoming involved or entering into the church of America. An increasing
number of those who grew up attending church are leaving after their high school years.
I have observed this as a pattern when visiting churches and talking to church
leaders across America. Statistics are showing this as seen in studies such as Dave Kin-
naman’s research and writings from the Barna Research group and Ed Stetzer’s research
from LifeWay Christian Resources. This is a very significant problem because if the
church loses connection with …

Creating New Expressions Of Worship Gatherings Within Existing Churches, Eric K. Baker

Doctor of Ministry

It is my claim that multiple expressions of worship gatherings must be created to connect generations to Jesus. Worship "services" are the face of many churches, but according to recent studies many people are leaving the American church at a rapid rate.1 Many issues surrounding the decline of the American church exist, but my claim is that many young adults feel disconnected from many Sunday morning worship experiences. Many have attempted to fix this problem by creating evangelistic ministry teams, by moving churches from the mega church model to the house church model, and even by removing the mass gathering …

Becoming Fully Human: Re-Imagining Christian Discipleship For An Emerging Generation, Vincent A. Beresford

Doctor of Ministry

It is my claim that followers of Jesus in the United States are suffering from missional amnesia and are seemingly unaware of their increasingly ineffective approaches towards Christian discipleship and evangelism. It seems the Church has forgotten why they exist? Simultaneously, an emerging generation watches how the Christian faith is being played out in the United States, and has arrived at the conclusion that the "organized church" has missed the point. The world has changed and the Church's lack of response clearly indicates grand delusions of denial. The unique Christian sub-culture who were once the "natives" in the United States …

Youth Ministry In The Emerging Culture, Joel Dietrich

Doctor of Ministry

Youth ministry is a relatively new endeavor for Christianity in the West. In its short history, youth ministry became a major aspect of Christian churches and Christian activity. This project focuses on youth ministry in the emerging culture. The problem is that an increasing percentage of Americans leave their Christian faith behind when they enter adulthood. The paper examines the latest research into the emerging culture and youth ministry, and it provides a practical approach to youth ministry in the emerging culture. The thesis is that youth ministries can connect effectively with teenagers through missional, relational, incarnational, and intergenerational strategies …

Where Are The Twenty-Year-Olds? Tools For The Church To Connect And Retain A Generation, Lars Rood

Doctor of Ministry

A generation of young people are losing their connection to the church today. Research by the Barna Group shows that "61 % of students who were active in church during their teenage years disengaged during their twenties."1 Many churches struggle to adequately connect with and retain the twenty-something generation. This inability to connect stems from changing culture, technology, new worldviews, and a lack of formal training in institutes of higher education. Raised with the Internet, instant messaging, cell phones, and hundreds of television channels, this generation is undoubtedly well informed. Yet many churches no longer speak their language. I believe …

Youthbuilders: 1974-2008 Building A Student Leadership Model, Denis Eldon Bell

Doctor of Ministry

The YouthBuilders is an itinerant group of students, ages 18-24 who volunteer for one year of community life and personal growth. They train and serve in what is now a co-operative opportunity sponsored by the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada and the Canadian Conference of the Brethren in Christ Church.

After thirty-three years the YouthBuilders' adventure is just completing its tenth season of tour, involving the 13th and 14th teams, having trained 58 students in this model of leadershop development.

The practical application of this Doctor of Ministry dissertation is to investigate · · the history of this movement and …

Movies As The Vernacular Of Adolescence, Jacob Youmans

Doctor of Ministry

Audience: The primary audience/user of my project will be Christian teenagers with a desire to share their faith in a missional way in the vernacular of their peers. I also hope the project will be a resource for those who minister to and work with teenagers and desire to connect with them as well as inspire them to go out and be the church to their friends that do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

I hope my users will have more confidence in sharing their faith and will learn skills to talk about the sacred in the …

An Epistemology Of Hope: A Modest Theory Of Knowledge For The (Post) Evangelical Church, Jeffrey Norman Tacklind

Doctor of Ministry

The problem that I will be addressing in this dissertation is the chasm that is growing between the evangelical church and the emerging church pertaining specifically to the epistemological differences between the two. My hope is to provide a theory of knowledge that will bridge the gap in such a way that it will preserve what I believe to be the virtues of both sides of the discussion. I will propose an epistemology that will hold to both the more evangelical commitment of an objective reality, while at the same time honestly facing the limitations to the modern quest for …

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 …

The Kingdom Of God: An Ancient/Future Ontology Of Leadership For The Twenty First Century Church, Stephen A. Campbell

Doctor of Ministry

The Church is facing a crisis ofleadership. For the past several hundred years the Church has embraced an ontology, or basic understanding of the nature ofleadership, based on a modern interpretation of the world. With the emergence of the postmodern world, Church leaders need to embrace a new, ancient/future ontology ofleadership based on Jesus' teachings on the kingdom of God. This will enable the Church to be relevant in the twenty-first century. Chapter two will evaluate Jesus' teaching regarding the kingdom of God. This examination will reveal four characteristics of that kingdom which will serve as the basic framework for …

Building A Reformed Life: Recovering John Calvin's Theology Of The Christian Life For The Church Today, Neil E. Trainer

Doctor of Ministry

The problem addressed by this dissertation may be stated as follows: How can members of First Presbyterian Church, and others like it, be assisted in both their understanding of God's plan and their appropriation of God's power for their growth toward maturity in Christ's likeness? To address the stated problem, we propose to recover John Calvin's theology of the Christian life, which understands spiritual formation as the necessary and progressive reformation of the deformed image of God after the pattern of Christ through spiritual union with Christ by the process of repentance. In this light, spiritual formation is viewed as …

E-Learning And The Academy: A New Paradigm For Training Youth Ministry Students, Richard Chromey

Doctor of Ministry

The technological revolution of cyberspace has forced various institutions to reinvent. In recent years, many colleges and universities have converted partially or wholly to distance education or "e-Iearning." However, countless other schools and learning institutions (especially ministry training) remain firmly entrenched within site-based, seat-time, lecture-rooted, modern educational frames.

And therefore, the problem arises: how can cyber technology and on-line educational delivery systems train and equip youth and family ministry students for professional or lay ministly?

The purpose of this work is an investigation of electronic learning in order to propose alternative strategies for future youth ministry education. Ultimately, readers will …

A Seven Strand Cord: Braiding Together Leadership Development For Mid-Adolescents, Richard Barrett Bartlett Ii

Doctor of Ministry

The emerging culture is necessitating different leadership paradigms: preparation of leaders in a "business as usual" fashion is becoming inadequate. Mid-adolescents in churches who are being "called" or "shoulder tapped" as emerging leaders need an intentional process of leadership development.

This paper will recommend leadership development of mid-adolescents through the metaphor of a seven strand braided cord which includes these threads: discernment, an understanding of call, rite of passage events, mentoring, spiritual formation, service/ministry opportunities, and commissioning. The goal of this research is to suggest that these kinds of learning experiences, which the Church could be providing today, will best …

The Cult Of Comfort, Raymond W. Leach

Doctor of Ministry

The tension in which we find ourselves when it comes to the accumulation of wealth and material possessions is a common one for Christians in the United States. This is a natural result of living in a culture that is driven by the pursuit of comfort. It is aggravated by the fact that so many of our tendencies when it comes to money, happiness, and success are conditioned by the world instead of being shaped by the Word of God. We strive for worldly kingship, but we are called to otherworldly kingdom participation. We pursue comfort as defined by our …

Training Volunteers To Effectively Make Disciples Of Troubled Youth In The Emerging Postmodern Culture, Dwight Spotts

Doctor of Ministry

One of the great opportunities for the Christian community in an emerging postmodern culture will be the renewed potential for incamational ministry to troubled youth. For over a half century the evangelical church in America has failed to significantly impact the problem of delinquency. This has not always been the reality. Yet current research pertaining to the relationship between religion and delinquency shows that when contextual variables are considered the church can have an inverse effect upon delinquency. In other words, the practice of religion does have something positive to offer troubled youth.

While it is has traditionally been assumed …

Via Media : The Necessity Of Deeper Theological Refection For The Genuine Renewal Of Church In The Emerging Culture And Context / By Jason Clark., Jason Clark

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Connexions: Models For Creative Collaboration Between Church And Academy In The Twenty-First Century, Anthony L. Blair

Doctor of Ministry

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the historic relationship between church and academy (defined as Christian higher education). Although certain external forces, including the decline in denominational identity, the power of market forces, and the growing philosophical/theological tensions between the lectern and the pulpit, have driven the academy and the church apart in recent decades, the claim of this study is that these same forces can be harnessed to draw them together in a more collaborative relationship in the twenty-first century.

Chapter One delineates the scope and nature of Christian higher education in North America, through both a …

Creating Community: A Quaker, Covental Approach Toward A Parallel Society, Colin B. Saxton

Doctor of Ministry

Within many local churches people hunger and thirst for deeper spirituality, authentic fellowship and more active ministry in the world. Sincere disciples long to know and follow Christ and participate in a community of saints who embody the values of God's Kingdom in this world.

Along the way, however, many of these same people often feel unfulfilled and frustrated. Hindered by social pressure and conventional values, these Christians find themselves conforming to the American social patterns and practices they often disdain. Many simply do not experience the necessary communal support to live out the gospel in the face of the …

Drumbeats And Tides The Salvation Army Crestmont College A Better Model For Preparing Leaders In The Emerging Age, Raymond L. Peacock

Doctor of Ministry

Christian higher education in general and Salvation Army higher education Vll specifically are undergoing a learning revolution. Most organizations in general and The Salvation Anny specifically are simultaneously experiencing a leadership revolution. Crestmont College was given two mandates in 2000 and a third mandate in 2002 to address these two revolutions. But what is it about learning and leadership that the mandates need to address? Moving towards connecting transformative learning with transfonnationalleadership development within the context of an institution and an organization requires sorting out the structure, strategic plmming, and linking the plan to implementation. The dissertation works itselfthrough these …

A Way Of The Soul: The Use Of An Introductory Course In Christian Spirituality As A Path Towards Personal Ministry In The Local Parish, Newton W. Kerney

Doctor of Ministry

Committed laity in the local parish seek ministry opportunities with depth and purpose. The use of an introductory course in Christian spirituality as a tool towards personal ministry is one way to develop a more vitalized lay ministry within the local parish.

A definition of spirituality is proposed and used as a backdrop for the development of a course curriculum. The dissertation examines spiritual formation concepts in the Old Testament and New Testament with an eye to their application in daily life. Martin Luther's spirituality as expressed in scripture, catechism and hymnody is explored along with the spiritual formation concerns …