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Articles 1 - 22 of 22
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Formed Together: A Value-Based Model Of Mutual Spiritual Formation For Pentecostal Pastors And Churches Under 500, W. T.A. Mcmillan
Formed Together: A Value-Based Model Of Mutual Spiritual Formation For Pentecostal Pastors And Churches Under 500, W. T.A. Mcmillan
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock” (Acts 20:28) is both a warning and an invitation. It insists that the pastor's inner life and the congregation's shared life cannot be pulled apart without doing damage to both. This dissertation grows out of that conviction and out of years of pastoral ministry in Pentecostal churches where the pressure to perform often overwhelms the slow work of being formed. It asks a simple but searching question: How do Assemblies of God pastors serving congregations under 500 in attendance understand the connection between their own spiritual health and the spiritual …
Developing A Church Growth Strategy For Church Revitalizations In Suburban Communities Within The U.S. Assemblies Of God, Thomas A. Galban
Developing A Church Growth Strategy For Church Revitalizations In Suburban Communities Within The U.S. Assemblies Of God, Thomas A. Galban
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Suburban communities are experiencing demographic and socioeconomic shifts that have presented challenges for the local church. These changes have correlated with the decline and plateau of many suburban churches within the U.S. Assemblies of God. This dissertation explores which successful models of church revitalization can be adapted, learned from, and created for suburban church contexts within the U.S. Assemblies of God. Using a qualitative research approach utilizing interviews, this study examined seven suburban churches and the pastors who successfully led through a revitalization process. Each pastor was interviewed concerning their leadership approach, strategies that were employed, contextual realities, funding models, …
Haitian Protestant Leaders’ Perceptions Of Social Media Use For Discipleship, Cherubin Dorcil
Haitian Protestant Leaders’ Perceptions Of Social Media Use For Discipleship, Cherubin Dorcil
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
This qualitative descriptive study explores how Haitian Protestant church leaders in a large urban area of the northeastern United States describe the influence of their use of social media on promoting discipleship. The study addresses a gap in understanding how digital ministry practices are interpreted within Haitian Protestant diaspora contexts and how these practices inform both theory and ministry application. Using a qualitative descriptive design, data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 Haitian Protestant church leaders selected through convenience sampling. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis, which resulted in the identification of five primary themes: social media as …
Digital Discipleship And Whole-Person Flourishing: A Mixed-Methods Study At Celebration Church, John W. Wyatt
Digital Discipleship And Whole-Person Flourishing: A Mixed-Methods Study At Celebration Church, John W. Wyatt
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
This study examines how digital participation influences whole-person flourishing within the context of Celebration Church, a contemporary American megachurch, addressing a critical gap in empirical research on digital discipleship and its theological implications. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, quantitative data from the Barna ChurchPulse survey compared in-person and online participants, while qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with leaders from eighteen American megachurches were analyzed thematically. Findings indicate that flourishing outcomes are largely comparable across digital and in-person cohorts, challenging assumptions that embodied participation is inherently superior for spiritual formation; however, statistically significant differences emerged in leadership involvement, serving, and engagement …
Discovering An Effective Disciple-Making Method For Men, Clifton J. Hefley
Discovering An Effective Disciple-Making Method For Men, Clifton J. Hefley
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
This dissertation explores the development of an effective disciple-making method for men by integrating insights from early church discipleship practices and modern missional strategies such as Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and Church Planting Movements (CPM). Rooted in biblical theology and the teachings of the Patristic Fathers, the study evaluates how obediencebased, relational discipleship shaped early Christianity and compares it with contemporary missional frameworks promoted by leaders like David Garrison, Alan Hirsch, and Steve Addison. Against the backdrop of a sharp decline in church attendance and male engagement in Western Christianity, this research identifies the need for a reproducible, movement-oriented model …
A Framework For A Flourishing Life Within The American Pentecostal Church Through The Lens Of Scripture And Research, Josh M. Mayo
A Framework For A Flourishing Life Within The American Pentecostal Church Through The Lens Of Scripture And Research, Josh M. Mayo
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
This dissertation examines six Pentecostal churches across the United States, exploring the research question, “What best practices (strategies) and beliefs (theologies) within six Pentecostal churches act as breakthroughs or barriers in promoting spiritual flourishing among their attendees?” Drawing from Matt 5:2–12, the Beatitudes serve as a foundational text for understanding spiritual flourishing in God’s kingdom. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies conducted at Cross Church in Cumming, Georgia, Real Life Church (Bowling Green, Kentucky), Vima Church (Wichita, Kansas), Harvest Time (Fort Smith, Arkansas), New Life Church (Peshtigo, Wisconsin), and Life Point Church, which serves …
Multiplying Multipliers: How To Develop Church Planters Who Multiply Through Evangelical Church-Based Planting, Patrick Grach
Multiplying Multipliers: How To Develop Church Planters Who Multiply Through Evangelical Church-Based Planting, Patrick Grach
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The Evangelical Church of America is declining, while the population of the United States is growing. Though the church has a biblical mandate to multiply and fulfill the Great Commission, the church-planter pipelines within church-planting churches and organizations are shrinking, and only a fraction of churches are multiplying by developing church planters and releasing them to plant new generations of churches. The challenge of generational church multiplication is captured in the research question: How can church-planting churches and church-based church-planting networks prepare church planters to multiply? This study provides a biblical foundation for a practical theology of church multiplication and …
Getting Back To God’S Design For Womanhood: Examining Purpose, Identity, Relationships, Mission And Ministry For The Twenty-First Century Woman, Cynthia Degrie
Getting Back To God’S Design For Womanhood: Examining Purpose, Identity, Relationships, Mission And Ministry For The Twenty-First Century Woman, Cynthia Degrie
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Division, debates, and disputes abound surrounding the practical ministry issues regarding the theology of woman and womanhood, leaving an unresolved stalemate, disengagement, and a mass departure from the church. As a result, the church and culture are left at a point of crisis, devoid of relevant biblical answers to their questions. The church is at a very important crossroad. Continuing on this current path is no longer an option. The time has come to develop an accurate, Scripture-driven theology of womanhood and a Scripture-guided practical ministry response to the issues the twenty-first century woman faces. The first steps entail examining …
Multiply Alabama: Moving From Church Planting To Church Multiplication By Multiplying Leaders And Churches In The Alabama Ministry Network, David P. Strahan
Multiply Alabama: Moving From Church Planting To Church Multiplication By Multiplying Leaders And Churches In The Alabama Ministry Network, David P. Strahan
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The Alabama Ministry Network has had anemic success in planting over 150 churches since 1980. However, there has still been a ten percent decline in the total number of churches due to churches closing, churches withdrawing, or churches merging. This project studies how AMN can move from addition (church planting) to multiplication (church multiplication) to avoid further regression. The Biblical literature review examines the scriptural premise to multiply. It also discovers the church planting models of Jesus, the early church, and Paul The project used mixed research methods to develop a pathway towards church multiplication within AMN in four phases. …
Faithful Is The Word: Forging A Pastoral Mentality Based On An Analysis Of The Phrase “Pistos Ho Logos” And Its Effectiveness When Applied To Pastoral Succession, Israel Sotolongo
Faithful Is The Word: Forging A Pastoral Mentality Based On An Analysis Of The Phrase “Pistos Ho Logos” And Its Effectiveness When Applied To Pastoral Succession, Israel Sotolongo
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The aim of this thesis is to develop a biblically grounded resource that will prepare incoming pastors who will succeed retiring pastors of local churches. Studies show that most church succession attempts are not deemed successful, which is concerning since, over the next ten to twenty years, the American church will experience the largest wave of retiring pastors it has ever seen. This work addressed two learning gaps, as little exists in the form of resources directed primarily at incoming pastors and research on the clause Pistos ho Logos. Therefore, the primary research questions were “What are the meaning and …
Providing Effective Pastoral Leadership Through Difficult Seasons: Overcoming Barriers To Becoming A Revitalized Church, Joseph Lee
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Leading churches in revitalization is challenging. Church plateau, decline, and revitalization have been issues for major denominations for years. Revitalization efforts have produced positive results for some churches, but the overall trend of decline in church attendance and participation in North America persists. One complicating factor in engaging church revitalization is the contextual nature of barriers contributing to plateau and decline. Some barriers may be specific to the churches' time, location, and culture. A second complicating factor impacting church revitalization is the COVID-19 pandemic that began early in 2020. This project explores church leadership dynamics during challenges seasons by focusing …
A Daily Time With God For Spiritual Growth: How Worship, Scripture, And Prayer Transform People Into Fully Devoted Followers Of Jesus, Luke Cunningham
A Daily Time With God For Spiritual Growth: How Worship, Scripture, And Prayer Transform People Into Fully Devoted Followers Of Jesus, Luke Cunningham
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Bible engagement, faith practice, and people identifying as followers of Jesus are at an all-time low in America. Christians are casually attending church, occasionally volunteering, but not transforming into fully devoted followers of Jesus. Discipleship is defined differently from church to church, and “spiritual formation” is the new rave without much local church praxis. How do Christians go from a weekly faith of attendance to a daily faith of transformation? The focus of this doctoral dissertation is to present the practice of daily meetings with God as the solution to this problem. It is by laying out a clear theology …
Engaging And Mobilizing Baby Boomers For Effective Ministry, Paul D. Russell
Engaging And Mobilizing Baby Boomers For Effective Ministry, Paul D. Russell
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
In the 21st-century church in America, can Baby Boomers, who presently range from 57 to 76 years of age, be envisioned and commissioned to make a difference through effective and meaningful ministry? The intent of the research was to discover relevant information and present considerations to help those entering the last third of life make an informed contribution to the church and community. Evidence will be presented to show that Boomers need the church and that the church needs the presence and resourceful productivity of the Boomer cohort. This reality does not circumvent the essential mission of reaching other generations …
Defining, Assessing, And Progressing Discipleship: Helping Church Leaders And Laity Become Confident And Equipped Disciple-Makers, Matthew R. Ulrich
Defining, Assessing, And Progressing Discipleship: Helping Church Leaders And Laity Become Confident And Equipped Disciple-Makers, Matthew R. Ulrich
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Many pastors, lay leaders, and followers of Jesus have a desire to make disciples, but there seems to be a general lack of understanding at the local church level about what it means to make disciples and equip disciple-makers. The Chartis discipleship assessment (www.chartisassessment.com) was created as a discipleship assessment to assist disciple-makers in pragmatically defining, assessing, and progressing the spiritual growth of their disciples. Discipleship definitions, supplemental teaching resources, and a biblical theology of discipleship were also created to produce a robust discipleship toolkit for any potential disciple-maker to utilize. These tools were given to eleven disciple-makers to be …
God Does Not Show Favoritism: The Intentional Inclusion Of Minorities In Pentecostal Leadership, Terrell Robert Raburn
God Does Not Show Favoritism: The Intentional Inclusion Of Minorities In Pentecostal Leadership, Terrell Robert Raburn
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Although the Azusa Street Revival, known for launching the modern Pentecostal Movement, was initially characterized by minority diversity in regard to leadership, it quickly splintered into three classic Pentecostal fellowships formed along racial lines. The research presented herein examines the racially segregated history of the Pentecostal Church in North America—acknowledging the need for the implementation of a biblically based theology of racial integration—and presents a four-step process in which minority leadership within individual Pentecostal churches is promoted, combatting the unbiblical ideology of a segregated body of Christ. The four steps include (1) the necessity for a strong visionary leader; (2) …
Healthy Church Multiplication In Modern Churches, William J. Burns
Healthy Church Multiplication In Modern Churches, William J. Burns
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19 leaves no room for interpretation. The role of the followers of Jesus and of the church is decidedly clear. We are called to make disciples of all nations. An honest assessment of my local ministry context, Access Church, reveals that we, as a church, have fallen short of Jesus’ Great Commission. The intention of this research project is to understand the biblical mandate to make disciples as taught throughout Scripture, study Jesus’ discipleship methods in the book of Matthew, and, ultimately, create a new rubric to help Access Church—and other churches—understand how to measure its …
Denominational Influence In Church Revitalization, Donald J. Immel
Denominational Influence In Church Revitalization, Donald J. Immel
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Many churches and denominations in North America have been experiencing plateau or decline for the past sixty years. In recent years, the Assemblies of God has experienced trends of plateau or decline in a majority of their churches. The PennDel Ministry Network, one of sixty-four districts within the Assemblies of God USA, has also observed that a majority of its churches are also in a state of plateau or decline. The primary intent of this dissertation is to explore denominational influence in revitalizing churches. Specific attention is given to the church’s participation in the missio Dei as well as the …
Factors That Produce High-Capacity Leaders Within The Church, Daniel O. Floyd
Factors That Produce High-Capacity Leaders Within The Church, Daniel O. Floyd
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Population is exploding, and yet the church, in some areas, is declining. High-capacity leaders, who can lead large groups of people toward gospel advancement, are needed now more than ever. The research question that this project seeks to answer is: what are the factors that produce high-capacity leaders within the church? The topic of leadership boasts a wealth of research; however, there is a gap in the research regarding what it takes to develop a highcapacity leader, as defined in this project. The research questions are answered through a qualitative phenomenological study that involve interviewing eight pastors who are leading …
Developing A Church Planting Growth Strategy For Growing Metropolitan Communities In The United States, Aaron R. Burke
Developing A Church Planting Growth Strategy For Growing Metropolitan Communities In The United States, Aaron R. Burke
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The United States is becoming increasingly urbanized. The metropolitan areas are thriving with new residents and new industries. While the cities are growing, the church is declining. The church has a problem to solve. How do we plant rapidly growing churches in growing metropolitan areas? The focus of this doctoral dissertation is to present rapidly growing church plants as a solution to the declining church attendance in the metropolitan areas of the United States. Not only do new churches need to be planted, but these new churches need a strategy for growth. I found this strategy by researching five rapidly …
Developing Civically Engaged, Justice Oriented Churches Right From The Start - A Hispanic Pentecostal Perspective, Elizabeth D. Rios
Developing Civically Engaged, Justice Oriented Churches Right From The Start - A Hispanic Pentecostal Perspective, Elizabeth D. Rios
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Most church planting training programs train pastors in typical church operations systems as well as how to build their teams with a strong mission. However, often their training is vague and even non-existent in the area of biblical justice and advocacy, an area of pressing need in the changing face of the United States. We are more racially divided than ever, and we struggle with a myriad of socio-economic issues that need to be addressed at the root level. Those who are called to plant churches must therefore understand that unlike any other time in history, church planting today requires …
Lifters And Gifters: Keeping Millennials And Boomers Together To Build The Church, Richard Wilkerson
Lifters And Gifters: Keeping Millennials And Boomers Together To Build The Church, Richard Wilkerson
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
One of the great needs of the church at this moment is to keep the primary funders, “Gifters,” and the primary workers, “Lifters,” of the church together in order to grow healthy, thriving, life-giving, Spirit-inspired churches. Inspired by the experiences of declining and plateauing church the author has witnessed and experienced, this dissertation will examine how to keep the church family together generationally, while at the same time planting new churches with the generations still intact. The research within this project, comprised of a theological study of biblical principles, a study of current literature, and surveys and interviews from pastors, …
Technological Discipleship: How Modern Platforms Can Improve Devotional Habits In Core Church, Greg D. Phelps
Technological Discipleship: How Modern Platforms Can Improve Devotional Habits In Core Church, Greg D. Phelps
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
In a society immersed and fascinated with technological devices and tools, the researcher explored the extent to which online platforms can provide a productive means to implement discipleship programs in a church plant through the use of internet video devotional materials. The relatively low practice of regular devotional habits in today’s Church has become an increasing problem. The purpose of this project was to examine the possibility of spiritual formation within the congregants of Core Church through the use of online video devotions. The project consisted of sixteen online video devotions that were created from four sermons delivered at Core …