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Articles 31 - 60 of 95
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An Examination Of “The Vine” Motif Through The Lens Of The Old Testament, The Books Of John And Revelation, And Peripheral Extrabiblical Sources, Ellsworth C. Huling Iv
An Examination Of “The Vine” Motif Through The Lens Of The Old Testament, The Books Of John And Revelation, And Peripheral Extrabiblical Sources, Ellsworth C. Huling Iv
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Motifs and themes are interchangeable, used in everyday speech, and common in scholarly literature. Some scholars view motifs and themes as the two most used forms of narrative repetition. “The vine” motif contains multiple meanings throughout the Old and New Testaments. Sometimes, “the vine” readers misunderstand motif-specific referents. Research on “the vine” motif can clarify those specific passages of Scripture that utilize this motif. The interpretation of Scripture is not easy to understand without a proper understanding of the vine motif. Throughout Scripture, especially in the Old Testament, Israel is “the vine.” In the Gospel of John, Jesus is “the …
A Lifestyle Who Is Christ: An Integrative Model Of Spiritual Formation, Katherine L. Pang
A Lifestyle Who Is Christ: An Integrative Model Of Spiritual Formation, Katherine L. Pang
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The field of spiritual formation is replete with models, ways, and processes, including many that propose the integration of psychology and Christianity and have further examined the psychology of Paul. Yet, none emphasize the impact of neuroscience, our brain function, neurochemistry, and neurobiology integrated with the tools and techniques of psychological science facilitated by the Holy Spirit and scripture-based truths derived primarily from Pauline theology in the Christ-follower for growth in spiritual maturity. A model formulated from Pauline theology, psychology, and neuroscience, as such, is novel within the field of spiritual formation. Therefore, the claim stems from the need for …
Proactive Pastoral Counseling: A Christlike Integrative Therapeutic For Creating Christian Intrapersonal Formation In Believers At First Baptist Church Of Harmony, Me, Yaron I. Kohen
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project introduces Proactive Pastoral Counseling (PPC) as a Christian Integrative Therapeutic (CIT). PPC, combined with its counterpart, Christian Intrapersonal Formation (CIF), offers a proactive pastoral counseling approach to assist others in coping with intrapersonal conflict while guiding them toward Christian intrapersonal formation. The impetus behind the study addresses the need for pastoral counseling with members of First Baptist Church (FBC) in Harmony, ME. Chapter One lays out the history, background, and beliefs of FBC and the Maine culture dating back to the late 1700s. Chapter Two addresses the nature of pastoral counseling, its tenets, and applications described …
Providing Biblical Knowledge To Women Ages 25–70 To Place Women In Ministry And Leadership Positions In The Church, Evelyn Diane Scott
Providing Biblical Knowledge To Women Ages 25–70 To Place Women In Ministry And Leadership Positions In The Church, Evelyn Diane Scott
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this project is to provide biblical knowledge to equip women to assume scriptural roles in church ministry and leadership. The project was conducted at The Word Ministry Church in rural Dallas County, Alabama. The writer reviewed women’s challenges and issues in the Christian community dominated by patriarchal theories. This project provides an overview of the study group and the training criteria for preparing women for ministry and leadership. The goal was to educate women not serving in leadership or ministry positions to obtain biblical knowledge to give them the confidence and support to accept their gift of …
A Phenomenological Study Of African-American Clergys’ Experiences With Mental Health, Rosalind R. Smith
A Phenomenological Study Of African-American Clergys’ Experiences With Mental Health, Rosalind R. Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological qualitative study was to describe African-American clergy’s lived experiences with mental health and mental health’s influence on the construction of their teachings, sermons, and church practice. The goal was to use interpretation to bring to light to an underlying coherence of actions of a group of people. This study reduced individual African-American clergy beliefs regarding mental health to a universal understanding. There were four philosophical assumptions in this study: 1) a search for wisdom to understand the phenomenon of African-American clergy’s lived experiences with mental health influence their teachings, sermons, and church practice, 2) …
Being Present Without Being Present: An Internet-Based Approach To Providing Pastoral Counseling To An Always Online Generation, Stephen Lyon Woolverton
Being Present Without Being Present: An Internet-Based Approach To Providing Pastoral Counseling To An Always Online Generation, Stephen Lyon Woolverton
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The increasing reliance that Millennials and Gen-Z Christians have on the internet for almost every question that comes up in their lives should be viewed by pastoral counselors as a cultural context that need to be understood as part of the counseling process and not an obstacle to the counseling process. The emergence of the internet, and the part that it has played in the culture of American Christians who have grown up with constant access to this avenue of communication, has only recently begun to be seen and utilized by pastoral counselors. This research uses the perspective of a …
Improving The Biblical And Spiritual Skills And Knowledge Of Christian Mental Health Counselors At Grace House Counseling Center In Fleming Island, Fl, Larry M. Nichols
Improving The Biblical And Spiritual Skills And Knowledge Of Christian Mental Health Counselors At Grace House Counseling Center In Fleming Island, Fl, Larry M. Nichols
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Christian licensed mental health counseling at Grace House Counseling Center is a multi-faceted spiritual undertaking that is largely in the purview of lay persons who often work and minister to Christians and non-Christians who live and work in a pluralistic environment. Grace House’s mental health counselors are formally trained through their master’s degree program to provide mental health care, not spiritual or soul care, to clients. While some Grace House counselors have some spiritual training, either from an undergraduate Bible college or through years of self-study, most do not have formal training that links Scripture and spiritual disciplines to various …
Liturgical Worship And Soulcare: Foundation And Ministry, Dustin Thomas Parker
Liturgical Worship And Soulcare: Foundation And Ministry, Dustin Thomas Parker
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Throughout twenty plus centuries of Liturgical Worship, there have been two significant demands on those who teach and facilitate worship. The first call is for that worship to be faithful and orthodox, a continuation of the worship that has been handed down from those whose lives were marked by it. The second demand is to be relevant—that whatever is done be done in such a manner as to impact lives. This second call is a request that the souls of people who are led in worship be changed, healed, and matured. Through careful historical research and modern interviews, this dissertation …
Addressing The Intergenerational Disconnect Through Small Group Ministry In A Rural Church, George Russell Strickland
Addressing The Intergenerational Disconnect Through Small Group Ministry In A Rural Church, George Russell Strickland
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Programs and activities at church are designed primarily to minister to the needs of specific age groups. Though this style of ministry has its place in the church, if not monitored, it can cause a division among the generations in the church. The division that exists can create a “we versus them” mindset. The generational division can create an attitude that affects the unity of the church while also a competition for resources and style preference in the church. This division also creates a culture of anemic discipleship from a lack of investment across generational lines that is a biblical …
Best Practice Spiritual Formation Models In The Christian Hybrid Church, Crystal Deneene Stalling
Best Practice Spiritual Formation Models In The Christian Hybrid Church, Crystal Deneene Stalling
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore best practice spiritual formation models and the perceived effectiveness of spiritual formation in the hybrid church community brick-and-mortar and online church settings for individuals in Christian hybrid churches. The concern was whether the churches effectively implemented best practice models through their traditional brick-and-mortar locations and digital platforms that would cause individuals within the Christian community to experience spiritual formation. Spiritual formation is generally defined as “the holistic work of God in a believer’s life whereby systematic change renders the individual continually closer to the image and actions of Jesus Christ” (Pettit, …
Core Values: A Phenomenological Study Of Spiritual Formation Through The Longevity Of Values Gained From Women's Ministry, Belinda Copeland
Core Values: A Phenomenological Study Of Spiritual Formation Through The Longevity Of Values Gained From Women's Ministry, Belinda Copeland
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
While many churches today have moved away from the practice of church-based women’s ministries, other churches still see their value and continue their dedication to providing specifically tailored programs to address the spiritual formation in women. The Bible reminds us in Hebrews 10:25 that we are not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some…” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Heb. 10:25). However, some churches desire to assemble specific ministries separately, women from men. This study attempted to identify values in the spiritual formation of women and explored whether those values are still helpful in the spiritual …
Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert
Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis seeks to answer the following question: What is an effective discipleship method for emerging adults who are already engaged in IChurch? The method chosen was multi-layered and utilized corporate discipleship which involved a classroom setting geared toward theological and doctrinal education based on Bloom-Anderson’s taxonomy of educational objectives, communal discipleship which was concerned with small group activities and peer-to-peer accountability, and personal discipleship geared toward individual spiritual formation given an edited list of Whitney’s personal spiritual disciplines. Participants were asked to take an introductory Theological examination which plotted them from analyze level to the create level of Bloom’s …
The Impact Of Virtual Technology On Discipleship Training In A Small Group Context, Austin Stephen Mansfield
The Impact Of Virtual Technology On Discipleship Training In A Small Group Context, Austin Stephen Mansfield
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Many contemporary churches face the difficulty of implementing the Great Commission’s mandate for making disciples (Matt 28:19-20). Occasional church attendance and a lack of participation in fellowship and ministries beyond the Sunday worship service reflect this difficulty. Discipleship has become even more challenging in the current climate of social distancing that has resulted from COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Being separated physically from others exacerbates a growing predisposition to spiritual isolation, which in turn hinders development of discipleship; physical interaction has always been the main model for making disciples. The Great Commission’s description of discipleship (making disciples through going, baptizing, and teaching) …
Experienced Pastoral Burnout And The Self-Reported Role Of Emotional Intelligence On Leadership Effectiveness During Burnout, Craig Wesley Folds
Experienced Pastoral Burnout And The Self-Reported Role Of Emotional Intelligence On Leadership Effectiveness During Burnout, Craig Wesley Folds
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Emotional intelligence (EI), employee burnout, and effective leadership traits are constructs that have been researched from a traditional, organizational perspective since the 1970s. Over the past 15 years, pastoral leaders and clergy have been identified as leaders working in the same capacity as public safety officials, medical professionals, mental health specialists, and other helping professions. Research suggests that leaders working in helping professions are often exposed to situations that may induce burnout, create emotional dissonance, and may have adverse implications on effective leadership behaviors during experienced burnout. The significance of this study lies in its identification of a gap in …
Developing, Training, And Equipping Lay Ministers To Serve In Leadership Roles At Small African American Churches, Angelia V. Lewis
Developing, Training, And Equipping Lay Ministers To Serve In Leadership Roles At Small African American Churches, Angelia V. Lewis
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis project explores the validity of a ministry training manual for developing, training, and equipping lay ministers at Fredericksburg Missionary Baptist Church. It assumes that if church members have leadership tools, they will use them to become more effective leaders. However, lay ministers often serve in ministry leadership roles without formal training. They should be trained and equipped by church leaders to lead effectively. Therefore, the question that this thesis project ask is, "Will a development and implementation of a leadership training manual equip lay ministers?" The Scripture is the primary literature resource for God’s provision in developing ministry …
The Chaplain As Part Of The Ministry Leadership Team, George Washington Willett Iii
The Chaplain As Part Of The Ministry Leadership Team, George Washington Willett Iii
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The chaplain is part of the ministry leadership team. The project aims to address the lack of a chaplain on the church ministry team, and the benefits chaplaincy adds to the ministry. Greater Faith Church lost the senior pastor to sudden death, leaving the founding bishop to serve as senior pastor. The leadership transition has caused the bishop to do most of the ministry work as the pastor. However, church ministry work is not only accomplished by the pastor. Church ministry is team leadership using all the gifts of the church. The study utilizes research methods within the church context …
The Intergenerational Church's Role In Family Worship, Jeremy Robert Jordan
The Intergenerational Church's Role In Family Worship, Jeremy Robert Jordan
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Throughout the Scriptures, God calls parents to teach their children to glorify God through worship. The Bible also commands all generations to encourage one another through worship and service. Throughout history, there are many examples of God’s people spending time in family worship, but over the past couple of decades, there has been a decline in parents discipling their children. A great number of parents are now expecting the church to provide the biblical training their children need. The lack of parents taking the time to teach their children and lead them in worship daily has led to high school …
A Model For Identifying, Developing, And Installing Elders In The Church: The Path Family Church Has Taken, Stephen Harrison
A Model For Identifying, Developing, And Installing Elders In The Church: The Path Family Church Has Taken, Stephen Harrison
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The problem is that Family Church does not identify, develop, and install their potential elders well. This intervention research project addressed this problem by establishing prerequisites for elder identification, a seven-week elder training workbook, and guidelines for installation after the research project. Current elders at Family Church completed a questionnaire, participated in case studies, and evaluated their intervention project in a focus group to establish an effective method of identifying, developing, and installing potential elders. This intervention research project produced a list of prerequisites for identifying potential elders, a seven-week elder training manual, and clear guidelines for ordaining elders at …
A Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of The Extrovert Ideal On Introverted Senior Pastors, Shawn Patrick Liebegott
A Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of The Extrovert Ideal On Introverted Senior Pastors, Shawn Patrick Liebegott
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Susan Cain (2012) coins the term Extrovert Ideal. According to her, this ideal is the notion that extroversion is the preferred personality type in North American culture. This ideal extends to leadership where the best leaders are expected to exhibit extroverted personality traits. The Extrovert Ideal can be problematic for introverted leaders who may not fit the typical stereotype of the ideal leader. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the impact of the Extrovert Ideal for introverted senior pastors who lead churches within the NorthStar Church Network located in northern Virginia. The data collection for this study …
Developing An Intentional Disciple Making Strategy For Fathers To Lead Their Families In Spiritual Transformation, Michael Cauthorne
Developing An Intentional Disciple Making Strategy For Fathers To Lead Their Families In Spiritual Transformation, Michael Cauthorne
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Do current student ministries produce disciples that can stand the test of the current culture? Has creating a separate ministry worked against God’s plan for making disciples? Statistics from across the Church would suggest the American Church is in decline. Within the Southern Baptist Convention there has been a continual decline in baptisms over the past few years. This project will seek to determine if there is a correlation between how student ministries are led in the modern church to how effectively the church has been in making disciples. With research and data collected from current and former student ministries, …
Equipping Military Chaplains With A Framework For Mental Wellness: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Stephanie Okolo
Equipping Military Chaplains With A Framework For Mental Wellness: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Stephanie Okolo
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Although it is said that the sight of a battlefield after combat can fill princes with a love of peace and haunt them with the horrors of war, the mental health effects of war on soldiers are often frustratingly difficult to comprehend. It is, however, clear that warzones and the general environments in which deployed soldiers work can have negative impacts on their mental health. Military chaplains work closely with deployed soldiers and should be well-equipped with the knowledge to help them understand their mental health needs. It is important that they possess the right skills to do this well. …
Enhancing The Emotional Wellbeing Of Church Leadership At Trinity Baptist Church, Arron David Mcguffee
Enhancing The Emotional Wellbeing Of Church Leadership At Trinity Baptist Church, Arron David Mcguffee
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Effective church leaders are efficient in management of their emotional health. Research has diagnosed that most churches maintain dysfunctional learning environments because of emotionally unhealthy leadership. Dysfunctional environments are conducive to acclimatizing members to ill doctrine: methods instead of the mission, events instead of evangelism, expositors instead of exposures, and promote rituals instead of a righteous Savior. Emotionally unhealthy church leaders’ practice and promote democratic efforts instead of theocratic. Assessment instrumentation was utilized. The assessment implemented two credible tools, one for emotional maturity and the other for discipleship. Research invitations were distributed to twenty church leaders at Trinity Baptist Church …
Engagement Of Millennials: Understanding The Decline Within Greater Hartford Area Churches, Victor Thomas
Engagement Of Millennials: Understanding The Decline Within Greater Hartford Area Churches, Victor Thomas
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
ecent trends reveal the sharpest decline in Church attendance in the Greater Hartford area has occurred within the population known as the Millennials. A question that is looming and of significance in this decade is what causes this generation to be attracted to some Churches and not others? Ten Protestant inner-city Churches within the Greater Hartford Area were studied to discover if there is a nexus between millennial participation, church leadership, and tools for equipping the millennial population of the church body. This study discovered several factors which impact millennial engagement which include, social influences, political ideologies, technology, and generational …
Collaborating Mentors In The Discipleship Process, Tyson Wahl
Collaborating Mentors In The Discipleship Process, Tyson Wahl
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The researcher presents an action thesis conducted at Crossroads Family Ministries, studying multiple mentors’ effects in the discipleship process. Single mentor discipleship systems where one mentor disciples one mentee are common in many churches. However, placing one mentee with multiple mentors should produce better-discipled individuals with a greater experience and spiritual gift base from which to grow. This study aims to measure the effect collaborative mentoring has on a mentee during the discipleship process. The researcher has recruited five mentees and fifteen mentors to participate in this study. Four mentees are unfamiliar with the discipleship material and will each be …
Understanding The Impacts Of Altering Safe Harbor Plans Within Small Business Organizations, Svetlana Kirilova Velikova
Understanding The Impacts Of Altering Safe Harbor Plans Within Small Business Organizations, Svetlana Kirilova Velikova
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In the past three decades, many companies have adopted less expensive, relatively easier to establish, modify, amend, and terminate safe harbor 401 (k) retirement plans. By adopting the safe harbor, 401(k) plans, smaller private employers have enacted retirement incentives, shared the investment and managing responsibilities, and assisted their employees with building their retirement savings (Ali & Frank, 2019; Clark et al., 2019a). Furthermore, many small companies have reflected the impacts of the economic fluctuations and the retirement legislation changes, amended their safe harbor 401(k) plans, and lowered their retirement investments (Card & Ransom, 2011). The high number of plan amendments …
The Public Reading Of Scripture As Integral For Biblical Development, Raymond David Campbell
The Public Reading Of Scripture As Integral For Biblical Development, Raymond David Campbell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry project is to show the impact the public reading of Scripture in worship has on spiritually developing the people of God, and by further showing whether public Scripture reading will enhance biblical literacy, spiritual development and a change of perception relating to Scripture’s role in worship. Despite the surge of worship practices in the contemporary evangelical church designed to attract people to the worship service, and practices which seek to develop spiritual growth, the actual biblical mandated practice of the public reading of Scripture as one method for developing individuals is negligible in …
Spiritual Disciplines For Men In A Medium-Sized Church, Scott Lowry Willis
Spiritual Disciplines For Men In A Medium-Sized Church, Scott Lowry Willis
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The problem is that the men of Freedom Fellowship Church in Canyon, Texas, do not have adequate training in the spiritual disciplines. Training in the spiritual disciplines would offer to the men in the church the proper leadership instruction that would give them the tools necessary to accomplish this goal. If the men of the church receive instruction in the spiritual disciplines, they will be able to utilize them in their daily lives. The men will, in turn, be able to use the spiritual disciplines in leadership positions in the church with confidence in being able to increase the spiritual …
Dynamics Of Youth Engagement In The Local Church, Jacqueline C. Hanna
Dynamics Of Youth Engagement In The Local Church, Jacqueline C. Hanna
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
According to many biblical accounts, children were included in worship experiences. Despite the efforts of many churches to engage, attract, and retain youth, there is still a lack of youth participation, involvement, and interest in the local church. This not only affects youth, but also the church. Unengaged youth do not have the opportunity to become future leaders of the church. In turn, churches will experience a void in future leadership and will be prohibited from flourishing. This qualitative historical study examined reasons for youth disengagement in an effort to find strategies for effective retention and engagement to benefit youth …
Discipleship As Understood And Practiced By Worship Leaders, Pastors, And Congregations Of Selected Southern Baptist Churches, Bridgette Lashawn Yancy
Discipleship As Understood And Practiced By Worship Leaders, Pastors, And Congregations Of Selected Southern Baptist Churches, Bridgette Lashawn Yancy
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Despite the growing interest in Christian faith development through Bible study, prayer groups, literature, and other media, there has been little to no research completed in the area of discipleship of worship leaders. This study will be an examination of discipleship activities that are offered within the Southern Baptist churches and the average duration of engagement of these activities by worship leaders. How the discipleship of the worship leader affects the ministry of the worship leader, participation in leadership-focused activities, and the personal and professional growth of the worship leader will be examined through questionnaires for both pastors and worship …
Pastoral Counseling: The Pastor’S Guide To Ministering Chronic And Terminally Ill Children And Their Families, Barbara F. Holston-Jones
Pastoral Counseling: The Pastor’S Guide To Ministering Chronic And Terminally Ill Children And Their Families, Barbara F. Holston-Jones
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Millions of children will die this year due to chronic and terminal illnesses. The medical and psychological communities have attempted for decades to find a methodology that will help parents and the child find hope for the future. The psychological and medical communities’ meta-analysis studies have shown that the goal of hope has been elusive for children and families in all current modalities. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only true assurance for parents and children experiencing chronic and terminal childhood illness. Paul wrote in his Epistle to the Romans that believing in the gospel brings life all joy, …