Digital Commons Network^™

Book Review: Re:Vision: The Key To Transforming Your Church By Aubrey Malphurs And Gordon E. Penfold, Lavern E. Brown, Gary J. Westra

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Unchurched Next Door By Thom Rainer, Amy Nicholson Jones

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Kingdom Of God And The Holy Spirit: Eschatology And Pneumatology In The Vineyard Movement, Douglas R. Erickson

Dissertations (1934 -)

This dissertation explores the relationship between eschatology and pneumatology in the Vineyard movement. The Vineyard movement is a growing expression within the evangelical Protestant tradition that seeks to combine the core doctrines of Evangelicalism with the experience of the gifts of the Spirit that is often associated with Pentecostalism. As a relatively new faith expression, the Vineyard has not received a great deal of academic interest, and thus much of its core theological commitments have not yet been explored. I shall argue that the central theological distinctive of the Vineyard is their understanding of the inaugurated, enacted, eschatological kingdom of …

Reformed Worship (Rw) 116 - Multicultural Worship (June 2015), Reformed Worship Editors

Reformed Worship Magazine

Features

Life in the Minor Key by Nathan Drake....3

Worship as Sacred Time, as Home, and as Fiesta by Marissa Galvan-Valle....14

Psalm 1: A Walk in the Woods by Martin Tel....32

Articles

Editorial: It’s Not Enough— But It’s a Start by Joyce Borger....2

From Conflict to Blessings by Kathy Smith....10

“Belonging” in Worship by Mwenda Ntarangwi....16

Fostering Multicultural Worship by Jaret Williams....20

Potholes, Detours, and Hazards by Joy Engelsman....22

Building Bridges with a Gospel Choir by Nate Glasper....26

Q&A: Constancy, Enduring Dispositions, and the Holy Spirit’s Help in Our Weakness by …

Review 3: Sacred Subdivisions: The Postsuburban Transformation Of American Evangelicalism By Justin Wilford, Justin Kh Tse

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This review demonstrates that Justin Wilford's central argument that Saddleback Church reframes post-suburban spaces of ennui into purpose-driven ones added precision to the claims of Asian American evangelical activists. On 23 September 2013, Saddleback's senior pastor, Rick Warren, posted a photograph of a Chinese Red Guard on his public Facebook page, captioning it, ‘The attitude of Saddleback staff as they go to work every day.’ When concerned Asian American evangelicals commented on the distastefulness of the photo as it reminded Chinese Americans of the trauma of the Cultural Revolution while exoticizing Asian Americans within American evangelicalism, Warren replied in a …

Midwest Mission: Developing A Church Planting Prospectus For The City Of Indianapolis, Joseph Allen Lightner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) of Indianapolis, Indiana has a total population of 1,823,479 residents. (stats.indiana.edu) The North American Mission Board reports that "only one out of every five `Indy' residents" attends a church. (namb.net) In order to reverse this trend, new churches need to be started. This thesis will provide a biblical church-planting prospectus that takes into account the culture of the Indianapolis MSA area, specifically Hamilton County. This thesis will introduce the reader to the research and development required in order to write a church-planting prospectus.

The Challenges Of Missionary Training In The 21st Century: A Manual For Training Of Missionaries, Kola Aiyedogbon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The thesis project is a case study of the Redeemed Christian Church of God that has more than 600 parishes in the United States and mission work in over 130 countries of the world. The study will involve the local mission Board members; trainers in the mission school, missionaries on the mission field in more than 400 parishes, and a sample of two mission churches. It will explore the global reverse mission enterprise and the gap in the training of missionaries from Africa in reaching the nationals of the mission field. This project will be action based and inter-disciplinary. It …

Blessed Disruption: Culture And Urban Space In A European Church Planting Network, John D. Boy

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

New Protestant churches are being founded in cities around the world. They are the product of a conscious effort on the part of evangelicals to found, or ``plant,'' new churches in urban areas. Behind this effort are a whole host of actors, including denominations, churches, seminaries, and parachurch organizations, who come together in church planting networks to establish theologically conservative churches that will speak to young urban professional audiences. The hope is that these efforts will scale up and turn into a movement bringing about religious revival among culturally influential groups. Among the focal areas for these efforts are European …

Cultivating The Practice Of Missional Hospitality For Small Groups At West Houston Church Of Christ, Kevin Stewart

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents the results of a project in which I led a team to develop a plan to cultivate the practice of missional hospitality for small groups at West Houston Church of Christ. I used missional theology as a framework to give shape to the practice of hospitality. The project team met for nine weeks in the fall of 2014. The team practiced lectio divina focused on Luke 10, participated in theological reflection on missional hospitality, and fulfilled assignments to practice missional hospitality. These activities helped form the group spiritually and informed the development of a …

Evaluating An Oral Draft Of Luke 8:4-15 In Uduk, Jeremy N. Harrison

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents the findings of a project in which I led a group of immigrants from South Sudan through the process of generating and evaluating an oral draft of Luke 8:4-15 in Uduk. The aim of this project was to provide a substantive field test of an oral translation methodology conducted among immigrants living in the United States who speak a language that lacks a translation of the entire Bible. The project involved facilitating basic translation training and conducting an oral drafting process with a team of three Uduk speakers. This project also involved evaluating the …

The Banner - V. 150, No. 5 - (May 2015), Christian Reformed Church In North America

The Banner

No abstract provided.

The Celtic Way: Order, Creativity, And The Holy Spirit In The Celtic Monastic Movement, Fiona Leitch

Senior Honors Theses

The Celtic monastic movement lasted hundreds of years and is responsible for much of the spread of Christianity to the West. Much of the movement’s success can be attributed to the Celtic Christians’ understanding of the importance of the role of creative culture and order as well as an openness and responsiveness to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is these three things working in tandem that influenced the success of the Celtic monastic movement. Although the movement ended a thousand years ago, it can offer guidance and wisdom for carrying out ministry today. A case study of Cuirim …

How To Read The Book Of Revelation In The Local Church: Overcoming Obstacles And Revealing Messages, Daljin Kim

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Of The Causes Of Dependency Among The Churches Of Christian Evangelistic Assemblies And Possible Strategies For Overcoming Dependency, Abraham Kurian

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

So The World Will Believe : Discovering The Invitational Nature Of God, Frank Sterling Harris Iii

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Biblical Guide To Maximizing Great Commission Emphasis By Transforming Your Church Government, Marcus W. Bridges

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

After learning 3500-4000 churches close their doors each year, Ed Stetzer believes, "the church will not change until the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of change." This project will compare Congregation-led churches to Elder or Board-led churches to explore the need for changing the practical operation of the church in attempts to fulfill the Great Commission. The thoughts presented will provide a guide for church leaders, pastors, and church planters to adopt the style of governing policies that best results in for Jesus Christ. There will be fifty pastors polled from Congregation and Elder-led churches …

The Pastor Search Process: A Proposed Manual For The Objective Investigation And Evaluation Of A Church By The Pastoral Candidate, John David Lones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is commonly acknowledged by both clergy and laity that a problem exists in the Southern Baptist Convention concerning both the length of pastoral tenure and the number of forced terminations of ministerial staff. Solutions have been proposed but little measurable change has been forthcoming. Much has been written about conflict resolution, communication between staff and lay leadership and realistic expectations. However well-intended these efforts may be, the statistics seem to indicate little or nothing has changed. This project intends to evaluate the pastor-search process from the perspective of the pastoral candidate. Churches make efforts to evaluate and investigate candidates …

Planting, Transitioning, And Growing Multiethnic Churches, Gloria Young-Eun Kim Fowler

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exploring A Model For Equipping Colombian Pastors And Lay Leaders In The Skill Of Narrative Preaching, Juan Carlos Mejia

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Appraisal Of L3 Leadership Incubator Model Of Leadership Development As A Process For Forming And Mobilizing Church Planters For Communities In The Vicinity And City Of Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India, Srinivass Rao Chepa

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Overcoming Church Euthanasia: A Plan To Revitalize Dead And Dying Churches In The Southern Baptist Convention, Wayne E. Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis will examine the problem of dead and dying churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. Membership in more than seventy-percent of churches in North America has plateaued or is declining according to the North American Mission Board. Rather than just starting new churches, this thesis will present an option to revitalize dead and dying churches in order to reverse this trend. The aim of this thesis is to promote the historical Southern Baptists plan which will help Southern Baptists regain historical parameters and goals when revitalizing dead or dying churches. The thesis will cite existing quantitative and qualitative data, …

Contextualization: Tanzanian Maasai Culture And The Implications For Worship And Women’S Ministry, Alexandra T. Morgan

Senior Honors Theses

Maasai religion, music, and cultural customs have a definite impact on the methodology of missions and relations with the people of their tribes, specifically in the areas of worship and women’s ministry. Maasai tribes have specific cultural needs that require ministry different from those usually employed in Western methodology. There are theological foundations of worship and women’s ministry that must be understood in order to properly execute the process of contextualization as it applies to the Christian gospel. An analysis of the history, religion, rituals, gender roles, and music of Maasai tribes in Tanzania coupled with an understanding of contextualization …

Taylor: A Magazine For Taylor University Alumni, Parents And Friends (Spring 2015), Taylor University

The Taylor Magazine (1963-Present)

The Spring 2015 edition of Taylor Magazine, published by Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: April 2015, Mary S. Hulst, Keith Doornbos, Scott Hoezee, John Rottman

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

Excellence in Preaching

Articles
3 - Preaching to a Millennial Audience by Mary S. Hulst
5 - Preaching for Church Renewal by Keith Doornbos
8 - Looking Ahead: 21st Century Trends in Preaching by Scott Hoezee
10 - Preaching and Prison by John Rottman
12 - Preaching the Catechism in a Postmodern Age by Stan Mast

Called to Serve
15 - For Classroom and Congregation: New Books from Seminary Faculty by Kristy Manion
18 - Retirement Tribute for Richard A. Muller
19 - Distinguished Alumni

The Banner - V. 150, No. 4 - (April 2015), Christian Reformed Church In North America

The Banner

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Church Planting: A Missional Approach, Brandon Hempel

Doctor of Ministry

In my experience with church planting today, there is a concern for its sustainability due to financial constraints, leadership burnout, and results. The purpose of this dissertation is to discuss the problems therein with traditional church planting and to also lay the foundations for a more sustainable church planting option through the vehicle of missional community. My intentions are for my local Wesleyan conference to benefit from this work as it has been constructed through the culmination of my research and study as well as my own practical ministry experiences as a church planting pastor. While church planting is not …

Monastic Missional Pilgrim Communities In Liquid Modern Spain, Garrick C. Roegner

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation answers the question of how to start spiritual movements amongst young adults and university students in Spain. It begins by examining the current cultural context of present day Spain, exploring why Christianity is in decline. In the Introduction it argues for understanding Spain as being characteristic of Bauman’s liquid modernity. Here the dissertation adopts Bauman’s typologies of liquid modern society being populated by tourists and vagabonds, constantly on the move, but without destination. Chapter One discusses the need for community as the base structure for mission and the importance of missional theology (missio Dei) before suggesting missional communities …

Journeying With Jesus: A Transformational Discipleship For Canadian Chinese Churches In Toronto; A Paradigm Shift, Suzan Kam-Shan Ho

Doctor of Ministry

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He charged His disciples in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Bill Hull comments that in a fast-food, instant-access generation, true discipleship is often substituted by a superficial community experience and a program-driven approach to faith which requires …

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 …

Mind The Gap: The Relevance Of Contextualization For The Training Course Fresh X-Der Kurs By Kirche2, Sandra Bils

Doctor of Ministry

In Germany, the Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Hannovers and the Roman Catholic diocese of Hildesheim are partnering in the ecumenical network. Searching for an appropriate endeavor, which supports the emergence and Kirche2 sustainment for new forms of being church, they were encouraged by the fresh expressions movement in the UK and their training model, mission-shaped ministry. The use of this foreign material in Germany needs adaptation. Hence, this dissertation enfolds the relevance of contextualization and seeks to reflect the adaptation process, following the main research question: How can the Fresh-X course by Kirche2 adapt the foreign material for the context in Germany …