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Where The Desert Fathers And Mothers Meet Permaculture, Brenda Nagunst

Doctor of Ministry

This dissertation claims that a retreat center with an eco-spiritual focus is one way to introduce Christians to the connection between stewardship of God’s creation and relationship with God. For the purposes of this paper the word “creation” is used to identify the natural world: earth, soil, plants, animals, birds, fish, and humans. Many Christians do not steward the earth as God commanded in Genesis, thus missing a spiritual connection with God that can uniquely happen through creation. This dissertation addresses the question, “In what way is care of creation a critical part of a modern Christian’s relationship with God?” …

The Promised Land: A Postcolonial Homiletic Of Promise In The Asian American Context, Sunggu Yang

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

Asian American Christians carry within them a triple consciousness by being Asian, American, and Christian. Being Christian specifically means being a pilgrim bound for the Promised Land. The Asian American pilgrim preacher’s message issues from this triple consciousness and from a spirit of postcolonial liberation. Such a preacher’s message is therefore a declaration or assurance of God’s liberative promise of the Promised Land for Asian Americans, the Land already being realized here and now in the foreign land. By being this-earthly and other-worldly, the pilgrim preacher’s message is synthetic-ethical in nature. This article shows that the triple consciousness is a …

Family, Social Class, And Evangelism: Developing A Strategic Evangelistic Plan To Engage The Middle And Upper-Class Families In The Dennery Community Of Saint Lucia, Dolston L. Morian

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In the St. Lucia Mission of Seventh-day Adventist traditional evangelistic tent meetings have resulted in a steady growth in church membership. However, the majority of converts added to the church has consistently come from the lower-class individuals of the society. Not surprising therefore, there has been a small increase in new members from the middle and upper-class communities. Arguably, the traditional approach to evangelism conducted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Lucia is not as effective in reaching the middle and upper-class subgroups as it is with members of the lower social class groups. The need to pay …

The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Building A Faculty, Gary Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

Following the founding of the Fuller School of World Mission and Institute of Church Growth in 1965, Donald McGavran began to enlarge the faculty. To the initial members—McGavran and Alan Tippett—he added Ralph Winter, J. Edwin Orr, Charles Kraft, C. Peter Wagner, and Arthur Glasser. This excerpt tells the story of these hires and the early development of the Church Growth curriculum.

Family Relational Dialectics: A Systemic Model For Explaining Relational Factors Contributing To Adolescents' Faith Maturity, Life Values, And Commitment To Christ, Jasmine J. Fraser

Dissertations

Problem

Though widespread studies have been conducted on the psycho-socio-cultural effects of family systems functioning on individuals’ developmental outcomes, there is limited discussion on the direct correlations between family relational encounters and adolescents’ development of faith and life values. The effects of dialectical interplay within family systems are often missed, misinterpreted, or minimized. This study presumed that because familial relationships have far-reaching psycho-socio-cultural effects on individuals’ development outcomes, there are also likely effects on certain religious outcomes. Subsequently, certain parent-child relational encounters were examined to determine whether they have significant effects on adolescents’ faith maturity, life values, and commitment to …

Balancing Church Growth With Church Health, Wilfredo "Choco" Dejesus

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The aim of this study was to empirically evaluate the impact that strategic enticing events exerted upon the overall health and growth of the church site studied from 2000 to 2001. A within-subjects, quasi-experimental research design was implemented. Specifically, a repeated measures, pre-test/post-test design using an initial baseline measure and two subsequent post-test measures were used to assess study participant perceptions on the topic of church health. The specific treatment variable employed in the two post-test phases of the study was the presence of leader-enacted strategic enticing events. The influence of strategic enticing events exerted a statistically significant effect upon …

The Need To Equip Lutheran Congregations In Mission For Christ Church Planters For Spiritual Warfare, David John Heinrich

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research project was to address the need for spiritual warfare training and equipping for church planters to be more efficient in mission within the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC) movement. The researcher designed a sequential mixed method approach to this research with LCMC church planters. The research findings demonstrated that church planters were well educated but 96 percent did not receive any formal spiritual warfare training and equipping in seminary or Bible school; the spiritual warfare training environment preferred was hands-on activation workshops.

A Clothesline Theology For The World: How A Value-Driven Grand Narrative Of Scripture Can Frame The Gospel, Tom Steffen

Great Commission Research Journal

This article attempts to answer the question, why is it important to view Scripture as a single grand narrative? Too many of us are specialist in fragmentation when it comes to Scripture. We therefore continue to perpetuate a fragmented understanding of Scripture, and her Author. To grasp a more comprehensive picture of the face of God we must be able to move beyond the individual pieces of clothing placed on the clothesline, whether linear or circular, and learn to value how they all tie together to form a comprehensive wardrobe that brings honor to the Wearer.

Book Reviews, Shawn P. Behan, Rabbi David J. Zucker, Bud Simon, Zachariah S. Motts, Matthew Haugen, J. R. Wright, Michael Whitcomb-Tavey

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Following The Man Of Sorrows: A Theology Of Suffering For Spiritual Formation, David Russell Beach

Doctor of Ministry

Suffering. Salvation’s conduit. People are often reluctant to talk about suffering, unable to find words. This reluctance usually lasts until, in the midst of crisis, the only way ahead is through suffering. In these crises, people typically reach out to caregivers— pastors and priests, counselors and social workers. But what if the same reluctance affects these caregivers? What if they, too, are often unable to find adequate words? Jesus—Man of Sorrows—makes plain the imperative of taking up our cross. How is this accomplished? This dissertation offers an answer, a theology of suffering focused on spiritual formation—formation into the image of …

Creating An International Learning Community, Marc D. Andresen

Doctor of Ministry

Thousands of university students travel to the United States every year to engage in higher education, both as undergraduates and as graduate students. This provides a strategically rich opportunity for Christian ministry that has potential for global impact. Part of this potential is to provide ministry leadership training, particularly if students are from countries that allow little freedom for such education. The challenge is to offer culturally appropriate leadership training that is applicable in various cultural contexts and that does not inadvertently cause offense by violating cultural norms of the various students. The desire is to create an educational environment …

Faith Formation In A Frantic World: Leverage Your Phone To Transform Your Heart And Mind, Gregg Peter Farah

Doctor of Ministry

Many faithful Bible readers fall short of experiencing a vibrant, growing relationship with God. Their daily reading has little impact on their Christian formation. This dissertation associates this failure with the pace of modern life and proposes a solution that capitalizes on a modern invention: smartphone technology supporting instant access to bite-sized Bible readings with engaging commentary. Daily engagement with God can be achieved with the help of an app that reminds users to pause, pray, and review a “sticky moment” from their Bible reading. Section one of this dissertation notes that individuals have allowed themselves to be caught up …

Satanic Influences In The American Christian Church In A Post-Modern Consumer Society, Jerry F. Ressa

Doctor of Ministry

This study seeks to propose evidences as to how and why the contemporary Christian church is satanically influenced, resulting in pain and suffering from devastating personal dysfunctions, interpersonal conflicts and divisions. This situation presents a great dilemma facing many, if not most, Christians in that they simply do not understand and are unaware of profound life altering significances of the spiritual battle being waged for souls and the satanic deceptions that draw people away from God. Satan, his fallen angels, and demons influence Christians and others through his primary tools of deceit and deception, delivered to the culture through media, …

1947 Proceedings Of The Seventh Ecumenical Methodist Conference, Ecumenical Methodist Conference

Conference Proceedings

No abstract provided.

1900 Minutes Of The Eightieth Session Of The Kentucky Annual Conference Of The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Methodist Episcopal Church, South

Minutes of the Kentucky Annual Conference

No abstract provided.

Unveiled Faces: The Heavenly Counterpart Traditions In Joseph And Aseneth, Andrei Orlov

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

From one of the Manichaean psalms we learn that in the final moments of his life Mani was beholding his heavenly double with “eyes of light.” This was not the only encounter this Syrian visionary had with his upper celestial identity. The Cologne Mani Codex tells us that the heavenly counterpart first manifested himself to Mani at the age of twelve and he continued his visits, to assist with revelations, until Mani’s death. In several texts Mani’s celestial alter ego is designated as a spirit and even called the Paraclete, the same title the Holy Spirit bears in the Fourth …

Andrews University Press 2018 Booklist, Andrews University Press

Booklists

No abstract provided.

Servants And Friends: A Biblical Theology Of Leadership, Erich Baumgartner

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"In this groundbreaking volume published by andrews University Press, some 20 scholars examine the sacred text of the Old and New testaments, as well as a selection of six biblical leadership narratives, to lay the foundation for a biblical theology of leadership. Each of the first three sections is composed of six chapters, providing an array of fascinating studies of leadership in the Bible. the fourth section attempts to integrate the multiple facets of leadership insight unearthed throughout the various contributions into what the editor, Skip Bell, claims to be “the most complete biblical theology of leadership available.”

Radically New Beginning—Radically New End: Creation And Eschatology In The New Testament, Laszlo Gallusz

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

The term “eschatology,“ derived from the Greek adjective eschatos (“last,” “final”), is a word with many meanings.1 Essentially, it designates the doctrine about “last things.” Daley observes that the core of eschatology is “faith in final solutions,“ therefore the concept of hope is inherent to it. 2 He points out that eschatology appeals to “the hope of believing people that the incompleteness of their present experience of God will be resolved, their present thirst for God fulfilled, their present need for release and salvation realized.”3 Thus, eschatology reflects fundamental Christian convictions about God, the world and human existence. It deals …

Cosmic Impact Of Calvary, Norman R. Gulley

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

The Conflict of the Ages series by Ellen G. White begins and ends with the words “God is love.”2 God’s love is an eternal self-existent, inner-history of reciprocal love, where the three Persons of the Godhead love each other. “’God is love.’ 1 John 4:16. His nature, His law, is love. It ever has been; it ever will be. . . . Every manifestation of creative power is an expression of infinite love. The sovereignty of God involves fullness of blessing to all created beings.”3 The Godhead’s love overflowed into every created being, including Lucifer. All created beings were given …

Understanding The Geologic Record In A Seventh-Day Adventist Perspective, Samuel A. Abdala

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

In his classical collection of biographies titled Parallel Lives, Plutarch tells of the mischievous Procrustes, whose defeat was counted among the feats of the Athenian hero Theseus. Procrustes had the curious habit of inviting any passerby traveler to rest at his abode, only to meticulously impose upon his guest the requirement that the guest be made to proportionally fit the bed that he had provided for him. If the guest were too short, he would be stretched (needless to say, to his death) until the body met the bed’s length. If the guest were too tall, he would be executed …

The Holy Spirit In The New Testament, John K. Mcvay

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

Some time ago a challenging event occurs in our family. The problem is this: It is an invisible event. We need to know what has happened and what to do about it. However, we have no way to access that information since it is hidden from sight. The incident occurs as my daughter is playing in the park. Not being adept at soccer, she steps up on a soccer ball in a clumsy way and falls awkwardly on her right arm. The arm immediately becomes extremely painful, limp, and useless. A most significant event has just occurred. Hidden behind skin, …

Hip Hop Hermeneutics: How The Culture Influences Preachers, Dwight A. Radcliff Jr.

Journal of Hip Hop Studies

"Hip Hop Hermeneutics" essay lays out findings of current research into how Hip Hop culture has been formational for African American preachers, and how that culture informs their preaching. There is a generation of preachers leading congregations today that have grown up with Hip Hop. Hip Hop culture has left an indelible mark upon them; just as the church has. How does the cultural influence of Hip Hop affect their preaching? Hip Hop hermeneutics is the response put forth by this article. This article traces the practice and theology of early African American preachers, the work of James Cone in …

Training Selected Churches In The Iowa-Missouri Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists To Minister To Cohabiting Couples, Jared S. Miller

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The number of cohabiting couples has dramatically risen over the last several decades. Even a significant amount of Seventh-day Adventist Church members, both young and old, have chosen to live together apart from a committed marriage. Living together without the covenant of marriage comes with many risks and many negative effects on both adults and children. With the prevalence of cohabitation increasing, the church is faced with a new ministry challenge and opportunity. Churches need to be educated about the biblical theology of sexual intimacy and the dangers and damage that come with cohabitation. Furthermore, churches need biblical strategies …

A Strategy To Increase Cross-Cultural Preaching Ministry Among Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In Southern Alabama, Dejuan Knight

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Southern Alabama's Seventh-day Adventist churches are mostly segregated across ethnic lines. Furthermore, most of the church pastors are of the same ethnic group as their members. One of the main reasons for the continued fears among laity, pastors, and conference administrators towards pastoral leadership from other cultures stems from the widespread idea that cross-cultural pastors cannot present their sermons in the cultural preaching style and with the content desired by the congregation.

Method

A project was designed and instituted in Dothan, AL between the two Seventh-day Adventist churches in the city. The Dothan First Seventh-day Adventist Church is a …

Jesus Is My Guru: Why And How Christians Should Practice Yoga For Spiritual Formation, Cecily Breeding

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis argues that yoga is a suitable practice to meet the goals of Christian spiritual formation. Yoga is a popular fitness phenomenon, practiced by 16 million Americans every year. As a holistic exercise that combines the elements of posture, breath, and mindfulness, yoga offers significant psychophysiological benefits. This has led to the implementation of yoga as a therapeutic intervention for individuals suffering from a variety of conditions, including depression and chronic pain. The broad appeal and consistent effectiveness of yoga have made it a common practice in the contemporary West. Despite its benefits, many Christians object to Christians practicing …

In Humility: Developing Intercultural Competence Among Leaders Of A Reconciliation Organization In Israel-Palestine, Debra J. Bayes

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore the need for intercultural competence development among leaders of a Christian reconciliation organization (Musalaha) in Israel-Palestine. Success in reconciliation work depends on many factors of which intercultural competence is one. Living in a region of great diversity or even frequent interaction with cultural others is no guarantee of a high level of intercultural competence. The researcher sought to gather information on current levels of intercultural competence among Musalaha leaders as well as material on the best means for continued development. A biblical reflection included an examination of Philippians 2:1-11 as a source …

Benefaction In Galatians: An Analysis Of Paul's Language Of God's Favor In Its Greco-Roman Context, Ferdinand Okorie

Dissertations

The Letter to the Galatians is the first letter where Paul mentions χάρις not only in the opening (Gal 1:3) and closing (Gal 6:18) of the letter but also in the body (Gal 1:6; 2:9; 3:18; 5:4) of the letter. The term χάρις will be defined in this dissertation as a favor or goodwill freely given by a benefactor to a beneficiary. Also, χάρις is whatever a beneficiary does to return favor or thanks to a benefactor. Therefore, on one hand, whatever goodwill a benefactor extends to a beneficiary is generally designated as χάρις. On the other hand, whatever a …

The Time Of The Second Coming And The Members Of The Sanhedrin, Alina Roxana Lupu

Master's Theses

Problems

The aspects related to the time of the Second Coming of Jesus were a constant concern of the believers and Bible’s scholars. There are many challenging verses in the Scripture that are talking about the Parousia in temporal terms. This present study was to determine to what extend Jesus’ answer before the Sanhedrin (Matt 26:64) was related to the time of the Parousia and with that generation of his accusers.

Method

An historical perspective over the process of date setting for the Parousia and over the eschatological theology create the framework for understanding the problem of Parousia’s time. The …

The Motif Of The Messiah In Zechariah 9-14, Caroline Stanke

Master's Theses

Topic

Zechariah 9-14 is full of prophecies regarding the coming of the messiah. The Jews at the time of Jesus awaited a messiah different from the one that came but how so? Did they misunderstand the prophecies or, by any chance, were the prophecies not clear enough?

Purpose

Firstly, it will be given an overview of the Book of Zechariah. Then, the messianic prophecies in Zechariah 9-14 will be examined closer and how they fit into the context of the prophets, the book of Zechariah, and the different chapters. An analysis of the similarities and differences will be written afterwards. …