Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Arts and Humanities (147)
- Religion (141)
- Practical Theology (63)
- Christianity (61)
- Missions and World Christianity (58)
-
- Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion (54)
- Biblical Studies (39)
- Other Religion (35)
- Christian Denominations and Sects (28)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (25)
- Counseling (9)
- History of Christianity (8)
- Liturgy and Worship (7)
- History (6)
- Psychology (5)
- Leadership Studies (4)
- Music (4)
- Ethics in Religion (3)
- Appalachian Studies (2)
- Eastern European Studies (2)
- Education (2)
- Genealogy (2)
- History of Religion (2)
- International and Area Studies (2)
- Other Music (2)
- Sociology (2)
- United States History (2)
- African American Studies (1)
- American Studies (1)
- Archival Science (1)
- Institution
-
- Asbury Theological Seminary (134)
- Liberty University (37)
- Concordia Seminary - Saint Louis (17)
- George Fox University (6)
- Oral Roberts University (4)
-
- Gardner-Webb University (3)
- Abilene Christian University (2)
- Wilfrid Laurier University (2)
- Andrews University (1)
- Calvin University (1)
- Dordt University (1)
- Duquesne University (1)
- Edith Cowan University (1)
- Gonzaga University (1)
- Lipscomb University (1)
- Seattle Pacific University (1)
- Southeastern University (1)
- The University of Southern Mississippi (1)
- University of New Mexico (1)
- University of Richmond (1)
- University of Southern Maine (1)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (1)
- Walden University (1)
- Publication Year
- Publication
-
- ATS Dissertations (114)
- Doctoral Dissertations and Projects (33)
- Syllabi (10)
- Concordia Theological Monthly (9)
- Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project (4)
-
- Doctor of Ministry Projects (4)
- Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe (3)
- Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry (2)
- Doctor of Leadership (2)
- Great Commission Research Journal (2)
- Master of Art Theology Thesis (2)
- Master of Sacred Theology Thesis (2)
- Masters Theses (2)
- Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling (2)
- Senior Honors Theses (2)
- The Asbury Journal (2)
- ATS Digital Resources (1)
- Academic Books (1)
- CTS Faculty Publications and Creative Activity (1)
- Communication ETDs (1)
- Conference Journals (1)
- Consensus (1)
- DMin Project Theses (1)
- Electronic Theses and Dissertations (1)
- Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program (1)
- Faculty Work Comprehensive List (1)
- Finding Aids (1)
- Heritage Material (1)
- Honors Projects (1)
- Journal of Hate Studies (1)
- Publication Type
Articles 1 - 30 of 220
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Clergy Prayer Life And Vocational Satisfaction, Zoraida C. Kelly
Clergy Prayer Life And Vocational Satisfaction, Zoraida C. Kelly
Great Commission Research Journal
This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experience of clergy concerning their prayer life as part of their spiritual renewal and vocational satisfaction. The central research question is “How do clergy describe the relationship between their prayer life, vocational satisfaction, and spiritual renewal?” This study used Michael Gemignani’s (2002) Spiritual Renewal Theory and Super’s (1953) Theory of Vocational Development as lenses. The research design consisted of semi-formal interviews with open-ended questions. The investigation shed light on the lived experience of prayer as part of spiritual renewal and its potential positive effect on vocational satisfaction. This study included five participants who …
Training The Church To Support Sufferers Of Mental Illness Through Comfort Clinics, Jonathan D. Blankenship
Training The Church To Support Sufferers Of Mental Illness Through Comfort Clinics, Jonathan D. Blankenship
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The problem at Laurel Baptist Church (LBC) is the lack of trained members who are equipped to support those suffering from mental illness. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to create Comfort Clinics, a structured program to train members to support sufferers of mental illness. Normative-sized churches are often uninformed on the topic of mental illness. Subsequently, in those environments, stigmas are nurtured, sufferers feel unseen, and church members lack the necessary training to provide the comfort and support that mental sufferers need. Building on the ecclesiastical call to “comfort those who are in any affliction” (2 …
Post-Secular Revitalization Of Religion: Ukranian Experience Of Social Initiatives By Churches As A Moral Alternative To The Russian "Theology" Of War, Iryna Horokholinska, Sviatoslav Vaskul, Oleksandr Brodetskyi, Andriy Kvik
Post-Secular Revitalization Of Religion: Ukranian Experience Of Social Initiatives By Churches As A Moral Alternative To The Russian "Theology" Of War, Iryna Horokholinska, Sviatoslav Vaskul, Oleksandr Brodetskyi, Andriy Kvik
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe
This article examines the processes of religious revitalization in Ukrainian society under wartime conditions and their institutional manifestations. It explores how religious institutions engage with the public sphere and their role in the ethically oriented transformation of suffering, turning individual trauma into socially constructive practice. The study draws on innovations in the activities of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, other Christian denominations, as well as Muslim and Jewish communities in Ukraine. It presents the Ukrainian model of religious revitalization as a social practice shaped by institutional autonomy and interfaith coordination. Particular attention is given to …
Beyond The Heroic Leader: Formation For Collaborative Ministry, Graham English
Beyond The Heroic Leader: Formation For Collaborative Ministry, Graham English
Doctor of Leadership
I have served as a local church pastor for 28 years. In my current service on a denominational team that supports 500 Licensed Workers and 115 churches within the Western District of The Alliance Canada, I identified the following Need, Problem, or Opportunity (NPO): “Many leaders in The Alliance Canada lack collaborative skills, inhibiting participatory leadership, stifling innovation, and diminishing congregational empowerment to engage in God’s mission.” My research highlighted the limitations of heroic leadership in complex and rapidly evolving ministry contexts. Leadership approaches that were once effective in the church no longer align with current relational, cultural, and organizational …
Patterns, Pressures, And Pathways : An Ethnographic Study Of Discipleship In Nepali-Speaking Immigrant Churches In The United States, Ram Kumar Budhathoki
Patterns, Pressures, And Pathways : An Ethnographic Study Of Discipleship In Nepali-Speaking Immigrant Churches In The United States, Ram Kumar Budhathoki
ATS Dissertations
No abstract provided.
Exploring Leadership In A Changing Church, Tanya Varner
Exploring Leadership In A Changing Church, Tanya Varner
Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)
The present phenomenological study investigated the experience of leaders and leadership among active Lutheran clergy serving congregations in the Eastern Synod of the ELCIC in a time of change. Eleven rostered leaders of the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) were interviewed individually using a semi-structured interviews addressing leadership and changes in the church to facilitate the conversation. Participants also completed a participant questionnaire in advance of the semi-structured interview to make sure the sample was diverse in gender, years of ordination and geographical context of ministry. Participants were able to articulate what values and requirements …
Mental Illness And The Role Of The Church, Shelle Mathis
Mental Illness And The Role Of The Church, Shelle Mathis
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Mental illness remains a growing concern in society, prompting increased focus on the church’s role in offering support. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of pastors and congregants regarding mental illness and the stigmas associated with it. Sixteen adult participants, ages 31 to 65, from churches in Elyria and Lorain, Ohio, were interviewed through semi-structured questions. Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: stigma, overspiritualization, education and training, collaboration with mental health professionals, and resource accessibility and advocacy needs. Pastors with lived experience of mental illness expressed greater empathy and recognized the …
Ministry Through Agriculture : An Evaluation Of Community Farming Among Displaced People, Emmanuel Jatau
Ministry Through Agriculture : An Evaluation Of Community Farming Among Displaced People, Emmanuel Jatau
ATS Dissertations
No abstract provided.
A Case Study For Faithful Biblical Expository Preaching And Teaching: The Transformation Of Members In The Anointed Church Of Jesus Christ, Elijah Narplah Wreh
A Case Study For Faithful Biblical Expository Preaching And Teaching: The Transformation Of Members In The Anointed Church Of Jesus Christ, Elijah Narplah Wreh
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This DMIN action research evaluates the effectiveness of biblical expository preaching in demonstrating the inerrancy of Scripture and determining the impact of the twelve-week sermon series with the congregation at the Anointed Church of Jesus Christ in Elyria, Ohio. The process is designed to benefit the church’s congregation, help them faithfully obey God’s Word, and be drawn to God’s reality and the answers it provides through biblical preaching. The research methodology covers the application of biblical expository preaching. The congregation was instructed on various phraseological expressions, including expositional preaching, bibliocentric, Christocentric, inspired Scripture, applications, and illustrations, which helped enhance and …
A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Church In The Healing Process For African American Women In The Washington, D.C., Area Suffering From Self-Diagnosed Depression In Recovery From Intimate Partner Violence, Kimberly D. Brooks
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of African American women who have utilized the church after intimate partner violence (IPV) suffering self-diagnosed depression in the Washington, D.C. area. The approach guiding the methodology of this study is Clark Moustakas’ (1994) phenomenological approach. There is a need to explore what type of support the church offers as a source of healing for those who need assistance and will not seek professional counseling for various reasons. While there has been much research on depression resulting from IPV, there is a gap in the literature regarding …
Church Planting In Rural Ghana : Administrative Structures To Plant & Maintain New Churches, Isaac Oteng Donkor
Church Planting In Rural Ghana : Administrative Structures To Plant & Maintain New Churches, Isaac Oteng Donkor
ATS Dissertations
No abstract provided.
Planting With A Limp : Recovering Lament In Growing New Churches, Robin P. Ham
Planting With A Limp : Recovering Lament In Growing New Churches, Robin P. Ham
ATS Dissertations
No abstract provided.
Project Portfolio: Strengthening Marital Bonding In Indonesian Christian Spouses Through A Contextually Designed Marriage Enrichment Retreat Curriculum, Dinka Nehemia Utomo
Project Portfolio: Strengthening Marital Bonding In Indonesian Christian Spouses Through A Contextually Designed Marriage Enrichment Retreat Curriculum, Dinka Nehemia Utomo
Doctor of Leadership
Numerous couples in our local church struggle to maintain their marital commitment and longing helps to overcome marriage hurdles. Regrettably, the denominations in our context, have not developed a coherent plan or roadmap for empowering and enriching married couples. While serving as a pastor, I witnessed countless couples in many congregations dealing with marital troubles in solitude without the required support from the church. I started developing a curriculum to satisfy this requirement in response to this circumstance. This project seeks to strengthen marital commitment, increase intimacy, and promote harmonious and loving relationships by applying biblical principles. A Marriage Enrichment …
Worship In Life, Worship In Death: Elements Of Worship In A Believer’S Final Days, James William Lawrence
Worship In Life, Worship In Death: Elements Of Worship In A Believer’S Final Days, James William Lawrence
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In Isaiah 43:21 (English Standard Version), God declares through his prophet that he created humankind for himself, for them to declare his praises. God created humanity to worship. In the last phase of a believer's life, there is a possibility of not being able to join the rest of the church in corporate worship. This text addresses the question: How does assisting shut-in Protestant Christians with end-of-life worship impact the patient, family, and the concept of dying well? Pastors, chaplains, and ministers from many walks of life have recorded and underlined the importance of worshipful pastoral care in the latter …
Aiding A Reformed Church Into A Multiethnic And Economically Diverse Congregation, Leroy E. Childress Jr.
Aiding A Reformed Church Into A Multiethnic And Economically Diverse Congregation, Leroy E. Childress Jr.
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Ethnic and economic diversity can be experienced in the local church. There is a biblical undertone in the Scriptures that shows Jesus, the apostles, and Old Testament themes that point to Revelation 7 for the reality of it. This reality can be lived on earth while Christians practice for heaven. While 95 percent of the churches around America remain homogeneous, with intentionality, adequate training, and a willingness to engage in difficult conversations, historically Reformed churches can also experience ethnic and economic diversity within their congregations. Although many churches do not feel the capabilities to become multiethnic and economically diverse, by …
An Examination Of How Training Impacts The Leadership And Management Competency Of Pastors Of The New Beginning Family Of Churches, Christine R. Rudolph
An Examination Of How Training Impacts The Leadership And Management Competency Of Pastors Of The New Beginning Family Of Churches, Christine R. Rudolph
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Research has concluded that clergy need management and leadership skills to effectively lead the 21st-century church and meet its diverse challenges (Porter, 2014). These leadership skills can be taught and developed through training, mentoring, and modeling. New Beginning Worship Center Family of Churches comprised eight non-denominational churches that experienced various challenges, including membership decline and economic problems. The strategic problem was that these clergy members lacked the skills to address the challenges faced by their churches effectively. There was a need to improve the leadership and management skills of the New Beginning Worship Center pastors to allow them to address …
Pastoral Prose And Civic Engagement: Crafting The Call To The Public Square, Christopher Ian Thoma
Pastoral Prose And Civic Engagement: Crafting The Call To The Public Square, Christopher Ian Thoma
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis explores the relationship between creative writing techniques employed by pastors and congregational engagement in the public square. The central thesis posits that if pastors incorporate creative writing methods in extended weekly communications with congregants, then the necessary factors for engagement in the public square will be fostered, leading to attitudinal shifts demonstrated by increased congregational interest or participation in civil affairs. Through an extensive literature review, the thesis fairly examines historical and contemporary views of church and state, the Two Kingdoms doctrine, concepts relative to public square participation, Christianity’s waning cultural influence, communication science, developmental theory, literature familiarity, …
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 …
The African American Mental Health Dilemma: A Phenomenological Case Study On How Christian Clergy Are Bridging The Gap, Penelope Evans
The African American Mental Health Dilemma: A Phenomenological Case Study On How Christian Clergy Are Bridging The Gap, Penelope Evans
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The history of African Americans is composed of ongoing inhumane and normalized mistreatment that continues to generate widespread issues and challenges. African Americans’ current higher likelihood of exposure to one or more traumatic life events increases the possibility their emotional and mental well-being will be negatively impacted. The ethnic group’s development in historical trauma and abuse is being acknowledged as an underlying factor in the alarming increase in serious mental health conditions in African Americans. Continued racial and discriminative dynamics further increase African Americans’ susceptibility and risk for severe psychological illnesses in the United States. African Americans’ higher tendency not …
Singing Sad Songs To The Savior: An Examination Of And Argument For Biblical Lament Songs, Kaden Hofheins
Singing Sad Songs To The Savior: An Examination Of And Argument For Biblical Lament Songs, Kaden Hofheins
Senior Honors Theses
Christian lament songs play an important role in the context of the local church. There are several key differences between Christian lament and secular “sad songs” that are due to Christianity’s perspective of suffering that revolves around the hope of Jesus Christ. Christian songwriters have been writing lament songs through the lens of biblical hope in Christ throughout church history. Due to the nature of lament songs and how they give voice to negative emotions, which can help people to process their grief, and the communal nature of corporate worship, it is important that local churches ensure they use lament …
Exploring How Pentecostals Preach About Depression, Robert D. Mcbain
Exploring How Pentecostals Preach About Depression, Robert D. Mcbain
Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling
A qualitative analysis was completed on twelve sermons into how Pentecostal preachers talk about depression from the pulpit using the Assemblies of God (AG) as a purposive sample. Findings illustrate that preachers talked about faulty thinking as the source of depression and interpreted depression as a transformative journey occurring within the context of a God encounter where the believer fixed their faulty thinking. While the way the preachers interpreted depression is not without critique, the article suggests that preaching about depression as a journey of encounter may help listeners frame their depression experiences within a narrative framework that helps them …
Ripe For The Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation At Fairhaven Church Of Rootstown, Vincent A. Maltempi
Ripe For The Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation At Fairhaven Church Of Rootstown, Vincent A. Maltempi
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project addresses the need to develop committed Christian servants within a church ministry context by utilizing a spiritual formation initiative focused on service as a means towards and evidence of spiritual formation and development. Fairhaven Church of Rootstown had not been instructed on the fundamental need for members to serve together. Consequently, service within the church was not a necessary part of discipleship or its spiritual growth plan. The purpose of this intervention was to create and implement a three-fold spiritual development initiative focused on Christian service that includes a sermon series, a midweek study, and a …
A Phenomenological Study Of Church Polity And Its Impact On Pastoral Leadership And Congregational Health, Travis L. Biller
A Phenomenological Study Of Church Polity And Its Impact On Pastoral Leadership And Congregational Health, Travis L. Biller
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
It is reported that deacon-led churches produce conflict and high pastoral turnover (Harbuck, 2018; Payne, 1996). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how a church governance structure impacts a pastor’s ability to lead, the health of the church, and pastoral retention. The experiences of pastors from deacon-led churches were evaluated for clusters of meaning and compared with the experiences of pastors who serve under an elder-led model of leadership. Nine interviews were conducted—five pastors from deacon-led churches and four from elder-led churches. This study approached the phenomenological design from an interpretive, or hermeneutical approach to understand the …
Music Educators As Worship Leaders: The Impact In Music Ministries Led By Music Educators, Patrick Robert Eckelkamp
Music Educators As Worship Leaders: The Impact In Music Ministries Led By Music Educators, Patrick Robert Eckelkamp
Masters Theses
Some of the most competent musicians in local communities are the music educators in local school districts. Since the Bible commands us to play skillfully to God, local music teachers may be an excellent resource for churches. Some churches cannot hire a full-time worship pastor from a seminary or Bible college. In these scenarios, a skilled music teacher looking for additional income and sharing convictions with their church may be a great candidate to fill a vacant worship leader role. Since music teachers primarily study classical and orchestral music, there may be challenges for classically trained music educators leading a …
Equipping Covenant Baptist Church To Defend The Bible In A Skeptical World, Harlan Grant Mclain
Equipping Covenant Baptist Church To Defend The Bible In A Skeptical World, Harlan Grant Mclain
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The thesis of this research project is “If Covenant Baptist Church members are taught the reliability of the Bible, they will be equipped to defend their faith to a skeptical world.” The goals of this doctoral thesis are two-fold: to train adequate believers regarding the Bible’s reliability in a skeptical world, and honor God in the process through the equipping ministry of the church in accordance with Ephesians 4:11-16. Seven lessons were researched, formulated, and presented to a small group of believers in Covenant Baptist Church who desired to become more confident in defending the Bible to a skeptic. Entrance …
Believe It Or Not: Discovering The Role Of Marketplace Ministry In Reconciling Race And Religion In The African American Church, Shawn Burgs
DMin Project Theses
This April 2023 Doctor of Ministry Project thesis at Lipscomb University explores the experiences of African Americans as faith holders in the crux of race, religion, and marketplace and how the interconnectedness of these facets can lend to reconciliation. The purpose of exploring how African American believers experience race and religious reconciliation is a noble goal that seeks to address the challenges faced by many African American believers in navigating their faith and cultural engagement. By examining their experiences, insights, and perspectives, we can learn more about the unique challenges they face and the strategies they employ to overcome them. …
“Maybe I’M Just Too Damaged”: Revisiting Clergy Reasons For Leaving The Profession, Wesley D. Cohoon, Jessica Smartt Gullion
“Maybe I’M Just Too Damaged”: Revisiting Clergy Reasons For Leaving The Profession, Wesley D. Cohoon, Jessica Smartt Gullion
Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry
Vocational ministry is a unique profession for several reasons, not the least of which is the needed “calling from God” for Evangelical ministers. After someone receives this call, they begin their formal seminary training, which usually includes a 90-credit-hour master’s degree. Despite the sense of divine calling, time, money, and commitment, the number of people who leave vocational ministry is alarming. In leaving the profession, ministers experience guilt and a sense of moral failing, in addition to the waste of time and money spent accruing the correct credentials in seminary. In this study, we conducted in-depth interviews of former ministers …
Australian Churches During Coronatide: Lessons & Opportunities, Pieter-Jan Bezemer, Sten Langmann
Australian Churches During Coronatide: Lessons & Opportunities, Pieter-Jan Bezemer, Sten Langmann
Research outputs 2022 to 2026
Christian churches have played a pivotal role in the social and economic fabric of many Western countries over centuries. However, in many of these countries national censuses have revealed significant declines in the number of people that associate themselves with Christianity. For example, the latest census of the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that in 2021 less than half of the population was still affiliated with Christianity. This gradual but steady decline has had a significant impact on churches, as it has become more challenging to maintain church communities and church buildings, and serve the wider community. Early in 2020, …
Understanding The 21st Century Practical Implication Of Chaplaincy Ministry In The City Of Milwaukee, Wi, Jeffrey D. Hayman
Understanding The 21st Century Practical Implication Of Chaplaincy Ministry In The City Of Milwaukee, Wi, Jeffrey D. Hayman
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This research project acknowledges that God’s command for Christian hospital chaplains is to serve humanity. Jesus calls a chaplain. He then forms, transforms, and conforms them to His image of oneness. Hospital chaplains like pastors are part of care ministries that extend to various work settings, Christian and secular. The hospital-certified chaplain, by definition, can support the whole workforce in the hospital, including their patients and the patient’s families. The hospital-certified chaplain is the main focus of this research. These hospital chaplains must be qualified, endorsed, licensed, certified, or ordained to be on the frontline in the community. A hospital-certified …
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 …