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Vulnerability Through Story Deepening Male Relationships, Paul Samuel Hahn
Vulnerability Through Story Deepening Male Relationships, Paul Samuel Hahn
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Men need a vulnerable community. This action research project examines the development of a vulnerable community within the local church context at Maranatha Bible Chapel in Horseheads, NY. The men of Maranatha Bible Chapel feel the persistent challenges in Western culture that erect barriers to vulnerable masculine relationships within the community. Even though the men of Maranatha Bible Chapel report high participation in the church, they chronicle feelings of isolation and a desire for closer relationships between the men in the congregation. This action research project seeks to address the problem of vulnerable male relationships at Maranatha Bible Chapel by …
Becoming An Ambassador Of Jesus Christ: A Strategy To Recruit, Enlist, And Develop Volunteers At Restoration Church, John Christopher Blackwell
Becoming An Ambassador Of Jesus Christ: A Strategy To Recruit, Enlist, And Develop Volunteers At Restoration Church, John Christopher Blackwell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry thesis project is to develop a biblical strategy to recruit, enlist, and develop volunteers at Restoration Church by reframing service through the scriptural identity of believers as ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Within the ministry context of a rapidly growing, culturally diverse congregation, Restoration Church faces a persistent shortage of volunteers stemming from congregational mergers, spiritual apathy, negative associations with volunteering, and the absence of a sustainable philosophy of service. Therefore, this project focuses on a comprehensive, reproducible approach that connects gospel transformation to participation in ministry. A biblical curriculum called Discover Restoration was …
Creating An Adaptable Discipleship Training Guide To Address The Absence Of Young Adult Ministry Leaders At Church A, Braeden Fleck
Creating An Adaptable Discipleship Training Guide To Address The Absence Of Young Adult Ministry Leaders At Church A, Braeden Fleck
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This guide was designed to address a lack of young adult ministry leaders within the researcher’s local church. This thesis project serves as a witness to the development and implementation of an adaptable discipleship training guide. The project proclaims that a flexible discipleship curriculum is the key to cultivating spiritual formation in young adults, specifically those belonging to the Z generation. The primary strategy behind implementation was to use short term intervention through a period of five consecutive weeks to assess spiritual growth of young adult congregants who attend a hybrid satellite church campus. The research project was catalyzed by …
Overcoming Apathy And Complacency Through Discipleship Micro-Groups At Spencer Church Of Christ, Jerrard A. Davis
Overcoming Apathy And Complacency Through Discipleship Micro-Groups At Spencer Church Of Christ, Jerrard A. Davis
Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses
No abstract provided.
Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy For Careful Confidence, Thomas C. Farley
Intergenerational Apologetics: A Strategy For Careful Confidence, Thomas C. Farley
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
There is a subtle confusion between the objectives of evangelism and apologetics, leaving Open Door Baptist Church (ODBC) seniors unknowingly ill-equipped and intimidated to defend their Christian values. The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry research was to address that intimidation by training seniors in a dedicated faith-values curriculum to become confident apologetic communicators. The intervention leveraged the process of intergenerational values-sharing while training stakeholders to develop their own faith narratives by seamlessly integrating biblical values with relevant apologetic particulars into personal stories to be shared with their grandchildren. In this environment, participants could develop a personal faith narrative that …
Haitian Protestant Leaders’ Perceptions Of Social Media Use For Discipleship, Cherubin Dorcil
Haitian Protestant Leaders’ Perceptions Of Social Media Use For Discipleship, Cherubin Dorcil
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
This qualitative descriptive study explores how Haitian Protestant church leaders in a large urban area of the northeastern United States describe the influence of their use of social media on promoting discipleship. The study addresses a gap in understanding how digital ministry practices are interpreted within Haitian Protestant diaspora contexts and how these practices inform both theory and ministry application. Using a qualitative descriptive design, data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 Haitian Protestant church leaders selected through convenience sampling. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis, which resulted in the identification of five primary themes: social media as …
Discovering An Effective Disciple-Making Method For Men, Clifton J. Hefley
Discovering An Effective Disciple-Making Method For Men, Clifton J. Hefley
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
This dissertation explores the development of an effective disciple-making method for men by integrating insights from early church discipleship practices and modern missional strategies such as Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and Church Planting Movements (CPM). Rooted in biblical theology and the teachings of the Patristic Fathers, the study evaluates how obediencebased, relational discipleship shaped early Christianity and compares it with contemporary missional frameworks promoted by leaders like David Garrison, Alan Hirsch, and Steve Addison. Against the backdrop of a sharp decline in church attendance and male engagement in Western Christianity, this research identifies the need for a reproducible, movement-oriented model …
Centralizing Discipleship Through Small Groups, Roger O. Nelmes
Centralizing Discipleship Through Small Groups, Roger O. Nelmes
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Centralizing Discipleship through Small Groups explores how intentional leadership development and relational disciple-making practices can reframe a megachurch’s approach to spiritual formation. Conducted at Hope City, a dynamic, urban, multisite nondenominational congregation, this mixed-methods action research integrates qualitative interviews, quantitative Likert scale surveys, and a focus group to evaluate the effectiveness of a holistic discipleship framework. Key interventions included a Group Leader Intensive Training (LIT), the implementation of Rooted small groups, and the launch of Intentional Relational Discipleship (IRD) groups, all designed to shift the church’s culture from attractional programming to a missional, relational ethos. Data revealed that small groups, …
Authentic Disciples Of Christ: An Exegetical Analysis Of Jesus’S Expectations Of His Disciples’ Behaviors, Jessika S. Sandel
Authentic Disciples Of Christ: An Exegetical Analysis Of Jesus’S Expectations Of His Disciples’ Behaviors, Jessika S. Sandel
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The fulfillment of the Great Commission demands that the Church possess a clear and objective understanding of what constitutes a disciple. Because the New Testament does not present a specific definition of a disciple, local churches adopt culturally-shaped paradigms—conversion-only evangelism, curriculum-driven frameworks, or programmatic models—that fragment the biblical vision and conflate orthodoxy and orthopraxy. This study addresses this tension by articulating a biblically-formed composition of a disciple, arguing that authentic disciples do not merely confess belief but are Spirit-formed witnesses to Christ’s redemption, reflecting his identity through enduring faith marked by love, obedience, perseverance, and gospel proclamation. Motivated by theological …
Island Transformation: A Missional Approach To Cultivating A Jesus Culture On The Transitory Island Of South Padre., Matthew A. Wyatt
Island Transformation: A Missional Approach To Cultivating A Jesus Culture On The Transitory Island Of South Padre., Matthew A. Wyatt
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The following DMin action research project explores the transformative potential of a missional approach to cultivating a Jesus culture within the transitory community of South Padre Island. The research addresses the challenge faced by OneTwo Church, where many members, entrenched in the local island culture, find themselves ill-equipped to evangelize effectively to a transient population. This paper contends that by implementing a unique missional model, the church can instigate cultural transformation from within through strategic engagement in missional evangelism. Equipping OTC with this distinctive model will shift the community’s paradigm from passive island participants to active missional agents. Central to …
Developing A Contextualized Discipleship Pathway For Spiritual Formation And Multiplication Through A Culturally Relevant And Sustainable Model, Evans Jean
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Philadelphia Church of the Newborns (PCN) is a multigenerational Haitian church that has been serving the Haitian community for over 36 years. The church has an average of 375 members who regularly attend Sunday services. Since its establishment, PCN has embraced a traditional approach to discipleship, which is conducted through Sunday school and Bible study. Its ministry context includes Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Many members were raised in Haiti and understand how church traditions operate within the Haitian context. Discipleship takes place through church activities rather than structured programs. PCN is recognized for its solid biblical …
Biblical Metanarrative Discipleship For Women: A Paradigm For Women In The Church That Impacts Christlike Growth Through The Influence Of Biblical Literacy, Patricia Cihak
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This DMIN research project seeks to resolve the problem of the lack of a biblically literate small group discipleship strategy to assist adult women in their spiritual journey of Christlikeness at Eastlake Church in Moneta, Virginia. Discipleship for women is assumed through the event, and program-driven ministry opportunities for women; however, the void of an intentional disciple-making strategy generates recipients rather than replicators. The gap between the discipleship that Jesus demonstrated and how it is observed among women today underscores the need for contemporary discourse on this issue. Current research reveals that biblical illiteracy is rising, and church attendance is …
Gen Mz Discipleship: Training A Generation To Live In The Postmodern Age, Christian E. Kolthoff
Gen Mz Discipleship: Training A Generation To Live In The Postmodern Age, Christian E. Kolthoff
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The church exodus of Gen MZ is one of the most significant issues affecting the health of churches in the West. Recent research has indicated that many in Gen MZ have left the church not for lack of knowledge but because of a lack of understanding of the why. It has also indicated that Gen MZ has not been trained to respond to why they are holding on to the hope of the Gospel. So, when presented with opposing views, they struggle to maintain their faith in today’s postmodern society. It is an age in which a war on ideas …
The Convergence Point Project: Assessing A Cultural Apologetics Curriculum For Today’S Believer, David L. Eadie Sr.
The Convergence Point Project: Assessing A Cultural Apologetics Curriculum For Today’S Believer, David L. Eadie Sr.
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project designed, developed, and implemented a comprehensive program focused on communicating the gospel through the lens of Cultural Apologetics. This initiative’s core objective was to equip participants with the vital knowledge and practical skills necessary for effectively engaging with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds while articulating the gospel message in a meaningful way. A total of twenty-one volunteers participated in the project. They were provided a pre-questionnaire before starting, which assessed their initial understanding of Cultural Apologetics and their confidence in engaging across cultural divides. Upon finishing the program, the same individuals completed a post-questionnaire to evaluate …
How Spanish Seventh-Day Adventists Respond To A Discipleship Characteristics Training Program, Victor N. Rodriguez
How Spanish Seventh-Day Adventists Respond To A Discipleship Characteristics Training Program, Victor N. Rodriguez
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The current condition of the local church reflects a problem that concerns many churches in North America: There is a lack of understanding regarding the meaning of discipleship. The local church needs to recover a sense of biblical discipleship to execute the Great Commission and make disciples who make disciples. The purpose of this DMIN action research project was to understand how members of Olympia Spanish Seventh-Day Adventist Church would respond to a discipleship characteristics training program (DCTP). This research project used a mixed method approach to collect and analyze data from 16 participants and 16 members of a control …
The Soil Test: Facilitating Increased Receptivity To Spiritual Formation In A Large Church Through Education, Motivation, And Resources, Rosemary Moore
The Soil Test: Facilitating Increased Receptivity To Spiritual Formation In A Large Church Through Education, Motivation, And Resources, Rosemary Moore
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Decades of recent research and writing about spiritual formation and discipleship assume that there will be growth in spiritual maturity if churches have more models and biblical information. However, the literature addresses the wrong problem; it presupposes that the church is ready for spiritual formation. In their efforts to facilitate it, those trying to help the church are like the farmer who sows seed onto unprepared soil. Good seeds, such as discipleship groups, are sown into the soil of the church without paying attention to whether the soil can produce a harvest. The project posited that five conditions should be …
A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship Through Faith And Learning Integration At Bracken Christian High School, Denice F. Knight-Slater
A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship Through Faith And Learning Integration At Bracken Christian High School, Denice F. Knight-Slater
Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations
The title of this project is “A Teacher-Development Curriculum: Encouraging Community Discipleship through Faith and Learning Integration at Bracken Christian High School.” The purpose of the project was to create a seven-part curriculum that would empower educators to form an interconnected teaching community centered upon the practice of faith and learning integration. The development team hoped our work would articulate good practices and equip teachers to engage in faith conversations with their students. We utilized Parker Palmer’s classic, The Courage to Teach, as the scaffolding for our curriculum. The development team modeled faith and learning integration by creating a …
Church Adoption: Three-Pronged Elements That Support The Revitalization Of Coastal Church Battery Park Location In Virginia, Michael Christopher Bard
Church Adoption: Three-Pronged Elements That Support The Revitalization Of Coastal Church Battery Park Location In Virginia, Michael Christopher Bard
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The church is God’s plan for delivering the good news of Jesus Christ’s finished work on the Cross. This finished work is evidenced through the bodily resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15). In the US a steady decline in church attendance has been prevalent over the past three decades and church buildings are either near empty or closing. This research explores the concept of church adoption merger in hopes of one avenue that would promote revitalization of local fellowships. Though multiple elements are supportive in revitalization this research explore three elements that should lead towards centralizing the church on Christ. …
Missional Leadership: An Instructional Program To Cultivate Leaders Of A Missional Church, Conner Mathias Brew
Missional Leadership: An Instructional Program To Cultivate Leaders Of A Missional Church, Conner Mathias Brew
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this action research project is to design, execute, and evaluate a small group instructional framework that cultivates a missional culture focused on communal discipleship at MVMNT Church, a local church in the Association of Related Churches network, while also addressing a gap in scholarship surrounding the interrelation of discipleship and the missional church. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study leveraged inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with survey data to validate the lack of discipleship activity at MVMNT Church and moderate-to-low comprehension of topics related to mission, discipleship, and leadership in the church. This project recommended and …
Evangelism Development In A Multigenerational Rural Church, John E. Baldwin
Evangelism Development In A Multigenerational Rural Church, John E. Baldwin
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Berea Baptist Church in Rockville, VA lacks a multigenerational means of evangelism.
Challenging The Cancer Of Consumerism Ravaging The American Protestant Church, John A. Thompson Ii
Challenging The Cancer Of Consumerism Ravaging The American Protestant Church, John A. Thompson Ii
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The American Protestant church is sick and, in some cases, dying. The primary factors adversely influencing the church contribute to church members’ warped view of Christianity. The American church is suffering from individualism, consumerism, and uncommitted Christianity. The church may be described as critically ill, and in the I.C.U. The purpose of this study was to address the effects of this cultural illness as it has impacted the people and ministry of Kingdom Life Community Church. This topic is chosen because of the researcher’s experience serving as the church’s lead pastor, observing members approach the church with a consumer bias. …
Family Discipleship: Forming A Biblical Worldview For Godly Decisions, Eric Spencer Mccrickard
Family Discipleship: Forming A Biblical Worldview For Godly Decisions, Eric Spencer Mccrickard
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project focuses on equipping parents to disciple their children in home-based worship, Bible study, and developing a biblical worldview. The problem at The Mission Church is poor decision-making from teens in the student group. The students make decisions from a malformed biblical worldview, resulting in decisions contrary to God’s Word. Further analysis of this problem revealed the need for home-based discipleship. Contemporary literature demonstrates the need for family ministry, specifically family-based discipleship. Thus, this research is critical to developing parents to teach their families God’s precepts (Deut 6:7-9). This thesis intervention seeks to instruct the parents about …
Faith Comes By Hearing: Impact Of Expository Preaching In The Worldview Of Young Adults At Sda Church Plants, Kenneth Martinez
Faith Comes By Hearing: Impact Of Expository Preaching In The Worldview Of Young Adults At Sda Church Plants, Kenneth Martinez
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In this thesis, expository preaching is proposed as the mechanism to communicate a biblical worldview to Adventist young adults (people ages 18 to 40). This thesis project engaged the young adults of two Adventist church plants: Refuge Church and Triumph Church. The project consisted of preaching Adventist biblical theology through expository sermons, with the thesis that it would be interpreted as a worldview by young adults. The preaching series delivered salvation history, broken down into eight pericopes, and used the Great Controversy as its metanarrative. The goal of each sermon was to expound the assigned passage and its place on …
Creating And Implementing A Mentorship Ministry For New Believers, Moses Aleman
Creating And Implementing A Mentorship Ministry For New Believers, Moses Aleman
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
A major spiritual crisis exists in the Christian church due to the lack of care and attention given to new believers. Although many churches provide conversion opportunities, they may not prioritize discipleship and support for those who are new to the faith. Consequently, some new believers resign their faith when faced with difficulties, while others may struggle without crucial elements of their faith and doctrine, causing obstacles in their future spiritual journeys. This thesis project argues that having a New Believers Mentorship Ministry is vital and effective in addressing these issues. The project coordinator has three specific expectations for the …
Grace-Based Faith Discipleship Approach Of Adults In South Rock Christian Church: Addressing The Contemporary Legalistic Lifestyle Of Disciples, Nicholas John Pannone
Grace-Based Faith Discipleship Approach Of Adults In South Rock Christian Church: Addressing The Contemporary Legalistic Lifestyle Of Disciples, Nicholas John Pannone
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Discipleship often evokes different responses. However, contemporary Christians have a faithfulness dilemma driven by the constant messages they hear. This DMIN project seeks to develop and promote a ministry structure that educates, equips, and enriches the Christian life based on God’s grace. The project seeks to provide a framework for participants to be transformed holistically by God’s grace. Often, the members of South Rock Christian Church understand grace as the entry point into salvation, but not the identifying trait of their faithful life in Christ. This action project consists of qualitative research that demonstrates a gap between belief and action …
Intergenerational Model Of Discipleship, David Lyn Sampson
Intergenerational Model Of Discipleship, David Lyn Sampson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Some of God’s most prominent spiritual leaders are characterized by their deep intergenerational connections. People like Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, and Jesus and John exemplify it. In this study, “intergenerational” means creating opportunities for intentional dialogue and interaction cross-generationally to foster mentoring and biblical discipleship. This research aims to create an intergenerational model of ministry that will encourage churches to embrace intergenerational discipleship concepts. It is not uncommon for church ministry to seem like silos, with people compartmentalized according to age or phases of life. Silo ministry can hinder individuals from forming generational relationships. Unfortunately, …
Resetting Foundations. Congregational Training For The Small Group Ministry: An Action Research To Correct Intent, Cultivate Community, And Grow Spiritually, Jarrett Gallardo
Resetting Foundations. Congregational Training For The Small Group Ministry: An Action Research To Correct Intent, Cultivate Community, And Grow Spiritually, Jarrett Gallardo
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Small group ministry is crucial for the health and well-being of the church. The problem this DMIN action research sought to address was that Valley Gate Church did not grasp the purpose of small group ministry due to not implementing small groups with well-defined intent. Valley Gate Church is a church plant that launched in 2016. This DMIN action research aimed to create and implement a six-week congregational training to develop small group leaders and members at Valley Gate Church. Twenty-two participants were involved in the entire six-week training. All participants took a pre- and post-training assessment consisting of surveys, …
Becoming Who You Already Are In Christ: An Eight-Week Discipleship Plan To Equip Members Of Crossline Church To Live Out Their Identity In Christ, John Paul Jones
Becoming Who You Already Are In Christ: An Eight-Week Discipleship Plan To Equip Members Of Crossline Church To Live Out Their Identity In Christ, John Paul Jones
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action-research project focused on equipping members of Crossline Community Church to live out their identity in Christ. The intervention was an eight-week discipleship plan, “Becoming who you already are in Christ.” The action-research project aimed to evaluate the impact of equipping believers with their identity in Christ upon their transformation into Christ-likeness. The project incorporated biblical, theological, and devotional content with a comprehensive pedagogy designed for maximum influence toward progressive sanctification. The twelve participants in the intervention engaged in sermons, training classes, small groups, and personal Bible studies as a part of the action research. Triangulated evaluation tools were …
The Christian Entrepreneur: A Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Christian Entrepreneurs As Disciple-Makers, Charis Meegan Rooks
The Christian Entrepreneur: A Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Christian Entrepreneurs As Disciple-Makers, Charis Meegan Rooks
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
While Christian entrepreneurs have a diverse range of life experiences and perspectives, there is often an unawareness of the vital role they play in supporting the church, workplace, and community in discipleship. This phenomenological qualitative study was conducted to explore the formative life experiences (positive and negative) that shape Christian entrepreneurs’ ability to promote discipleship in the church, workplace, and community. The grounding theory underlying this study was servant leadership, which was used to understand if the church’s growth, necessary to fulfill God’s Great Commission, can be aided by Christian entrepreneurs willing to serve. Through in-depth interviews with Christian entrepreneurs …
Trust, Scripture, And The Spirit As Core Values Of Evangelism In A Chinantec Village In Oaxaca, Mexico, Eliseo Arce Hernandez, Ashley Stamper
Trust, Scripture, And The Spirit As Core Values Of Evangelism In A Chinantec Village In Oaxaca, Mexico, Eliseo Arce Hernandez, Ashley Stamper
Great Commission Research Journal
The paper provides both a rationale for an approach to evangelism and a practical, replicable ministry model focusing on three core values (trust, Scripture, and the Spirit) in order for churches and individuals to effectively fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20), particularly in cross-cultural contexts. A case study using this model in an indigenous Chinantec community in Oaxaca, Mexico, is presented. In contrast to modern evangelistic strategies that emphasize speed and numbers, this model and field example offer an alternative approach to church planting, an approach with a long-term focus and a goal of mature disciples and healthy churches.