Digital Commons Network^™

Small Group Participant Perceptions Of Discipleship Development In Multisite Churches: A Mixed Methods Study, Risha D. Bailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Researchers indicated a clear and steady decline in discipleship development within the Body of Christ (Baldwin, 2016; Lynn, 2014; Saunders, 2009). However, the vision for the church, outlined within the Great Commission, remains the same; it warrants the conversion, production, and reproduction of Christ’s disciples in all nations. The small group ministry and multisite churches are at the intersection of discipleship development, leading to effective disciple making. While small groups have been endorsed by many as the premier vehicle that helps the church fulfill its mission, multisite churches are heralded as those experiencing rapid growth with strong communities of faith …

Addressing The Issue Of Low Discipleship Among Adults, Sylvestre Bea

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research aims to help EndTime Christ Discipling Ministries identify the root causes for low levels of adult discipleship. It supports the church’s collective construction of measurable actions that members can implement to fulfill its disciple-making mandate effectively. The literature review reveals that many churches experience this problem, identify common causes, and discuss diverse solutions that better fit churches with predominantly North American culture. However, EndTime Christ Discipling Ministries is composed of mostly African immigrants and their families, and no literature specifically addresses its immediate context. As a result, the remedies proposed to tackle the discipleship challenge are not fully …

To The Jew First: A Socio-Historical And Biblical-Theological Analysis Of The Pauline Teaching Of `Election' In Light Of Second Temple Jewish Patterns Of Thought, Anthony Thornhill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Paul's "doctrine" of election has remained a controversial and enigmatic topic for centuries. Few studies, however, have approached Paul's doctrine through the context of Second Temple Judaism. This study examines Paul's view of election through the lens of Second Temple Jewish texts written prior to 70 CE. In doing so, it is argued that the best framework through which to view Paul's discussion of election is through a primarily corporate model of election. While such a model is rooted in Judaism, Paul departs from his Jewish contemporaries in arguing that the locus of election is in God's Messiah, Jesus.

Making Disciples Of Jesus Christ: Implementing An Effective Discipleship Strategy For Churches In America, Victor Ogundiran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Various research findings on spiritual formation in the America church reveal that the current state of making disciples of Jesus Christ who are observing all that Jesus has commanded is woefully grim. This author believes what we have in place for making disciples is inadequate, unimplemented, or both. The purpose of this thesis project is to explain the current state of spiritual formation in the American Church and the reasons why it falls short of God's desire and design. This effort will include and incorporate research from at least 20 churches to see what discipleship systems they are using, if …

21st Century Evangelism And Church Growth Approach To Reach Urban Professionals In North America Metropolises, Ralph Baeza

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The call of Christ, as He stated in Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:7-9, John 20:21 and Acts 1:8, is to be a continuous command to follow, in order to reach the different peoples group of the world including the urban professionals in North America metropolises. Based on surveys sent to Christian leaders in church congregations and professionals in the secular workplace along with the associated research in the subject, this thesis project reviews the Great Commission call to pursue urban professionals in metropolises, examining their lifestyle environment, past and current trends to reach them, biblical principles that can turn …

A Response To Clark Pinnock's Hope For The Unevangelized As Seen In A Wideness In God's Mercy, Joshua Covert

Masters Theses

This paper will offer a response to Clark H. Pinnock's hope for the unevangelized as seen in A Wideness in God's Mercy. Pinnock argues that God saves individuals based upon their faith not primarily their knowledge. Pinnock develops a concept called the faith principle which he uses to support his claims. Pinnock provides five examples of unevangelized persons who are saved through faith without knowledge of Christ. Through Pinnock's faith principle and these five examples he argues that the unevangelized do not need special revelation - knowledge of Christ. It will be argued that the five examples provided by Pinnock …

The Role Of The Pastor As The Primary Worship Leader In The Local Church, Roger Holliman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to encourage pastors to embrace their role as the principle worship leader, rather than to accept and believe "I am not the worship leader." This thesis project investigates and examines a senior pastor's theological duty and obligation as the worship leader of his or her church, and provides the biblical mandate and approaches for how to do this effectively and as a team leader. Through personal interviews of six pastors, plus current research on the topic of worship, this thesis provides instructions on how senior pastors may implement strategies to enhance their understanding of …

Clay-Potter Imagery In The Bible: Theological And Practical Implications For Daily Christian Life, Karl Stelzer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

God, the Master Potter, uses clay-potter imagery to explain spiritual truth. These passages are ignored, explained superficially, or misinterpreted and have not had the divinely intended impact. Theologically, doctrines of Theology Proper, Bibliology, and Anthropology have been compromised. Practically, the Holy Spirit has been hindered. To demonstrate the need for clay-potter instruction, research will include a comparative analysis of information gathered through questionnaires to churches that have held a clay-potter conference and those that have not, and an examination of written material and popular presentations. This author combines professional pottery expertise and biblical training to present accurate exposition. This thesis …

An Effective Prayer Training Model For Church Growth: Centered On Wangsung Presbyterian Church In South Korea, Geunbae Hwang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to investigate biblical church growth, specifically studying South Korean pastors roles concerning the healthy church and spiritual reinforcement, with a limited focus and application to WangSung Presbyterian Church and other churches in South Korea. This project primarily utilizes the New Testament, as well as literature on church growth and healthy spirituality. In addition, references specifically regarding church growth and statistical information from Korean church ministries will also be used. This project shares a new alternative way for the growth of churches: A prayer-training model as the most effective method for church growth. A healthy …

An Examination Of Reaching, Teaching, Feeding And Loving People For The Kingdom Of God, Gwendolyn Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the biblically prescribed methodologies and innovative tools for attaining the desirable results of more disciples instead of followers of Christ. It is incumbent on every believer to fulfill the mandate of the Great Commission, to go out into the world and preach the gospel to every ethnos. There are several contributing factors that are conducive to people globally starving holistically mainly due to a deviancy of knowledge imparted and less implementation of discipleship. The inclusion of this thesis is a partial account of interviews with some Christian leaders and selected Disciples of …

A Study Of The Utilization Of Brief And Biblically Integrated Child Parent Relationship Therapy With Mothers From Christian Families And Their 11-14 Year Old Children, Valerie Waruszewski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Twenty-six mothers and their 11-14 year old children participated in the Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT). Although designed for elementary-aged children, CPRT was modified for pre-teens and biblically integrated worldview. An analysis of data obtained from the Parenting Relationship Questionnaire-CA (Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2009), Conflict Behavior Questionnaire-20 (Robin & Foster, 1989), and Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) revealed meaningful trends in the decrease of frustration, levels of conflict, and negative communication within family systems. It is hoped that these findings will encourage additional research to help Christian mothers and therapists with an effective tool that …

Five Principles To Make And Multiply Disciples Through The Small Group Ministry, Timothy Yates

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The unchanging command of the Great Commission is to "make disciples" of all ethnic groups of the world. Unfortunately the church has struggled with her primary mission and has been grossly negligent in equipping church members to become Great Commission leaders. Therefore, this author will develop a small group training manual consisting of five principles to make and multiply disciples through the small group ministry. This manual will provide a laser focus on how to intentionally develop and deploy the common layman within the local church in order to reproduce disciples who reproduce disciples. As a small group pastor, this …

Eight Key Principles To Transform Church Culture To Retain Ministry Leaders, Trent Lambert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In today's culture, there is an ever-growing population of unchurched and dechurched within our local communities, not to mention dysfunctional leaders within the Church. This project attempts to create a healthy quality of life for ministry leaders that transcends into relevant evangelism and empowering discipleship. Based on scripture, segments of church history leadership styles, surveys of current ministry leaders, various books/articles, and personal perspectives this paper will delineate lessons to be learned and principles that are effective in the remodeling process. The principles within this project will show how church culture can transition from an antiquated paradigm of ministry to …

About My Father's Business: Pastoral Succession From Father To Son, Clifford Hartley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A son who follows in his fathers' footsteps is not unique to many situations but it is to the office of pastor of the local church. Such a succession raises several questions: Is this a call of God, or the passing on of a dynasty? Is this a healthy transition for a church to consider? What are the associated problems and benefits? What biblical foundations should be considered? Are there common factors that make this transition successful? It is evident that unique planning and caution is necessary that is different from other successions patterns of pastoral ministry. This paper will …

By This They Will Know: Discipleship Principles To Transform The Church, Mark R. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current research indicates that ninety-five million individuals in America do not attend church. Nearly forty percent, of this group, have a negative impression of Christianity. The purpose of this project is to study the forces that that are transforming the American culture, and the dynamics that are perpetuating a bad image of Christianity. The author will evaluate the current state of spiritual formation in the Christian community, and make recommendations for developing an effective discipleship strategy for the church. The impetus for this paper is the Great commission issued by Jesus as recorded in Matthew 28:19. The paper will incorporate …

How To Get To The Other Side Of Emotional Pain, Ronnie Moore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to provide a resource of approaches to deal with pain and guide in the direction of getting to the other side of pain. This project is used from a journey of painful events. The study is performed from literature, research and personal experiences. Therefore, this dissertation will provide and allow a person a valuable resource to deal with emotional pain and painful situations as well as provide several tools to get to the other side of emotional pain. It will also show how to understand emotional pain and work through the most devastating hurt …

A Model To Recruit And Implement Volunteers To Serve And Create A Culture Of Biblical Servanthood In The Church, Rodney Briles

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to develop a viable and applicable model for finding and recruiting volunteers to serve the local church and create a culture of Biblical servanthood. The project focuses on: where to find potential volunteers; discerning the volunteer's giftedness; the enlisting process; interviews; and training the volunteer to serve. It also provides practical methods that allow the local church to create a culture of Biblical servanthood. The content of the project is built on the foundation of God's Word coupled with resources from experts in the field.

Kingdom Consequences: Socio-Political Dimensions Of Evangelistic Preaching, Kenneth Kinton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines biblical, historical, and theoretcial trends in evangelistic preaching. This has been accomplished using biblical evidence, as well as insights from theologians and scholars within the realm of society, politics, and Christianity. The study provides a suggested methodology of sermon preparation for communicating to the modern Church.

The Dilemma Of Genocide In The Old Testament, Daryl Neipp

Masters Theses

The Old Testament command to destroy every breathing thing within the cities of the Promised Land has long been a problem for those who seek to understand God. In some cases this has become welcome fodder for those who desire to question the credibility of Scripture, while for others it just creates an ethical gap that is simply too far to cross. This thesis will address the challenging issue by demonstrating how God's command to destroy the Canaanites was an essential component of his redemptive plan in that it brought to fruition the goals of the Abrahamic Covenant and established …

Transformational Discipleship: A Model For Sermon-Based Small Groups For Life Transformation, Jon Harless

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In consideration of the Great Commission commanded by Jesus Christ, it is certain that the goal of every pastor is to present to the Lord transforming or maturing disciples of Jesus Christ. With this in mind, the purpose of this project is to research and champion the effectiveness of Transformational Discipleship by providing the biblical and theological merits of this discipleship process while also providing a more concrete understanding of the practical effectiveness of this method of discipleship for life transformation in the fulfilling of the Great Commission. This method of discipleship here described as "transformational" is when the pastor's …

Discipling Worship Leadership: Biblical And Theological Rationale For Discipling Worship Leaders, Byron Spradlin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of current worship literature reveals very little guidance to assist Protestant church leaders in training, discipling or mentoring congregational worship leadership. Therefore, this thesis project researched and presents a basic rationale for developing worship leadership discipling curricula strategically targeting the needs related to discipling and training artistic Christians who are called to worship leadership in the local church.

Developing A Strategic Intern Program For Prestonwood Baptist Church, Jarrett L. Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Internships are extremely beneficial to those entering ministry. While many churches provide internships, research shows that very few are structured and strategic. The purpose of this project is to develop a strategic Intern Program for Prestonwood Baptist Church that is transferable to other local churches. Its aim is to demonstrate how to start an intern program and what to do once that program is established.

A Study Of John Piper’S Sermon Preparation: A Model For Pastors Who Emphasize The Supremacy Of God In Expository Preaching, Sunghyun J. Pae

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation aims to answer the question, How can the preacher complete the process of his expository sermon preparation to manifest God's glory and exalt His supremacy in preaching by studying Piper's life and methods? Based on an analysis of Piper's writings and selected sermons, this project investigates Piper's background and influences on his God-centered life and theological system. It then discuses Piper's principles and skills of biblical exegesis, and it looks into the major influence on Piper's biblical exegesis. It also describes Piper's philosophy of preaching: Piper's motivation and purpose of preaching, and it investigate great preachers who impacted …

A Leadership Training Manual For The 21st Century Church Leader Based On The Pattern And Principles Jesus Created To Train The Twelve Apostles, Gregory Bruce Baxter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian leadership training for pastors, missionaries, and lay leaders is mostly patterned after academic, business, military, and government models. This leads to a pragmatic, secular, and American approach to building Churches and advancing the Kingdom of God. Secular models of leadership training can inform and supplement but never usurp scriptural principles and values. The best Christian leadership training pattern is the one Jesus created to train the twelve Apostles. This model is found predominately in the gospels. The template this writer will follow is based on A. B. Bruce's 19th century seminal work, The Training of the Twelve. This training …

An Inquiry Into Contextualized Christian Expression In North India, M. J. Gracin

Masters Theses

The riches of India's ancient and diverse culture are proclaimed from the music that communicates the heart of Bharat Mata - Mother India. This sentiment resounds across the vast geographical area of India in songs from Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Bollywood composers. The question of how Christians might express their faith in light of societal, historical and religious amalgamations is the topic of discussion for this project. The inquiry will focus on the music culture of North India, specifically as it is expressed in the city of B_____, Uttar Pradesh. A six week field study was conducted in …

Practical Strategies For 21st Century Healthy Church Growth As A Model Of A Sung Jin Presbyterian Church, Duksoo Jang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to help Korean pastors to build their churches healthily. This dissertation will attempt to clarify the biblical definition and purpose of the church, and describe the characteristics of healthy church growth suggested by specialists. This dissertation will also provide a brief history, vision, ministry of Sung Jin Presbyterian Church as a model for healthy growing church, and analyze and evaluate the current situation of the SJPC based on Natural Church Development written by Dr. Christian A. Schwarz, who suggests eight quality characteristics of growing healthy Churches. Finally, this dissertation will suggest the twelve strategies …

Developing A Strategy For Planting Southern Baptist Churches In Northeast North Carolina, Jeffery Clark Russell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to determine a strategy for planting new churches in the northeast North Carolina region. This thesis will also consider if there is a certain type of person who might demonstrate a contextual propensity toward a new church by exploring the cultural distinctives found among the people of this region as well as the history of church planting in geographic and cultural context. The thesis will engage in demographic research, and explore resources adequate for the planting of new churches helpful to other Southern Baptist associations and other denominations.

Analyzing The Applicability Of Preaching The Minor Prophets In The 21st Century, Bruce Mires Moulton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this writer's estimation too many preachers have deemed the prophetic and eschatological Scriptures irrelevant, controversial and hard for preachers to understand as well as confusing for the average church member to grasp. Furthermore, many preachers seem to favor preaching and teaching the New Testament in contrast to the Old Testament. Seemingly, the emphasis today is on evangelism and contemporary issues of life. Consequently, these concerns have caused many to completely avoid or sparingly discuss the book of Revelation, many of the major Old Testament prophetic books and equally as important the Minor Prophets.

Understandably, it is the aim of …

A Descriptive Study Of The Additional Factors Needed To Transition A Troubled Church To Health, George Ray Cannon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a level of frustration among pastors as they try to apply philosophical models of health to troubled churches. These churches have been labeled "troubled" because of the traumatic events they have experienced in the past. These experiences have resulted in barriers to any effort by pastor to transition the church to health. The purpose of this study is to identify the common factors/issues that a troubled church must address in order to progress in the revitalization process. This study seeks to provide a description of the factors/issues that ten troubled churches addressed as they moved toward health.

Reflections Upon Korean And American Evangelical Church Models For Effective Strategy In Developing Missional Churches, Kyoung Jun Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to present my reflections upon Korean and American evangelical church model for effective strategy in developing missional churches. God is reviving Korea and North America with missional churches. Some churches in Korea and America are changing their paradigm, not focusing on church buildings and programs but on missions and outreach. This thesis offers reflections about the missional church concept by presenting a set of case studies of well- known missional churches. The result of the case studies provides helpful insights on establishing a missional church. Drawing from case studies of missional Churches and a …