Digital Commons Network^™

Cultivating A Disciple-Centric Growth Culture In The International Church Of The Foursquare Gospel, Tammy Dunahoo

Doctor of Ministry

Jesus said to his followers, “Go, make disciples of all nations,” and, “I will build my Church.”1 Through fifty years of emphasis on church growth, it would seem these roles have been reversed with pastors more focused on building big churches than equipping “the saints for the work of the ministry.”2 It begs the question, “Do we use people to grow the church instead of the church to grow the people?”

This dissertation focuses on the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel (ICFG) which has been affected by this mindset and now faces an aging ministerium and fewer potential young …

Combating Ministry Burnout By Honoring Human Limitations, Dominic Abaria

Doctor of Ministry

The risk of burnout threatens anyone working in human-service vocations but presents an especially volatile risk for those in ministry. This threat is compounded by the confluence of technological advances, performance-based identities, and a frugality mentality prevalent within nonprofit organizations, including churches and parachurch organizations. Since the early 1980s, the three common elements of burnout have been observed and analyzed in the field of psychology: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. However, most approaches to treating burnout only seek to mitigate symptomology without treating the underlying cause.

This dissertation explores the development of a burnout culture in the United …

Understanding And Equipping Female Leadership At Prosperous Temple Church Of God In Christ, Jonathan R. Hackett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Debates on whether women qualify to take up church leadership have persisted over the years. In 2016, there was an instance in Alabama where a woman was appointed as the assistant pastor of a church. Within three months of her service, the number of congregants dropped. Efforts by the church management to unravel the cause of the decline revealed that a majority of the people, particularly women, who canceled their church attendance were uncomfortable with women taking up leadership positions. The case informed this research, which will use the case study of Prosperous Temple Church of God in Christ. The …

The Banner - V. 156, No. 2 - (February 2021), Christian Reformed Church In North America

The Banner

No abstract provided.

The Power Of A Personal Testimony Booklet: Increasing Gospel Witness In Everyday Life, Patrick Bram Walker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Evangelism is a key component of the Great Commission and a major responsibility for every Christ-Follower. The practice of personal evangelism, however, is frequently neglected by a majority of Christians. This project will initially examine the current state of personal evangelism in America and the scriptural expectation for all Christians to be frequent communicators of the gospel message. The ultimate purpose of this project is to demonstrate that a member of LivingStone Community Church can increase their Gospel witness in everyday life through the use of a written Personal Testimony Booklet. This pocket-sized booklet consists of two components. The first …

From Spectator To Servant: Addressing The Heart Of The Christian For Service Within The Church Based Upon Ephesians 5:18-21 And Biblical Principles Of Servanthood, David Warren Di Raddo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the ninth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, verses thirty-six through thirty-eight, Jesus said to His disciples that the fields were ripe for harvest, but the workers are few. This dissertation project will address the question of why today, as in the days of Jesus, workers in the church continue to be few in number. Specifically, what factors have contributed to the majority of those who attend church becoming spectators rather than servants, and what will change the heart of the individual? This study will include three primary data collection methods comprised of a pre- and post-intervention questionnaire, a ten-question survey …

Sons Of Nehemiah: Raising The Level Of Leadership In Ten Pastor Revitalizers Of The Montgomery Baptist Association, Donald Neal Hughes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are churches in America seeking vitality through the restorative and refreshing power of the Holy Spirit. The present term of renewal is called “church revitalization.” Each struggling congregation has or is securing a pastor revitalizer. The question many will ask is, “Are these holy shepherds high capacity leaders? Will they lead the church with a compelling vision, a devoted work ethic, a contagious passion, and a kingdom focus based on a community context?” The thesis project researches ten pastor revitalizers from Montgomery, Alabama. The researcher gives them the name Sons of Nehemiah to build rapport and accentuate Nehemiah’s biblical …

Happiness Groups As A Strategy For Transforming A Chinese Church From Attractional To Missional, Mingsheng Qin

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project established that the love of God is the foundation of mission and evangelism. God loves people and calls Christians to participate in His redemptive mission. God calls Christians to bless them and make them a blessing to others. The church is believers who are gathered to bring nonbelievers to God. The nature of the church is missional. A missional church engages every believer to participate in the Great Commission. The incarnation of God demonstrates God’s love and reveals the model of mission and evangelism. The incarnational approach is entering other people’s worlds as Jesus Christ entered the world …

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: January 2021, Julius T. Medenblik, Lisa De Young, Shawn Brix, Todd Cioffi

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

Main Features
3 - Loving your Neighbor by Jul Medenblik
4 - Loving Your Neighbor Conference Devotions by Lisa Deyoung
8 - The Role & Response of the Church in an Age
12 - Incarceration in Canada: Addressing a Colonial Past by Shawn Brix
16 - Visit the Prisoner - and Don't Forget to Bring Books, Exams, and Paper Assignments by Todd V. Cioffi
22 - Loving Your Neighbor: Calvin Prison Ministry by Gary Burge
26 - Change from the Inside Out by Christy Wolff

Calvin Seminary News
28 - New Books
30 - New Faces

The Church's Response To Covid 19, Robert Alden Danielson, Greg S. Whyte

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

2021 Reports Of Ministries And Institutions, Crcna

Agendas and Acts of Synod

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 Synod med via teleconference.

2020-2021 Deferred Agenda, Crcna

Agendas and Acts of Synod

Synod did not take place as planned in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Instead, a special meeting of the Council of Delegates met via Zoom teleconference to discuss a portion of the agenda.

Investigating And Increasing The Efficiency And Effectiveness Of The Children’S Ministry At Victory Church Of Melbourne, Florida, Stanley R. Patton

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the children’s ministry at Victory Church of Melbourne, Florida, a growing multicultural and multigenerational church. Conversations with the children’s ministry team, parents, child participants, and the senior pastor of Victory indicated that changes needed to be implemented in order to grow the ministry. This project used a case study methodology, focusing on a church with similar demographics as Victory, to discover the underlying factors needed to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of Victory’s children’s ministry. To test the working theory that an increase in resources, team leadership, …

News Clipping - Zeno Wall, Zeno Wall

Wall, Zeno (1925 – 1948)

Article by Zeno Wall about civic and spiritual developments.

Asbury Theological Seminary Academic Catalog : 2021-2022, Asbury Theological Seminary

Academic Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Formation Of A Millennial Cafe Ministry In Ogden, Utah: An Economically Viable Model, Ryan Kent Hablitzel

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Connecting and retaining millennials within established church structure has proven difficult in my context. I have a genuine desire for community and purpose within millennial groups, yet the majority remain removed from traditional church programming and events. A growing disenfranchisement with current church framework has caused many millennials to disengage or seek purpose elsewhere.

Method

Press Together was formed as a new millennial friendly approach to ministry in Ogden, UT. This raw cold-pressed juicery serves the healthiest organic options from its retail location while providing a space for fellowship, ministry and employment. This uses millenial focus groups and financial …

Developing A Discipleship Program For Chinese Speaking People To Create A Core Team For The “Abiding Christ Net” Via Zoom Video Conference, Sung Sub Song

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research (ASTR) data in December 2019 showed that among the 1.4 billion population in the Mainland China, there were 467,516 Adventist members, and the population per Adventist member ratio was about 3,000:1. Furthermore, there are about 50 million Chinese people living overseas. As a result, there is a great need to efficiently and effectively spread the Gospel to nearly 1.45 billion Chinese people around the world. In July 2020, the online Chinese discipleship network, ACN, was established to create a global Chinese discipleship network by connecting and utilizing Spirit-filled human resources, …

An Evangelism And Discipleship Pathway To Address The Cultural And Worldview Distance Between The Preston Seventh-Day Adventist Church And The White British Culture In Preston, Jeff Keith Couzins

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem.

The UK Preston Seventh-day Adventist Church in the North England Conference is a predominantly Black church situated in a White British city. The Church has seen a numerical increase of almost 25% since 2013, but only one person from this growth was from the majority culture population, a group who tend not to be attracted to traditional Adventist forms of evangelism. The hypothesis for this project, therefore, is that when the cultural and worldview distance between church members and individuals in society is reduced, it is easier for the Christian witness to then explain the Kingdom of God. Also, …

A Strategy For Collaborative Leadership At Mt. Sinai Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Orlando, Florida, Herman Leon Davis Sr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Organized as a Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1899, Mt. Sinai was the first Adventist Church for people of color in Orlando. Although Mt. Sinai gave birth to several other churches in the Central Florida area, Mt. Sinai lost its ability to build a successive and collaborative leadership, giving way to conflict and dysfunction. Clashes arose between African American and Caribbean cultures related to leadership, worship, and doctrinal interpretations.

Methodology

The church was asked to help identify areas of concern related to types of conflict, conflict management, and conflict resolution as identified by the project proposal. The church was asked …

Fruitfulness And Ordination : Ministry Effectiveness As A Prerequisite For Ordination, Edney Joaquim

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Missionary Training Best Practices : Equipping Church Members To Be Effective Missionaries In Their Own Contexts, Todd Wilson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Challenges On The Mission Field: A Phenomenological Exploration Of The Experience And Impact Of Traumatic Events On Christian Missionaries, Julie Nixon

Theses

There is a long and rich, albeit at times complex, history of Australian Christian mission work abroad. Missionaries have been motivated to enter the field by a desire to support the local church and other indigenous communities to attain a range of social, economic, and socio-developmental improvements for individuals and groups alike. However, this work is not without risk for the missionaries, especially when exposed to traumatic events and experiences that may adversely affect their physical, psychological, and or spiritual health and well-being. Understanding the impact of such experiences from the missionaries' perspective is important, particularly in the context of …

From The Editor, Robert Danielson

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Journal In Entirety

The Asbury Journal

No abstract provided.

Women Church Planters In The Early Work Of The Church Of God In Christ: The Case Of The Singing Twins, Reatha And Leatha Morris, Robert A. Danielson

The Asbury Journal

While church planting is often seen as a recent topic, it has been in existence as long as the church itself. One interesting historical example of church planting is revealed in the methods practiced by the women of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), the largest African-American Pentecostal denomination in the United States. In the early days of the denomination, Mother Lizzie Robinson was put in charge of the ministry done by women. While she did not approve of women preaching and leading churches, she did approve and commission women evangelists who would “dig out” churches and then turn …

A Missional Resurgence: Helping Bridges Church Rediscover Her Missional Purpose Resulting In Vibrant Growth, Patrick Headen Norris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The church in America is facing difficult times. The majority of churches are experiencing plateaued or declining attendance and a lack of spiritual vitality. While every church is unique in her own experience, there are some common factors that can lead to new life and vibrancy. The purpose of this study was to understand how to lead a specific church, Bridges Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina to rediscover her missional purpose and discover vibrant growth, as individuals and as a corporate body. This study utilized the REVEAL for Churches Survey, an online survey that is both descriptive and prescriptive in …

Relevant Methods And Strategies For Successful Church Planting In Hyderabad, India, Patrick Dommati

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Developing Healthy Mbb Community : An Analysis Of Relationships Between Muslim Background Believers, M. T. C.

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Latino Church Planting Challenge : Factors That Impact Latino Church Planting In Orlando, Florida, Within The Encuentro Ministries Network, Carlos DaríO Peralta

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Church Schools As Centers Of Influence In The Community: K-12 Education As Evangelism, Scott R. Ward

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.