Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Understanding The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ And Its Soteriological Significance, Zach Maldonado

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this DMIN action research project was to develop and implement a study on the resurrection of Jesus at Life Church. The problem was that people at Life Church did not adequately understand the resurrection of Christ for their belief in salvation. The study sought to help members of Life Church understand what Scripture teaches about salvation. The goal for this action research project was for members of Life Church to understand, defend, and articulate the resurrection of Jesus and its soteriological implications. There were seven total participants that took part in the study. Every participant was given …

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 …

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 …

The Relational Fruit Of The Spirit In Youth Ministers: Do Youth Ministers Display Patience, Kindness, And Goodness?, Mary Ann Ridgley-Thornton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Youth ministry is a crucial part of the church that can help teenagers strengthen their godly beliefs and spiritual formation. Youth ministers’ actions, characters, and behavior should reflect the fruit of the Spirit. This qualitative case study explored whether and how youth leaders displayed the fruit of the Spirit at seven Bible-based, baptistic Christian churches in southeast Georgia. Although seven was the goal, only five churches agreed to participate. A Christian church was defined as one with no more than 500 members that accept the Bible as the sole source and authority of genuine Christian faith. The fruit of the …

Jailhouse Religion: A Study On The Perceived Effects Of Religious Prison Rehabilitation That Affects Recidivism, William George Bumphus Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the relationship between Christian programming to prisoners and their lives when released into society. During this study, several men from The Jesus House ministry location were observed and interviewed on the lives they now lead after getting saved or finding Christ while in prison and being released to a faith-based aftercare facility. This study examined the mission and vision leaders of this ministry believed while interviewing participants and staff about their personal stories, and why they chose to help ex-offenders reintegrate into society. Furthermore, this study investigated the current rehabilitation programming to see where Christian programming …

Investigating The Impact Of The Church Covenant On The Revitalization Of A Declining Church, Robert Gene Gifford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The local church finds itself in crisis and the decline in attendance and membership in churches is undeniable. The thesis project establishes that there is more to being a Christian than identifying as one. To reverse the declining trajectory, churches must understand what a church is, what a church member is, and the importance of regenerate church membership. The premise of this project thesis was that if the pastor preached on the church’s historic covenant, it would serve as a starting point for the revitalization of the declining church by affecting the member’s understanding of the church and their role …

Culturally Induced Male Dominance: Addressing Breakdown Of Harmony In Asian Indian Christian Marriages, Benjamin Mulaparthi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marriage is an institution designed by God to fulfill the creation mandate and represent Christ and his bride in this world. Marriage is a universal social construct fulfilled in diverse ways across cultures and societies. In Asian Indian culture, marriages are mostly arranged where parents customarily choose a spouse based on the caste/ethnicity, religion, social and economic standing of prospective spouses and their families. Many Christians in India and those of Indian origin living in the United States adopt the cultural norm of arranged marriage. This DMIN action research project will explore the breakdown of harmony in Christian arranged marriages …

Effective Decision-Making And Conflict Resolution For Church Leadership Teams And Governing Boards, Frederick Chambers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Conflict is one of the primary reasons church leaders leave churches, quit vocational ministry, are terminated or are ineffective in their leadership and Christian service. Church leaders become discouraged, less effective, quit their leadership positions, or even leave congregations because of conflict or disagreements over decisions. Ineffective decision-making and conflict within the leadership team harm the ministry organization and the leaders. The problem this action research project addresses is the need for a clearly defined process of group decision-making and conflict resolution among church and ministry leadership boards. The purpose of this project was to evaluate and improve the tools …

Review Of The Making Of C. S. Lewis: From Atheist To Apologist, Crystal Hurd

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Crystal Hurd: Review of Harry Lee Poe, The Making of C. S. Lewis: From Atheist to Apologist (1918- 1945) (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2021). 344 pages, including Notes and Index. $32.99. ISBN 9781433567834.

Review Of C. S. Lewis And The Christian Worldview, Jennifer Neyhart

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Jennifer Neyhart: Review of Michael L. Peterson, C. S. Lewis and the Christian Worldview (New York: Oxford University Press, 2020). 227 pages. $29.95. ISBN 9780190201111.

Review Of The Shared Witness Of C. S. Lewis And Austin Farrer. Friendship, Influence, And An Anglican Worldview, Grayson Carter

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Grayson Carter: Review of Philip Irving Mitchell, The Shared Witness of C. S. Lewis and Austin Farrer. Friendship, Influence, and an Anglican Worldview (Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press, 2021). 312 pages. $55.00. ISBN 9781606354179.

Review Of The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek And Roman Mythology Through Christian Eyes, Charlie W. Starr

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Charlie W. Starr: Review of Louis Markos, The Myth Made Fact: Reading Greek and Roman Mythology Through Christian Eyes (Camp Hill, Pennsylvania: Classical Academic Press, 2020). 448 pages. $27.99. ISBN 9781600513954.

Review Of 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know, Louis Marko

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Louis Markos: Review of Terry Glaspey, 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know (Chicago: Moody, 2021). 384 pages. $24.99. ISBN 9780802420879. and Terry Glaspey, Discovering God through the Arts (Chicago: Moody, 2021). 272 pages. $16.99. ISBN 9780802419972.

An Unlikely Preacher: C.S. Lewis And The War-Time Sermon, Joe Ricke

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

The sermon was supposedly titled “‘None Other Gods’: Culture in War Time,” although no extant copy has that full title. His text was an obscure verse from the Book of Deuteronomy. It was the first sermon he had ever preached. Before the end of the war, the preacher, Clive Staples Lewis, a native of Belfast, a veteran of the Great War, and a rather recently converted agnostic, had become a household word in Great Britain and beyond as a defender of the Christian faith.

Emerging From The Pandemic As A Community Of Faith: Assessing How The Life And Faith Of Woodland West Church Of Christ Has Been Shaped By The Pandemic And By God Through This Experience, Randy Todd

DMin Project Theses

This April 2023 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University is a qualitative study that aims to explore and assess how the COVID-19 pandemic experience has shaped the life and faith of Woodland West Church of Christ and its members. Specifically, the study aims to explore how members of this local congregation sensed the pandemic experience shaped their faith as described in James 1:2-4. How have members sensed God at work in all this as described in Romans 8:28? How has it shaped their fears and hopes for the future? And has the pandemic shaped us in such a …

The Spiritual Impact Of Female Pastoral Leadership On Members Of New Heritage Fellowship, Cheryl Russell

DMin Project Theses

This April 2023 Doctor of Ministry project thesis at Lipscomb University examines how, today, many females are waiting for opportunities to serve in pastoral leadership, hoping to partner with local churches to help carry the story of God forward in a moment of great vulnerability for the church, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, very few churches are opening their doors to females for key leadership roles, upholding a long tradition of male-only leadership. This project explores the spiritual impact of egalitarian culture and female pastoral leadership on the members of New Heritage Fellowship. My hope is that …

Review Of C.S. Lewis On The Fullness Of Life: Longing For Deep Heaven, Sanford Schwartz

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Sanford Schwartz: Review of Dennis J. Billy, C. S. Lewis on the Fullness of Life: Longing for Deep Heaven (Mahwah, New Jersey, 2009). 125 pages. $14.95. ISBN 9780809145430.

Review Of The Feeling Intellect: Reading The Bible With C.S. Lewis, David G. Clark

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

David G. Clark: Review of Roger J. Newell, The Feeling Intellect: Reading the Bible with C. S. Lewis (Eugene, Oregon, 2010). xi + 115 pages. $16.00. ISBN 9781608991389.

Review Of Conversations With C.S. Lewis: Imaginative Discussions About Life, Christianity And God, Lyle W. Dorsett

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Lyle W. Dorsett: Review of Robert Velarde, Conversations with C. S. Lewis: Imaginative Discussions about Life, Christianity and God (Downers Grove, Illinois, 2008). 192 pages. $15.00. ISBN 9780830834839.

Review Of C.S.Lewis, The C.S. Lewis Bible, Gregory M. Anderson

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Gregory M. Anderson: Review of C. S. Lewis, The C. S. Lewis Bible (San Francisco, 2010). xxxi + 1529 pages, including several indices and a concordance. $34.99. ISBN 9780061982088.

Review Of C.S. Lewis And Don Giovanni Calabria, The Latin Letters Of C.S. Lewis, Nikolay Epplée

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Nikolay Epplée: Review of C. S. Lewis and Don Giovanni Calabria, The Latin Letters of C. S. Lewis, ed. and trans. by Martin Moynihan (South Bend, 2009). 125 pages. $12.00. ISBN 9781587314551.

Review Of C.S. Lewis, The Illustrated Screwtape Letters-Special Illustrated Edition, Grayson Carter

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Grayson Carter: Review of C. S. Lewis, The Illustrated Screwtape Letters—Special Illustrated Edition (with Screwtape Proposes a Toast) (San Francisco, 2009). xiii + 239. Color illustrations by Papas + an illustration of Screwtape and a Postscript both by C. S. Lewis. $29.99. ISBN 9780061708183.

C.S. Lewis On Scripture And The Christ, The World Of God: Convergence And Divergence With Karl Barth, P. H. Brazier

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

The aim of this paper is to explore a fundamental convergence between Lewis and Barth in their understanding of the w/Word of God, or the ground of their respective doctrines of Scripture. Lewis, like Barth, distinguished between the word of God (Scripture) and the Word of God (Christ). Each asks and answers the question: What is the relationship between Scripture and Christ? This work will also explore the priority of the Word above all else, including the church and the Bible: as Lewis commented, “We have no abiding city even in philosophy: all passes except the Word.” Finally, it will …

The Screwtape Letters: The Play, José Maria J. Yulo

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters. Staring Max McLean and Karen Wight. Adapted for the stage by Max McLean and Jeff Fiske. Produced by the Fellowship for the Performing Arts, Morristown, New Jersey. Performed at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, California, on October 1, 2009.

De Desciptione Temporum: Revisiting C. S. Lewis' Inaugural Lecture, Jean Bethge Elshtain

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

A discussion of Lewis's lecture giving a "description of the times," published in C. S. Lewis, They Asked for a Paper: Papers and Addresses (London, 1962). Excerpt: "The third and no doubt most salient point for our contemporary consideration is that the “christening of Europe,” deplored by some (like Gibbon, the “humanistic unbeliever”), seemed a unique, irreversible event. “But we have seen the opposite process,” Lewis writes. To be sure, “the un-christening of Europe in our time is not quite complete; neither was her christening in the Dark Ages,” but it proceeds apace. Consequently, while our “ancestors divided history into …

From Vocal Agnostic To Reluctant Convert: C.S. Lewis And C.E.M. Joad, Joel Heck

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

After a brief consideration of Joad’s life and career this essay will examine the events that led to his return to the Christian faith, and the extent of Lewis’ influence on it. As we will see, Joad and Lewis’ interest in philosophy and the world of ideas, their reading of one another’s work and the mutual respect that emerged out of that effort, their published debate over the issue of theodicy in 1941, their lively debate over the merits of Christianity at the Socratic Club in 1944, and their exchange over the troubling issue of animal pain in 1950, comprise …

Women In Silence: Paul's Words About Disruptive Women In Church Gatherings, Charles Davenport

Global Tides

This research seeks to understand the meaning behind Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 14:31-35. Paul's direct command, "women should keep silent," seems quite clear on paper, but more context is needed when contemporary churches decide how to apply these words. This article examines three theories: the passage being a rebuttal, the passage being an interpolation, and the passage having significant cultural context. After reviewing the three theories, the proposed interpretation is that Paul's command was to a specific people in one particular cultural context, not a universal command for all churches of all generations.

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. …

Unsung Holiday: Earth Day, Channon Visscher

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"What can we do to pass on the gift of good land to our children and their children?"

Posting about our response to Earth Day from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/unsung-holiday-earth-day/

Review Of Is Your Lord Large Enough? How C. S. Lewis Expands Our View Of God, Mark J. Hamilton

Sehnsucht: The C. S. Lewis Journal

Review of Is Your Lord Large Enough? How C. S. Lewis Expands Our View of God. By Peter J. Schakel. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2008. ISBN: 0830834923. Pp. 208. $16.00.