Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Discipleship In A Digital Age: Leveraging Multimodality And Digital Networks, Jennifer Miles

Doctor of Ministry

Advancements in communication technology, particularly since the Internet Age, have impacted culture in several fundamental ways. Cognitive and psychological changes have changed how people seek and understand knowledge. The development of horizontal networks made of both space of places, physical locations, and space of flows, Internet locations,1 has reshaped academic, social, and political spheres. The rise in entertainment to transfer information has shifted society’s focus to one of experience and service in everyday life. These changes have impacted the institutional church through a reduction of individuals self-identifying as Christian and in behaviors traditionally considered Christian.

In response, the church has …

The Socialist Impact On Christian-Muslim Shared St. Naum Monastery, Evelyn Reuter

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Shared religious places may be provocative phenomena—for the members of the sharing communities as well as for uninvolved observers. An increasing number of research literature focusing on the contesting character of such places and the consequences for the identities of sharing communities serves as evidence for that thesis. The heads of the theoretical discussion regarding the influence of sharing religious and political identities are the anthropologists, Robert Hayden and Glenn Bowman. Due to the long-lasting Christian- Muslim contacts characterized by peaceful as well as conflicting interaction, both bring examples from Southeastern Europe, especially from the post-Yugoslavian context. It is obvious …

Empty Chairs At Empty Tables: Dort In French Protestantism, Matthew Paul Harmon

Pro Rege

Editor's Note: Rev. Harmon presented this paper at the Prodigal Love of God Conference, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Canons of Dort, April 2019, sponsored by Dordt University and co-sponsored by the Lilly Fellowship Program, as a regional conference.

The Secret Treasure Of Coming Home: Ruth Suckow Park, Earlville, Iowa, James C. Schaap

Pro Rege

Editor's Note: This article was aired on Dec. 2, 2019, by Siouxland Public Media, KWIT FM 90.3 and KOJI FM 90.7, and published at https://www.kwit.org/post/secret-treasure-coming-home. This article is one in a series of broadcasts on KWIT and is available at KWIT.org as well as Schaap's website - floydriverpress.com.

Believers Armor: How The Christian Church In The United States Can Survive And Overcome Spiritual Warfare, Michael A. Webb

Doctor of Ministry

This research seeks to discover why the Christian church in the United States has struggled to withstand the effects of spiritual warfare. Resisting Satan’s evil schemes continues to be a personal need and spiritual challenge facing people in today’s fastpaced digital world. Failing to resist Satan creates a severe problem for the Christian church. As a result, believers are unprepared to both understand and withstand the effects of spiritual warfare. The author, inspired by the Holy Spirit, created an artifact that has become a powerful ministry tool to address this challenge. The Armor of God challenge coin was fashioned from …

Classical Christian Education And Students' Christian Formation, Melody Kay Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Training young people to love and serve God is an important responsibility shared by both parents and church leaders. This study explored one approach to that mandate: classical Christian education, a modern revival of a centuries-long tradition. The modern renewal began in the 1980’s after a near century-long hiatus during which time classical methodology was replaced by a progressive, secular approach. Currently, research is still minimal, therefore this study seeks to fill a gap regarding this unique Christian pedagogy. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to determine if any perceived relationships exist between the distinguishing characteristics of …

The Impact Prayer Has On Reducing Anxiety, Casey D. Groover

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Anxiety predates the modern world as its history is biblical. Christians have traditionally battled the conditions of anxiety, and it currently adversely impacts people in various ways today. A process used to reduce the effect of anxiety is prayer, and Christians among the Church of God denomination practice its rituals so that God will provide for their requests. This Christian prayer is experienced through different prayer rituals as God recognizes and responds to Christians using them. The results of prayers when experiencing reactions to anxiety are reported in the testimonies of ten research participants who provided three significant themes in …

Not A Megachurch? Creative Methods Toward Intergenerational Worship Within A Small Evangelical Church: A Case Study, Brenda L. Widger

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Larger churches have historically had the advantage in the realm of creative worship ministry due to larger budgets, more volunteers and dedicated professional staff. While megachurches have dominated the creative worship model, smaller evangelical churches have struggled to capture the essence of creativity in their services. There is a need to explore the obstacles faced by the smaller church along with methods that can be applied to overcome the challenges to offer effective worship experiences that include creative worship elements in a multigenerational model. In this qualitative historical case study, insight into the processes and resources necessary to move the …

The Correlation Between Pastors’ Leadership Style, Their Organizational Change Commitment, And Their Organization’S Readiness For Change, Jerusha Smith Drummond

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this non-experimental correlational study was to determine whether a relationship exists between pastors’ perceptions of transformational leadership, pastors’ organizational change commitment, and their organization’s readiness for change, controlling for gender, age, education, tenure, and geographical location of lead pastors in the South Carolina Baptist Convention (SCBC) churches. Leadership and change are intertwined; thus, pastors’ commitment to organizational change and their organization’s readiness for change highlights dynamic leadership in the management of church life. The pastor must possess a leadership style that moves the church toward organizational change while keeping parishioners in attendance. The study answers the following …

Reformed Worship (Rw) 135 - Ascension / Pentecost (March 2020), Reformed Worship Editors

Reformed Worship Magazine

Features

Worship Series: Listening to God: Scripture, Spirit, and Stillness by Joyce Borger....3

Why Are You Just Standing Around? by Rachel Bouwkamp....12

"Amen" Living by Rachel Bouwkamp....24

To God Be the Glory by Laura TenHave-Chapman....28

Articles

Editorial: The Story Isn't Over by Joyce Borger....2

Ascension: To Do or Not to Do by Eric Dirksen and Rod Snaterse....10

For Pastors: The Eventful Spirit by Scott Hoezee....14

Q&A: Like a Multifaceted Diamond by John D. Witvliet....36

A Tribute to Chris Overvoorde by Emily R. Brink....38

Grace and Peace by Joel Jupp....40

Resources …

Thirty Years Of Religious Freedom In Russia: The Case Of Ekaterinburg, Elena Glavatskaya

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

"The religious revival, which began nationwide during the USSR’s last decade, affected all religious denominations, including the so-called “traditional” religions, which had deep roots in Imperial Russia’s history, and new religions that appeared after the collapse of Soviet ideology. The religious renaissance manifested itself through the rapidly increasing number of religious communities, religion’s fast penetration into social and political life, and the church buildings that mushroomed all over the country. This article focuses on the history of the religious landscape in Russia since 1989, using the city of Ekaterinburg as a case study. We use the religious landscape concept to …

Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University: Fpu's Effect On Tithes And Offerings In The Evangelical Church, Jay Forseth

Doctor of Ministry

In The Evangelical Church, giving actually went down after FPU in 23 out of our 42 churches (55%) the year the class was held. Nevertheless, our overall average increase in giving to the 42 churches was +2.39% the same year. The following year, giving further increased a total of 4.24% over the year before the class was taught, which supports Ramsey’s claim of a 4% giving increase. In year three after the class, total giving reached a remarkable increase of 7.06%, while 67% of our churches saw a positive net increase in giving after hosting FPU.

However, in the fourth …

The Handmaid Of The Lord Redux: Constructing The New Orthodox Womanhood Between Cradle And Convert, Katherine Kelaidis

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

"In an era when questions of sexuality and gender dominate much of the debate in theological circles, regardless of religious or confessional affiliation, the meaning of Orthodox Christian womanhood remains a simultaneously over-discussed and under-theorized aspect of these conversations. This article attempts to address this discrepancy by articulating and problematizing some of the myriad of forces that are shaping the construction of Orthodox Christian womanhood and the identity of Orthodox Christian women today. In particular, we explore how the “Culture Wars” (a once largely American political phenomenon) have internationalized and become a major force in the articulation of gender both …

Frontmatter (Volume 40, Issue 2)

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Book Review: God’S Spies: The Stasi’S Cold War Espionage Campaign Inside The Church, James R. Payton Jr.

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Review of Elisabeth Braw, God’s Spies: The Stasi’s Cold War Espionage Campaign Inside the Church. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2019. $25.00 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-8028-7525-9.

How America's Political Parties Change (And How They Don't) (Book Review), Jack Vander Slik

Pro Rege

Reviewed Title: How America's Political Parties Change (And How They Don't) by Michael Barone. New York and London: Encounter Books, 2019. 130 pp. ISBN: 9781641770781.

Reforming Christian Higher Education: Why Christian Colleges And Universities Need Reformation Theology, Javier Garcia

Pro Rege

Editor's Note: Dr. Garcia presented this paper at the Prodigal Love of God Conference, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Canons of Dort, April 2019, sponsored by Dordt University and co-sponsored by the Lilly Fellowship Program, as a regional conference.

Jesus, Judgment, And The People Of God: Learning From Jesus And The Reformed Tradition About The Works Required For Salvation, Joshua E. Leim

Pro Rege

Editor's Note: Dr. Joshua E. Leim presented this paper at the Prodigal Love of God Conference, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Canons of Dort, April 2019, sponsored by Dordt University and co-sponsored by the Lilly Fellowship Program, as a regional conference.

American Prodigal: White Church, Black Church, And The Feast Of Social Justice, Melissa Vanden Bout

Pro Rege

Editor's Note: Dr. Vanden Bout presented this paper at the Prodigal Love of God Conference, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Canons of Dort, April 2019, sponsored by Dordt University and co-sponsored by the Lilly Fellowship Program, as a regional conference.

William Carey's Expectation For Missionary Cooperation : An Inquiry Into The Significance Of Interdependence In The Missionary Partnerships And Collaborative Efforts Of The First Baptist Mission In India, Andrew D. Mcfarland

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Incomparable? : Authenticating Criteria In Historical Jesus Scholarship And General Historical Methodology, Kevin B. Burr

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Mental Health Chaplaincy: A Guide For Geriatric Psychiatric Chaplains, Deena Anne Martinelli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Veterans Administration (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD) evaluated the expanding roles of chaplains in mental health and identified the prevalent need for additional training among chaplains when integrating chaplaincy and mental health services. Literature revealed that chaplains were lacking in the skillsets and pastoral care practices needed to effectively care for elderly patients with mental health disorders. A gap remains in literature regarding the reported level of training and preparedness of chaplains who ministered to geriatric mental health patients within clinical settings, which this project sought to examine. Harter’s competence motivation theory and the Holy Bible served as …

Guest Editorial: Interreligious Encounter And Religious Change In Former Yugoslavia, Aleksandra Djurić-Milovanović

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

In this issue of OPREE, three case studies by Gašper Mithans, Evelyn Reuter, and Aleksandra Djurić-Milovanović explore interreligious encounters in Yugoslavia and religious transformations that brought new dynamics in interreligious relations between majority and minority religions.

Atomization, Decentralization, And Sustainability: Prominent Trends On The Russian Protestant Church Scene, William Yoder

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

"At least in Russia–and China–the age of euphoria prominent 30 years ago is gone. The church missions committed to short-term gains have left for greener pastures and the congregations remaining behind are now, more than ever, required to determine their own fates. Increasingly required to live from their own funding, church projects are becoming more sustainable. Huge building and educational projects are only a memory. This general and expected course of events can be attributed in part to short attention spans in the West; increased government pressure is only one of numerous factors."

Anti-Jewish Propaganda In The Ndh And The Slovak State, Madeline Vadkerty

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

"This paper examines the nature of the anti-Semitic propaganda used by the Slovak State and the Independent State of Croatia (Nezavisna Država Hrvatska -- NDH) during World War II, taking into account the two countries’ unique and common objectives, evolving political contexts, strategies, and tactics. The paper also analyzes how those activities fit into the wider strategy of nation building and the attempt to create a new collective identity which was to be predicated on the concept of exclusivity and racial/cultural superiority."

'Converted Co-Ethnics': Romanian Migrants In The Northern Serbian Province Of Vojvodina, Aleksandra Djurić-Milovanović

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

In this paper, my case study highlights Romanian neo-Protestant migrants from Serbia who either returned to their “home country,” or work on different missionary activities among their co-ethnics after the fall of communism. To a large degree, members of the Romanian minority in Serbia belong to the Romanian Orthodox Church, which is the dominant confession, then a smaller number to the Romanian Greek-Catholic church and various neo-Protestant communities, such as the Nazarene, the Adventist, the Baptist, and the Pentecostal community. Starting from the hypothesis that the conversion of the Romanians in Serbia to neo-Protestantism is closely related to issues of …

Religious Conversions And Religious Diversification In Interwar Yugoslavia And Slovenia, Gašper Mithans

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

With the foundation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, the respective nationalities and ethnic communities were faced with the reality of a multi-confessional state. Internal migration and minority policy, in particular, set in motion a slow diversification in the religious sphere, even in the ethnically and religiously extremely homogeneous territory of Slovenia. This paper aims to analyze the role that religious converts—who were largely former Catholics—played during the interwar period in Slovenian regions in the phenomenon of the gradual transformation of the religious landscape over a long period of time. Converts were an important part of almost all …

Giftive Mission Lives : Verbeck, Judson, Ricci & Timothy I, Zonia Mitchell

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Spirit Possession In Luke-Acts And Modern Eyewitnesses : An Analysis Of Anthropological Accounts As Evidence For The Plausibility Of The Lukan Accounts, Joy L. Vaughan

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Prodigal Love And A Hermeneutic Of Charity: How Grace Changes Learning, Alexander Sosler

Pro Rege

Editor's Note: Dr. Alexander Sosler presented this paper at the Prodigal Love of God Conference, in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Canons of Dort, April 2019, sponsored by Dordt University and co-sponsored by the Lilly Fellowship Program, as a regional conference.