Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Becoming Lutheran: Exploring The Journey Of American Evangelicals Into Confessional Lutheran Thought, Matthew Richard

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The purpose of this Major Applied Research Project was to examine the journey of American Evangelicals into Lutheran thought. Otherwise stated, the research project studied the emotional struggles, linguistic confusion, worldview changes, and epistemological shifts that happen during the pilgrimage between two theological traditions.

The research findings are intended to identify valuable insights and provide avenues of comfort for those who are making this transition. Furthermore, the findings of this research are intended to aid Lutheran pastors as they care for and shepherd individuals who are coming into Lutheranism from American Evangelicalism.

The primary components of this study were the …

The Mentor Method Of Evangelism: A Study In The Use Of Interrogatives, Luther Biggs

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

There is a need to increase the effectiveness of the training process currently used to introduce members of Messiah Lutheran Church to the practice of what I call "the mentorship method" of evangelism. This project represents an effort to assess how graduates from a fifteen-week training course in mentorship-evangelism are able to perform a technique that is central to this method. Specifically, the technique under assessment is that of interrogative bridge-building in which evangelism practitioners are trained to use a series of questions to build a cognitive bridge between the evangelized spiritual questions and specific scriptural resources.

Developing A Congregational Committee On Communication, Mark Bangert

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This Major Applied Project had the purpose of examining the communication that happens in a congregation and the communication that comes from a Christian congregation. Emphasis in the paper is on how communication skills must be used in-service of the Gospel.

Components of the paper include a theological and confessional examination of communication; a look at current communication theory; the development of a "Committee On Communication" in a local parish; and the specific results of that committee's work.

This paper is for anyone desiring to better develop the communication skills of their congregation in service of the Gospel.

A Theological And Sociological Analysis Of The Family Dropout Problem Following The Rite Of Confirmation And Graduation Of Children From Trinity Evangelical Lutheran School, Springfield, Illinois, Micheal Strong

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This project analyzes the problem of dropouts at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and School in Springfield, Illinois, by a four step process.(1) First a strict confessional position will be articulated in this paper. (2)Then, while examining two current sociological trends, Church Growth and systems theory, some aspects of both movements will be found to be deficient for a confessional Lutheran while others usable. (3) Former or lapsed members are then surveyed and interviewed to determine their perceived reasons for becoming dropouts. (4) Finally, incorporating all of the above material, recommendations are made to the congregation and pastor of ways that …

Faith Development And Self-Directed Reading Of Christian Literature: A Key To A Maturing Faith, Raymond Schiefelbein

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Christians need continuing education to develop their faith. Too often, youth and adult Christians complete confirmation instruction but fail to continue learning, fail to have a positive attitude about the necessity of Christian learning as a lifelong process, and even fail to understand that faith can indeed grow in strength and maturity or diminish and die.

This Doctor of Ministry research project is a test of the hypothesis that Christians who engage in self-directed reading of Christian literature are more likely to develop a more integrated, mature faith than those who do not engage in self-directed reading. The six key …