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Articles 1 - 30 of 1154
Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Church And Community: Bridging The Gap To Create A Culture Of Acceptance And Inclusiveness, Matthew L. Brown
Church And Community: Bridging The Gap To Create A Culture Of Acceptance And Inclusiveness, Matthew L. Brown
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This DMIN project helped St. Paul High Street Baptist Church develop a community engagement team that helped them reestablish its long-lasting relationship with the community surrounding the church. Certain issues within and outside of the church were discussed that had led to a lack of community engagement within recent years. A community engagement team was put together to help bridge the gap between the church and its surrounding community. To help with this, several community engagement team events were held, and surveys were given to both church and community members. Through the successful completion of this project, St. Paul High …
An Examination Of The Parental Role In The Discipleship Of Children, Robert B. Jarman
An Examination Of The Parental Role In The Discipleship Of Children, Robert B. Jarman
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Parents have an enormous role in the lives of their children. They are responsible for all aspects of their children’s development to prepare them to manage adulthood successfully. Parents invest much of their time in many important areas of the home, yet regarding discipleship, they will often pass on that responsibility to others or neglect it altogether. The danger of a lack of discipleship in the home is that it can potentially contribute to the growing trend of young adults leaving the faith. This thesis project examines the Biblical mandate for parents discipling their children, the reasons for parents not …
Forgiving Childhood Hurt Biblically, Latisha Shearer
Forgiving Childhood Hurt Biblically, Latisha Shearer
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The profound impact of childhood experiences on an individual's mindset, emotional well-being, and transition into adulthood is a compelling problem addressed in this thesis paper titled “Forgiving Childhood Hurt Biblically.” This DMIN action research project is to implement biblical forgiveness as a transformative tool to address the physical, mental, and emotional wounds inflicted by childhood trauma. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), marked by early-life toxic stress, establish a foundation for the intergenerational transmission of trauma, significantly affecting the health and lives of adults. Given the vulnerability of childhood, addressing and forgiving the sources of trauma is crucial for effectively reprogramming and …
Mentorship For African American Female Officers Of Faith In The United States Air Force, Tanquer L. Dyer
Mentorship For African American Female Officers Of Faith In The United States Air Force, Tanquer L. Dyer
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Mentorship has emerged as a critical component for the cultivation and development of leaders. Mentoring is beneficial for the mentee and mentor both personally and professionally. The United States Air Force (USAF) encourages formal and informal mentoring for their leaders through initiatives and regulations. Other branches emphasize leadership development; whereas, the USAF emphasizes career development. While African American female officers of faith continue to hold leadership positions, it is unclear whether mentorship serves as a factor of success. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and understand the lived experience of African American female officers in the USAF …
Ripe For The Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation At Fairhaven Church Of Rootstown, Vincent A. Maltempi
Ripe For The Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation At Fairhaven Church Of Rootstown, Vincent A. Maltempi
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project addresses the need to develop committed Christian servants within a church ministry context by utilizing a spiritual formation initiative focused on service as a means towards and evidence of spiritual formation and development. Fairhaven Church of Rootstown had not been instructed on the fundamental need for members to serve together. Consequently, service within the church was not a necessary part of discipleship or its spiritual growth plan. The purpose of this intervention was to create and implement a three-fold spiritual development initiative focused on Christian service that includes a sermon series, a midweek study, and a …
Burnout Prevention In Christian Public And Private Middle School Leaders: A Qualitative Study, Rhonda Grider Purchase
Burnout Prevention In Christian Public And Private Middle School Leaders: A Qualitative Study, Rhonda Grider Purchase
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
There is a momentous problem in academic settings today regarding stress and burnout among academic school leaders (Francis et al., 2017). The focus of this study was to examine the prevention of professional stress in the lives of middle school academic leaders. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of what the selected participants believed was the prevention of stress and burnout in middle school leaders in Newton County, Georgia. For this study, school leaders were defined as certified principals who hold a bachelor’s level or above degree and contribute to the academic environment …
The Scatological Scriptures: A Biblical Theology Of Dung, Zachary C. Hill
The Scatological Scriptures: A Biblical Theology Of Dung, Zachary C. Hill
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Scriptures contain a theology of dung. When the semantic and conceptual cognates that pertain to dung are synthesized, the result is a scriptural scatology whereby dung is presented as a symbol for sin. To clarify, the biblical exhibition of dung presents excrement as a central symbol employed by Scripture to concretize the abstract nature of sin. When each semantic and conceptual cognate that pertains to dung is examined, in nearly every instance where dung is mentioned, sin is in close proximity. The recognition of the dung–sin symbol enlightens particular aspects related to the nature of sin, which mirrors the …
Exploring How Church Leadership Strives For Effective Ministry By Developing A Viable Leadership Training Program At A Small Nondenominational Church In Scranton, South Carolina, Willa Dean Montgomery
Exploring How Church Leadership Strives For Effective Ministry By Developing A Viable Leadership Training Program At A Small Nondenominational Church In Scranton, South Carolina, Willa Dean Montgomery
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The problem at Gospel of Grace Church in Scranton, South Carolina is the church lacks a viable leadership training program to develop competent leaders. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to develop and implement a viable leadership training program. If a viable leadership training program is implemented, then leadership at Gospel of Grace Church would model servant-leadership characteristics found in Jesus’s Servant Leadership Model. This viable leadership training program aims to teach leaders how to apply biblical principles to their daily lives. They will learn to be a servant first, to serve the needs of others before …
Digital Ministry In The Church: Strengths, Weaknesses, And Opportunities, Willie Charles Howard Garrett
Digital Ministry In The Church: Strengths, Weaknesses, And Opportunities, Willie Charles Howard Garrett
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative phenomenological study explores how churchgoers and senior pastors who are servant-leaders perceive the effectiveness, drawbacks, and opportunities of employing digital ministry in their churches as they attempt to develop healthy virtual relationships that maintain personal connections. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a change in churchgoers attending services in person. The government instituted social distancing and closures of businesses, schools, and churches. As a result, senior pastors engaged in creative ways using digital ministry to continue spreading the Word of God. While digital ministry existed pre-COVID-19, an increase occurred in response to the need to suspend in-person attendance. The theory …
Others First: A Visual Roadmap 4 Transformation, Toby D. Wagoner
Others First: A Visual Roadmap 4 Transformation, Toby D. Wagoner
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Small rural churches tend to have an inward-focus mindset fueled by the need for self-preservation and survival. This transactional ministry mindset negatively impacts sharing the love of Christ with others, culminating in apathetic attitudes toward church functionality. The problem this DMin action research project sought to address is the inward focus of First Baptist Church of Ravenswood members. The church needs to improve its evangelism and discipleship efforts, embrace sharing their love of Christ with others, begin engaging guests on a meaningful level, and consider facility upgrades. Members were reminded of the importance of demonstrating their love of Christ to …
Let My People Go: A Biblical Theology Of Liberation In The Exodus Motif, Lou Ann Smith
Let My People Go: A Biblical Theology Of Liberation In The Exodus Motif, Lou Ann Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Liberation theologians view political liberation as the central theme of the historical Exodus event due to their interpretation of the text through the perspective of the oppressed and the oppressor. I reject the postmodern stance of liberation theologians, which overemphasizes political liberation and fails to consider the links between Yahweh’s supernatural actions on behalf of the Hebrews in light of Yahweh’s covenantal obligations to Abraham’s descendants. This study argues against the use of liberation theologies as the paradigm for interpreting the historical Exodus event and asserts that a biblical theology of the Exodus motif reveals “covenant” as the interpretive key …
God’S Narrative Of Redemption: Creation, Imago Dei, And Water Imagery, Dawn Lewis Sutherland
God’S Narrative Of Redemption: Creation, Imago Dei, And Water Imagery, Dawn Lewis Sutherland
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This research demonstrates that the reclamation of imago Dei identity is the ultimate and terminal end-state of God’s plan for humanity’s redemption; this plan is universally expressed to humanity through water imagery in the Old Testament (OT) and in Ancient Near East (ANE) context. The Creator unveils supernatural intent through natural processes and contends that the restoration of imago Dei identity represents the conclusive fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan for humanity. In pursuit of this argument, the research critically explores creational identity, the contrasting biblical notion of idolatry, and the cross-cultural significance of water imagery within the contexts of the …
An Exegetical And Theological Exploration Of Paul’S Self-Identity In Consideration Of Modern Social Sciences, Chala Baker
An Exegetical And Theological Exploration Of Paul’S Self-Identity In Consideration Of Modern Social Sciences, Chala Baker
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Apostle Paul possessed a multifaceted background unusual for the period in which he lived. It is now well-known by scholars and laypeople alike that Paul was a Hebrew, Pharisee, Roman citizen, persecutor of the church, Christian, and Jew who hailed from Tarsus (Acts 21:29). Paul utilized each distinct portion of his background to advance the gospel. Throughout the New Testament, the apostle sets the example of using everything at his disposal for the cause of Christ. Paul himself writes that he became “all things to all people” with a direct purpose in mind that he “might save some” (1 …
Coherent Chiastic Oeuvre In The Unity Of Luke-Acts: Two Volumes Conjoined As A Single Book, John Matthew Powell
Coherent Chiastic Oeuvre In The Unity Of Luke-Acts: Two Volumes Conjoined As A Single Book, John Matthew Powell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
A thorough examination of the life and works of Saint Luke has always been an interest and desire to survey, and because of his eruditeness, which produced two amazingly inspired books in the New Testament resulted in the reason behind this dissertation project. Another important thing for this research is animated from the perspective that Luke is the only gentile writer in the NT. It encourages the world that God placed gentiles on equal footing with Jews of the Old Testament era. Unlike the additional three inspired Gospel writers (i.e., Matthew, Mark, and John), Luke did not take it for …
Rest, Rhetoric, And Suffering In The Letter To The Hebrews: How The Author Of Hebrews Uses Classical Rhetoric To Resolve Tension Between Invitation To God's Rest And Present Suffering, Dickson Kûng’Û Ngama
Rest, Rhetoric, And Suffering In The Letter To The Hebrews: How The Author Of Hebrews Uses Classical Rhetoric To Resolve Tension Between Invitation To God's Rest And Present Suffering, Dickson Kûng’Û Ngama
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Epistle to the Hebrews invites the followers of Jesus to enter God’s promised rest. Unlike the Israelites of the wilderness generation who failed to enter God’s promised rest, the followers of Jesus can enter that rest now and more fully in the future by obedience to God. This is possible because of God’s most recent intervention. God has sent his own son to become a sacrifice for their sins and a high priest for their intercession. Because the way to God is now open, the followers of Jesus can boldly approach God in prayer, gather regularly in worship, and …
Preparing The Next Generation For Faith Ownership By Training Fathers In The Biblical Worldview, John D. Embrey
Preparing The Next Generation For Faith Ownership By Training Fathers In The Biblical Worldview, John D. Embrey
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Several modern factors increase families’ difficulty training children in the Christian faith. Time commitments outside the home have increased, and a decline in faith practice has made parents less comfortable and confident with knowledge of the Christian faith. These factors fueled an increase in teenagers leaving the Christian faith as they moved into adulthood and a decline in the number of adults with a biblical worldview. The underlying assumption of this DMIN project is that if fathers are trained with a biblical worldview and mentoring skills, they will become more comfortable and prepared to share their faith with their children …
A Composition Of Strategic Harmony: The Role Of Hymnic Elements In The Compositional Strategy Of Amos, Moegagogo S. Solomona
A Composition Of Strategic Harmony: The Role Of Hymnic Elements In The Compositional Strategy Of Amos, Moegagogo S. Solomona
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Scholarship on the book of Amos has oft leaned in favor of a multilayered composition of the prophetic book, citing either post-exilic motifs or unusual thematic transitions as evidence. While most of the book of Amos is typically ascribed to the prophet himself, the attribution of certain portions to the work of later redactors brings into question the integrity of the message Amos seeks to convey, especially regarding a united theological message. Proponents of redaction claim that the portions in question would not have been part of the original composition due to their contents displaying post-exilic themes. Such a reconstruction …
Impact Of Worldview Development On Spiritual Vitality In Evangelical Protestant Churches: A Phenomenological Study, Nicholas Jared Curtis
Impact Of Worldview Development On Spiritual Vitality In Evangelical Protestant Churches: A Phenomenological Study, Nicholas Jared Curtis
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The need for a biblical worldview is important in the church since only ten percent of Americans (17% in the church) have a biblical worldview (Foley, 2017, paragraph one; Barna, 2017, paragraph twenty). This is directly connected with one’s spiritual growth in the church as relationships help form one’s worldview which in turn will form one’s values and actions (McDowell and Wallace, 2019). The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the perceived impact of biblical worldview development on spiritual development in the church for pastors who oversee discipleship at doctrinally conservative, Evangelical Protestant churches in Texas. At this …
Developing Health Ministries Beyond The Disparities In The Community, Tasha Renea Berry-Lewis
Developing Health Ministries Beyond The Disparities In The Community, Tasha Renea Berry-Lewis
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an upswing in the lack of awareness concerning disparities and the lack of resources available in many of the neighborhoods in the Chicagoland area. The Washington Park and Bronzeville areas are two (2) communities among several others in the Chicago area that are considered to be low-income neighborhoods with minimal resources and an increasing concern of disparities. As a church in the community, it is vitally important we provide a place of hope and trust for people to come for help and refuge. Developing a service such as a health and wellness ministry …
A Phenomenological Study Of Church Polity And Its Impact On Pastoral Leadership And Congregational Health, Travis L. Biller
A Phenomenological Study Of Church Polity And Its Impact On Pastoral Leadership And Congregational Health, Travis L. Biller
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
It is reported that deacon-led churches produce conflict and high pastoral turnover (Harbuck, 2018; Payne, 1996). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how a church governance structure impacts a pastor’s ability to lead, the health of the church, and pastoral retention. The experiences of pastors from deacon-led churches were evaluated for clusters of meaning and compared with the experiences of pastors who serve under an elder-led model of leadership. Nine interviews were conducted—five pastors from deacon-led churches and four from elder-led churches. This study approached the phenomenological design from an interpretive, or hermeneutical approach to understand the …
The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence In Online Education For Recruitment, Retention, And Sustainability Of Religious Organizations, Gordon Vaill Barrows
The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence In Online Education For Recruitment, Retention, And Sustainability Of Religious Organizations, Gordon Vaill Barrows
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation explored the applicability of AI chatbot technology in the context of a church environment where it was used to promote an accessible and engaging online learning platform for education and ministry training. The primary objective was to develop an AI-powered chatbot to increase recruitment, improve retention, as well as support organizational sustainability as it relates to church membership. The research includes a comprehensive literature review on AI chatbot technology and its relevance to online education within the context of a religious organization. The literature review establishes the fundamentals for a theoretical framework, exploring the association between educational technology, …
Biblical Leadership Development: Essential Components In Servant Leadership, André T. Moore Sr.
Biblical Leadership Development: Essential Components In Servant Leadership, André T. Moore Sr.
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
There was a need for a biblical leadership development program at Anointed To Minister Ministries (ATMM). This researcher assessed the effectiveness of the current leadership and concluded that a biblical leadership development program was paramount to the foundation of the church. Furthermore, Henry and Richard Blackaby, argue in their book Spiritual Leadership “failing to develop leaders in an organization is tantamount to gross failure by the leader, whether by design or by neglect.” The purpose for this DMIN action research project was to develop a strategy and to implement a biblical leadership training program for educating, equipping, and empowering selected …
Emulating Paul’S Ministry Leadership In A Diverse And Changing Cultural Landscape, Mark J. Lee
Emulating Paul’S Ministry Leadership In A Diverse And Changing Cultural Landscape, Mark J. Lee
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry project is to train ministry leaders by studying the cross-cultural leadership characteristics of Apostle Paul. Central Steele Creek Presbyterian Church is part of the sad statistic of traditional churches that have been declining for the past thirty years. This will continue unless leaders of the church embrace the diverse culture and nature of the surrounding community. Cross-cultural leadership is needed in this time of multi-cultural communities and there is no one better than Paul to demonstrate this indispensable cross-cultural ministry paradigm. If leaders at Central are trained and motivated to embrace Paul’s cross-cultural …
The Effect Of Music On Spiritual Well Being Among Hospice Patients, Mathai Abraham
The Effect Of Music On Spiritual Well Being Among Hospice Patients, Mathai Abraham
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The life expectancy of a hospice patient is approximately six months or less. Hospice care is not for the cure of the disease. It is the care provided to the patients for the symptom management of the disease. Hospice care, known as end-of-life care, is very important for a comfortable and peaceful passage. Holistic care for the hospice patient is the goal of the hospice care plan. A hospice patient’s spiritual well-being can be maintained by spiritual support through a spiritual presence and spiritual conversation; all hospice care institutions' disciplines can provide adequate spiritual aid through their interaction with patients, …
Building High-Performance Ministry Teams: Pastors, Ministers, And Leaders Of Selected Baptist Churches In Macon, Georgia, Michael Wendell Johnson
Building High-Performance Ministry Teams: Pastors, Ministers, And Leaders Of Selected Baptist Churches In Macon, Georgia, Michael Wendell Johnson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This transcendental phenomenological research explored the experiences of pastors, ministers, and leaders of selected Baptist churches in Macon, Georgia regarding the impact of a shared vision on the development of high-performance ministry teams. The study's goal will be to understand how a shared vision can motivate pastors and church leaders to do what is necessary to improve church ministries so they can function in a way that would advance the Kingdom of God. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the experiences of pastors and church leaders in building high-performance ministries. Shared vision will be defined as a clear and common …
A Phenomenological Study Of Complexity Leadership Interactions Of An International Protestant Convention During Covid-19, Thomas S. Narofsky
A Phenomenological Study Of Complexity Leadership Interactions Of An International Protestant Convention During Covid-19, Thomas S. Narofsky
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This phenomenological study aimed to explore the in-depth perceptions and insightful reflections of 12 International Protestant Convention leadership team members to explore and investigate their lived experiences and leadership decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of Complexity Leadership Theory. The 2020-2023 COVID-19 pandemic changed the world when the emergent fast-paced virus disrupted and overwhelmed societal life, creating pre- and post-COVID bifurcation points that will shape world dynamics and social interactions for years (Warren, 2022; Christianson & Barton, 2021; Harari, 2020; Pierce, 2020). For this research, complexity leadership interactions, social network dynamics, and information flow were studied to discover …
A Qualitative Descriptive Study: What South Carolina Church Leaders Believe About Congregational Active Shooter Preparation, Charles David Watts Jr.
A Qualitative Descriptive Study: What South Carolina Church Leaders Believe About Congregational Active Shooter Preparation, Charles David Watts Jr.
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to establish a baseline of understanding what experiences South Carolina Southern Baptist church leaders have in active shooter training and what they believe about preparing, training, and equipping congregations for an active shooter incident in their house of worship. This researcher examined how church leaders prepare, train, and equip congregations for security threats like active shooter incidents. This study fills a gap in the existing literature, adding to the research by Auten (2021), Rainer (2017), and the FBI (2016). This researcher examined how churches prepare for security threats like active shooter incidents. …
Ministry And Diversity In The City, William Thomas
Ministry And Diversity In The City, William Thomas
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Missouri trains and develops men and women to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and His church. The church of Jesus Christ, biblically, is a multi-ethnic body comprised of men and women of every tribe, nation, language, and tongue. God’s intention is for all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Though the mission of the church is clear, go and make disciples of all nations, Christian colleges have not always developed classes to equip ministry students to effectively minister across lines of racial, cultural, and socio-economic differences. This …
Private Christian Education And Utilization Of Evangelism Curriculum, Amy N. Mcbrayer
Private Christian Education And Utilization Of Evangelism Curriculum, Amy N. Mcbrayer
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to develop and implement curriculum for equipping students to communicate their faith and the gospel interculturally. The central focus of this DMIN research project to introduce a novel World Religions course to the curriculum at Angleton Christian School in order to provide the students with practical training for cross-cultural evangelism and apologetics. There were eleven total participants, all who were either junior and senior-level students at the start of the 2023 fall semester. Each student was assessed using the same theological assessment and world religion survey on both the first day …
Equipping Equippers: Training Alaska Bible College Students For Equipping Ministry Through Mentorship, Justin Glenn Archuletta
Equipping Equippers: Training Alaska Bible College Students For Equipping Ministry Through Mentorship, Justin Glenn Archuletta
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The research project strived to improve the Christian Ministry Training program at Alaska Bible College, by adding a multi-generational equipping mentorship focus to the already existing program. The addition of the multi-generational mentorship is modeled after the exhortation found in 2 Timothy 2:2. Adding the primary goal of equipping to the mentorship program is founded in Ephesians 4:11-16. There were a total of 28 participants in the research project, which included recent graduates, faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students as of January 2023. The research project seeks to equip students of Alaska Bible College to begin equipping mentorship as student …