Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Arts and Humanities Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 1441 - 1470 of 2338

Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

To Stay Or Step Down: Assessing The Pastoral Qualifications Of Pastors With Prodigal Children, P. Kevin Garber Apr 2022

To Stay Or Step Down: Assessing The Pastoral Qualifications Of Pastors With Prodigal Children, P. Kevin Garber

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The pastor’s home life is a reflection of his ability to effectively lead Christ’s church. Two seminal New Testament passages (I Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9) address, among other qualifications, the behavior and testimony of the pastor’s children. This vital aspect of a pastor’s leadership within the home must be given important emphasis and due consideration. With an examination of the nuances of these two seminal passages, exploration of published literature relevant to this topic, and an in-depth investigation of three pastoral case studies, the writer will offer a resource for pastors and parishioners who are facing the dilemma of whether …


Church Revitalization: Strategies For Revitalization And The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence For Pastors And Church Revitalizers In The Frontier Baptist Association, Timothy F. Ireland Apr 2022

Church Revitalization: Strategies For Revitalization And The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence For Pastors And Church Revitalizers In The Frontier Baptist Association, Timothy F. Ireland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The majority of Southern Baptist Churches in North America are plateaued or in decline. Without a new effective strategy for church revitalization, the largest evangelical denomination will close thousands of local churches. Knowing what to do and how to do it is critical for revitalization. The study presents a synthesis of research that reveals common factors present in plateaued and dying churches, strategies advanced for successful church revitalization, and church revitalizers’ qualifications. This project thesis included research concerning the utilization of emotional intelligence (EQ), EQ testing, and training. Pastors with high EQ are well suited for leading a church through …


Back To School: Changes In Elementary General Music Curriculum Design After Covid-19, David Christian Moniz Apr 2022

Back To School: Changes In Elementary General Music Curriculum Design After Covid-19, David Christian Moniz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to identify how elementary general music curriculum can address the negative impacts of the sense of isolation felt by elementary music students because of COVID-19. When designed appropriately, components of the elementary music curriculum can help recover the sense of belonging lost during the implementation of forced remote and hybrid learning platforms. With the use of large-group surveys, this qualitative research study investigates the sense of isolation felt by elementary general music students after remote school attendance, hybrid school attendance, and non-attendance. These perspectives did not exist until recently, as the effects of the …


Childhood Trauma: Nobody Told Me It Would Impact My Marriage Too, Charles Matthew Houston Apr 2022

Childhood Trauma: Nobody Told Me It Would Impact My Marriage Too, Charles Matthew Houston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project addressed the couple’s ministry life group class at Ridgeville Church of God, as it intends to address how childhood trauma affects married couples. The purpose was to provide proper tools and resources through an education process such as a marriage conference. Chapter One introduces the church’s historical context, mission statement, vision statement, the possible limitations of implementing such a class, and the pastor’s professional background. The literature review in Chapter Two highlights the powerful effects of childhood trauma, especially in individuals’ marriages, more specifically, couples’ intimacy. Survey-style data was the selected method used in this research due …


The Worship Battle: Reaching Generations Z And Alpha In American-Based Nigerian Pentecostal Churches, Charles O. Folami Apr 2022

The Worship Battle: Reaching Generations Z And Alpha In American-Based Nigerian Pentecostal Churches, Charles O. Folami

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite great strides by Nigerian Pentecostal pastors to bring worship values, concepts, practices, and behaviors to establish and lead churches in the United States, they have been unsuccessful in retaining or reaching the young adults, specifically Generations Z and Alpha. Nigerian Pentecostal pastors have produced many followers and churches, capturing Nigerian immigrants in their locality. Their congregations have heavily focused on adults with little or no succession plan. This study examines existing literature on African Pentecostal pastors' success in America and their operations in connecting with adult immigrants, which is unsuccessful in connecting and retaining Generations Z and Alpha. Guided …


Toward Transformative Christian Education That Facilitates Spiritual Formation At Miracle Temple Church Of God In Christ, Devale A. Hodge Apr 2022

Toward Transformative Christian Education That Facilitates Spiritual Formation At Miracle Temple Church Of God In Christ, Devale A. Hodge

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The discipleship or Christian education ministry at Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is not fostering intentional spiritual formation within its congregants. Spiritual formation intentionality is missing within the congregation. The lack of spiritual formation intentionally naturally leads to a discipleship deficit. And this deficit is seen and felt within this project’s context. Yet the call to return to deep and transformative disciple-making, which produces Christlikeness is vital and commonplace. This thesis project attempts to examine and address the struggle of discipleship and spiritual formation intentionality at Miracle Temple COGIC. To address the problem the researcher implements a …


Applying Biblical Teaching To Resolve Power Struggles Between The Pastor And Deacons In A Southern Baptist Church, Jason Oneal Sweeton Apr 2022

Applying Biblical Teaching To Resolve Power Struggles Between The Pastor And Deacons In A Southern Baptist Church, Jason Oneal Sweeton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As the Body of Christ, each person within the church must know their role and responsibility, especially the leadership. The Bible teaches that there are pastors, elders, and bishops referring to one office who have been given the authority to shepherd, or lead as it were, the church. The Bible teaches that deacons are an integral part of the church. They are to be servants in the church and minister to the needs of the congregation. The purpose of this project lies in the misconceptions surrounding the roles and biblical responsibilities of both deacons and pastors. Many churches simply follow …


A Phenomenological Study Of Trauma, Creativity, Resilience, And Artistic Inspiration, James William Teachenor Ii Apr 2022

A Phenomenological Study Of Trauma, Creativity, Resilience, And Artistic Inspiration, James William Teachenor Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the perceived resilience of creativity derived from childhood trauma for professional creatives employed in the Nashville music industry. The theories guiding this study were Masten’s resiliency theory and Vygotsky’s theory of creativity as they informed the literature on my topic by understanding the link early childhood, especially trauma, had on creativity and the link trauma had on resilience and the life courses of individuals. The qualitative design of this study was hermeneutical phenomenology. The purposive sample consisted of 10 participants who qualified from a purposive sample pool of 117 occupational creatives …


An Evaluation Of The Responses Of Self-Studies For Aeth Certification Of Hispanic Bible Institutes, Marta Noemi Luna Apr 2022

An Evaluation Of The Responses Of Self-Studies For Aeth Certification Of Hispanic Bible Institutes, Marta Noemi Luna

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The current literature on accreditation of theological education institutions does not include studies focused on the self-studies phase of the accreditation processes (Hernandez et al., 2016; Ramirez, 2019; AETH, 2020b). Little information was found on the number of incomplete self-studies or incomplete certification or accreditation processes (AETH, 2020b). The purpose of this exploratory sequential study was to evaluate the AETH Certification program and the self-study responses by collecting data to determine the factors that prevent Hispanic Bible institutes from successfully fulfilling the requirements, exploring the effects on the stakeholders and the AETH Certification program. The study implemented the CIPP Evaluation …


The Medium/Message Is The Message: Intersemiotic Complementarity In James Hogg's The Private Memoirs And Confessions Of A (Justified) Sinner, Jaix Chaix Apr 2022

The Medium/Message Is The Message: Intersemiotic Complementarity In James Hogg's The Private Memoirs And Confessions Of A (Justified) Sinner, Jaix Chaix

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This semiotic analysis identifies and characterizes how textual, compositional, and mathematical resources have been strategically articulated to project intersemiotic complementarity in the book The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner; Written by Himself: With A Detail of Curious Traditionary Facts, And Other Evidence, By The Editor attributed to Scottish author James Hogg. This qualitative study approaches the original 1824 edition as a literary work in its original compositional medium as a printed book—not as a text. A theoretical extension of philosopher and media theorist Marshall McLuhan’s maxim The Medium Is The Message serves as a basis for the …


Factors Leading To Student Ministry Retention In Mid And Large Sized Southern Baptist Churches: A Phenomenological Study, Baylor Clark Whitney Sr. Mar 2022

Factors Leading To Student Ministry Retention In Mid And Large Sized Southern Baptist Churches: A Phenomenological Study, Baylor Clark Whitney Sr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the past 15 years, the exodus of students from the church after high school graduation has emerged as a pressing issue in Christian leadership and education. Much research has focused on the quantitative rate of students leaving church after graduation (Barna, 2011; Earls, 2019; “Reasons 18- to 22-Year-Olds Drop Out of Church,” 2007; Trueblood, 2019). Researchers have cited the need for qualitative research to better understand the student ministry retention phenomena (Shields, 2008). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover some factors which led to post-student ministry retention among young adults who participated in student ministry at …


Equipping College Students For A Marching Percussion Career In The United States, Thomas Paul Goddard Mar 2022

Equipping College Students For A Marching Percussion Career In The United States, Thomas Paul Goddard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the traditional American percussion curriculum being valuable to the college percussionist, there is an unclear path toward preparing students for a career in the field of marching percussion. Every year, students graduate with a desire to pursue the marching arts as a vocation without sufficient guidance. This study examined the perspectives of marching band professionals (N=107) who have carved their path in the industry. Guided by Creswell’s research design model, this qualitative inquiry identifies viewpoints from marching percussionists that can create a comprehensive percussion curriculum. Outlooks on performing, teaching, composing/arranging, and the industry have emerged as themes integral to …


A Phenomenological Study Of Scripture-Based Ethical Principles Embedded Within Corporate Leadership Practices, Steven T. Smith Mar 2022

A Phenomenological Study Of Scripture-Based Ethical Principles Embedded Within Corporate Leadership Practices, Steven T. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The ethical treatment of others within the corporate working environment is essential for that corporation's success. Ethical treatment of others applies to business transactions with customers and clients and engages the policies designed to formulate the ethical treatment of company employees. Although most major corporation documentation includes corporate code of conduct policies, the ethical principles used to define those policies and enact leadership based upon those policies are not always consistent. Four research questions defined the structure of this qualitative phenomenological study. The study’s purpose was to define the nature of Scripture-based ethics within the corporate environment. The theory guiding …


Investigating The Impact Of Spiritual Gifts On Church Growth, Johnnie James Finkley Mar 2022

Investigating The Impact Of Spiritual Gifts On Church Growth, Johnnie James Finkley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project uses spiritual gifts found in scripture as teachable models for church growth to address a decline in church attendance at Friendly Missionary Baptist Church. The research assumes that if church members are aware of their spiritual gifts, they will use them to build a healthy church. Therefore, the question that this thesis project asks is, “Will an understanding and development of spiritual gifts grow Friendly Missionary Baptist Church?” The Bible is the primary literary resource for God’s provision in transforming believers into His image. It is the foundation for church members’ spiritual growth. The book of Acts …


The Effects Of The Global Covid-19 Pandemic On Pastors In The Church Of The Nazarene, Beth Bleadingheiser Heath Mar 2022

The Effects Of The Global Covid-19 Pandemic On Pastors In The Church Of The Nazarene, Beth Bleadingheiser Heath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experience of living through and ministering during the global COVID-19 pandemic for Nazarene pastors in Ohio. The theoretical framework that guided the research was Hope Theory and Resilience. The Conceptual Mapping Task was used to conduct interviews of eight ordained Nazarene pastors. Pastors described their experience and then worked with a researcher to create a concept map to organize their story. Pastors were asked to describe their story of living through and ministering during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Pastors were also asked how the global COVID-19 pandemic affected their church …


Connecting Youth To The Gospel: The Role Of Theology And Apologetics, John Wesley Sales Iv Mar 2022

Connecting Youth To The Gospel: The Role Of Theology And Apologetics, John Wesley Sales Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Connecting youth to the Gospel sounds like a basic undertaking. However, evidence shows students know very little about the Gospel. While they grow up in church and attend Sunday school, there is still a lack of desire from students to want to know who God is. There needs to be a path to teaching students the genuine and deep teachings of the Gospel. This topic is important because as students grow older, they may grow apart from what they learned in Sunday school. When they are challenged and distracted by the world, they need a strong anchor to keep them …


An Assessment Of Dropout Rates Of Former Student Ministry Participants In Self-Identified Evangelical Churches With 500-2000 In Weekly Attendance, Derik Wade Idol Mar 2022

An Assessment Of Dropout Rates Of Former Student Ministry Participants In Self-Identified Evangelical Churches With 500-2000 In Weekly Attendance, Derik Wade Idol

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the last quarter-century, there has been a consistent call to reconceptualization and at times reject the youth ministry task resulting from the universally accepted church dropout statistic post-high school graduation. In 2008, Brandon Shields presented a falsification study that disproved the theory that high school graduates are leaving the church at a rate of 70-90% at Southern Baptist Megachurches. The purpose of this study was to examine the claim that 70-90% of youth ministry graduates are leaving the church by researching 17 self-identified Evangelical churches of 500-2000 in average church attendance. The research design was a quantitative replication study …


Rescue Mission: Transformational Recovery Through Expository Preaching And Teaching, David Allen Mayes Ii Mar 2022

Rescue Mission: Transformational Recovery Through Expository Preaching And Teaching, David Allen Mayes Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The declining church stands in desperate need of regeneration, recovery, and revitalization. The primary goal for this thesis project is to lead Unity Missionary Baptist Church to a Christ-oriented, gospel-centered, and fruit-focused ministry. This endeavor implements an eight-week reconciling gospel program consisting of the sermon series Rescue Mission, eight small group discussions focused on the early church in the book of Acts, and forty-eight devotional verses for the congregation to experience spiritual growth and health. The church will discover that God’s Declaration is essential for a kingdom ministry. Ultimately becoming doers of the Word and not simply hearers. The quantitative …


An Assessment Of The Millennial Body And Its Place In The Local Church, Jonette L. Camp Mar 2022

An Assessment Of The Millennial Body And Its Place In The Local Church, Jonette L. Camp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Millennial members’ waning attendance and involvement at Simon Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church is a growing concern for the church universal. This project focuses on Simon Temple’s ability to attract and retain millennials and draw on their church programs and leadership gifts. This study’s purpose was to understand better why millennials do not become or remain active members at Simon Temple. If the church implemented a strategic evangelism and discipleship plan for millennials, could it help attract, retain, and involve millennials? This study evaluates the concerns of Simon Temple leadership and millennial members as they relate to millennial involvement …


Increasing Church Growth Potential Through Education And Implementation Of The Biblically Defined Roles Of The Pastor And The Body Of Christ, Gregory Alan Kincaid Mar 2022

Increasing Church Growth Potential Through Education And Implementation Of The Biblically Defined Roles Of The Pastor And The Body Of Christ, Gregory Alan Kincaid

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project focuses on church growth. It posits that if a congregation is taught and implements the biblical roles of the pastor and the church Body, then the church should grow quantitatively and qualitatively. To test this assumption, the roles of the pastor and that of the Body were delineated, taught, and practiced throughout a year-long study. Emphasis was placed on how God equipped every member of the Body to perform ministry within the church and outreach from the church. To reinforce the differences in the roles, study participants were required to actively participate in life groups with …


The Five Ministries Of The Church That Have Changed In Post-Covid-19 [To Compare The Church's Five Ministries Before And During Covid-19 And To Predict The Ministries Of The Church In Post-Covid-19], Euntaik Kim Mar 2022

The Five Ministries Of The Church That Have Changed In Post-Covid-19 [To Compare The Church's Five Ministries Before And During Covid-19 And To Predict The Ministries Of The Church In Post-Covid-19], Euntaik Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis project is to find answers to what is the appropriate response to the post-Covid-19 era for the church. To achieve that purpose, this thesis project attempted to predict the direction of the church's ministry after Covid-19 by comparing changes in five important ministries of the church in pre-Covid-19 and during Covid-19. The five major ministries of the church—worship, education, fellowship, evangelism(mission), and service— have been explained in detail in the literature, and the impact of Covid-19 on these five ministries has also been closely investigated. In determining the direction of church ministry in the post-Covid-19 …


Achieving Racial Unity And Oneness Through Biblical Authority And Application, Nolen Spencer Wood Mar 2022

Achieving Racial Unity And Oneness Through Biblical Authority And Application, Nolen Spencer Wood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that secular models for achieving racial reconciliation threaten the unity of Life Church. The true remedy for unity is found in biblical authority and application. The intervention research project addressed this problem by observing the negative impacts of methodologies such as Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality. Seven members of Life Church were recruited to participate in the group study. The first three phases of intervention were replete with survey questions and interviews that ascertained their worldview on understandings of race and how personal experiences have shaped the way they view people. The phase four intervention provided a …


A Study Of Soteriology: A Commentary, Course, And Conclusion Of Brown’S Creek Baptist Church’S Soteriological Beliefs, David Shawn Head Feb 2022

A Study Of Soteriology: A Commentary, Course, And Conclusion Of Brown’S Creek Baptist Church’S Soteriological Beliefs, David Shawn Head

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis identifies a church’s lack of theological awareness of biblical soteriology, investigates the literature for solutions to the ministerial problem, implements the review of literature into a course with curriculum, and the influences on the congregation’s beliefs. The church was a hodgepodge of soteriological beliefs. More specifically, the congregants purported to believe in Calvinism, Arminianism, and Semi-Pelagianism but could not accurately define, adequately describe, or appropriately defend said beliefs. A review of literature led this student to be selective of the soteriological literature known to exist. Simply, the ministerial problem was not because of a lack of literature but …


Overcoming Obstacles To Dna Group Engagement, Charles Edward Kelly Feb 2022

Overcoming Obstacles To Dna Group Engagement, Charles Edward Kelly

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Discipleship is the primary command given by Jesus to his disciples. The elements of discipleship growth are best carried out in smaller cell groups of ten to twenty people. In the model used by the researcher, these cell groups (called missional communities) are subdivided into groups of three comprised of the same gender. These subdivided groups are called DNA groups. It is within DNA groups that a more intimate environment is created for transparency, biblical learning, and accountability. The researcher found three primary obstacles to engagement in a previous iteration of DNA groups. Those three obstacles are overscheduling / busyness, …


A Quantitative Validation Study Evaluating A Proposed Three-Step Practical Model For Discerning God's Ordained Individual Vocational Will, Keith Allen Oglesby Feb 2022

A Quantitative Validation Study Evaluating A Proposed Three-Step Practical Model For Discerning God's Ordained Individual Vocational Will, Keith Allen Oglesby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Discerning God's vocational will for one's life is a question that most people have faced. Many books, publications, and sermons have been written on this subject. The problem examined in this study is whether or not a proposed biblically-based, practical, three-step model utilizing the intersection point of one's passion, spiritual gift, and need for helping college students discern God's vocational will for their lives is empirically valid. There is a gap in the literature in this regard. The research reveals that a few authors mention one or perhaps even two critical elements for determining God's vocational will, but no current …


Using Intentional Relationship Building And Community Presence To Minister To An Addicted Population In Cookeville, Tennessee, James Bailey Simpson Feb 2022

Using Intentional Relationship Building And Community Presence To Minister To An Addicted Population In Cookeville, Tennessee, James Bailey Simpson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Addiction and substance abuse are banes in American society as they destroy lives, families, hopes and dreams. Individuals with potential for productive lives and societal contributions are reduced to hollow shells and find themselves laser-focused on their next fix. Cookeville, Tennessee, is no different than any other rural American town as addiction and substance abuse are prevalent, especially within the northwestern areas of the city. West View Baptist Church was planted in this area in 1950 and has actively attempted to minister to the community's residents for the last 71 years. Recently, internal issues in the congregation and increasing disconnections …


A Contemporary Model Of An Outreach Training Manual For The New Light Church, Antonio Orlando Beckford Feb 2022

A Contemporary Model Of An Outreach Training Manual For The New Light Church, Antonio Orlando Beckford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The life of a Christian church goes through cycles. New Light Church has experienced a few of them. The thesis project reveals the growth cycles and declines in membership of NL. The researcher believes that the church’s steady membership growth dropped because of the abstaining of regular and deliberate practice of New Testament church growth methods. Church growth is grounded in the work of God. The church engaged in hearing and obeying God will see his fruit manifested through in their local assembly. The researcher created a manual for evangelism as a training template for the Christian church to follow. …


Christian Education And The Examination Of Apologetics Curriculum, Sara Elizabeth Boyd Feb 2022

Christian Education And The Examination Of Apologetics Curriculum, Sara Elizabeth Boyd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to evaluate the ability of Christian high school students to explain and defend their faith. The main focus of the project was to compare the current apologetics curriculum used by Cedar Park Christian School to a new curriculum designed for the sake of this study. The new curriculum sought to provide grade-level resources as source material for each student. Additionally, it approached the course with the expectation for students to articulate their learned knowledge conversationally. There were forty-nine total participants, all who were either a junior or senior at the start of …


Engaging Middle School Students Through Music History Mini-Lessons: A Mixed-Methods Study, Jessica Bentley Frerich Feb 2022

Engaging Middle School Students Through Music History Mini-Lessons: A Mixed-Methods Study, Jessica Bentley Frerich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Understanding history is a vital part of learning. Nearly every question asked in a music classroom about musical context involves its history, from notation to gestures or technicality to aural listening. History can bring music to life for both the performers and listeners. Despite multiple studies on specific historical music events, music history perspectives have not been addressed in the choral classroom. Moreover, research forums have yet to explore engagement factors of middle school students through a music history curriculum in the choir classrooms. Such research could provide a valid model for educators. This mixed-methods research study seeks to determine …


Kingdom Millennials Infiltrating Culture: Reaching In Toward Generation Y To Reach Out To The World, Daniel Clark Iv Feb 2022

Kingdom Millennials Infiltrating Culture: Reaching In Toward Generation Y To Reach Out To The World, Daniel Clark Iv

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As protestant Christianity meanders through time from its roots as a light post of religious ritualism to a contemporary beacon of Christ-centered worship, there has been a noticeable scattering of a critical portion of its congregants commonly known as the Millennial generation. While their absence is obvious across the entire Christian landscape, the evidence of their displacement is most definite in the small inner-city Black Church context. The writer attributes the cause of the Millennial diaspora to the unconscious loss of humanity’s God-given purpose: to exclusively worship Him forever. It is apparent that an absent generation will garner a ripple …