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Articles 2131 - 2160 of 2338
Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
Shepherding The Flock: C.A.R.E. - A Model For Pastoral Ministry, Ronald Hughes
Shepherding The Flock: C.A.R.E. - A Model For Pastoral Ministry, Ronald Hughes
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
A seminary graduate is often well equipped in a variety of areas including preaching, languages, church growth, and the like. One area that graduates often feel ill equipped is the practical area of pastoral care; however, every minister, whether in a church of ten or ten thousand, must have a way to effectively deal with this part of their ministry. From a review of the literature and a survey of pastors, this project will confirm the current need for further training in the area of pastoral care. In addition, this project will offer a plan to meet those needs within …
A Four-Fold Strategy For Training Parents To Teach Spiritual Formation At Home, James Otis Ledbetter
A Four-Fold Strategy For Training Parents To Teach Spiritual Formation At Home, James Otis Ledbetter
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this project is to aid church leaders toward understanding the dynamics of family ministry: what it is and what it is not. Having written five books for Focus on the Family and David C. Cook addressing the role of the church and family, this author has successfully transitioned his church from the traditional family ministry (families in the support role of the church) to placing the church in the support role of the family: strengthening God's family by strengthening theirs. Based on surveys, evaluations of each individual family's health, historical and cultural documents, resources, and actual case …
An Investigation Of Adversity In Christian Living And Proposal For Discipleship Response, Christopher Payne
An Investigation Of Adversity In Christian Living And Proposal For Discipleship Response, Christopher Payne
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
With numerous ministries teaching a cultural gospel comprised of prosperity and pleasure, people have the impression that a saving faith limits personal hardships. Jesus taught his disciples the truth about hardship and how to struggle well and the Church is called to do likewise. This thesis will present five key biblical truths to equip Christians for growing their faith through personal struggle. Moreover, the project will give leaders a guide for discipling hurting church members. The author will research current and historical discipleship materials and models, examine current teachings on faith and struggle, explore relevant biblical teachings, and survey fifty …
Evangelism And Social Concern In The Theology Of Carl F. H. Henry, Jerry Ireland
Evangelism And Social Concern In The Theology Of Carl F. H. Henry, Jerry Ireland
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study examines evangelism and social concern in the theology of Carl F. H. Henry. Henry stands not only as the most important figure in the re-awakening of evangelical social concern, but also a leading thinker among Evangelicals on the theological foundations that should guide this movement in its life and practice. Henry, building on the work of Abraham Kuyper (although with some significant differences), sought to recapture the Reformed emphasis on a worldview approach to the Christian faith. Thus, Henry emerges as a key and oddly understudied figure in the re-awakening of evangelical social action. Yet, his balanced approach …
The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership Behavior, Adult Attachment And God Attachment, Deboarah Foulkes
The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership Behavior, Adult Attachment And God Attachment, Deboarah Foulkes
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Transformational leaders are charged with the undertaking of not only accomplishing tasks, but also engaging followers in a manner that will achieve these tasks. An interaction with the follower is needed to achieve this, and the quality of that interaction may be impacted by environmental stressors. Past studies suggest that adult attachment orientation will determine the quality of interpersonal interactions. Additionally, past studies also suggest that an attachment to God influences the quality of interpersonal interactions and how one copes with stress. A correspondence model of God attachment posits that a person’s attachment to God will be similar to their …
The Pastor's Faithless Child: Strengthening Methods For Hurting Parent-Pastors, Ryan Ayers
The Pastor's Faithless Child: Strengthening Methods For Hurting Parent-Pastors, Ryan Ayers
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Parent-pastors face challenges when balancing vocational and familial responsibilities every day, and when faithless adolescent children are part of their family dynamic the hardship is magnified. These pastors often experience debilitating critique from their faith communities and colleagues while carrying the burden of raising a rebellious child. Utilizing a phenomenological study process, one hundred transparent interviews with parent-pastors are used to identify assumptions and realities surrounding the hurting parent-pastor's dilemma. Leading principles that have helped other parent-pastors cope with the overwhelming affects of their child's behavior will be introduced, empowering those who are hurting identify their stress points and overcome …
Former Mentors' Perceptions Of The Faith-Based Approach To Reducing Recidivism Implemented By The Marinette-Menominee Jail Outreach, Inc., James Langteau
Former Mentors' Perceptions Of The Faith-Based Approach To Reducing Recidivism Implemented By The Marinette-Menominee Jail Outreach, Inc., James Langteau
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to examine the impact of a faith-based approach to reduce recidivism. The theoretical frameworks guiding this study included the belief system and self-efficacy theories. Participants consisted of a convenience sample of 21 former mentors of the Marinette-Menominee Jail Outreach. The setting was a Christian non-profit organization serving the Marinette and Menominee County Jails located in rural northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Semistructured interviews, surveys, and a focus group provided data to illuminate common themes. Data analysis included highlighting significant statements from volunteer mentors who engaged offenders to effect …
A Lonely Faith: Lessons In Spiritual Resiliency Learned From The Isolated, Captive, And Rescued, Jeff Schlenz
A Lonely Faith: Lessons In Spiritual Resiliency Learned From The Isolated, Captive, And Rescued, Jeff Schlenz
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Americans have always traveled abroad whether as merchants, military service members, missionaries, reporters, or simply, "tourists." Most return safely, but some have been taken captive by foreign governments, terrorists and criminal organizations. Though many have studied their struggles, no wide-scale attempt has been made to understand the role religious faith played in enduring their captivities. If understood, such information could be used in training those who may be exposed to similar circumstances in the future, and may have devotional value for others enduring crises. In this study, one hundred seventy-eight international travelers are surveyed, assessing their expectations of and preparation …
The One Balm For All Earth’S Wounds: The Priority Of Gospel Proclamation In Charles Haddon Spurgeon’S Missiology, John Sypert
The One Balm For All Earth’S Wounds: The Priority Of Gospel Proclamation In Charles Haddon Spurgeon’S Missiology, John Sypert
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation explores the relationship between gospel proclamation and mercy ministry in Charles Spurgeon’s ministry. The dissertation argues that Spurgeon’s Pastors College, Stockwell Orphanage, and his multitude of other ministries had one clear goal: the spreading of the gospel and the conversion of the lost. This dissertation uses Spurgeon’s approach to missions as an apologetic for a more biblically precise missiology, namely, one that prioritizes gospel proclamation without neglecting the physical needs of those who suffer. This approach could be called “benevolent prioritism” because it prioritizes the proclamation of the gospel while not neglecting works of love for those suffering.
A Biblical Foundation Counseling Strategy To Direct Couples To Become One Flesh In Marriage, Colin Seager
A Biblical Foundation Counseling Strategy To Direct Couples To Become One Flesh In Marriage, Colin Seager
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This project will outline steps in counseling newly married couples to develop biblical, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual unity within marriage. A review of currently available marital and pre-marital counseling suggests the focus centers on intimacy, communication issues, and being happy together versus truly becoming one flesh. This ministry tool will enable pastors to counsel and prepare couples effectively for marriage with the richness God designed for marriage and to fortify them against marital temptation and marital fatigue. Based on a review of available resources and data collected from a control group comprised of sixty individuals, an implementable discipleship program …
Discipleship Principles And Applications To Help Local Church Pastors To Become Disciple-Makers In South Korea, Dongjin Park
Discipleship Principles And Applications To Help Local Church Pastors To Become Disciple-Makers In South Korea, Dongjin Park
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Every pastor is called to develop disciple-makers to fulfill the mandate of the Great Commission. Korean pastors have been trying to make disciples with many programs, but they have difficulties in making disciples that multiply. This is caused by misunderstanding the meaning of disciple and what disciple-making principles are in the Bible. The purpose of this project is to define the essential nature of a disciple and to research principles and applications for helping local church pastors to develop disciple-makers in South Korea by focusing on Jesus' ministry. The New Testament will be studied to discover principles for discipleship making. …
Mission Statement Alignment: Guiding Ministries Toward A Strategic Culture Focused On The Great Commission, David Fuller
Mission Statement Alignment: Guiding Ministries Toward A Strategic Culture Focused On The Great Commission, David Fuller
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The development of organizational mission statements has been emphasized since the early 1990's. Church ministries and religious organizations providing direct human services within communities have utilized mission statements to articulate actions and identity. The purpose of this project is to provide a framework to construct a clearly defined mission statement, to measure the behavior of the organization to determine proper mission statement alignment and to focus that alignment toward the great commission. The project will survey religious organizations within the United States and compare religious non-profits' operational and administrative procedures to their own mission statement. Based on the findings of …
Reclaiming The Spiritual Leadership Role Of Christian Parents In Family Life: Coaching And Markers, Cindy Hayes
Reclaiming The Spiritual Leadership Role Of Christian Parents In Family Life: Coaching And Markers, Cindy Hayes
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Christians in the Western culture often struggle to pass on their faith to the next generation and as a result, the way God designed the family to function is being unwittingly abandoned. Countless parents today are leaving genuine faith and reliance on God behind. Though God's Word gives specific instructions on how to maintain and pass on faith, many have abdicated this injunction. In an effort to encourage authentic faith within the family, the local church can come alongside parents to help them understand and share their faith by offering training and coaching to embrace their own faith and pass …
Equipping New Pastors Within The African Methodist Episcopal Church: A One Year Training Manual, Delphoney Kargbo
Equipping New Pastors Within The African Methodist Episcopal Church: A One Year Training Manual, Delphoney Kargbo
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this thesis is to create a training manual for the development of and successful transition to a new appointment as a pastor within the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Based on the surveys and questionnaires collected from fifty newly-appointed pastors in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and through a well-developed manual, pastors will become better equipped for the ministry. This thesis will show that the decline in membership is a direct result of the lack of post-seminary training for those in the ministry. This thesis seeks to demonstrate that through a well-developed and practical classroom and online training …
Vision Impaired: A Model To Make Vision A Reality For Church Plants, Dwayne Pedroza
Vision Impaired: A Model To Make Vision A Reality For Church Plants, Dwayne Pedroza
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Although begun with good intentions, not every church planting effort stays on course or continues to success. Church planting is uniquely birthed and has many areas that can become pitfalls as well as demands that challenge a church planter while trying to implement the vision; therefore, this thesis project provides a biblical structure to help church plants successfully implement the vision for the church. This thesis project provides a staffing model for church plants to give life to the vision and to enhance the survival rate of the church plants. The staffing model in this thesis project project consists of …
A Pre-Methodological Theology For Biblically Proper Ecclesiological Health, James Woods
A Pre-Methodological Theology For Biblically Proper Ecclesiological Health, James Woods
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The American church is in a dramatically noticeable decline, with many resources offering superficial remedies and solutions but rarely digging below the surface to evaluate the structural integrity of the foundation. This paper will evaluate the foundation as to how it has been altered over the last two thousand years, as well as identifying three main foundational attributes of the first century church that must be in place for the twenty-first century church to be on target biblically. The thesis will be corroborated by utilizing two different, yet related surveys administered to both pastors and congregants, as well as by …
Addressing Apathy In The Church: Moving People Towards A Biblical Healthy Discipleship Model, Kevin Brooks
Addressing Apathy In The Church: Moving People Towards A Biblical Healthy Discipleship Model, Kevin Brooks
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul speaks to the giving of spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit to individuals at the time of conversion. However, current statistics reveal that a large majority of church members are not actively serving their current ministry. The purpose of this project is to investigate the problem of apathy in the church, the failure of God's people to use their spiritual gifts and also present an effective model for solving the issue. A ministry filled with servants instead of spectators will help unify the body and more effectively reach the community for Christ. Research …
Church Hospitality: A Biblical Model For Growth Based On The Seven Churches In Revelation, Gesner Noel
Church Hospitality: A Biblical Model For Growth Based On The Seven Churches In Revelation, Gesner Noel
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Church growth seeks both to actualize the precepts of the "Great Commission", to attract new members and sustain current congregation. One of the fundamental problems is the inability to preserve hospitality. The pertinence of hospitality to the Church originates from Scriptures that clearly exemplify Christ's deeds and teachings of hospitality. This thesis project will investigate the seven churches in Revelation and reveal factors of outstanding and inhospitable practices in relation to Church growth and hospitality. Surveys will be based on unregulated interactions among pastors. Twenty pastors across five denominations, Evangelical Lutheran, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Seven-Day Adventist, and Roman Catholic will demonstrate …
TawḥĪDic Allah Or The Trinity In View Of Inherent Human Relatedness, Brian Scalise
TawḥĪDic Allah Or The Trinity In View Of Inherent Human Relatedness, Brian Scalise
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This dissertation is an inquiry into the nature of the Deity in view of human relationships. Human relationships exist and are definitive of what it means to exist as a human. In this sense, human relating is an inherent aspect of the experience of humanity, i.e., they are inescapable. Does the Christian doctrine of Trinity or Islam's doctrine of Tawhidic (monadic) Allah more adequately account for the existence of human relationships and their inescapability? This question is analyzed by comparing the Tawhidic nature of Allah with the Trinitarian nature of God in order to evaluate and clarify which doctrine is …
Christian Music Experiences In The Faith Development Of Adolescents: A Phenomenological Study, Winnie White
Christian Music Experiences In The Faith Development Of Adolescents: A Phenomenological Study, Winnie White
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenology study was to discover how Christian music experiences affect the faith development of adolescents. The lived experiences are the on-going process in which adolescents develop through the stages of faith and how Christian music fits into that process. The participants were adolescents who participated in a youth group with an active music experience on a weekly basis. I used the transcendental phenomenology model which included the epoche, phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and synthesis of texture and structure to collect, gather, and analyze the data. Data were collected from 11 adolescents utilizing observations, Fowler's Life …
A Story Of Virtue: Moral Identity Development In Students Attending A Midwestern Evangelical College, Wendy Lundberg
A Story Of Virtue: Moral Identity Development In Students Attending A Midwestern Evangelical College, Wendy Lundberg
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative phenomenological study discussed the essence of moral identity and provided an understanding of the context in which it was experienced by emerging adults attending a Midwestern evangelical college. Since a primary objective in Christian education today is the formation of moral character in students, this study provided a rich description of moral identity within the emerging adult and a deeper understanding of moral identity formation during adolescence by examining the life narratives of 11 students attending an evangelical college in the Midwest. This phenomenological study used semi-structured interviews and document analysis to describe the essence of the moral …
The Efficacy Of Christian Devotional Meditation On Stress, Anxiety, Depression, And Spiritual Health With Korean Adults In The United States: A Randomized Comparative Study, Jinse Kim
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study investigated the comparative effectiveness of Christian devotional meditation (CDM) versus progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) on stress, anxiety, depression, and overall spiritual health among a sample of nonclinical Korean Christian adults in the United States. Seventy nine individuals at two churches in the northern Virginia area completed the study. At each church, the subjects were randomly assigned to a two-hour session of CDM training or PMR training. Each participant then was asked to practice the technique at home at least once a day for two weeks with audio recorded instructions. The participants' perceived level of stress, anxiety, depression, and …
Idealism & Reality: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Pastoral Expectations & Ministry Realities Experienced By Protestant Church Planting Pastors, Dwayne Bond
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
With the majority of literature focused on reducing clergy stressors, there is a need to explore how pastors respond when ministry idealism dissipates, while familial and congregational expectations increase. When idealized expectations fade, how do clergy experience resiliency? The purpose of this study was to explore how idealism affects clergy resiliency and their responses, coping, and longevity in ministry. Ten new church-planting Protestant pastors were selected using snowball sampling. Each pastor was interviewed. Data from the two-hour in-depth interviews was collected, organized and analyzed. The findings for each interview were compared and contrasted, and themes were identified - a) utilizing …
Examining The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Religious Coping Strategies And Emotion Regulation, Mark Myers
Examining The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Religious Coping Strategies And Emotion Regulation, Mark Myers
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study was conducted to explore the relationship Mindfulness has on Religious Coping and Emotion Regulation. Three hundred and fifty-seven participants attending an evangelical Christian university were studied using self-report measures of Mindful Awareness, Religious Coping style, and Emotion Regulation. A statistical mediation analysis was used to compare the relationship between these variables. The results indicate that although the relationship between Collaborative Religious Coping and the reappraisal function of Emotion Regulation was slight, Mindfulness mediated this relationship. The results and implications, as well as recommendations for further research, are discussed.
Nehemiah's Bricks And Mortar Story: Strategy For A Successful Building Project, Carla Antoine
Nehemiah's Bricks And Mortar Story: Strategy For A Successful Building Project, Carla Antoine
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Nehemiah was given a task to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. His leadership was effective, essential, strategic, and successful. Nehemiah's methodology provides a perfect model for completing church construction projects. This thesis project will examine aspects of Nehemiah's leadership and its effects on the various facets of construction. This project will review the theological, sociological, and philosophical views of Nehemiah, as well as the vision elements of a project, mobilization of workers, provision, and a structured guide for successfully completing the project. Research will be conducted on 100 church leaders, and congregations who have started a building project, completed a …
21st Century Evangelistic Worship Strategy For The Emergent Generation In South Korea, Kihun Choi
21st Century Evangelistic Worship Strategy For The Emergent Generation In South Korea, Kihun Choi
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Young adults are leaving the church. According to a research of Barna Group, three of every five young Christians are forsaking the fold. Therefore, reaching and sustaining the next generation in the local church is one of the most important issues for the church today. Young adults who were born in 1977 through 1994 are disappearing from or not attending the local church in South Korea. The purpose of this project is to present the development of an evangelistic worship strategy, which transfers the Christian faith to the next generation and presents a recovery model based on evangelism. The research …
The Role Of Prayer And Mission For Church Revival Through A Case Study Of Myung Dong Presbyterian Church, Chunkyung Cho
The Role Of Prayer And Mission For Church Revival Through A Case Study Of Myung Dong Presbyterian Church, Chunkyung Cho
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this project is to suggest the role of prayer and mission for church revival through a case study of Myung Dong Presbyterian Church (MDPC located in YangSan city South Korea). MDPC has been in a revival for 10 years that has resulted from prayer and mission, as used in this thesis project. The case study focused on the principles, critical components, and elements that have been important for the revival. This project included questionnaires and interviews with MDPC members. Based on the questionnaires, this project explained the current conditions of MDPC and identified the strengths and weaknesses …
The Role Of Christian Education In The Development Of Spiritual Stamina In Young Adult Graduates Of Christian Schools, Violet Long
The Role Of Christian Education In The Development Of Spiritual Stamina In Young Adult Graduates Of Christian Schools, Violet Long
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to investigate the personal development of spiritual stamina in graduates of Christian high schools who attend secular universities or colleges. Participants are comprised of a theoretical sampling of 16 young adult graduates of one of four Christian schools in Southeastern United States. Data collected through document review and personal interviews trace the process of spiritual formation and explain the constructs attributed to spiritual stamina. Spiritual growth and stamina are assessed using the Spiritual Transformation Inventory (STI) created by Dr. Todd Hall, which addresses 31 indicators of spirituality and the effectiveness of …
The Case For Closing The Contagiously Conflicted Church: Three Reasons Why It Is Necessary, Michael Sanders
The Case For Closing The Contagiously Conflicted Church: Three Reasons Why It Is Necessary, Michael Sanders
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The topic of this thesis focuses on the harm of severely conflicted congregations and necessary reasons for their existence to cease. The rationale behind this choice is that there are numerous congregations that are contagiously conflicted and harming the lives of vocational ministers, the name of Christ, and the witness of the church. This issue needs to be addressed. Having served as pastor of two contagiously conflicted congregations, it is this writer's hope that this document will help others discern if and when such an unpleasant decision is necessary. The research for this thesis was derived from surveys of pastors …
Best Practices For Retaining Youth Group Students In The Local Church Post-High School, Christopher Dortch
Best Practices For Retaining Youth Group Students In The Local Church Post-High School, Christopher Dortch
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Research has indicated that students who were once active in a local church are leaving the church and possibly leaving the faith after they graduate high school. The purpose of this project is to present best practices for youth pastors in retaining students' involvement in a local church post-high school. The project will consist of surveying fifty student pastors and will examine the impact of the student pastor's tenure, student ministry philosophy and structure, curriculum plans, and the role of the student pastor in assisting students through this transition. Through a review and examination of these elements, the project will …