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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

A House Mended: Hope For Christians Who Are Married To Or Cohabitate With Unsaved Spouses/Partners, Angela Marie Houchins Oct 2020

A House Mended: Hope For Christians Who Are Married To Or Cohabitate With Unsaved Spouses/Partners, Angela Marie Houchins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Some Christians face unique challenges within the context of their marriages and cohabitating relationships because their spouses or partners are unsaved. This unequally yoked spiritual dynamic may negatively impact not only their marital/cohabitating relationships, but also their Christian spiritual growth and maturity. Many of these Christians are unsure about what the Bible advises about their situation. Unfortunately, many churches do not have programming to support this Christian demographic. This thesis project, through a qualitative, phenomenological research framework, will seek to understand, interpret, and describe the experiences these individuals contend with as a result of their unequally yoked marital/cohabitating way of …

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The Public Reading Of Scripture As Integral For Biblical Development, Raymond David Campbell Oct 2020

The Public Reading Of Scripture As Integral For Biblical Development, Raymond David Campbell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry project is to show the impact the public reading of Scripture in worship has on spiritually developing the people of God, and by further showing whether public Scripture reading will enhance biblical literacy, spiritual development and a change of perception relating to Scripture’s role in worship. Despite the surge of worship practices in the contemporary evangelical church designed to attract people to the worship service, and practices which seek to develop spiritual growth, the actual biblical mandated practice of the public reading of Scripture as one method for developing individuals is negligible in …

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Information To Transformation: The Implementation And Effects Of Sermon-Aligned Daily Bible Study On Spiritual Growth, Stephen J. Kimpel Oct 2020

Information To Transformation: The Implementation And Effects Of Sermon-Aligned Daily Bible Study On Spiritual Growth, Stephen J. Kimpel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

What would occur if the biblical text that was preached in a weekend sermon was not relegated to a singular communication of information? What would change if the life of the sermon was extended through the practice of daily, scriptural study? What growth could we expect from an individual who is involved in daily Scripture that is not only integrated in the community of faith, but also aligned with the weekend sermon? It is precisely from questions such as these, that this thesis was formed. The purpose of this project was to study the implementation and effects of Sermon-Aligned Daily …

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Predicting And Preventing Inactive Members, James David Barrett Oct 2020

Predicting And Preventing Inactive Members, James David Barrett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Most churches have many members classified as inactive. The purpose of this project is to discover if there are any common characteristics among those who have become inactive that can be used to identify and prevent others from becoming inactive members. Based on surveys and questionnaires sent to pastors, active, and inactive members from several churches in the Cabarrus Baptist Association, the project seeks to identify patterns among members who have become inactive. It then reviews the information to propose strategies to identify possible methods for preventing members from becoming inactive in the future.

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The Utilization Of The Internet In The Advancement Of Discipleship In The Traditional Black Church, Marshall Williams Oct 2020

The Utilization Of The Internet In The Advancement Of Discipleship In The Traditional Black Church, Marshall Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Discipleship and technology are interrelated. Discipleship is the process of maturing in Christ through our actions, life, and words, as well as how we present ourselves to the world. This must become integral to the vitality and mission of the traditional Black Church. Technology is a resource that can assist the traditional Black Church to fulfill the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20. This thesis premise is supported by applied research (survey findings from pastoral leaders within the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia), academic research (scholarly material from experts in the fields of theology, sociology, statistics, and church growth), and …

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Effective Church Leadership Through Emotional Intelligence, Joshua T. Lancaster Oct 2020

Effective Church Leadership Through Emotional Intelligence, Joshua T. Lancaster

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In On Leadership, John Gardner wrote, “Most of what leaders have that enables them to lead is learned.” Effective leadership skills can be learned and become habits. In Primal Leadership, Daniel Goleman wrote, “Not only can emotional intelligence be learned, but it also can be retained over the long term.” Southern Baptist congregants expect their pastors to be theologians, but also effective leaders. The emotional quotient barrier suggests that pastoral leadership is less effective because of behaviors such as inconsistent management of emotions, inability to genuinely connect with people, or leading without inspiration. This has led to stagnated or declining …

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An Approach To Teaching Christian Apologetics To The Believers In The Local Church, Reba Renorder Gore Oct 2020

An Approach To Teaching Christian Apologetics To The Believers In The Local Church, Reba Renorder Gore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research project is an academic research on apologetics, which will be taught in the in the future in local church. Many people in the Christian community may be attending the local church and living in their community that may not clearly understand apologetics. As followers of Christ, in the Christian community and the local church, can everyone defend the Faith and feel comfortable? In the Old and New Testament, God has given His road map for man. He came, lived, was buried, and resurrected for all humankind that would accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior. As Christians, …

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Self-Efficacy Among Christian Educators, Jonathan Blake Tolbert Oct 2020

Self-Efficacy Among Christian Educators, Jonathan Blake Tolbert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian educators often lack specialized training in message delivery which leads to a lower self-efficacy. Christian educators devote their lives to fulfillment of the Great Commission; it is the job of the church universal to provide resources and support that equip the saints to boldly share the Gospel with great confidence. When self-efficacy is low, confidence is low. Theological foundations are often strong and well-developed by the local church. The practical aspect of preaching, meaning delivery, is an area that is underrepresented in academic research. This project presents specialized training in message delivery as a catalyst for improving self-efficacy. The …

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The Hmong Spiritual Formation From Animism To Christianity, Lang Yang Oct 2020

The Hmong Spiritual Formation From Animism To Christianity, Lang Yang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research project is on the Hmong religion. Hmong people believe in a faith called "Animism – the way of the spirit," which is a created religion that they practiced and passed down from generation to generation. The Hmong like to live in the past and do not want to change their customs, traditions, and cultural practices that their ancestors practiced for centuries. They put all their hope in their dead ancestors' spirits to guide them until a new religion appeared to them, and it is called "the Christian faith." The Christian faith brings new hope to the Hmong people, …

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From Ideology To Implementation: Moving One Church Staff From An Aspirational Mindset Of Developing Leaders To An Actionable Movement Of Leadership Development, Trevor Blake Hislop Oct 2020

From Ideology To Implementation: Moving One Church Staff From An Aspirational Mindset Of Developing Leaders To An Actionable Movement Of Leadership Development, Trevor Blake Hislop

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

According to a recent article on “The Paradox of Leadership” from Harvard University, there are more than 15,000 books in print on the topic of leadership, and the number of works written about leadership in the past decade is greater than the total number of works ever written. So, if leadership is so highly valued in our culture today, then why is there a decline in leadership development in the church? Additionally, there are a growing number of churches that have detailed programs for leadership development; however, few churches are producing new leaders. Church at Viera in Viera, Florida, embraces …

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The Effective Bi-Vocational Pastor, Cory A. Macneil Oct 2020

The Effective Bi-Vocational Pastor, Cory A. Macneil

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastors fill an important role as they lead churches to fulfill the Great Commission. This is especially challenging for bi-vocational pastors who have jobs outside of ministry. Meanwhile, some church members view the bi-vocational pastor as the paid professional and misunderstand their role as members/ministers. The original design of God is for pastors and members to be disciples who make disciples according to 2 Timothy 2:2. The purpose of this project is to help bi-vocational pastors in the Northeast strategically equip their people to become effective members, ministers, and missionaries who realize the significance of being disciples who make disciples. …

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The Intergenerational Worship Model: Youth-Specific Benefits, James Alan Lott Oct 2020

The Intergenerational Worship Model: Youth-Specific Benefits, James Alan Lott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

King David declared that one generation should proclaim the goodness of the Lord to another, yet what David writes of cannot take place in an age-segregated setting. Multiple generations must be present. Much progress has been made regarding the church’s acknowledgment of the significance of an intergenerational worship (IGW) model. Though each generation is precious to God and created in His image, IGW holds considerable benefits for churched youth, as it is one of the few places in society where youth can intentionally connect with older generations. Despite the importance of youth engagement in IGW, there is a limited amount …

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Catechesis: Returning To A Deeper Teaching That Produces Transformed Disciples For Christ, Jeremy T. Conn Oct 2020

Catechesis: Returning To A Deeper Teaching That Produces Transformed Disciples For Christ, Jeremy T. Conn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Thesis Project addresses the lack of commitment found in many new and young believers today by providing a catechesis that engages individuals emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and experientially. After a thorough review of many biblical, historical and contemporary approaches to religious teaching, this study developed an intervention plan that merged five essential elements: (1) A culture that emphasizes the importance of baptism; (2) Adequate time to instill spiritual habits; (3) The utilization of multiple volunteers; (4) The incorporation of experiential learning; and (5) Content that encompasses both theology and discipleship. Qualitative research was conducted through the interviews of fourteen participants …

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Exploring The Perceived Impact Of Retired Senior Pastors On The Ministry Of Evangelical Churches Of America, Frank France Delange Oct 2020

Exploring The Perceived Impact Of Retired Senior Pastors On The Ministry Of Evangelical Churches Of America, Frank France Delange

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of retired senior pastors’ (RSPs) involvement in ministry following retirement. The study sought to understanding the perceived impact of RSPs on the ministry of American evangelical Protestant church of RSPs after retirement. The rationale behind the research was the phenomenon that a significant portion of the cohort of retired senior pastors continue to serve in ministry after they have retired. The study heard and analyzed first-hand data from RSPs who had lived experience in ministry after leaving the local church they led and RSPs who had lived experience …

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The Impact Of A Lectio Divina Bible Reading Methodology In The Lives Of A Sample Of Congregants At Crestview Baptist Church, Robert Milton Stephens Oct 2020

The Impact Of A Lectio Divina Bible Reading Methodology In The Lives Of A Sample Of Congregants At Crestview Baptist Church, Robert Milton Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Consistent Bible engagement is an indispensable spiritual discipline in the life of growing Christians. Many who profess they are Christian will also unashamedly state that they are too busy or have no time to read the Bible at all. Pastors who take upon the mantle of leadership within the local church must seek ways to be intentional about mobilizing their congregations to engage with Scripture in order to address this alarming trend. This thesis project desires to offer the local church a practical suggestion for getting their congregation to engage with the Bible in addition to times of corporate gathering. …

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A Curriculum For Developing A Biblical Worldview In Students Attending Central Africa Baptist University, Timothy D. Murdoch Oct 2020

A Curriculum For Developing A Biblical Worldview In Students Attending Central Africa Baptist University, Timothy D. Murdoch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem posed in this thesis project is a segment of the students at Central Africa Baptist University are not exhibiting a worldview change in their lives and ministry after graduation. The purpose of this study is to develop, implement, and test the validity of teaching the core Bible courses using a chronological metanarrative method of instruction to develop a biblical worldview in the students enrolled in Central Africa Baptist University (CABU) in Kitwe, Zambia. The study was conducted on the campus of (CABU), and used the secondary data derived from a worldview questionnaire developed and implemented by CABU. The …

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Beautiful Feet: Infusing Liturgical Dance And Discipleship, Ariesha Wilbert Murray Oct 2020

Beautiful Feet: Infusing Liturgical Dance And Discipleship, Ariesha Wilbert Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Liturgical dance, when combined with other biblical elements in addition to worship, can revolutionize the life of a disciple. This mixed-method study explores the infusion of liturgical dance and discipleship as another method that can be used to help disciples better understand the scriptures used in the pastor’s message on fulfilling the Great Commission. While discipleship was previously the church’s primary focus, it has slowly fallen to the wayside, whereas disciples are not being made or taught how to make disciples of all nations. This research uses a focus group with the members of a local ministry to demonstrate whether …

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Spiritual Disciplines For Men In A Medium-Sized Church, Scott Lowry Willis Oct 2020

Spiritual Disciplines For Men In A Medium-Sized Church, Scott Lowry Willis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that the men of Freedom Fellowship Church in Canyon, Texas, do not have adequate training in the spiritual disciplines. Training in the spiritual disciplines would offer to the men in the church the proper leadership instruction that would give them the tools necessary to accomplish this goal. If the men of the church receive instruction in the spiritual disciplines, they will be able to utilize them in their daily lives. The men will, in turn, be able to use the spiritual disciplines in leadership positions in the church with confidence in being able to increase the spiritual …

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Prayerlessness: Using Expository Sermons To Change The Way Believer's Pray, Joshua Kenton Smith Oct 2020

Prayerlessness: Using Expository Sermons To Change The Way Believer's Pray, Joshua Kenton Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In America, the church is operating with less supernatural power than it once did or currently does in other parts of the world, especially as it relates to those like East Barbourville Baptist Church who belong to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). For example, the Annual Church Profile data of the SBC for the 2018 year reveals that its overall membership has reached a thirty-year low. Likewise, the data reveals a decline in baptisms for the tenth year in a row. Yet, the church has access to more ministry tools and better training than any previous generation, so what is …

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"I'M Absolutely Ordinary": Bella And Her Perception Of Gender Within Twilight, Jaid M. Eichmiller Oct 2020

"I'M Absolutely Ordinary": Bella And Her Perception Of Gender Within Twilight, Jaid M. Eichmiller

University Honors Theses

This thesis explores Bella's perceptions of femininity, virtue, and gender roles within Twilight, with a focus on the feminist stance that Bella takes as the narrator. Through a close reading, I explore traditional gender roles, the internalized maternal roles of wife and mother, and the externalized judgements that Bella expresses. Her relationships with those around her, and most importantly Edward, are judged by her internalized concepts of gender politics. Through the examination of previous literature and the close reading of the core text, I argue that Bella both embodies and rejects traditional femininity.

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Analyzing Twitter Conversations About Vaccines, Michaela Brydon Oct 2020

Analyzing Twitter Conversations About Vaccines, Michaela Brydon

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

As of today, there are two COVID-19 vaccines being distributed to healthcare workers across the country. Some are thrilled at this news, hopeful that vaccines will put an end to the quarantines and social distancing. Others are more skeptical, worried at the prospect of mandatory injections. According to the experts, for the US to reach herd immunity, 60-70% of the population would need to be immune to the disease. As such, if not enough people are on board, then vulnerable populations will still be at risk. In light of this dilemma, I decided to focus my final project on vaccination. …

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Tiktok’S Non-Inclusive Beauty Algorithm & Why We Should Care, Priya Melonio Oct 2020

Tiktok’S Non-Inclusive Beauty Algorithm & Why We Should Care, Priya Melonio

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

This project will be a meta-analysis of how the popular social media app known as TikTok takes into account image recognition in their machine learning algorithms through the data it analyzes from its users. It will also see how it identifies and pushes the most beautiful to fame and virality. Though we don’t have access to the actual Tiktok algorithm, we are going to use a very similar dataset known as SCUT-FBP5500. We will analyze how it perpetuates toxic western and eastern beauty standards that are only based on far too simple analyses of what is considered beautiful. We will …

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Meditations In An Emergency: A Regional Analysis Of The Relationship Between Union Membership And Minimum Wage In An Age Of Labor Decline, Dante Kanter Oct 2020

Meditations In An Emergency: A Regional Analysis Of The Relationship Between Union Membership And Minimum Wage In An Age Of Labor Decline, Dante Kanter

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

The general consensus amongst labor historians is that the election of Ronald Reagan led to a marked decline in Union Membership that, with a few exceptions, has continued steadily up until the present day. Beginning with the Air Traffic controller strike in 1981, where the Reagan administration fired and permanently replaced striking union controllers, and continuing with Reagan members of the National Right to Work Committee to the National Labor Rights Board, a legal and political climate hostile to union organizing emerged in the U.S.. In my research, my hope was to take popular and agreed upon census data and, …

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The Gpt3 Re-Imagining Of “Howl” By Allen Ginsberg: What Are The Strengths And Weaknesses Of This Representation?, Emmy Roday Oct 2020

The Gpt3 Re-Imagining Of “Howl” By Allen Ginsberg: What Are The Strengths And Weaknesses Of This Representation?, Emmy Roday

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

With AI technology rapidly advancing, natural language processing systems are producing higher quality creative work like music and poetry. With the arrival of GPT-3, the generative pre-trained transformer, in May 2020, we are now confronting more opportunities to question its strengths and weaknesses. These transformer models have been known to successfully recreate the styles and themes of specific authors, writing across genres, and creating exciting new reversals. The main criticism remains that the AI cannot maintain coherent arguments or narrative threads.

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Gpt-2: Girl Detective Analyzing Ai-Generated Nancy Drew With Stylometry, Rebecca Lawson Oct 2020

Gpt-2: Girl Detective Analyzing Ai-Generated Nancy Drew With Stylometry, Rebecca Lawson

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

Writing styles are often viewed as unique to their writers–a compositional fingerprint of sorts. An analytical tool based upon this assumption is stylometry: the statistical analysis of the variations in the literary styles of works, often used to determine the most likely author of a particular work. Stylometric techniques abound in a multitude of fields, including history, literary studies, and even courts of law. Stylometry is often used as a form of evidence as to the identities of authors of written material pertaining to legal cases, a famous example being the conviction of the Unabomber based upon stylistic similarities between …

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Watercolorization In The Digital Landscape: Traditional Watercolor Painting Simulated In Computer Generated Art, Elena Ruiz Oct 2020

Watercolorization In The Digital Landscape: Traditional Watercolor Painting Simulated In Computer Generated Art, Elena Ruiz

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

With the rapid advance of digital technology in the 1990’s came the development of computer generated imagery (CGI) and graphics, allowing access to new forms of algorithmic and artistic media that would ultimately open up and transform the landscape of contemporary digital art. This continued advancement of computers and graphic software has furthered the ways in which we can share and convey imagery and video, especially through digital platforms. In this regard, as the popularity of creating and sharing digital art via the internet continues to rise, I felt compelled to consider the relationship between (subjectively speaking) art produced by …

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“It Doesn’T Feel Like A Conversation”: Digital Field Experiences And Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions Of Writing Response, Alison Heron-Hruby, James S. Chisholm, Andrea R. Olinger Oct 2020

“It Doesn’T Feel Like A Conversation”: Digital Field Experiences And Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions Of Writing Response, Alison Heron-Hruby, James S. Chisholm, Andrea R. Olinger

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Research shows that preservice English teachers (PSETs) lack opportunities to respond to student writing and that they may view student writing through a deficit lens. To address this need, the authors developed the Writing Mentors (WM) program, a digital field placement that gave PSETs experience providing feedback to high school writers. In this analysis, we examine how PSETs’ views of response were shaped by their digital interactions with high school writers. The challenges of interacting asynchronously created opportunities for PSETs to identify limitations in the mode of communication, propose approaches to providing feedback, and reflect on how teacher feedback can …

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State Of The Latino Non-Profit Sector In Massachusetts, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Phillip Granberry, Krizia Valentino Oct 2020

State Of The Latino Non-Profit Sector In Massachusetts, Fabián Torres-Ardila, Phillip Granberry, Krizia Valentino

Gastón Institute Publications

Latinos are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in Massachusetts. Between 1980 and 2017, the Massachusetts Latino population increased by 475%, with many new arrivals coming from Central and South America. In Massachusetts, the top ten Latino subgroups by population size are: Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Brazilians, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Mexicans, Colombians, Cubans, Ecuadorans, and Hondurans. These varied national origins reflect the diversity of the state’s Latino community and its breadth of strengths and needs. The Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy (Gastón Institute) estimates that by 2035, the Latino population will represent nearly 15.3% of the …

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Latinos In Massachusetts: Ecuadorians, Phillip Granberry, Krizia Valentino Oct 2020

Latinos In Massachusetts: Ecuadorians, Phillip Granberry, Krizia Valentino

Gastón Institute Publications

The Gastón Institute’s 2020 Latinos in Massachusetts series focuses on the ten largest Latino populations located throughout the state. In order of size, these Latino populations are Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Brazilians, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Mexicans, Colombians, Cubans, Hondurans, and Ecuadorians. This report analyzes Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) data from the 2017 American Community Survey (ACS) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Our descriptive analysis uses both household- and individual-level data to estimate population size and percentages and to compare Ecuadorians to Other Latinos and Non-Latinos in the state.

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Financial Situation Of The Russian Orthodox Church And Its Clergy, Sergei Chapnin Oct 2020

Financial Situation Of The Russian Orthodox Church And Its Clergy, Sergei Chapnin

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Recently there has been increased talk of the severe financial state of clergy, parishes, and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), because of the Corona-virus situation. Because of this some priests have appealed to Patriarch Kirill. This article discusses the seriousness of their plight.

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