Religion Commons^™

Overcoming Racism In The Church Small Group Study Guide, Audrey E. Robinson

Doctor of Leadership

The role of Christianity in the formation of white supremacy has been embedded and hidden in the Church far too long. The objective of this project is to provide comprehensive data that articulates the evolution of racism in the Church in a manner that evokes conversation and heart-to-heart sharing between Blacks and Whites of faith. The goal is to pave the way for repentance, healing, and reconciliation. Research led to the development of the Overcoming Racism in the Church Small Group Study Guide class. The class is an online course with eight content sessions. It provides laser-focused video lessons and …

Coming Home Nw: A Compelling Invitation To Connect With Nature For Improving And Sustaining Health, Strengthening Identity, And Deepening Relationship With God, Jennifer Lynn Steinbrenner Hale

Doctor of Leadership

The Covid-19 Pandemic has created an opportunity in local churches of the Pacific Northwest to develop new ways of connecting to God and improving health through movement in nature. The Pandemic damaged physical, mental, and social wellness for individuals and communities, as well as highlighted areas of dysfunction existent before the Pandemic. Research shows that when human beings engage with nature, they experience improved physical, psychological, cognitive, and spiritual health. Through activities such as running, walking, or simply sitting still in a natural environment, participants have the opportunity to deepen their relationship with God and strengthen their identity and understanding …

Trauma-Informed Leadership And Innovation In Adversity: Resilience On The Wings Of Joy: A Guide To Posttraumatic Growth, Jean De Dieu Ndahiriwe

Doctor of Leadership

My current ministry in chaplaincy involves helping those I serve find hope and better coping mechanisms as they deal with life behind bars and to help them remain productive citizens, once released back into the community. Unfortunately, several of these inmates struggle due to countless causes, including unresolved childhood trauma. They often fail to settle back into the community even after release, returning to prison to serve more sentences, a vicious cycle that seems to keep repeating. Similar challenges of failure to thrive are evident among immigrants and refugees, especially child refugees. I was born during a time of civil …

Who Is The "Son Of Man"?, Kerry Irish

Faculty Publications - Department of History and Politics

Many people, perhaps most, find Jesus’s use of this title confusing. It seems vague, even evasive. Not long before His death, a group of Jews implored Him “If You are the Christ [Messiah] tell us plainly [John 10:24].” Jesus responded, “I told you, but you do not believe.” As we shall see, Jesus spoke the truth as a brief study of both the Old and New Testaments makes clear. Indeed, many Old Testament writers use the title. That being the case, what does Jesus intend by describing Himself as the “Son of Man”? And why was He not well understood …

Project Portfolio: Cultural Humility: Equipping Ministerial Leaders To Navigate Ever-Changing Cultural Landscapes, Caleb Lu

Doctor of Leadership

In the modern quest for competency, efficiency, and production, humility seems to have been forgotten as a key component to what Christ-like leadership looks like in churches and in ministry. Biblical humility requires one to consider one’s relationship with God2 and one’s relationship with others, as Paul details in Philippians. In interviews with Chinese-Americans in Chinese heritage church contexts, multicultural church contexts, and non-church contexts, the cultural divide between older and younger generations (exacerbated by power dynamics)3 was often highlighted as a main reason they did not feel seen or heard. The need, then, was for church and ministry leaders …

Supporting Christian Gen Z Undergraduates Through Life Setbacks By Equipping Spiritual Directors, Brandon Taylor

Doctor of Ministry

The project within this portfolio seeks to help Christian Gen Z undergraduates at Biola University navigate setbacks in a way that fortifies their faith. Both anecdotal evidence at Biola and survey data demonstrate that Gen Z required increased support and intervention when they reached college campuses in the mid 2010’s. The American College Health Association has surveyed hundreds of thousands of Gen Z college students over the past seven years and found as far back as 2016 that 87.1 percent of the 27,787 undergraduate respondents to their Fall 2016 survey said they felt “overwhelmed by all they had to do'' …

“Jesus Freaks” Youth-Group Bands And The Power Of Christian Rock (1992–2000), Leah Payne

Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary

“What will people think,” Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Smith asked thousands of young evangelical fans in 1996, “when they hear that I’m a Jesus Freak?” This trio of young men “on fire for God,” who performed as DC Talk, were the biggest thing in CCM in the 1990s. Their 1995 album Jesus Freak portrayed conservative evangelical youths as rock-and- roll rebels. “Welcome to the Freak Show,” the Jesus Freak tour, filled stadiums, and their high-energy, slickly produced concerts were teaming with screaming devotees. Fans pointed up to the sky as the band sang, “Jesus is the way,” in …

A Liturgy For Wholeness Culture Shaping Practices For Flourishing In Ministry, Mike Bellanti

Doctor of Ministry

A Liturgy for Wholeness emerged from the opportunity to “shape ecclesiastical culture that reimagines the holistic flourishing of vocational pastors.” The research suggests that many pastors are not flourishing but surviving. Unrealistic expectations, comparison, an unreasonable number of needed competencies, and long work weeks contribute to this challenge, often resulting in burnout or moral decline. Reimagining pastoral work within the life arenas of divine calling, daily well-being, formational relationships, and resilience creates a significant opportunity for pastors to thrive holistically.

The context in which this project will be deployed is Northbrook Church, a large non- denominational church in the exurbs …

Story, Senses, Community And Fun: Teaching The Bible As Christ Centric Story For The Local Church, Adam Barton

Doctor of Ministry

NPO: The leadership at Harvest has observed that our people need improved methods to combat the trend of decreased understanding of the Christ centered Bible story.

My research identified numerous factors for this trend (too busy, too tired, the Bible is too difficult to understand and is no longer relevant, etc.) Perhaps more than all these, we have lost our Hebrew sensibilities of conveying the truth of the scriptures as a story to be experienced. A story told in community (not isolation), a story that draws in the senses (not a text to be analyzed), a story that is enjoyable …

The Church In-Between Raising Up Leaders In The Liminal Context At St. Andrew’S Presbyterian Church, Peter Dunn

Doctor of Ministry

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Redondo Beach, California, is facing significant organizational challenges due to an experience of complex, rapid, and unprecedented change. Thus, my NPO statement identifies the need for the church to create a framework to empower emerging leaders for effective ministry in the liminal context.

This Doctoral project targets staff members and lay leaders, particularly Elders and Deacons, who play pivotal roles in overseeing and leading the church's ministry teams. The goal is to equip these leaders with a deep understanding of the liminal context of ministry and provide them with spiritual formation practices to navigate and …

Hybrid Faith: A Study On The Impact Of Digital Technology On Church Communication During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Gertrude Dzirasa-Payne

Doctor of Ministry

The 21st Century has witnessed a new age characterized by exponential growth of global internet users and the central role of digital technology impacting the economy, science, religion, government, and society.1,2 Information is available via digital channels in every form, whether word, image, or sound.3 Digital technology is integrated into society and has influenced the practice of the Church, leading to the emergence of a phenomenon known as “Hybrid Faith,” the merging of in-person faith and online faith into one holistic integrated experience.4 This study explores how small and medium-sized churches in two cities adopted digital communication technology to engage …

Fostering Collaborative Partnerships Through Clear Communication Strategies: A Foster Care Model, Cheryl E. Haskins

Doctor of Ministry

Children need out of home placements (foster care), due to abuse and neglect, often languishing in the foster care system for years, before returning home to a safer biological family, adoptive home, or another permanent placement. Historically the Christian church and other communities of faith have functioned as social service providers, building hospitals and orphanages, caring for people in need. City Church (Churchome) a Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. based local church story is presented in this research as a model of faith, leadership and collaboration.

Chapter one describes the need, current environment, key terms, and examples of how faith-based organizations engage. …

How Does Therapy Impact African American Christians?, Suzette Theresa Law

Doctor of Ministry

A fundamental problem for African Americans is the underuse of mental health services, leaving mental health needs unmet. Many African Americans have already been subjected to enough stigmatization to the point they refuse to open themselves up to further ridicule and do not acknowledge mental health problems as medical. As a culture, African Americans continue to be distrustful of Caucasians, who fill most roles in the mental health field. 1 The researcher found cultural mistrust was the most consistent and powerful predictor of help-seeking attitudes.

This research explores the reasoning behind why those in African American communities are reluctant to …

Project Portfolio: From Here To Home: A Proven Pathway From Visitor To Member In Our Church Community, Leon Mckenzie

Doctor of Ministry

Through my role as a pastor in my local church and dean in my diocese, I’ve learned of a growing concern about the lack of hospitality within the local churches. Hospitality holds significant importance in the Bible and is a central aspect of the Church's mission. Thus, I have the opportunity to assist churches in evaluating their readiness to welcome strangers and provide them with a practical framework to apply this concept in their specific contexts.

Through my research, I have found that most perspectives on hospitality focus on its application in the business field or creating a comfortable environment …

The United Churches Of America: Post-Denominationalism, Theocracy, And Justice Systems, Tyler Joshua Green

Doctor of Ministry

The purpose of this research is to the unify, organize and equip Christian churches to address the injustices of disenfranchised communities throughout the United States. This work calls for the 21st Century church to answer a charge to organize post-denominationally in an effort to expand the church’s reputation, reach and resources leveraged to address injustices. Upon identifying the identity crisis of the American church due to the vestiges of colonialism, this provides a totally different means by which churches can be identified beyond worship styles, liturgical idiosyncrasies and even biblical interpretations. Calling on the oneness that Christ invites the body …

Epic Preaching: Making Sermons More Participatory And Experiential To Maximize Engagement, Retention, And Transformation, Zach Fitzpatrick

Doctor of Ministry

Over the last three years, I have sought to answer the question: Given today’s technologically-sophisticated, experiential-learning world, how can preaching best engage hearts and minds in simultaneous virtual and in-person worship services? The past three years have taught me that people are hungry for participatory, experiential elements in sermons on occasion and that it does promote engagement, retention, and transformation.

This project was almost entirely conducted within the membership and ministries of Elizabeth Lee Methodist Church in Chickamauga, Georgia. Chickamauga is a small, Northwest Georgia town located in the heart of the Bible belt. The church is a medium-sized church …

Defeating Racism And Overcoming Generational Poverty: Re-Educating African American Youth, Adrian D. Ware

Doctor of Ministry

After the 2023 U. S. Supreme Court ruling that diluted President John F. Kennedy’s Executive Order Number 10925, commonly known as Affirmative Action, this research proposes viable strategies that could afford African American society solutions to re-educate its youth to advance future generations toward an educational and cultural evolution. Evolution suggests a systematic process toward improvement that takes time, strategy, effort, and resources. America’s founding fathers brought Africans to the United States to build an economic empire. While Florida Governor Ron DeSantis puts forth that enslavement was a form of apprenticeship where enslaved persons trained for lucrative careers, a more …

Always Christmas, But Never Winter: A Guided Companion For The Season Of Advent, John Lemons

Doctor of Ministry

This Project Portfolio will display my attempt to address the following NPO: To help Young Adults (ages 18-39) recognize the beauty in their lives and friends’ lives and identify where God is working so they can engage in authentic conversations about faith and fulfillment in Jesus. The overall insight that emerged from my research was the desire among Young Adults to understand and articulate their faith from a perspective of desirability. This awareness blossomed in my current ministry setting – as a Young Adult Minister at an established church in the Southern United States. My project is step one of …

New Wine: A Spiritual Approach For The Intervention Of High-Functioning Alcohol Use Disorder, Elias J. Suddarth

Doctor of Ministry

Considering the approximately 29 million adults in the United States struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), we have discovered 85-90% do not seek available recovery options for alcoholism because a significant percentage do not see themselves within the typical narrative of a conventional recovery program. Most recovery approaches, whether secular or those involving spiritual principles, follow a century-old template for how any addict at any level ought to approach an abstinence-only treatment for their habitual misuse of a particular substance or behavior. Treatment for alcohol addiction has remained largely unchanged since the 1930’s even in the face of tremendous cultural …

Women Senior Pastors In The Black Baptist Church: A Study Of Pathways To Access And Model For Sustainability, Wendy Vanhosen

Doctor of Ministry

The thesis of this research is that the continued survival and influence of the Black Church hinges on the level of access and sustainability of women in senior leadership roles, emphasizing the historically protected position of senior pastor. It has become urgently necessary to move the needle beyond engaging in the perpetual debate about the role of women in ministry, and towards solutions that address the unique issues of this contemporary era. This era is characterized by a collision of the rise in women occupying senior leadership roles, increases in social justice concerns, and the unanticipated post-pandemic ramifications that have …

Carriers Of The Cloak: Six Steps For Christian Chaplains To Grow As Humble Leaders And Healthy Servants, John Gabriel Lawson

Doctor of Ministry

Chaplains are expected to be the spiritual leaders of their units, sometimes for thousands of people at a time, while also being expected to maintain the highest professional standards of regular military officers. They are charged with defending religious freedoms and guarding the spiritual development of those under their care, regardless of their faith background. These expectations, coupled with combat deployments and high levels of vicarious trauma that is often experienced through counseling, make it very difficult to maintain spiritual health. Given all these pressures, I noticed how spiritual health and leadership quality can suffer in the lives of military …

Formational Living: A Blueprint For Spiritual Formation Within A Virtual Church Community, Darcy Lynn Shepherd

Doctor of Ministry

An opportunity exists to design and develop an educational and experiential spiritual formation website for the virtual E-Church community at The Potter's House to create safe fellowship space, offer formational resources and inspire the community to "Live More Like JesusTM."

Three key insights emerged upon completion of the research: (1) 100% of respondents found The Daily Clay to be a helpful resource to learn more about spiritual formation; (2) 100 % of respondents thought The Daily Clay would be a helpful resource for a church community; and 100% of respondents indicated that they would subscribe to The Daily Clay. Collectively, …

A Discipleship Model For Oral Preference Learners: Specifically Related To The Turkana People Of Kenya, Theresa Lynn Pottenger

Doctor of Ministry

The Turkana people of Kenya are primarily oral learners, processing information in oral ways. Oral learners are completely reliant on what they hear, see, and experience because they cannot or choose not to read.¹ Missionaries from highly literate western cultures unwittingly burdened these oral learners with literacy dependent teaching methods and discipleship practices. This has particularly left Turkana Christian leaders with few options for deepening their own Christian spirituality or leading others in discipleship. Additionally, a cultural disconnect between western spiritual categories taught by the missionaries and Turkana spiritual categories have left several Turkana spiritual needs unmet. The Turkana …

Sexuality And Service: The Intersectionality To The Black Church Serving The Lbgtqia+ Community, Kwaun Felton

Doctor of Ministry

v ABSTRACT The term “Black Church” may seem old and outdated, however during the civil unrest in the 1960 were racial divide between European Americans and African American threatened the economic stability and existence of a country. The phrase black church represented hope in a heavenly change to come for people of color. In the discussion Sexuality and Service, the intersectionality to ministering to the LBGTQIA+ community you will discover how the black church can better serve a community of diverse sexualities in the manner Christ intended for the institution called black church was designed to service all people seeking …

Dna-- Do You Know Who You Are? A Curriculum For Mentors Of Emerging Adult Young Women, Cristina Joy Davis

Doctor of Ministry

The transitional phase of emerging adulthood signifies a pivotal period for young women as they embark on the journey of self-discovery, distinct from their familial roots. This developmental epoch significantly challenges their faith formation and the establishment of a Christ-centered identity, often influencing decisions to depart from their Christian faith and congregations in pursuit of acceptance and purpose elsewhere. In response, this project seeks to facilitate mentored development of Christ-centered identity in emerging adult Christian women ages 18-25, congruent with their faith, while navigating transitions and influences challenging their professed and lived out faith in Jesus Christ.

Research underscores the …

Rhythms For Reformation: Guiding Missionaries To Find Healing From The Trauma Of Spiritual Abuse, Nancy Raatz

Doctor of Ministry

The NPO statement which guided this Doctoral Project is missionaries need a safe space and attuned guidance to renew spiritually from spiritual abuse suffered in the course of vocational missions work. Key insights which emerged from research found that spiritual abuse happens among missionaries while serving overseas which causes a deformation of their spiritual life. That deformation results in doubting or dismissing the relationship they once experienced with Jesus. Spiritual healing, a reformation of their spirituality, is possible in a safe guided community. At the start of this doctoral program my ministry context was as a twenty year veteran of …

Contributors, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Frontmatter (Volume 45, Issue 6), Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

A Triage And Case Management Approach To Membership Management Prioritizing Soul Treatment, Dwayne K. Jones

Doctor of Ministry

Many individuals and families feel disillusioned by churches failing to address their emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. With limited research demonstrating how the needs of members are prioritized, the research we have done has shown triage is critical in evaluating the priority of treatment needs in life-saving matters. The question this dissertation addresses is if there is a triage and case management approach that can set a better course for prioritizing treatment and healing for an individual or family seeking restoration when joining the church. It aims to assess how this approach can target critical needs beyond regular church activities …

Project Portfolio: Conflict Devotional-Journal, Keith Lashawn Garrett Sr

Doctor of Ministry

The following is the NPO statement which undergirds this doctoral project: Unresolved conflicts give rise to relational injury among the families who subscribe to the faith of Jesus Christ. The problem identified through biblical research, extra-biblical research, as well as the anecdotal data of pastoral-counseling sessions and workshops affirms the presence of suffering within the context of unresolved conflict. Any work, therefore, which offers aid, for the purpose of assisting the people of faith to resolve conflict, might bring an end to the relative suffering.

A key insight that emerged from my research is the presence of a biblical and …