Religion Commons^™

Beyond Cultural Competence: Measuring And Developing Cultural Intelligence In Christian Organizations, Ronald Phillip Lugo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cultural intelligence has emerged as a critical competency for cross-cultural ministry (Livermore, 2009). However, most churches and Christian organizations lack formal training to develop this capacity (Otaigbe, 2016). Tran (2009) notes that culture can be viewed as values, norms, institutions, and/or artifacts, all of which are difficult to define and understand. Churches today are increasingly intentionally designed to be multicultural (Berquist, 2018). Christian organizations face a challenge in communicating with individuals from diverse cultures. How do churches and Christian organizations prepare to reach and disciple effectively? This study addressed this strategic need by developing a cultural intelligence training specifically for …

A Wicked Humanity Original Sin In The Theology Of John Wesley And Jonathan Edwards, Vincent Andrew Sullivan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The source of human wickedness is not in a fault in our education, but a fault in our nature. Ignorance is not the root of human depravity; rather, there is an innate propensity in the human soul to gravitate, not towards the light, but towards the darkness. This truth, i.e., the doctrine of Original Sin, was fiercely maintained in the 18th century by John Wesley, the Father of Methodism, and by Jonathan Edwards, the last of the Puritans. Both of these men each wrote a large treatise on this same topic matter, that of Original Sin, and for the same …

The Revitalization Of Pentecostal Churches In Rural Appalachia, Justin W. Rowland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pentecostal churches in rural Appalachia face challenges such as declining attendance, aging congregations, demographic shifts, and changing cultural values. Although denominations such as the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) and the Assemblies of God remain active throughout the region, many churches struggle to sustain growth and ministry effectiveness. Limited research has examined the factors that contribute to the health and vitality of thriving Pentecostal churches in this rural setting. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the characteristics and practices of healthy, growing Pentecostal churches in rural Appalachia to understand what contributes to their vitality, discipleship, and sustained …

A Metaphysical Analysis Of Theological Language: Can We Talk About God?, Kenneth R. Marple

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The possibility of meaningful theological language presents a longstanding problem in philosophy of religion and Christian theology. Because human language is finite and creaturely while God is infinite and transcendent, questions arise concerning how human beings can make meaningful and truthful claims about God. Traditional accounts of univocal, equivocal, and analogical predication address aspects of this problem but often leave a more fundamental metaphysical question unresolved: what must language be for it to meaningfully signify reality? This dissertation provides a metaphysical analysis of theological language by examining the ontological foundations of language and its relationship to reality. Through qualitative, interdisciplinary …

The Great Bridge: A Congregational Engagement Intervention For The Local Church, India C. Barnes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation-in-praxis addressed a documented gap between the stated mission of New Beginnings Ministry of Faith, Hope, and Love (NBM) and the lived engagement patterns of its members. Although the church articulated a vision of Spirit-led community grounded in discipleship, fellowship, and service, participation outside of weekly worship remained limited. The intervention, titled The Great Bridge, was grounded in Acts 2:42–47 as a biblical model of participatory church life and in social capital theory, which highlights the role of relational networks in generating communal outcomes (Claridge, 2018a, 2018b; Putnam 2000a, 2000b). The Great Bridge was a structured 16-week congregational engagement …

A Deacon Boot Camp For The Deacons Of Second Baptist Church, Cypress Campus, Stephen Bailiff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As one of only two ordained offices of a Southern Baptist Church, deacons have a responsibility to grow spiritually. Second Baptist Church, Cypress Campus, does not regularly hold the deacons accountable for spiritual growth. As a result, spiritual complacency has infiltrated the deacons. Therefore, the pastor offered an eight-week intensive discipleship program for the deacons to ignite spiritual growth. The Deacon Boot Camp included four elements to strengthen discipleship and foster spiritual growth. The four elements were Heaven Week, squadron meetings, guided daily devotionals, and accountability partners. They integrated theological training with the application of spiritual disciplines. The project creator …

Welcoming The Recovering To Worship At Westwood Baptist Church, Eric "Shawn" Stricklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry project addressed the relational disconnect between participants in the Reformers Unanimous addiction recovery ministry and their integration into Sunday corporate worship at Westwood Baptist Church in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Although many individuals regularly attended the recovery ministry, they did not consistently engage in the broader life of the church. The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a Welcome Team Training Program designed to equip volunteers with theological understanding, relational skills, and ministry confidence to foster greater congregational integration. Ten participants completed the eight-week intervention, which included biblical instruction, addiction education, guided discussion, …

Echo Hermeneutics: Listening To The Repetitions And Echoes Of The Bible, Shelton Matthew Trail

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

What is a biblical echo, and what contribution do they make to biblical interpretation? In seeking meaning, does divine inspiration overtake the author, or is the modern reader permitted to apply speculative meaning outside of the original author’s intent and context? Such questions are integral and relevant to modern biblical engagements. This includes questions such as how to approach, define, interpret, and apply what can be defined as intertextuality, or what this dissertation defines as echoes. Unfortunately, biblical echoes and repeated patterns are often misunderstood and underappreciated for what they can contribute to hermeneutical practices. Therefore, this research seeks to …

The Amateur Class: A Christoform, Communal, Experience-Driven Leader Development Approach For The Missionary Church, Virgil Lee Tanner Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Missionary Church, like many Christian organizations, faces recurring leadership transitions in which emerging leaders must assume responsibilities that exceed their developmental preparation. This challenge reflects the absence of a shared, coherent leader development framework that leverages experience for development and integrates Christoform spirituality and professional growth. This study examined the feasibility and potential impact of The Amateur Class, a Christoform, experience-driven leader development intervention combining narrative reflection, a three-day in-person retreat, virtual learning cohorts, and a capstone virtual retreat. Using a mixed-methods design, the study quantitatively assessed changes in self-awareness (Self-Reflection and Insight Scale [SRIS]), tolerance for ambiguity (Multiple …

Examining Christian Hospital Chaplains’ Roles: Navigating Shifting Paradigms, Karen Y. Wilkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this heuristic phenomenological study was to explore how faith-based hospital chaplains negotiate their professional identity while serving non-religious clients. As hospital chaplaincy expands beyond traditional religious care, chaplains are increasingly expected to support the holistic well-being of patients from diverse religious, spiritual, and secular backgrounds. Guided by humanistic theory, role theory, and theory of meaning, this study examined how chaplains understand and fulfill their professional roles. Role theory informed the exploration of expectations placed on chaplains, while theory of meaning provided a framework for understanding how chaplains support patients’ meaning-making processes regardless of religious affiliation. Data were …

School Choice And The Black Family: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Why Black Christian Parents Choose Public Schools, Rosalyn C. Gatling

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A lack of growth in enrollment is noticeable in Faith-based schools, even more so with black student enrollment in Christian schools (NCES, 2024). Black student enrollment continues to remain at a low percentage and has not increased in over 15 years, with leaders striving to discover solutions to elevate growth in the future and avert further enrollment loss, and stagnation (Harsh, 2018). The major reasons why black Christian parents choose public schools over Christian schools vary; therefore, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover the perspective of black Christian parents and what they believe are the major …

A Mixed-Method Investigation Into A Possible Correlation Between Forced Terminations Among Church Members, An Exodus Of Young Adults, And An Exponential Decay In Church Attendance, Chastity Selma Jhingree

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the preservation of the biblical church, church members are mandated in the Face of God (Coram Deo) to feed all Christians with the Word of God. However, extant literature reveals a major crisis confronting the church: the exponential decay in church attendance. Therefore, the overarching question is: how can church members feed on and receive the Word of God when church attendance continues to decline? Forced terminations and an exodus of young adults from the church were examined in an investigation to determine whether they significantly contributed to the decline in church attendance. A mixed-methods research design was used …

A Bridge Of Trust: A Cross-Cultural Ministry Guide For Buidling Ministry Partnerships With Mississippi Choctaw Churches, Ray Hazelton Duplessie Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project filled a gap in the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board’s ministry agenda by creating a Cross-Cultural Ministry Guide for those who desired to work with Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) churches. Historically, Choctaw people were wrongly told they had to give up their heritage to follow Jesus, creating a painful tension between their faith and culture. The purpose of the Ministry Guide was to build a stronger relationship with the Choctaw community by encouraging outside ministry teams to understand past hurts and see Choctaw culture through a biblical perspective. To test the guide, group discussions were held after …

Tongues In 1 Corinthians 12–14: Their Role In Gospel Proclamation And Unity, Adam Rimmer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The gifts of the Holy Spirit have been controversial throughout the ages. Many theologians, apologists, and church fathers have tried to clarify glossolalia. This dissertation is an exposition of 1 Corinthians 12–14 that argues that glossolalia is an actual human language that supports the gift of prophecy for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, but was being misused within the church at Corinth as ecstatic speech, which was not the valid biblical gift of glossolalia. It will demonstrate that this gift served as a divine means to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who spoke different languages before …

“It’S Not Just A Story”: A Phenomenological Study Of Evangelical Christian Women Who Have Disclosed Childhood Sexual Abuse To An Evangelical Pastor, Erin M. Collins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe Evangelical Christian women's experiences disclosing childhood sexual abuse to their pastor in the southeastern region of the United States. Childhood sexual abuse has been a globally studied public health and human rights concern. Over the past few decades, the knowledge of childhood sexual abuse has accumulated in a substantial amount of empirical research, through state and federal legislations, as well as with media coverage. This research has shed light on the gaps in the study regarding disclosure of childhood sexual abuse to an evangelical pastor. Most available research discussed the physiological …

Jesus Leads Worship: A Theological Investigation Of The Role Of Jesus Christ In Worship, Vernon M. Whaley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are many books, published articles and formal studies by well-known evangelical theologians and authors that make the case of how Jesus is sufficiently prepared to serve the role as our own personal high priest. But, few studies provide theological and practical evidence that Jesus is passionate in accepting His responsibility to lead us in worship. The purpose of the study is to demonstrate how Jesus Christ is central to our worship and, as Sovereign, He is superior to all of the Old Testament forms of worship. This research seeks to provide a theological, historical and philosophical study of Jesus …

The Paradox Of Fear In Scripture: Humanity’S Fear Encounters The Fear Of The Lord, Denise K. Travanti

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research portrays a biblical theology of God’s presence in response to humanity’s natural fear when people are engaged in relationship with him. The Bible is framed with God dwelling with people and the absence of fear at the beginning of their existence and at the end of time in the new heaven and new earth. Fear arrives in the garden with Adam and Eve’s choice for autonomy and their relationship with God, and thus his presence, undergoes a change. From Moses through the Writings and the Prophets, then through the apostles’ experiences conveyed in the Epistles, the reality of …

Assessing The Feasibility Of An Online Gaming Ministry And Developing An Action Plan To Train Apologists For Outreach., Alexander R. Mooney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research project is to assess the feasibility of an online gaming ministry and to develop an action plan to train apologists for outreach. This study is necessary due to several key developments over the last few years, including the growth of social media and digital platforms, the rise of content creation on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and X, the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased the need for digital ministry, and the overall growth of Gen Z in religion and faith. Because of these points, the need for developing digital ministry and online gaming ministry has grown. …

A Christ-Centered Approach To Ai-Assisted Sermon Preparation For Cedar Grove Community Church, Andrew Michael Poe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping nearly every sector of society, presenting both opportunities and ethical challenges for Christian ministry. Amid this technological shift, many pastors, Bible teachers, and lay leaders experience ethical uncertainty about the appropriate use of AI in expository preaching and teaching. This Doctor of Ministry action research project developed and evaluated an eight-week training designed to equip the teaching team at Cedar Grove Community Church with a Christ-centered approach to AI-assisted sermon preparation. The purpose of this project was to provide biblical, theological, and practical guidance enabling communicators to leverage AI responsibly without compromising ministerial integrity …

Building Sustainable Ministry Through Leadership Development: Evaluating A Biblically Grounded Leadership Model, Christopher David Brisco

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many churches face declining participation, leadership fatigue, and inadequate succession planning, often due to a lack of intentional, structured leadership development systems. Although research indicates that mentoring, leadership training, and supervised ministry experiences strengthen leadership capacity and organizational sustainability, many congregations struggle to implement leadership development models that effectively integrate biblical principles with strategic organizational practices. This researcher examined the implementation and effectiveness of a biblically grounded leadership development model within The Church of the Redeemed of the Lord in Baltimore, Maryland, a multigenerational church with diverse ministry departments that provided an appropriate context for evaluating intentional strategic leadership development. …

Grace, Reciprocity Norms, Adverse Life Events, Religious Struggle, Salience Of Religion, Relationship To God As Modifiers, Calvin Jay Slot

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether adverse life events, reciprocity norms, relationship to God, salience of religion, religious struggle and/or grace moderate the frequency of church attendance-physical health relationship or if the psychospiritual variables interact with adverse life events (ALE). 1,000 participants were recruited through Prolific to produce a sample representative of the United States population. An additional 20 participants were recruited through pastors of three churches in Illinois. Multiple linear regression revealed relationship to God, religious struggle, reciprocity norms, and ALE were moderators. Additionally, religious struggle and negative reciprocity norms interacted with adverse life events, …

The Word Of Faith Which We Preach: Perspectives On Core Doctrines Of Word Of Faith Theology, James Clifford Crew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Primary Research Question:

What are the distinctive core doctrines that are officially recognized and universally taught within the Word of Faith movement - as distinguished from some common aberrant or excessive popular teachings - and are these core doctrines biblically and theologically defensible as orthodox teachings within the broader scope of the universal Christian Church? The research problem is a glaring gap in the literature characterized by the general absence of a clear delineation between official core doctrines and controversial popular teachings that are neither officially codified in its doctrinal statements nor universally accepted and taught within the Word of …

How Stress In Pastors May Contribute To Their Resignations, Roger Allen Cooper

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Throughout history, congregations have connected with and sought guidance from spiritual leaders. Spiritual leaders develop methods and teachings to aid congregants; however, these leaders often don’t receive the care they give others. Are they not also part of the congregation? It is often assumed that a leader has it all together, but this is not always true. There are many instances of pastors leaving their calling prematurely, although the reason is not always defined. General reasons are often expressed to ease the contention between members or prevent hurting their feelings. Regardless, the result is the same, and there is an …

Restoring Trust And Relational Depth In The Philadelphia Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through Structural Family Therapy Interventions, Laundale Leopold Munroe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry action research project addressed the challenge of unclear relational and leadership boundaries associated with reduced trust, emotional comfort, and healthy communication within the Philadelphia Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bronx, New York. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate an eight-week Structural Family Therapy-informed intervention designed to strengthen trust, emotional comfort, leadership clarity, relational boundaries, and healthy communication among church members. The goals were to increase participants’ awareness of congregational relational patterns, encourage healthier interpersonal interactions, and cultivate practices that support sustained relational health. A mixed-methods action research design was employed with eighteen adult …

The Doctrine Of Salvation In The Old Testament: Elective Grace Through Faith In The Triune God, Yoojeung Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The doctrine of salvation in the Old Testament (OT) remains a contested topic in biblical theology, particularly its coherence with New Testament (NT) soteriology. Much of this debate centers on the tension between distinct redemptive administrations across history and the specific means of salvation, such as the relationship between covenantal obedience and elective grace. This dissertation addresses whether OT believers were saved differently from NT believers or if a unified redemptive pattern spans both Testaments. The dissertation asserts that Old Testament believers were saved in the same manner as New Testament believers: by God’s elective grace through faith in YHWH, …

The Practical Application Of The Greatest Commandments In Mark 12:28–34: A Holistic Framework For Spiritual Formation, Mark R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian spiritual formation is a field abundant in materials, resources, and programs to help people become fully devoted followers of God. Yet a disconnect appears to exist between the biblical concept of discipleship, which encompasses both a process and an event, and the lived reality of Christians in the United States today. A new model that lays the foundation for a new spiritual formation framework grounded in the practical application of the Greatest Commandments may be of benefit. This dissertation develops a model that includes orthodoxy and orthopraxy to apply the Greatest Commandments in an easy-to-understand framework in a practical, …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study Of Secular And Christian-Based Correctional Operations: Exploring The Impact On Recidivism, Reintegration, And Spiritual Transformation, Cullen B. Burch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative descriptive study examines the effectiveness of secular versus Christian-based correctional programs in reducing recidivism among offenders and enhancing reintegration outcomes. The primary purpose is to explore perceived limitations of secular correctional methodologies, given observed challenges such as rising recidivism and limited offender transformation. In contrast, Christian-based programs, grounded in biblical principles and spiritual transformation, are posited to foster meaningful change among offenders. The study focuses on the perspectives of formerly incarcerated individuals who participated in secular and faith-based initiatives while incarcerated in Texas. Data collection is exclusively qualitative, involving semi-structured interviews with these formerly incarcerated individuals and a …

Visible Faith: Teaching Young Men Of Generation Z Principles In Practical Theology Through An Intergenerational Mentorship Program At The First Baptist Church Of Jacksonville, Alabama, Todd Borders

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Gen Z, defined as people born between 1997 and 2012, is the first truly post-Christian generation and a key missional challenge for the Christian church. This researcher aimed for this thesis to contribute to practical ministry in the local church by creating a specialized curriculum for Gen Z men and delivering it through a newly developed intergenerational mentorship program at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Alabama. The project paired older, spiritually mature men with micro-groups of three to four mentees to guide them through the curriculum. Five mentors and sixteen mentees, ages fifteen to twenty-six, from First Baptist’s congregation, participated. …

Building And Sustaining Foundations That Ground The Faithful: Helping Young Adults Stay Connected To Faith And The Church, Abe Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today’s prevailing cultural philosophy is lost in a malaise of confusion and deception. Children and young adults from Christian homes and churches are being lured by these deceptions. Even churched students and graduates from Christian schools (like Colorado Springs Christian School) are hemorrhaging from the body of Christ at unacceptable levels. This DMin thesis project report demonstrates that, on a continuum of touchpoints in the spiritual formation journey, Camp Elim staff and Gap Year programs are an effective model for those seeking to restore young adults, ages eighteen to twenty-nine, to fulfilling, rich, and committed involvement in the body of …

Mobilizing The Church For Whole-Person Transformation In Addiction And Mental Health Recovery, Jacqueline A. Gillespie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individuals experiencing chronic addiction or mental health conditions are often separated from the broader church community and placed into isolated treatment programs, creating a disconnect between recovery efforts and long-term spiritual formation (Amos, 2023). Many churches that emphasize deliverance struggle to provide sustained discipleship, while congregations grounded in spiritual growth frequently lack the skills and structures needed to serve highly vulnerable populations. This mixed–methods study will explore how the local church can be mobilized to offer whole-person transformation for individuals affected by addiction and mental health challenges. Guided by the biblical vision of ongoing spiritual renewal—“being transformed into the same …