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Articles 781 - 810 of 1703
Full-Text Articles in Religion
A Correlational Study Evaluating The Connection Between Servant Leadership Behavior And Authentic Happiness In A Parachurch Ministry, Brian Thomas Guinther
A Correlational Study Evaluating The Connection Between Servant Leadership Behavior And Authentic Happiness In A Parachurch Ministry, Brian Thomas Guinther
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to understand if a relationship exists, either positively or negatively, between servant leadership behaviors and authentic happiness in chaplains who serve in a para church chaplain ministry. Servant leadership is frequently thought to be related to a decrease in the leader's happiness and enjoyment of their professional as well as personal life because leading as a servant involves giving up power and privileges that the role of leader typically includes. This study's sample was comprised of individuals currently engaged in a Christian chaplain ministry who serve public safety departments, industry, healthcare, the …
Gendered Pastoral Care: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Parishioners, Joshua D. Phelan
Gendered Pastoral Care: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Parishioners, Joshua D. Phelan
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Pastoral care has a rich theological history which guides modern care applications. Pastoral care is generally understood as helping acts meant to guide believers toward spiritual formation (Clebsch & Jaekle, 1983). Gendered pastoral leadership could have an impact in how pastoral care is experienced by church parishioners. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of twelve parishioners who had received pastoral care under both a male and a female lead pastor at three churches. Eagly’s (1987) social role theory served as a theoretical framework for this study. This research utilized personal interviews to collect data …
Older Adults And Digital Technology For Worship Service During A Pandemic At Saint Paul's Baptist Church In Richmond, Virginia, Donnie Lewis Smith
Older Adults And Digital Technology For Worship Service During A Pandemic At Saint Paul's Baptist Church In Richmond, Virginia, Donnie Lewis Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the church to move from in-person worship to digital, online, and virtual worship services. This thesis project aims to determine if going to an alternative worship platform has presented problems for the elderly and senior Saint Paul’s Baptist Church members. Because of the large number of seniors at Saint Paul’s, the church’s leadership must be ready to help in any way to ensure that all members can participate in worship services during these unprecedented times. Since there is no projected timetable for when and if the church will return to worship services as we know …
The Consistency Of The Kingdom Of God Through Israel's Unconditional Covenants, Myungwoo Kim
The Consistency Of The Kingdom Of God Through Israel's Unconditional Covenants, Myungwoo Kim
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The Bible consistently presents one common theme: the kingdom of God. Biblical theology focuses on God’s faithfulness, wisdom, and purpose in the process of redemption. The Old Testament expresses the firm belief that God will surely fulfill His covenants and reign forever. The Old Testament prophets believed that the Messiah would come for judgment and salvation. They consistently prophesied the birth and reign of the Messiah, which connects the Old and New Testaments. There is a continuity between the Old and New Testaments. The promises made to Israel in the Old Testament will be fulfilled for Israel, not the church. …
Beyond The Call Of Duty: Supererogation Towards An Apologetic Approach In The Us Navy, Donald Anthony Baker Iii
Beyond The Call Of Duty: Supererogation Towards An Apologetic Approach In The Us Navy, Donald Anthony Baker Iii
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Members of the US Navy subscribe to common values outlined in the Sailor’s Creed, a shared dictum of foundational ideals that burdens all persons within the organization to follow. Honor, courage, commitment, excellence, and fairness are explicit organizational values written therein that codify the standard values expected of all Sailors regardless of rank or other designators. For Christians serving in the US Navy, how can they present the tenets of the Gospel in a manner appropriate, and legal, for a professional, secular work environment such as the military but are consistent with the biblical imperative to give a defense of …
A Study On Why People Lack Dedication And Focus During Church Worship And Service Time, Maxine Head White
A Study On Why People Lack Dedication And Focus During Church Worship And Service Time, Maxine Head White
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The researcher chose the topic of this thesis because members of Last Days Ministries (LDM) lacked dedication and focus during church worship and service. The project aimed to discover what caused LDM members to lack commitment and focus during worship and service time and to find a way to alleviate the problem among LDM members. This thesis project includes four themes from doing this project, of which three concern distractions. Those distractions came from cell phones, spontaneous distractions, and satanic distractions. Cell phone distraction was at the top of the list of distractions that disrupted the church and kept LDM …
Jus Post Bellum And The Augustinian Worldview, Edward Anthony Herty
Jus Post Bellum And The Augustinian Worldview, Edward Anthony Herty
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Augustine of Hippo wrote a great deal regarding the subject of state-sponsored armed conflict. His views have been categorized into the concepts of jus ad bellum, jus in bello, and, more recently, jus post bellum. Jus ad bellum and jus in bello address the moral responsibilities of a nation and its sovereign as the decision to enter into conflict is made and as agents of the state endeavor to keep human suffering to a minimum. Jus post bellum is a more recent ideal that has, since World War I, addressed the need to establish a long-lasting peace upon the conclusion …
The Relationship Between Multicultural Christianity And Spiritual Formation: Quantitative Correlational Study, Jack Andrew Wingard
The Relationship Between Multicultural Christianity And Spiritual Formation: Quantitative Correlational Study, Jack Andrew Wingard
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The population in America has changed dramatically over the past twenty years. The homogenous communities present when churches began in America have become heterogeneous. The homogeneous church growth models have possibly hindered spiritual formation for churches in America. Multicultural churches seek to solve this problem by creating environments that strategically create congregations that match the demographics of American communities. This correlational study aimed to explore if a relationship exists between multicultural church practices and spiritual formation in spiritual, social, and intellectual areas. The study employed survey instrumentation that used the MCSFS. Overall, five distinctly multicultural churches spread out across America …
Building Resiliency And Effective Self-Care Among Emory Saint Joseph’S Hospital Chaplains, Shelly Marie Neal
Building Resiliency And Effective Self-Care Among Emory Saint Joseph’S Hospital Chaplains, Shelly Marie Neal
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital chaplains have been tasked with an intricate role in providing spiritual care in the most critical and emotionally intense situations to others, however, they lacked providing that same level of care to themselves. Through the six-week research study chaplains were educated on implementing proper self-care practices and resiliency techniques, thus enabling the chaplains to be emotionally, spiritually, and physically healthy. Each week, the participants were asked to continue implementing the prescribed week’s practice and technique in addition to the previous week’s practice and technique. The participants who implemented Parker’s five self-care practices (faith, work-life harmony, meditation …
Core Values: A Phenomenological Study Of Spiritual Formation Through The Longevity Of Values Gained From Women's Ministry, Belinda Copeland
Core Values: A Phenomenological Study Of Spiritual Formation Through The Longevity Of Values Gained From Women's Ministry, Belinda Copeland
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
While many churches today have moved away from the practice of church-based women’s ministries, other churches still see their value and continue their dedication to providing specifically tailored programs to address the spiritual formation in women. The Bible reminds us in Hebrews 10:25 that we are not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some…” (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Heb. 10:25). However, some churches desire to assemble specific ministries separately, women from men. This study attempted to identify values in the spiritual formation of women and explored whether those values are still helpful in the spiritual …
The Prayer Life Of The African American Christian Men At New Life Gospel Center Cleveland, Ohio, Sherilyn Ann Howard
The Prayer Life Of The African American Christian Men At New Life Gospel Center Cleveland, Ohio, Sherilyn Ann Howard
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The researcher will address the problem of African American Men at New Life Gospel Center failing to lead their family’s spiritual journey at home. Fourteen men covering three generations came together through Zoom classes, a series of interviews, eight weekly classes, focus groups, and surveys. The men were encouraged, educated, and trained to lead prayer in their homes with their families. The men challenged each other and made themselves accountable to study the Bible and prayer. The thesis was for the average Christian man who is simply a churchgoer but wants to transform into a Kingdom Man. A Kingdom Man …
Discipling Leadership Is Key To Church Revitalization: A Revitalization Strategy For Declining Churches, Jerry Anthony Rhodes
Discipling Leadership Is Key To Church Revitalization: A Revitalization Strategy For Declining Churches, Jerry Anthony Rhodes
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis project is designed to help diagnose the spiritual condition of church leaders as well as to implement a plan to encourage biblical leadership development. Due to the lack of biblical leaders, churches across the country are declining and/or dying. The Southern Baptist Convention in 2019 reported more churches closed than opened. This is a trend that must change, and it starts with leadership. A major problem in our churches today is the leaders are not biblically discipled. Without biblical leaders, the church will not be as Jesus intended. This research project will focus on helping churches create leaders …
Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert
Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis seeks to answer the following question: What is an effective discipleship method for emerging adults who are already engaged in IChurch? The method chosen was multi-layered and utilized corporate discipleship which involved a classroom setting geared toward theological and doctrinal education based on Bloom-Anderson’s taxonomy of educational objectives, communal discipleship which was concerned with small group activities and peer-to-peer accountability, and personal discipleship geared toward individual spiritual formation given an edited list of Whitney’s personal spiritual disciplines. Participants were asked to take an introductory Theological examination which plotted them from analyze level to the create level of Bloom’s …
Prophecy And Politics: Understanding The Impact Of Media Prophets In Local Pentecostal Churches, Tommy Dawain Blackwell
Prophecy And Politics: Understanding The Impact Of Media Prophets In Local Pentecostal Churches, Tommy Dawain Blackwell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Social injustice issues incite both positive and negative responses within local Pentecostal congregants creating topical “cones of silence” pastors and church leaders must cautiously navigate. The focus of this treatise is the proper response of Evangelical Pentecostals toward social justice. The goal is to help Evangelical churches to nullify the emotional edginess and discuss important issues while maintaining a strong unity with diversity. Research, via personal interviews of Pentecostal congregants and first-hand observation by church leaders, will identify negative political theologies as the emotional and political influences driving division within local Pentecostal churches. As a result, church pastors will recognize …
The Method Is The Message: Communicating For Individual Behavior Change Toward Disciple Multiplication, Jeffrey Keith Mcdaniel
The Method Is The Message: Communicating For Individual Behavior Change Toward Disciple Multiplication, Jeffrey Keith Mcdaniel
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this ethnographically informed, comparative embedded case study was to understand the lack of disciple-making movements for congregations at three evangelical churches representing the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast of the United States. The theories guiding this study were Latour’s actor–network theory and Bandura’s social cognitive theory as they provide a theoretical framework to understand the influence of culture on the creation of meaning followed by the influence of meaning on individual behavior. The primary research question that guided this study asked, How can a church organization communicate to increase disciple multiplication? To answer this question, a …
The Image Of God: A Reflection Of Order And Suitability In Design, Mary D. Mckenzie
The Image Of God: A Reflection Of Order And Suitability In Design, Mary D. Mckenzie
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
In the history of biblical interpretation and dogmatic speculation, the “image of God” in humanity has proved remarkably prolific as a source of exegetical and theological discussion. In Genesis 1:26–27, the Bible expounds that God created man in His own image, and in His image, he created male and female. The literature on this topic continues to be overwhelming despite several exhaustive treatments spanning decades among biblical scholars. The act of posing several questions resulted in different answers from various sources. For example, what exactly is the image of God? Is the image of God spiritual or physical? Is the …
Self-Compassion Education, A Framework For A Self-Care Plan For Military Chaplains: A Qualitative Study, Opeyemi Samuel Oluwafisoye
Self-Compassion Education, A Framework For A Self-Care Plan For Military Chaplains: A Qualitative Study, Opeyemi Samuel Oluwafisoye
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Self-compassion education promotes coping skills to ease emotional discomfort and suffering by offering a sense of belonging, understanding, and caring, similar to the benefits of empathy for someone else. No research has been done examining the buffering importance of self-compassion education as a framework for self-care among military chaplains. The current study was tailored toward understanding military chaplains’ perception of self-compassion as a framework for self-care. The dissertation aimed to determine a need to formulate a self-care plan for military chaplains to reduce their pain after helping Soldiers and their families diagnosed with trauma through different interventions. The goal of …
Restoration Jewish Evangelism: A Dispensational Paradigm For Jewish Evangelism, Justin R. Woods
Restoration Jewish Evangelism: A Dispensational Paradigm For Jewish Evangelism, Justin R. Woods
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Local Jewish populations within proximity of U.S. churches are perishing in their need to hear the Christian gospel. Obstacles to Jewish evangelism have festered through the centuries. Modern scholarship has held culpable the supersessionist traditions from the early church fathers and carried over to the present day. Dispensational pastors and scholars have acted on the front lines to correct this grievance. Restoration Jewish Evangelism (RJE) supplies a template of Jewish evangelism centered on a dispensational view of Romans 9—11. The goal of this project includes strengthening the parishioners’ situational awareness and self-confidence to engage in sharing the gospel of the …
Wildfire & Sacred Flame: Enthusiasm In American Revivalism 1734-1944, Randy Lee Darnell
Wildfire & Sacred Flame: Enthusiasm In American Revivalism 1734-1944, Randy Lee Darnell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The First and Second Great Awakenings were momentous events in American history. The developments that occurred from these movements forever influenced religion in the United States. Many participants in these revivals either witnessed or took part in an emotional religious experience often dubbed “enthusiasm,” which critics dismissed as fanaticism or the work of the devil. Advocates averred that these behaviors were genuine experiences brought about by the Holy Spirit. What can be demonstrated by the historical sources left behind from America’s great revivals is a continuity of this religious behavior from the First Great Awakening to revivals in the early …
The Impact Of Virtual Technology On Discipleship Training In A Small Group Context, Austin Stephen Mansfield
The Impact Of Virtual Technology On Discipleship Training In A Small Group Context, Austin Stephen Mansfield
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Many contemporary churches face the difficulty of implementing the Great Commission’s mandate for making disciples (Matt 28:19-20). Occasional church attendance and a lack of participation in fellowship and ministries beyond the Sunday worship service reflect this difficulty. Discipleship has become even more challenging in the current climate of social distancing that has resulted from COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Being separated physically from others exacerbates a growing predisposition to spiritual isolation, which in turn hinders development of discipleship; physical interaction has always been the main model for making disciples. The Great Commission’s description of discipleship (making disciples through going, baptizing, and teaching) …
A Process For Training In Godliness: A Team Approach To Personal And Spiritual Growth, Kraig Alan Smith
A Process For Training In Godliness: A Team Approach To Personal And Spiritual Growth, Kraig Alan Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this thesis is to address a problem relating to spiritual discipleship within a group of local church men. The men of Heritage Baptist Church may not have a process for training in godliness. The thesis will supply a process for training in godliness, developed by the author and based on numerous streams of thought from the literature with regard to spiritual growth. The thesis will also illustrate hindrances to training in godliness, looking at past and current trends which have stymied spiritual growth, particularly in men. This study will suggest that current methods for training in godliness …
Submission To The State As An Act Of Submission To God: A Call For Total Submission Within The Nature And Commands Of God, Jesse David Krystowiak
Submission To The State As An Act Of Submission To God: A Call For Total Submission Within The Nature And Commands Of God, Jesse David Krystowiak
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Christians must view their interactions with the state as a direct line of submission to the supremacy of God's own rule. Within God's call to submit to those in positions of civil leadership is the understanding that one's submission to the state is placed within the confines of bringing glory to God on the basis of God's nature and commands.
Exploring The Correlation Between Family And The Church: Integrating The Family Into A New Church By Implementing Group Psychoeducation Counseling, Korey A. Tucker
Exploring The Correlation Between Family And The Church: Integrating The Family Into A New Church By Implementing Group Psychoeducation Counseling, Korey A. Tucker
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project addressed the problem of families not fully integrating into a new church community. The research used the implementation of group psychoeducation counseling to help integrate families into a new church system. Exploring the correlation between the family and church revealed that healthy families help to create a healthy church. The rationale for implementing group psychoeducation counseling is that other forms of engaging the family could not address all the needs and challenges families experience when attempting to assimilate fully into a new church system. The research method utilized was a mixed-method approach, using pre- and post-assessment …
Semitic Residue: Semitic Traits That Indicate Early Source Material Behind The Gospel Of Matthew, Brian Gray Chilton
Semitic Residue: Semitic Traits That Indicate Early Source Material Behind The Gospel Of Matthew, Brian Gray Chilton
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Skeptics have often argued that the Gospels were written too late to have contained any valuable information about Jesus. Furthermore, the likes of Rudolf Bultmann and the Jesus Seminar claim that very little can be known about the voice of the historical Jesus. However, this work argues that the oral traditions stemming from community-based transmission provides a basis to hold that the oral traditions that undergird the finished Gospels are much earlier than the written texts themselves. Using the Gospel of Matthew as a test case and seven criteria to gauge the strength of residue, this study argues that the …
Heart, Soul, Mind, And Strength: Understanding Spirituality's Transformative Impact As Assisted By Intradisciplinary Integration, Christopher Taylor Stokes
Heart, Soul, Mind, And Strength: Understanding Spirituality's Transformative Impact As Assisted By Intradisciplinary Integration, Christopher Taylor Stokes
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Spirituality is an essential and deeply embedded part of Black Americans’ psyche. The counseling field has largely overlooked the roles of spirituality and religious beliefs in the development of the consciousness of this demographic. In the treatment of Black Americans, particularly Black churchgoers, this can be a serious oversight. The purpose of this DMin action research thesis is to provide sufficient intradisciplinary integrative spiritual teaching to effect holistic coping strategies for Lake Providence’s Mid-Week Bible Study Service members. The goal is to bring healing through an intradisciplinary integrative teaching approach utilizing psychology, theology, and spirituality. If the members of Lake …
Changing The Effects Of A Reduced Gospel, John Douglas Herring
Changing The Effects Of A Reduced Gospel, John Douglas Herring
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Does your church preach the “whole gospel” or “reduced gospel?” The whole gospel is the story of God working to redeem mankind, from Eden to the New Jerusalem. The reduced gospel is a belief that the plan of salvation and the whole gospel of Scripture are synonymous, a belief that salvation is for personal forgiveness. This research aims to change the effects of a reduced gospel in a local congregation. Participants, members of First Baptist Church of Eupora, were given questionnaires and interviews to determine their views regarding the gospel. To many participants, the gospel is one of forgiveness; therefore, …
Experienced Pastoral Burnout And The Self-Reported Role Of Emotional Intelligence On Leadership Effectiveness During Burnout, Craig Wesley Folds
Experienced Pastoral Burnout And The Self-Reported Role Of Emotional Intelligence On Leadership Effectiveness During Burnout, Craig Wesley Folds
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Emotional intelligence (EI), employee burnout, and effective leadership traits are constructs that have been researched from a traditional, organizational perspective since the 1970s. Over the past 15 years, pastoral leaders and clergy have been identified as leaders working in the same capacity as public safety officials, medical professionals, mental health specialists, and other helping professions. Research suggests that leaders working in helping professions are often exposed to situations that may induce burnout, create emotional dissonance, and may have adverse implications on effective leadership behaviors during experienced burnout. The significance of this study lies in its identification of a gap in …
Pastoral Pitfalls: Solutions To Navigating The Stresses Of Twenty-First Century Ministry, Chris Moore
Pastoral Pitfalls: Solutions To Navigating The Stresses Of Twenty-First Century Ministry, Chris Moore
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
American church clergy and their families are suffering from the effects of Twenty-First Century ministry and the stresses of the local church, according to research from the Fuller Institute, Barna Group, and Pastoral Care Inc. Much of the research in this area and its effects on the clergy and churches occurred more than a decade ago. Through updated research and surveys of current Southern Baptist ministers in the Baptist General Convention of Texas, this thesis will offer solutions to how these dangers can be lessened or alleviated. Through the presentation of updated statistics, the seriousness of this problem for the …
A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Job-Related Stress And Stress-Coping During Covid-19, Peter Michael Foxwell
A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Job-Related Stress And Stress-Coping During Covid-19, Peter Michael Foxwell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of stress and stress-coping of five Michigan pastors who led their Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) congregations through the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic. Stress is generally defined as the psychophysiological response to a perceived threat or stressor, and stress-coping is generally defined as intentional behaviors designed to manage stress. The theoretical background of this study is the transactional theory of stress and coping (TTSC) (Lazarus, 1966; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) as it relates to pastors’ lived experience of ministry-related stress and coping in crisis conditions. The rationales for …
Equipping Members Of Watchmen Supernatural International Ministries To Share The Gospel Effectively In The Local Community, Claudette Elaine Mckenzie Nicholson
Equipping Members Of Watchmen Supernatural International Ministries To Share The Gospel Effectively In The Local Community, Claudette Elaine Mckenzie Nicholson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The problem is that members of Watchmen on the Walls Supernatural International Ministries are not having successful results when they share the gospel message locally. The purpose of this DMIN Project is to equip unisex adults and adolescent members of Watchmen on the Walls Supernatural International Ministries to conduct evangelism. The thesis project seeks to design a plan to enhance the knowledge and abilities of WWSIM members to share the gospel effectively. The design is a theoretical and practical training plan that will impact twelve participants in the classroom, on the streets, and in a coordinated outreach in one of …