Religion Commons^™

Father Wounds In Black Christian Women: Their Effects On Identity And Perception Of God As Father, Lasondra Barnes

Doctor of Ministry

The purpose of this study is to explore the father-daughter relationships of Black Christian women, specifically, the impact emotionally and physically absent fathers have on Black Christian women’s identity and perception of God. The misfortunes of slavery, poverty, the drug epidemic, and mass incarceration fractured the African American community, dismantling the Black family, creating the absent Black father. The Fatherless Woman Syndrome identifies five distinct, yet overlapping symptoms that have psychological and social implications affecting fatherless Black women. The level of pain caused by father wounds may distort wounded daughters’ perception of God as being unreliable, inaccessible or non-existent, distant …

Are "These" Us? A Semiotic View Of Mixed Iron-Clay Feet From Daniel 2 In The Age Of Artificial Intelligent Technology, Hoa Huu Nguyen

Doctor of Ministry

This research offers a semiotic interpretation of Daniel’s prophetic 'mixed iron and clay feet' interpretation from Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. This prophecy may be used to predict a potentially mixed Human-AI culture and its impacts on Christian faith in the age of AI and cyborgs. The Christian faith traditionally has not applied Daniel’s iron-clay feet metaphor to a potentially mixed Human-AI reality. However, I will argue that by employing this semiotic interpretation, we can inform and guide Christ’s Church, which continues to remain grossly unprepared for the questions and challenges raised by a burgeoning Human-AI culture. Knowledge of this topic will prepare …

Stewarding Privilege: Transitioning To Millennial Leadership In Christian Family Foundations, Mark Petersen

Doctor of Ministry

While Christian family philanthropy has significant potential to influence the viability and success of Christian ministry, it is an understudied area of investigation. In surveying its context, both formal and informal structures provide the framework for stewarding this privilege. These are under pressure to change due to generational shifts, family dynamics, evolving expressions of faith, and shifts in philanthropy itself. These pressures create specific challenges for the leadership of foundations by descendants of the Christian founders as they grapple with donor intent, ongoing stewardship, daily operations, and public accountability by their foundations.

Succession is a common transition for organizational life …

An Aggressive, Arrogant, And Argumentative Society: A Biblical Perspective From African American Pastors Of Carolina Low Country, James Mack Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In a nation mired in racial violence, how can African American churches reach the divided communities with the love of Jesus Christ? What methods can African American pastors use to enlighten their communities and seek racial unity within the greater community? How can African American pastors share this single truth with their communities: As long as America is divided by racial bigotry, economic disparity, and cultural indifference, every citizen is injured, and our nation is bound to fail. Although similar questions are asked nationwide, this thesis focuses on the perspectives of African American pastors and their churches from the Gullah …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Role Of Institutional Debt In The Mid-America Region Of Acsi, John Robert Beck

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to inductively explore and understand how school leadership’s views on institutional debt impacted its use at Christian kindergarten-twelfth grade (K-12) schools in the Mid-America Region of the Association of Christian Schools International (MAR-ACSI). Institutional debt was generally defined as large and reoccurring expenses such as mortgages for school buildings. The qualitative research theory guiding this study was transcendental phenomenological reduction articulated by Clark Moustakas (1994) in his Phenomenological Research Methods. The Moustakas model provided an effective way to explore the gap in the literature found about how institutional debt impacted the planning and …

Spiritual Transformation: Community Outreach And The Harvest House Of Hope, In San Bernardino, Ca, Kevin Duane Strickland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Harvest House of Hope (HHH) located in the inner-city of San Bernardino, Ca offers a mission services ministry to their community, they had become inactive in their community outreach missions. The ministry concerns of HHH surround the subject of spiritual transformation and the role of the church in community outreach. The purpose of this project is to educate the men, women, and children of Harvest House of Hope on the value of mission services, in hopes to drive them towards the spirit of community outreach. The proposed educational component included a theological structure built upon the Holy Scripture, as …

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Of Women And People Of Color In Leadership In The Wesleyan Tradition, Trisha Welstad

Doctor of Ministry

The majority of Wesleyan denominations began with theological belief rooted in social action, particularly as it pertained to abolition and women’s equality. Though their beginnings were radical, today the same groups are primarily homogeneous, representing a largely white congregational and leadership demographic, predominantly led by white males. With a historical theology of diversity and inclusion, this research seeks to understand why women and people of color are excluded from leadership roles in the Wesleyan Tradition and how it may affect the future of these denominations. Methodologically, this analysis utilizes research from Deloitte Insights as a template for gauging organizational effectiveness …

Living Under The God Of Grace, Calvin Institute Of Christian Worship, Peter Jonker, Jason Max Ferdinand, The Aeolians

Symposium on Worship Archive

Video and outline of a worship service based on the theme of "Living Under the God of All Grace," with Peter Jonker preaching on 1 Peter 5:1-11.

Contemporary Confessional Commitment: A Models-Based Approach With A Particular Focus On Global South Lutheranism, Roberto Bustamante

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Bustamante, Roberto E. “Contemporary Confessional Commitment: A Models-Based Approach with a Particular Focus on Global South Lutheranism.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2019. 297 pp.

Current scholarly research on creeds and confessions is in a paradoxical situation. We live in a golden age of such research because of its growing findings and new contributions, but at the same time we are experiencing what is arguably the deepest crisis in terms of confessional alliance and semantic clarity. Additionally, Global South Lutheranism is in a search of identity and legitimate reasons that may justify ascribing the Lutheran Confessions a relevant role in shaping …

Pastoral Liturgy 50 (2) Complete Journal

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Embodying God's Full Welcome: A Theology And Praxis Of Hospitality Toward Families Affected By Autism, Manuel Magana-Garcia

Doctor of Ministry

Autism is the fastest growing cognitive disorder in the world, yet many of the families affected do not feel supported or welcomed by their faith communities. A congregation that cultivates a robust theology and praxis of hospitality—one that invites people to consider God’s full welcome, and their place as guests in his kingdom—will provide a path of formation that results in a supportive, safe, and collaborative space that includes families affected by autism.

This dissertation will address the ministry opportunity by first articulating a clear understanding of the existing need. A biblical background of God’s hospitable nature will provide a …

Rising To Heaven: The Ideology Of Progress And The Semiotics Of Church Growth, Len Wilson

Doctor of Ministry

Congregational growth remains a dominant model for pastoral ministry in a USAmerican, United Methodist context today. Yet producing sustained growth has proven to be immensely difficult. Ongoing quantitative and qualitative analysis of cultural attitudes toward Christianity today show that the long-standing vocational emphasis on growth has not proven fruitful.

The claim of this work is that the ongoing problem of church decline is not strategic, but semiotic: the basis for continued congregational decline comes not from faulty planning but from a problematic conflation of growth with improvement. For many, Church Growth is influenced by a definition of human and social …

Happenings In The Deaf Community, Lent-Easter 2020

Happenings in the Deaf Community

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Denver, CO

Happenings in the Deaf Community Finding Aid

Discipling Generation Z Marines: A Qualitative Study At The Center For Naval Aviation Technical Training, Jeffrey Scott Tagert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Generation Z is the largest generation currently serving in the United States Armed Forces. This project sought to identify the generational trends and their influences in discipleship ministry in the context of the United States Marine Corps. The researcher further planned and instituted a unit Bible study at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training New River. The project utilized a “Basic Bible Questionnaire,” a “Generational-Methodology Questionnaire,” and a five-week Bible study. The researcher utilized the Bible storying method as a means to short-term discipleship in Marine students at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training New River. The information …

Basic Bible Interpretation: Introducing The Inductive Bible Study Method, Jason L. Bell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a dire need for Christians to know a viable method of biblical interpretation. This project seeks to address that need through teaching the inductive Bible study to a group of people in a Southern Baptist congregation. The participant learning outcomes for the project were to acquire a method of biblical interpretation, develop the ability to perform a method of biblical interpretation, gain knowledge of the book of Jude, and to utilize meditation as a means to enrich spirituality. This project used action research as its primary methodology. The triangulation method of data analysis was employed by collecting data …

Pastoral Counseling: The Pastor’S Guide To Ministering Chronic And Terminally Ill Children And Their Families, Barbara F. Holston-Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Millions of children will die this year due to chronic and terminal illnesses. The medical and psychological communities have attempted for decades to find a methodology that will help parents and the child find hope for the future. The psychological and medical communities’ meta-analysis studies have shown that the goal of hope has been elusive for children and families in all current modalities. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only true assurance for parents and children experiencing chronic and terminal childhood illness. Paul wrote in his Epistle to the Romans that believing in the gospel brings life all joy, …

Book Review: The Orthodox Church In Ukraine: A Century Of Separation, Joseph Loya

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

“Fog of war” commonly names the complete lack of situational awareness amidst a singular lethal engagement, but it may also describe the absence of clarity regarding the foundational reasons, societal dimensions, and collateral impact of years of continuous armed combat. Denysenko’s book provides the necessary bearings for navigating within a mist of ecclesial conflict pitting opposing sides of an effort to establish an autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church apart from the Moscow Patriarchate, a fray that also extends to impact global Orthodox interchurch relations. Indeed, the fallout from this seemingly intractable clashing looks to roil global Orthodoxy through the foreseeable future. …

Gender Synergy: Inspiring Men To Champion Women Leaders To Increase Gender-Balanced Leadership, Jake Dean-Hill

Doctor of Ministry

The lack of gender-balanced leadership has been a problem in the United States and around the world for centuries. Although women make up more than fifty percent of the U.S. population, and graduate with over sixty percent of all undergraduate and graduate degrees, they continue to be severely underrepresented in upper-level leadership in almost every company, organization, and church across America. Much has been done over the years to move toward equality for women in order to bring them to the powerful place of leadership men have held from the beginning of our country’s founding. From Women’s Suffrage to Affirmative …

The Avoidance Of Burnout Among Open Bible Pastors: Creating Healthy And Vibrant Leaders In Ministry, Isaac Hebden

Doctor of Ministry

Pastors in the Open Bible Churches denomination struggle with spiritual health, even as they lead local congregations. The perils of vocational ministry can often contribute to emotional fatigue, disillusionment, and exhaustion, commonly referred to as “burnout.” Pastors serve sacrificially in their churches, giving all that they have for the lives of the others. However, the life many pastors live actually negatively impacts themselves as well as others around them, thus negating the purpose for which they strive.

This Doctor of Ministry project sought to discover how ministers can remain spiritually healthy while actively leading the local church. Much of the …

Bringing Life Back To Christianity: Taking A Fresh Look At Baptism, Shawn W. Hart

Doctor of Ministry

“WORLD’S GREATEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE” was the boast of the notecard passed down for three generations. This particular recipe had won eighteen county fairs, five state fairs, and even a write up in Reader’s Digest, and now…it is yours! As you looked over this recipe that had survived the ages, you noticed “nutmeg” was one of the ingredients; you are not a fan of nutmeg though, so you used cinnamon instead. Next, the pecans were replaced with walnuts; the milk chocolate chips were replaced with dark chocolate; the salt was reduced; and lastly, instead of butter, you opted for …

To Imagine A Future: A Social Entrepreneurship Program For Youth In High Risk Environments In Carpinteria, California, Christopher Lucian Pritchett

Doctor of Ministry

This research project seeks to examine the opportunity gaps facing the adolescents of Carpinteria for the purpose of suggesting a program that intends to address these challenges, in fitting with the mission statement to create pathways for children and youth to flourish, for the Pro Deo Foundation to fund and operate. Section One examines the problem that this dissertation seeks to address, specifically describing the difficult realities that teenagers in Carpinteria face in their everyday lives. Through research with human participants, including community members, leaders and administrators, this section gives the context of the subject matter, its history and the …

Leading Change Through Reactivity: Preparing Congregations For Change And Processing The Resultant Reactivity In A Healthy Manner, Rick Kavanaugh

Doctor of Ministry

When a pastor introduces systemic change to a congregation, it injects anxiety into the congregational system, which in turn leads to reactivity. The result is resistance to change, which often becomes hostile. Pastors who do not adequately prepare their people for change or who do not know how to help their people process the conflict that results from change resistance in a healthy manner face hostilities that most likely result in their termination or resignation. Consequently, this work seeks to analyze how reactivity results from proposed changes; what pastors can do to better prepare their people for change; and how …

Techno-Theology: A Theological Algorithm For Being Human In A Technological Age, Daniel Passini

Doctor of Ministry

In a world with rapidly changing technology that challenges our understanding of what it means to be human, our dealings with the biosphere, and our social interactions, many pastors and Christians do not have an adequate theology of technology. Our current narraphors have been influenced by our linguistics, popular culture, and an escapism theology that prevents us from interacting with technology in a theological way. Technotheology is the algorithm necessary to understand humanity’s role in a technological age through the matrix of the imago Dei. Using humanity’s ability to reason, their regency over creation, and their ability to be in …

A Neo-Free Methodism: Shadow-Work As A Model For Racial Justice, Liz Simmons

Doctor of Ministry

The increase of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States is on a trajectory to shift the demographic of the Church over time to majority non-white. Because of the abolitionist spirit of its genesis, Free Methodist church contexts have the historical and theological foundations to become hosts for multicultural communities and culturally engaging conversations leading to racial justice. The homogeneous demographic of many Free Methodist churches today, however, results in blindness toward privilege and resistance toward social engagement, reinforcing an insulated identity narrative.

Particularly in rural and suburban areas where the surrounding demographic is shifting at a slower rate, …

The Commodification Of The Table: The Journey Toward The Forgotten Body And Blood Of Jesus, Guy L. Taylor

Doctor of Ministry

Bread and wine are metaphors for the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus the Christ. Jesus himself stated that these two metaphors are to represent his sacrifice for humans, yet these metaphors have lost much of their importance in present-day Christianity. Pentecostal churches specifically seem to have forgotten what the bread and wine symbolize. Due to cultural influences, these churches no longer place emphasis on celebrating what they call Communion.

Many Pentecostal Christians today attend a service that is convenient, efficient, and that meets all their spiritual needs at one stop—like a Super Walmart of Worship due to the …

Scriptural Contextualization: Understanding Chinese Philosophical Narratives, Gregory Appleby

Doctor of Ministry

Whether one is overseas or within their own home culture, when working cross-culturally scriptural contextualization is necessary to reduce confusion. When developing Chinese leaders, differing world views have caused conflict and confusion especially concerning an understanding of Scripture and the person of Christ. Westerners teaching, working, and living in a Chinese context participate in either widening or narrowing the philosophical gap between the East and the West concerning their understanding of Scripture. My hope is that Western leaders will see the value in alternative interpretations and understanding of the Scripture based on Chinese foundational narratives. Misunderstandings of cultural differences have …

Thriving Holistically As A Woman Married To A Minister: A Spiritual Formation Model To Support Women In The United States In The Role Of Pastor's Wife, Elisa Renae Ashley

Doctor of Ministry

While women married to ministers are blessed by God in many ways through their role as pastor’s wife, the role also presents many particular stressors. These stressors impact the systems of self, family, and church. A majority of clergy wives struggle to some degree with interpersonal loneliness, with finding confidants, and creating spiritual community wherein they can be authentically vulnerable. These struggles negatively impact the spiritual, physical, and psycho-emotional health of the women in this role. In order for them to deepen their spirituality and thrive holistically as they navigate the challenges of this role, a tailored spiritual formation model …

Exvangelical: Why Millennials And Generation Z Are Leaving The Constraints Of White Evangelicalism, Colleen Batchelder

Doctor of Ministry

This research presents the argument that Millennials and Generation Z are not leaving the church; they are reconstructing their faith and distancing themselves from fundamentalism. When exploring the history of evangelicalism, church history, and generational distinctives, one is given the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of generational dynamics in regard to faith, theology, and praxis.

Chapter 1 explores the various distinctions and biases that encompass each generation. It also provides background for how generational influence shaped the narrative of the church, faith, and purpose.

Chapter 2 tackles the generational shift in ecclesiology and gives readers a glimpse into the …

Demographic Changes And Faithful Response: Helping Presbyterian Churches Flourish Into The Future, David G. Watermulder

Doctor of Ministry

The problem that this dissertation seeks to address is that in an increasingly diverse society, Presbyterian Church (USA) (PCUSA) churches do not reflect the true racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the changing context in which they are located. This paper explores how PCUSA churches in American suburban areas can better understand themselves in order to be equipped to engage with an increasingly multicultural and globalized environment. The future health and witness of PCUSA churches will be enhanced and deepened through actively learning about cultural differences and preparing members and leaders to do ministry faithfully into the years ahead.

Section …

Ascertaining Factors Affecting Church Congregational Affiliation Among Anglophone Caribbean Immigrants In South Florida, Sheryl Marks-Williams

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.