Religion Commons^™

Retaining Students After Graduation With Biblical Servanthood, Carlos Henrique De Freitas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis addresses the inadequate understanding of the biblical concept of servanthood among high school students (grades 9-12) within the congregation of Macland Baptist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia. As a result of this problem, students gradually distance themselves from their faith, discontinue church attendance, and cease participating in church service activities. The thesis of this paper is that exposing these high school students to various dimensions of biblical servanthood will significantly impact their understanding of this concept. The underlying assumption posits that a profound understanding of biblical servanthood, coupled with knowledge and service opportunities, will cultivate Christlike character in …

Tears Of Anger: The Compositional Function And Theology Of Imprecation In The Book Of Lamentations, Christopher William Peters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the rise of redaction criticism as an area of scriptural exploration, much scholarship has centered on the composition of discrete biblical texts. Recently, research has expanded into treatments of canonical composition, determining how individual books unite into the larger Old Testament, New Testament, or biblical corpus. Given the lacuna surrounding these areas of research into the Old Testament Writings, this dissertation will explore compositional strategy and theology in the book of Lamentations. The thesis of this dissertation proposes that the imprecations of the book of Lamentations function textually as compositional seams to unite the poems into a cohesive whole …

The Problem Of Deification Within The Church Context In India: An Implausible Deification, Sadananda Rao Matangi

Masters Theses

The self-deification has been the main point on which several related issues have been discussed. No humans are equal with God but are only the servants of God. Even Jesus Christ agreed that the Father is greater than He. The concept of self-deification cannot be used overtly or covertly for self-elevation, Sacro-egoism, Sacro-egotism, self-advantage, or self-probability. On accepting Jesus as one’s personal Lord and Savior, a person may get the blessing of forgiveness of sins, sanctification, salvation, filling of the Holy Spirit, assurance of resurrection, and being with the Lord (on the Second Coming). That does not mean they are …

John’S Complementing Of Mark’S Wicked Tenants Parable In His Metaphor Of The True Vine, John F. Cespedes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The relationship between the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke is well known, but the question of John’s dependence has been researched by countless scholars since the first century without the formation of a consensus. This study seeks to enter this discussion through the examination of the relationship between Mark’s wicked tenants parable (Mark 12:1–12) and John’s true vine metaphor (John 15:1–17). John’s metaphor of the true vine is replete with images woven through the Old Testament and carried forward into the New. In John’s metaphor, Jesus presents himself as the true Israel and says that His followers are the …

Faith Comes By Hearing: Impact Of Expository Preaching In The Worldview Of Young Adults At Sda Church Plants, Kenneth Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this thesis, expository preaching is proposed as the mechanism to communicate a biblical worldview to Adventist young adults (people ages 18 to 40). This thesis project engaged the young adults of two Adventist church plants: Refuge Church and Triumph Church. The project consisted of preaching Adventist biblical theology through expository sermons, with the thesis that it would be interpreted as a worldview by young adults. The preaching series delivered salvation history, broken down into eight pericopes, and used the Great Controversy as its metanarrative. The goal of each sermon was to expound the assigned passage and its place on …

The Necessity Of Spiritual Preparation In Short-Term Missions As It Correlates To Ministry Effectiveness, Brent Edward Allen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a lack of resources available providing spiritual preparation training specifically for teams preparing for a STM with M4 Institute. The purpose of this action research project is two-fold. First, to develop a spiritual preparation resource for STM work in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. Second, to determine if providing spiritual preparation training for a team preparing for said STM work will improve the ministry effectiveness of the trip. An eight-week, five-phase intervention guide was created to implement with the focus group. This consisted of two in-person, on-site team trainings, three pre-trip Zoom team meetings, mid-trip communications with participants …

Traditional Vietnamese Music And Its Incorporation Into Christian Worship, Elijah Khang Chau

Masters Theses

The thesis addresses the concern of incorporating traditional Vietnamese instruments into Christian worship. Most worship done in Vietnamese churches in the US is primarily westernized, and it lacks cultural elements to reflect the Vietnamese culture. Another concern is that the younger generation does not know much about Vietnamese culture; this is an issue because many Vietnamese descents do not know which culture they belong to. The idea behind traditional Vietnamese instruments incorporated into Christian worship will encourage Vietnamese churches to use Vietnamese traditions to further God’s Kingdom so that the Vietnamese congregation can worship and glorify God in their native …

Wounding Words: A Phenomenological Study Of How Individuals Experience Receiving Spiritual Bypass, Peridot Reed-Gilbert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Currently spiritual bypass refers to a person's attempt to evade or sidestep significant events in his or her life by focusing solely on the spiritual dimension “bypassing” important psychological tasks necessary for healing (Cashwell & Young, 2004; Clarke et al., 2013). Several studies have been conducted proving that spiritual bypass is a phenomenon that individuals implement on themselves. However, the purpose of this study was to address the gap in the existing research literature by examining the lived experiences of those who have experienced receiving spiritual bypass from another person. Through semi-structured interviews, fourteen participants who self-identified as having experienced …

Beyond Sunday Morning: Communal Singing And Corporate Identity, Justin Aaron Mckinney

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Corporate worship singing long aided congregants in growing their communal identity and theological understanding of biblical principles. While modern singing trends help congregants grow their theological understanding, modern church singing trends suggest songs are not encouraging growth in communal identity mimicking cultural values of individualism in corporate worship song lyrics. Historically, individual first-person pronouns represented the individuals alongside the rest of the church; but with a rise in cultural individualism, first-person pronouns now represent individuals independent of one another. This individualistic focus can lead congregants to conclude they do not need the church and to remove themselves from the body …

Review Of: Till Sunday Comes Again—D.E. Martin, Cory Anderson

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

Bob Weaver owns one of those “Dutch Bucket” restaurants, that giant palace of Amish country, tourist-sustained eateries serving buffets of fried chicken, mashed potatoes mixed with heavy loads of sour cream, oily vegetables, and gooey gluten rolls. Bob has done an incredible business, and now he is opting to open on Sunday. He makes this move in the context of the ever-more-brittle convictions of his local conservative Anabaptist church. His piety juices out as he explains to his “buddy Dave” (p. 20), whom he hired to print out a new banner announcing Sunday brunch hours. [First paragraph.]

Community Connect: A Strategy To Mitigate The Effects Of Church Shopping On Small Urban And Rural Congregations, Jimmy Greene

Doctor of Ministry Projects and Theses

While serving as an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church, I began to realize that church shopping poses an existential worry to the survival of small churches in North America, mainly those with limited resources. The demand of some church shoppers for social amenities like indoor gyms and theater-style folding seats over personal relationship with God creates low morale for small churches, which often lack a positive response strategy.

This research study proposes a mitigating strategy, Community Connect, to address the social, psychological, missional, and ecclesiological impacts of church shopping on small churches. This socio-missiological, ecclesiological, and pedagogical approach …

"I Know The Dream Mine Is True": Mormons, Mining, And The Making Of "Bad Religion" In Early Twentieth-Century Utah, Christine V. Shell

American Studies ETDs

In 1894, folksy Mormon farmer-turned-prophet John H. Koyle, Jr, dreamed that an angel from the Book of Mormon showed him where and how to mine for golden ore and Book of Mormon treasures. Shortly afterwards, Koyle and a handful of friends established the “Dream Mine” at the revealed location, and as word spread additional workers joined the cause—for this was a mine destined to save the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members from financial and spiritual ruin during the long-foretold apocalyptic “Last Days.”

Koyle’s followers took delight and solace from their participation in the Dream Mine’s …

The Religious Landscape Of Uruguay In The Third Millennium: Present Piety As A Product Of The Past?, Brandon Kriplean

Honors Theses

Of all Latin American countries, Uruguay enjoys both the lowest percentage of Catholics and the highest percentage of religiously unaffiliated. The central aim of this thesis is to explore the extent to which historical secularization processes and laicidad are responsible for the low number of Catholics and the large number of religiously unaffiliated. With regards to the former, the historical evidence suggests that the small Catholic population is not a result of laicidad but is instead a product of internal issues within the Uruguayan Catholic Church. Part 1 of this thesis will explore the factors that have weakened the Uruguayan …

Curriculum As Theology: A Framework For Analyzing Curriculum As Theological Text, Russell Miller

The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community

This article seeks to establish a framework that contemplates curriculum as theological text by exploring the works of Neil Postman, W.F. Pinar, and C.S. Lewis in relation to past and present research and commentary. The paper investigates a range of concepts related to theology and curriculum including culture and religion, ethics, and morality. The author argues that curriculum is intrinsically a theological endeavor due to the nature of humanity and the interaction between learning and spiritual development.

Fosters Chapel Union History, Foster's Chapel United Methodist Church, Union

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Fosters Chapel Union Property Records, Foster's Chapel United Methodist Church, Union

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Friendship Cross Membership Records, Friendship United Methodist Church, Cross

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Good Hope Hemingway Charge Conference 2022, Good Hope United Methodist Church, Hemingway

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Good Hope Hemingway Church History, Good Hope United Methodist Church, Hemingway

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Good Hope Hemingway Property Records, Good Hope United Methodist Church, Hemingway

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Good Hope Membership Records, Good Hope United Methodist Church, Hemingway

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Grace Community History, Grace Community United Methodist Church, Fort Mill

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Grace Community Church Council Minutes 2015-2023, Grace Community United Methodist Church, Fort Mill

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Grace Community Church Property Records, Grace Community United Methodist Church, Fort Mill

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Grace Community Church Council Minutes 2010-14, Grace Community United Methodist Church, Fort Mill

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Hemingway First Membership Records, Hemingway First United Methodist Church

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Hemingway First History, Hemingway First United Methodist Church

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Hemingway Church Council Minutes 2017-2023, Hemingway First United Methodist Church

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Hemingway Church Council Minutes 2008-2015, Hemingway First United Methodist Church

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.

Hodges Charge Conference Reports 1978-2023, Hodges United Methodist Church

Methodist Local Church Records

No abstract provided.