Religion Commons^™

Encouraging Intergenerational Faith Transmission And Spiritual Growth In Home And Church: Reconnecting Youth And Older Generations Through Family Systems Concepts At The Adelaide Seventh-Day Adventist Church, The Bahamas, Larry L. Green

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

This Doctor of Ministry (DMin) project addresses a pressing issue within the church context of the Adelaide Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Bahamas. We first observed sporadic attendance of our youth (Gen Z and Millennials) and their lack of identity with the church. Wider observation revealed weak relationships among the various generations within our church as well as in our homes. This absence of relatedness across generations potentially hinders some from embracing the community’s faith and growing spiritually.

Method

This study aimed to understand and address the nuanced factors contributing to this generational disconnection through the intervention of an …

A Leadership Strategy To Train And Equip African Pastors And Lay Leaders For Effective Ministry To Central African Refugees And Immigrants In Phoenix, Arizona, Joel Mpabwanimana

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Since 2010, there has been a growing number of Central African refugees and immigrants resettling in Arizona. This transition adds many other challenges to the trauma some of them have already endured. Unfortunately, there is a lack of trained pastors and lay leaders to effectively minister to them. I designed this project to develop and implement an effective strategy to train and equip pastors and lay leaders to minister to Central African refugee and immigrant communities in the Ubumwe Seventh-day Adventist Church and Glendale Seventh-day Adventist Church in Phoenix, Arizona.

Method

This project had several primary objectives: (1) to …

Intergenerational Mentorship Model For Membership Revitalization And Involvement At The Guelph Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Aundrea A. Thompson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Guelph Seventh-day Adventist Church faced challenges characterized by low spiritual vitality and a generational divide. These factors jeopardized the spiritual well-being of some members, leading to a decline in church engagement.

Method

Recognizing the urgency of revitalization, the study explored the impact of a seven-week intergenerational mentorship model on participants’ spiritual health and church involvement. Employing a Participatory Action Research approach led by the pastor-researcher in collaboration with the church board, the study utilized Lifeway’s Spiritual Growth Assessment and Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests by Melissa Kruger (2020) to guide the development and …

Estrategia Para Fortalecer La Retencion De Jovenes En La Iglesia Adventista Central De Las Tunas, Cuba, Magdiel Larramendy Laurencio

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Seventh-day Adventist church in the city of Las Tunas, Cuba, from 2000 to 2015 has suffered for the loss of the youth ages 18 to 35 years old. A pastoral study of the congregation revealed that 70% of the youth that were born between the years 1990 and 2000 abandoned the church, indicating that it´s services were irrelevant and the absence of younger people and lacked youth in the leadership of the church. The congregation of Las Tunas has been a church centered in the accomplishment of the mission, and focused on the expansion of the gospel in …

Seminario Sobre La Educacion De Los Hijos Para La Iglesia Adventista Del Septimo Dia Hispana Indy Segunda De Indianapolis, Indiana, Fernando Pizarro

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Instructing parents about the education of children is a task that requires time, willingness, and commitment. Nonetheless, the literature suggests that educating parents on this subject tends to produce favorable outcomes in children (Finders et al. 2016; Nelson 2015; Barth and Liggeth 2014). The Bible also highlights the vital role parents play in educating their children (Deut 6:7; Eph 6:4). However, according to the records of the Indy Second Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church Board in Indianapolis, Indiana, no seminar regarding the education of children has been held in this congregation for the past seven years. In addition to the …

Programa De Discipulado Sobre La Familia Nuclear Para La Iglesia Bilingue Adventista Del Septimo Dia De Hanford, California, Usa, Bismarck Castillo

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Great Commission (Mt. 28:18-20) charges each believer with the duty of forming disciples among people inside and outside the church and could be applied to members within the nuclear family. The Hanford Bilingual Adventist Church (IABH) does not have a program that trains parents in making disciples within their homes. Such a program has the potential to strengthen the nuclear families of the IABH and to form disciples within other families in the community.

Methodology

This research was carried out in the field of practical theology and its main objective was to develop a discipleship program oriented towards …

Desenvolvimento De Um Programa Para Capacitar Pastores Em Preparação Pre-Matrimonial Com Antecedência Na Associacao Paulistana De Iasd No Brasil, Jairo De Oliveira

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

At the São Paulo Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Brazil, a preliminary survey found that 98% of engaged couples who sought out the pre-marital preparation program offered by the church would get married shortly after the preparation course. Given this trend, there was a need for a strategy to encourage engaged couples to participate in a pre-marital preparation program well in advance. A program was then developed to train pastors in pre-marital preparation in advance in the Sao Paulo Conference whose aim was to form healthy and stable marriages.

Methodology

This study adopted a qualitative approach to …

Facilitating Appropriate Clergy Response To Abuse Among Parishioners In The Wisconsin Conference Of Seventh-Day Advetnists, Nicholas S. Moore

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Clergy are frequently the initial point of contact for parishioners seeking guidance and counseling on various life issues and challenges. In certain instances, these matters may be linked to physical and/or sexual abuse, either directly or indirectly. Many clergy have not had the opportunity to receive training on recognizing the signs, symptoms, prevalence, causes, and effects of abuse, or on how and when to refer individuals to specialists or law enforcement when abuse is suspected. This can lead to inadequate emotional and spiritual healing at best, and further psychological damage at worst, for parishioners, with effects that may last …

Programa De Capacitacao Em Evangelismo Publico Para Pastores Distritais Na Divisao Sul-American Da Igreja Adventista Do Septimo Dia, Rafael Ayala Silva Rossi

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In a world facing constant changes, the School of Evangelism of South American Division emerges as another key element in preparing and inspiring district pastors to lead effective evangelism campaigns. The reality presents unique missionary challenges, and thus, the urgency to strengthen communal faith and expand public evangelism becomes more pressing. This thesis addresses the crucial importance of reformulating guidelines and updating the curriculum of the School of Evangelism to meet new spiritual and missionary demands. The aim of this thesis is to answer the following question: In what way can a training program in public evangelism help district …

A Strategy To Equip Selected Members Of The Gaeta Church To Build Bridges With Immigrants To Draw Them Toward The Fellowship Of The Congregation, Rebecca Kessewa Gaisie

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Due to the outbreak of a civil war in Libya in 2011, Italy has been experiencing a great influx of immigrants. Many are scattered throughout Italy, including Gaeta. A majority of the Italian members of Gaeta Church do not understand and engage in the call of God to bring all people into the fellowship of the church. This causes a lack of interest in building bridges to reach immigrants.

Method

The task of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a strategy to equip some members of Gaeta church to build bridges with immigrants to draw them toward …

Cross-Denominational Dialogue: Sola Scriptura In Setting The Table For Charitable And Faithful Christian Discourse, Ciprian Mihai Manea

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In this project, the problem centers around cross-denominational dialogue. The contemporary Christian theological landscape is highly complex and varied. Theologians engage with different theories of knowledge, authority sources, and theological methods, resulting in diverse perspectives that conflict with each other and with Adventist Christian convictions. The differing rational structures of these perspectives require committed effort to understand and communicate effectively. Best practice cross-denominational dialogue involving the theologically informed must account for these differences and provide a context that can facilitate faithful and charitable discourse. Such a context would not only ease the tensions among different Christian traditions but would …

To Assimilate And Nurture Newly Baptized Members In The 9 Mile Seventh-Day Adventist Church Through An Intergenerational Approach, John Gunua Nebare

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The 9 Mile Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the biggest churches in the city Port Moresby. It has been discovered that many young people and some adults who were baptized into the 9 Mile SDA Church in the last ten years no longer attend church. According to overall General Conference statistics, 9 Mile SDA Church’s local conference has been losing members over the last ten years.

Method

The research was conducted using the established research protocols. Three types of research were conducted: focus groups involving both active and non-active members; a major research survey of one hundred people …

Seminario Sobre Conceptos Básicos De Capellanía Policial Para Pastores Adventistas En Fresno, California, José Antonio Pagán

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There is a high demand for chaplains in the Fresno Police Department who can support police officers in addressing city crises. Most Adventist pastors in Fresno do not have the basic knowledge of police chaplaincy nor do they have the certification to practice in this specialized ministry. The latest study published by the California Department of Justice (2023) on the wave of violence in California shows that in 2022, 2,206 homicides were reported, of which 60 were reported by the Fresno Police Department (2023) which required the intervention of trained chaplains to care for the survivors of each victim. …

Spiritual Care For Staff During Trauma And Acute Stress At Adventist Healthcare, Sydney: An Ethnographic Study, Stenoy Stephenson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Health Care is evolving from an exclusive concentration on the physical dimension of illness to a more holistic model which considers the psychosocial and the spiritual. There seems to be a growing need for the spiritual care of the staff who have experienced trauma and acute stress. Although the need for spiritual care in health care services has been largely advocated, there is arguably a lack of attention to the spiritual care needs of staff dealing with traumatic situations and acute stress. The task of this project is to develop, implement, and evaluate spiritual care intervention with staff who …

Self-Care Through Clinical Pastoral Education For Emotional Healing Of Pastoral Staff In The United States: A Case Study For Exploring Relationships, Roberto Vizcaino

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

I have observed that many pastors are suffering from problems experienced in the past and in the present. The problems are both personal (e.g., lack of self-care and depression) and national (e.g., lack of support for social recovery from hurricanes and other natural and socioeconomic catastrophes). Some of the problems experienced by these pastors are because they have not had the opportunity to identify the traumas they experienced in their lives and that still affect them now. In addition, many of them do not have a place where they can share their problems with their colleagues, be heard, supported, …

Reconciliation For Africa: Resources For Ethnic Reconciliation From The Bible And History, Craig Keener, Médine Moussounga Keener

Academic Books

No abstract provided.

More Sick, More Broadly Spiritual: A Comparison Of The Spirituality Of Adolescents With And Without Chronic Illness, Carrie A. Ives

Religious & Theological Studies Student Work

Purpose: This project sought to explore any difference in spirituality between adolescents with and without chronic illness. Assessment tools were reviewed for appropriateness for this population.

Methods: A literature review was conducted, followed by novel research. 10 adolescents were interviewed, using a mixed-methods approach. The quantitative results were analyzed using T-test and MANOVA. The qualitative results were analyzed to find themes and patterns.

Findings: Those with chronic illness and/or mental illness were more likely to have a broader, non-traditional view of religion than their healthy peers. Otherwise, no differences were found between the spirituality of adolescents with and without chronic …

Student Achievement Growth Before And During Covid-19: Comparing In-Person And Remote Learning In Catholic And Public Schools, Stephen Ponisciak, Julie W. Dallavis

Journal of Catholic Education

In response to COVID-19, U.S. students learned remotely from mid-March to June 2020. At the start of academic year 2020-21, many schools remained remote but others—primarily Catholic and other private schools—reopened. We consider Catholic schooling as a proxy for in-person instruction and use national data from Renaissance Star and MAP Growth assessments to compare the achievement of similar students pre-pandemic, during the height of mitigation strategies, and after most schools reopened. In a departure from pre-pandemic growth patterns, students in Catholic schools showed more growth than those in public schools during the height of mitigation strategies, suggesting the importance of …

“The Good Shepherd Discourse As Persuasive Speech (John 9:39-10:21)”, Craig R. Koester

Faculty Publications

The contributors to this volume move beyond 'standard' soteriological issues, addressing often-neglected aspects of the soteriology of John and Paul. They demonstrate how themes like wisdom, volition, freedom, and the role of angels form an integral part of soteriology.

Where Does The Church Stand In Today’S Mental Health Landscape?, Noah T. Mursu

Schultz-Werth Award Papers

Religious involvement in care for those living with mental illness has been going on for centuries, and perspectives on it have changed throughout the years. This literature review evaluates the place of religious groups, mainly Christian churches, in today's mental health situation by considering past and present involvement. It incorporates sources regarding different eras of mental hospital reform, modern perspectives of mental health clinicians and clergy, and the current gaps in mental health support among a variety of groups, including veterans, African Americans, and people in developing countries. This review then considers potential future involvement, especially considering how these gaps …

Front Matter

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

Rediscovering Zoram: The Chief NaʿAr Of The Commander Of The Fortress, Kelly N. Schaeffer-Bullock

BYU Studies

There are several prominent figures in the opening chapters of the Book of Mormon whose roles, responsibilities, and titles may have eluded the modern reader. As more is learned about ancient Israelite laws, customs, and culture through archaeological successes and academic research, previous biblical scholarship is reworked, refined, or totally redesigned. So too with academic scholarship on the Book of Mormon. The way readers understand the central figures in the opening chapters of the Book of Mormon must be regularly reassessed as additional information is obtained. There is still a great deal more to discover about the people who played …

Can God Truly Forget My Sins?: Christian Temporality And The Possibility Of Repentance, James E. Faulconer

BYU Studies

When we think about repentance, we face a conundrum. On one hand, we are promised new life. As Paul says, “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). On the other hand, the repentant person remains the same person that he or she was. In the younger Alma’s case, he is the person who “had murdered many of [God’s] children, or rather led them away unto destruction” (Alma 36:14). How can Alma be both a new person and the person who led many …

Decoding The Self-Tracking Symbols Of Wilford Woodruff’S Journals, Joshua M. Matson

BYU Studies

Wilford Woodruff’s journals have been celebrated as one of the greatest textual records of the Restoration. A prominent, yet almost entirely unexplored, component of Woodruff’s journals is his creating, implementing, and consistently drawing symbols and pictures alongside his near-daily autobiographical record. Within his fifteen-volume journal spanning more than a sixty-year period, Woodruff drew approximately nine thousand images. The first of these symbols appears in an entry dated March 23, 1837, and the final image is drawn on March 19, 1897. These images can be divided into two groups. The first are unique illustrations that appear erratically throughout the journals and …

End Matter

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

“They’Re Just Rehearsing”: Gospel Methodology And The Humanities, Rex P. Nielson

BYU Studies

As BYU approaches the fiftieth anniversary of President Spencer W. Kimball’s landmark speech “The Second Century of Brigham Young University,” Church and university leaders continue to revisit this prophetic talk while reflecting upon the educational mission and potential of Brigham Young University. One notable phrase from President Kimball’s discourse that has gained currency at the university points to a potential difference between the educational efforts of BYU and the work of other universities: “Gospel methodology, concepts, and insights can help us to do what the world cannot do in its own frame of reference.”

A Forensic And Historical Look At John Taylor’S Watch: Evidence Of Divine Mercy, Brian A. Warburton

BYU Studies

In June 2023, the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the public availability of forensic and historical research recently completed on the pocket watch of John Taylor. Taylor, an Apostle of the Church at the time, was present when Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob in the Hancock County Jail in Carthage, Illinois, on June 27, 1844. During the attack, Taylor was shot four times, and his watch was damaged. This artifact has long held a special place in the hearts of many members of the Church as …

It’S Not The End Of The World; It’S Just The Apocalypse: The Book Of Revelation In The Book Of Mormon, Nicholas J. Frederick, Joseph M. Spencer

BYU Studies

Among the Book of Mormon’s most remarkable characteristics is its consistent interaction with the Bible. The Bible haunts this book, showing up in subtle allusions and type scenes as well as direct quotations both short and long. Further, the Book of Mormon explicitly reflects on the Bible’s historical origins, canonical shape, and scriptural destiny. As has long been recognized, the Book of Mormon’s most sustained interest is in the book of Isaiah. But at least one other biblical focus deserves detailed notice because it has a place of some privilege in the Book of Mormon: the book of Revelation. Indeed, …

Jesus And The Torah In Matthew Beyond Replacement Theology, Jordan Lavender

BYU Studies

The book of Matthew is a first-century Jewish text that reflects the debates and concerns of Second Temple Judaism, a period of Jewish religious practice lasting from the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in the sixth century BC to its destruction by Roman forces in AD 70. The Gospel of Matthew’s position on the observance of the Torah, or Jewish law, has been the subject of scholarly debate, with some claiming that Matthew advocates for the observance of Jewish law and others arguing that the Gospel proposes abandoning the observance of Jewish law. This paper follows the scholars in the …

Lines For The Forgotten Familiar Living With Loss: My Spouse To Alzheimer’S, Dixie L. Partridge

BYU Studies

Tight as a bulb, I wait in the dark,

wanting only the dark. But I’ve dreamed

the scent of sage, the smell of plowed soil,

a movement of wildflowers coming and going.