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Articles 2191 - 2220 of 109835

Full-Text Articles in Religion

Discovering An Effective Disciple-Making Method For Men, Clifton J. Hefley Oct 2025

Discovering An Effective Disciple-Making Method For Men, Clifton J. Hefley

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

This dissertation explores the development of an effective disciple-making method for men by integrating insights from early church discipleship practices and modern missional strategies such as Disciple Making Movements (DMM) and Church Planting Movements (CPM). Rooted in biblical theology and the teachings of the Patristic Fathers, the study evaluates how obediencebased, relational discipleship shaped early Christianity and compares it with contemporary missional frameworks promoted by leaders like David Garrison, Alan Hirsch, and Steve Addison. Against the backdrop of a sharp decline in church attendance and male engagement in Western Christianity, this research identifies the need for a reproducible, movement-oriented model …


The Pastor As Romantic Author: Ai, Preaching, And The Unacknowledged Inheritance Of Authenticity, Daniel Plate, James Hutson Oct 2025

The Pastor As Romantic Author: Ai, Preaching, And The Unacknowledged Inheritance Of Authenticity, Daniel Plate, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This article interrogates contemporary reactions to sermons produced with generative technologies through a historical–conceptual lens, arguing that widespread judgments of such outputs as “soulless,” “generic,” or lacking a “beating heart” are best explained by an unacknowledged inheritance from nineteenth-century Romantic expressivism. Rather than treating resistance to machine authorship as a theological verdict on computational incapacity, the study reconstructs how Romanticism centered authorship in sincere self-expression and solitary genius, displacing earlier heraldic expectations that prized fidelity to a received message. Methodologically, the analysis combines intellectual history with discourse analysis of global Christian experiments in synthetic composition (2020–2025), denominational guidance, and media …


Dust To Dust, Emma Ask Oct 2025

Dust To Dust, Emma Ask

SPARK Symposium Presentations

"Dust to Dust" is a small group dance composition inspired by Genesis 3:19 and other passages referring to the human experience as that which is Earthly (dust). In this piece, the scripture is used as a framework for telling the story of life and the cyclical nature of being molded and created by God, the interweaving pathways of life in Creation and the eventual return to that which we were created from. In this piece, we are offered a chance reflect on the juxtaposition of the intricacy of our individual lives and the vastness and beauty of the collective human …


Introduction To Joint Issue, Thomas Seckler Oct 2025

Introduction To Joint Issue, Thomas Seckler

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Volume 12 Issue 1 (Oct 1912) Oct 2025

Volume 12 Issue 1 (Oct 1912)

The Soul Winner

No abstract provided.


Life In The Kingdom: Reimagining Theological Education For A Post-Secular Global Age, Jose Philip Oct 2025

Life In The Kingdom: Reimagining Theological Education For A Post-Secular Global Age, Jose Philip

Great Commission Research Journal

Theological education faces a profound crisis, shaped by globalization, secularization, and an epistemological fracture that prioritizes intellectual mastery over spiritual formation. Many seminaries fail to cultivate graduates who are spiritually grounded and missionally engaged due to models rooted in Enlightenment rationalism and managerial pragmatism. This paper advocates for reimagining theological education as a Kingdom-centered vocation, emphasizing transformative participation in the life of God. The paper calls for a shift from content delivery to character formation, centering theological education on faithful, embodied witness to God's mission in a complex world.


Book Review: A New And Ancient Evangelism: Rediscovering The Ways God Calls And Sends By Judith Paulsen, Christina D. Gonet Oct 2025

Book Review: A New And Ancient Evangelism: Rediscovering The Ways God Calls And Sends By Judith Paulsen, Christina D. Gonet

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Experiments In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz Oct 2025

Experiments In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

Experiments, with their ability to establish causal relationships (unlike correlational studies), are an under-utilized research tool in church-based research. This article examines experimental designs, including pre-experiments, true experiments, and quasi-experiments, and their relevance to church contexts. The challenges of random assignment, ethical considerations, and threats to validity, such as history, maturation, and selection effects, are real, but not insurmountable. There are practical limitations to experiments in church settings, but previously conducted experiments focusing on Bible reading, church attendance, and leadership development initiatives demonstrate their feasibility. The value of experimental methodologies for understanding church-related phenomena, improving ministry effectiveness, fostering spiritual growth, …


From Disruption To Renewal: Harnessing Divine Interruptions And Strategic Leadership For Transforming Church Culture, Ryan Johnson Oct 2025

From Disruption To Renewal: Harnessing Divine Interruptions And Strategic Leadership For Transforming Church Culture, Ryan Johnson

Great Commission Research Journal

Church revitalization is a field that addresses refreshing the church’s mission and vision by leaders who assess internal and external factors affecting the congregation’s current state. However, researchers in organizational culture argue that refreshed strategies will be ineffective without also addressing underlying cultural issues. This essay addresses the need for and the process of transforming church culture during the revitalization process. Pastors and leaders bring about cultural change by disrupting the status quo. This disruptive leadership is achieved through two approaches. First, leaders proactively and incrementally disrupt the status quo to influence cultural change through faithful pastoral practices. Secondly, leaders …


Book Review: Street Smarts: Using Questions To Answer Christianity’S Toughest Challenges By Gregory Koukal, Daniel Suter Oct 2025

Book Review: Street Smarts: Using Questions To Answer Christianity’S Toughest Challenges By Gregory Koukal, Daniel Suter

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


The Church As Witness: The Relationship Between Identity, Action, And Metrics Of Success, Jonathan Husted Oct 2025

The Church As Witness: The Relationship Between Identity, Action, And Metrics Of Success, Jonathan Husted

Great Commission Research Journal

The Church (especially in the West) has focused on different “metrics” used to measure success. These metrics have focused on quantitative measurements, oftentimes neglecting the “means” for the sake of the “ends.” Not to mention, “success” has been distorted and defined outside of Jesus’ witness. What if the Bible presented different metrics of success? Metrics that focus both on the “means” and the “ends” are equally important. This research presents the argument that “witness” is foundational to success, especially when focusing on the life of Jesus. Therefore, witness, as both an identity and an action, must be reclaimed by the …


I Was In Prison And You Educated Me: A Missiological Analysis, Paul H. De Neui Oct 2025

I Was In Prison And You Educated Me: A Missiological Analysis, Paul H. De Neui

Great Commission Research Journal

With less than 5% of the world’s population, the United States incarcerates more than 25% of the world’s prisoners. The U.S. detains more of its own population than any other country in the world. Providing theological education to men and women who are incarcerated in U.S. prisons presents possibilities for mutual transformation, culture shaping, as well as numerous complex challenges. This article reviews the ten years of North Park Theological Seminary’s involvement in this effort in three state prisons in Illinois, drawing out lessons learned in the process. The opportunities and potential pitfalls are presented from a missiological perspective to …


Book Review: Canoeing The Mountains: Christian Leadership In Uncharted Territory By Tod Bolsinger, Jason Ballard Oct 2025

Book Review: Canoeing The Mountains: Christian Leadership In Uncharted Territory By Tod Bolsinger, Jason Ballard

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


A Brief History Of The American Society For Church Growth And Great Commission Research Network, Gary Mcintosh Oct 2025

A Brief History Of The American Society For Church Growth And Great Commission Research Network, Gary Mcintosh

Great Commission Research Journal

This article surveys the 40‑year history of the Great Commission Research Network, originally founded in 1985 as the American Society for Church Growth. It traces the Society’s origins in the vision of C. Peter Wagner, its early development alongside emerging academic and consulting roles in the Church Growth Movement, and its subsequent evolution through changing leadership, themes, and institutional partnerships. The narrative outlines major milestones, including organizational restructuring, name changes, expanding conference formats, and increasing collaboration with seminaries, denominations, and the Society for Church Consulting. Across four decades, the Society has produced significant research, cultivated key leaders, supported academic scholarship, …


Book Review: Reading James Missiologically: The Missionary Motive, Message, And Methods Of James Edited By Abeneazer G. Urga, Jessica A. Udall, And Edward L. Smither, Kenneth Nehrbass Oct 2025

Book Review: Reading James Missiologically: The Missionary Motive, Message, And Methods Of James Edited By Abeneazer G. Urga, Jessica A. Udall, And Edward L. Smither, Kenneth Nehrbass

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Book Review: A New And Ancient Evangelism: Rediscovering The Ways God Calls And Sends By Judith Paulsen, Rhonda Haynes Oct 2025

Book Review: A New And Ancient Evangelism: Rediscovering The Ways God Calls And Sends By Judith Paulsen, Rhonda Haynes

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Book Review: Generations: The Real Difference Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, And Silents – And What They Mean For America’S Future By Jean M. Twenge, H. L. Ward Jr. Oct 2025

Book Review: Generations: The Real Difference Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, And Silents – And What They Mean For America’S Future By Jean M. Twenge, H. L. Ward Jr.

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


The Receptivity Principle For Effective Evangelism: Its Biblical Basis, Mike Morris Oct 2025

The Receptivity Principle For Effective Evangelism: Its Biblical Basis, Mike Morris

Great Commission Research Journal

Donald McGavran’s receptivity principle remains relevant today as Christian mission agencies and individuals make decisions about prioritizing evangelistic efforts. This article examines the scriptural basis of the principle. The author analyzes various passages that confirm the logical progression of the following statements: The preliminary work of God is necessary for evangelistic effectiveness. God works unevenly around the world as he works in the evangelistic process. Because of God’s uneven work, some individuals and groups are more receptive to the gospel than are other individuals and groups. Christians can and should discern where God is causing increased receptivity, and they should …


Book Review: Evangelism In An Age Of Despair: Hope Beyond The Failed Promise Of Happiness By Andrew Root, Mark R. Teasdale Oct 2025

Book Review: Evangelism In An Age Of Despair: Hope Beyond The Failed Promise Of Happiness By Andrew Root, Mark R. Teasdale

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Book Review: Meaningful Outreach: An Essential Guide For Churches By Mark A. Wood, Glenn L. Campbell Oct 2025

Book Review: Meaningful Outreach: An Essential Guide For Churches By Mark A. Wood, Glenn L. Campbell

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Book Review: Bearing Witness In Acts And Today By Troy M. Troftgruben, Christopher Robershaw Oct 2025

Book Review: Bearing Witness In Acts And Today By Troy M. Troftgruben, Christopher Robershaw

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Book Review: Preaching In A New Key, Crafting Expository Sermons In Post-Christian Communities By Mark R. Glanville, Bing Nieh Oct 2025

Book Review: Preaching In A New Key, Crafting Expository Sermons In Post-Christian Communities By Mark R. Glanville, Bing Nieh

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Book Review: Hybrid Church: Rethinking The Church For A Post-Christian Digital Age By James Emery White, Glenn L. Campbell Oct 2025

Book Review: Hybrid Church: Rethinking The Church For A Post-Christian Digital Age By James Emery White, Glenn L. Campbell

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


About The Great Commission Research Network Fall 2025, David R. Dunaetz Oct 2025

About The Great Commission Research Network Fall 2025, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Fall 2025 Complete Issue, David R. Dunaetz Oct 2025

Fall 2025 Complete Issue, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


Book Review: Evangelism Renewed: The Theological Revisioning Of Evangelism By Henry H. Knight Iii, Mark R. Teasdale Oct 2025

Book Review: Evangelism Renewed: The Theological Revisioning Of Evangelism By Henry H. Knight Iii, Mark R. Teasdale

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.


The Leadership And Organizational Traits Of Healthy Church Cultures, Stephen Blandino Oct 2025

The Leadership And Organizational Traits Of Healthy Church Cultures, Stephen Blandino

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The leadership and organizational cultures of local churches are crucial. Over the centuries, these cultures have been shaped by various factors, from the teachings of the Apostle Paul and Apostle Peter in the New Testament to the behaviors and practices of the Catholic Church, the influence of the Reformation, and insights from modern research. This dissertation identifies ten leadership and organizational traits that have influenced the culture of New Testament, historical, and modern-day churches. These traits were used in a quantitative survey to assess their presence in contemporary churches. Based on the research, eight strategies are presented to help pastors …


An Effective And Organized Mentorship Model: Does It Affect The Emerging Leaders’ Call To Ministry And The Longevity Of The Universal Church?, Linda F. Parker Oct 2025

An Effective And Organized Mentorship Model: Does It Affect The Emerging Leaders’ Call To Ministry And The Longevity Of The Universal Church?, Linda F. Parker

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The concept of mentorship is undeniably a fundamental tool for personal and professional growth. Statistics show that mentorship has a vital impact on both individuals and organizations. Could having a strategic mentoring plan in ministry make a meaningful difference for individuals and the Universal Church? This dissertation has explored the effects of mentorship and models based on experiences and strategies from those who identify as ministry leaders. For the Apostle Paul, Christ's life serves as a model and example, as he states, “Follow my example, as I follow Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). These words are the exact phrase that Jesus …


77 | Khirbat ‘Amra: A Rural Site From The Hellenistic To Early Islamic Periods In The BeʼEr Sheva‘ Valley, Itamar Taxel, Noé D. Michael Oct 2025

77 | Khirbat ‘Amra: A Rural Site From The Hellenistic To Early Islamic Periods In The BeʼEr Sheva‘ Valley, Itamar Taxel, Noé D. Michael

IAA Reports—Monograph Series of the Israel Antiquities Authority

This volume constitutes the final report of the large-scale salvage excavations directed by Gil Tahal on behalf of the IAA in 1993–1994 at the site of Khirbat ‘Amra, in the north-central area of the Be’er Sheva‛ Valley. The excavations revealed architectural remains and finds dated mainly to the Hellenistic until the Early Islamic periods, in addition to scantier remains or isolated finds from the Chalcolithic period, the Iron Age II and the Ottoman period. Khirbat ‘Amra is one of the largest multiperiod sites in the Be’er Sheva‛ Valley, specifically in the Byzantine and Early Islamic periods. Furthermore, Tahal’s excavations were …


Islams And Modernity In Cyprus And Turkey: A Comparative Perspective, Michael Todd Smith Oct 2025

Islams And Modernity In Cyprus And Turkey: A Comparative Perspective, Michael Todd Smith

School of Political Science, Public Affairs, Legal and Security Studies Faculty Publications

This article critically analyzes Aziz Al-Azmeh’s concept of Islams, while arguing for a contextbased analysis of the meeting between religious identity and modernity. It provides a loose framework for analyzing encounters between Islams and modernity in the cases of Cyprus and Turkey. Despite their close cultural and political connections at the rise of modernity, these two cases diverge, showcasing a high degree of public and private secularism in Cyprus and a contested public secularism and significant private religious identification in Turkey.