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Articles 1 - 30 of 56
Full-Text Articles in Biblical Studies
The First Murder: An Analysis Of Genesis 4:1-16 Toward An Understanding Of The Old Testament's Perspective On The Ethics Of Killing, Henry Kreiter
The First Murder: An Analysis Of Genesis 4:1-16 Toward An Understanding Of The Old Testament's Perspective On The Ethics Of Killing, Henry Kreiter
Master of Divinity (MDiv)
The story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 contains the first biblical account of one human killing another yet provides a markedly terse description of the murder itself. This suggests the author's primary concern was not the details of the killing, but the characters and events surrounding it. An analysis of early Jewish interpretations, Christian commentaries, and intra-biblical teachings reveals a common understanding that the author of Genesis 4 was predominantly focused on the character traits of Cain and the damage his heart of self-absorbed wickedness caused himself and those around him. The Genesis 4 narrative presents a God …
A Kingdom-Centric Spiritual Formation Model: Developing Churchwide Strategies For Forming People Into Christlikeness, Justin Adams
A Kingdom-Centric Spiritual Formation Model: Developing Churchwide Strategies For Forming People Into Christlikeness, Justin Adams
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
This dissertation explores how churches can better form people by examining the central research question: “What strategies can churches use to develop a Kingdom-centric spiritual formation model that prioritizes shaping individuals into Christlikeness as the church’s primary vision and mission?” Drawing on Paul’s desire to see Christ formed in the Galatian church (Gal 4:19), as well as exploring Jesus’s mandate in Matt 28:19 in connection with Acts 2:42-46, these texts show the connection between the spiritual formation of early believers and the Church. The researcher employed a quantitative methodology at The Worship Center in Leesburg, Virginia. Research revealed significant perceptions …
Multiplying Multipliers: How To Develop Church Planters Who Multiply Through Evangelical Church-Based Planting, Patrick Grach
Multiplying Multipliers: How To Develop Church Planters Who Multiply Through Evangelical Church-Based Planting, Patrick Grach
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The Evangelical Church of America is declining, while the population of the United States is growing. Though the church has a biblical mandate to multiply and fulfill the Great Commission, the church-planter pipelines within church-planting churches and organizations are shrinking, and only a fraction of churches are multiplying by developing church planters and releasing them to plant new generations of churches. The challenge of generational church multiplication is captured in the research question: How can church-planting churches and church-based church-planting networks prepare church planters to multiply? This study provides a biblical foundation for a practical theology of church multiplication and …
Ecclesial Communion: Of Divine Economy Through Love And Participation, Kyle J. Groesch
Ecclesial Communion: Of Divine Economy Through Love And Participation, Kyle J. Groesch
Masters of Theological Studies
Following the councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, the early followers of Christian faith understood the proper name for their God to be entirely triune in essence: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. While this trinitarian heritage has scarcely been passed down to modern believers of Christianity, the fundamental truth of God’s triune nature remains the same. Out of the divine economy, humanity was crafted in the image of God with koinonia at heart. As Father, Son, and Holy Spirit comprise the singular ousia and cannot exist apart from one another, so the Body with many members is only possible in the …
A Training Model For Strategic Planning In Large Evangelical Churches, Ginger Ann Beady
A Training Model For Strategic Planning In Large Evangelical Churches, Ginger Ann Beady
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
This dissertation explores strategic planning for churches in the post-Christendom era, where the cultural influence of Christianity has significantly diminished. The study aims to create a resource to help church leaders develop and implement strategic plans focused on long-term church health and sustainability. The first objective is to define what strategic planning entails and emphasize its necessity for fulfilling God's mission. Drawing on the Old Testament case study of Nehemiah and a New Testament survey, the research emphasizes the importance of effective planning within a biblical context. The second focus of this research question is to identify what to plan …
Christ As Anachronism Or Archetype?: The Presence Of Jesus ‘Before’ And ‘After’ The Incarnation, Samuel E. Marks
Christ As Anachronism Or Archetype?: The Presence Of Jesus ‘Before’ And ‘After’ The Incarnation, Samuel E. Marks
Masters of Theological Studies
Pentecostals as ‘paramodernists’, and mystics which have lost their theological bearings, have often imagined God as a being, somewhere in the universe or beyond it, distant from our lives, imploring God to come near and cause change. Through a brief study of Christian metaphysics, this work reveals God not as a divine being but as the very essence of existence itself, the ground of Being. In this paradigm, God's relationship with Creation is neither rivalrous nor causative, but is instead Creative. Freed from the constraints of time, linearity, and causality, God is truly free to make us free. At the …
The Great Cultural Commission: Fulfilling The Command Of Jesus To Lead And Create A Culture Different Than The World’S, Kevin D. Geer
The Great Cultural Commission: Fulfilling The Command Of Jesus To Lead And Create A Culture Different Than The World’S, Kevin D. Geer
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Jesus gathered his disciples together and shared with them how the leaders of this world love to use their influence, power, and titles to rule over those they lead. Jesus told his disciples “among you it will be different” (Matt 20:26) compared to the leadership of the world. Jesus called his disciples to the Great Culture Commission, a call to servant leadership in which one uses their opportunities, gifts, and advantages to lift everyone else around them. This call creates a culture that propels the Great Commission while cultivating servant-hearted leadership. The intent of this dissertation is to discover the …
Evangelship: Mobilizing A Culture Of Discipleship That Leads To Evangelism In A Multiethnic Latino Context, Lawrence D. Perez
Evangelship: Mobilizing A Culture Of Discipleship That Leads To Evangelism In A Multiethnic Latino Context, Lawrence D. Perez
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Discipleship and evangelism in America today are eroding. Where traditionally the church sees discipleship and evangelism as separate entities, this research project argues for the unification of the two. This project explores “Evangelship,” the uniting of evangelism and discipleship, to see if the combined approach and perspective could offer a better way to engage the North American population. The driving question for this project is “Can the integration of evangelism and discipleship create a culture that accelerates and advances the Great Commission at U-Turn Covenant Church (U-Turn)?” To answer this question, the study aims to establish a discipleship framework that …
Naturalist Thomas Hardy's Inadvertent Support Of The Gospel Narrative When Portraying Sexual Abuse And Shame In Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Hannah Carmichael
Naturalist Thomas Hardy's Inadvertent Support Of The Gospel Narrative When Portraying Sexual Abuse And Shame In Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Hannah Carmichael
Master of Arts in Classical Studies
In his novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, the naturalist author Thomas Hardy attempts to critique the 19th-century Christian perspective on sexual abuse. Instead, he inadvertently critiques legalism, exposing it as the antithesis of true Christianity. Secular scholars believe that Hardy’s novel is blaming the Victorian era’s sexual ignorance for the stigma and shame surrounding sexual abuse. Christian scholars believe that Hardy’s naturalistic worldview simply lacks a moral standard. However, I believe that Hardy’s novel exposes an issue far deeper than sexual ignorance and lacks something far more substantive than a moral standard; his novel addresses the devastating consequences of …
Christ As Dialogue With Culture: Reimaging The Church For Incarnational Discipleship And Ministry, Sean Sloan
Christ As Dialogue With Culture: Reimaging The Church For Incarnational Discipleship And Ministry, Sean Sloan
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
God spoke, and Logos created. Increased polarization and divisiveness in USAmerican society and the resulting social pain and even violence inspired this project to pursue a healthier and restorative dialogue. If God’s spoken and incarnate Word originated human life and was and is the means of redeeming humans to life with God and one another, how might such a dialogical Christology impact a theology of dialogue capable of addressing brokenness in a culture? As action research, this project tested the potential for a theology of dialogue to impact perceptions as a precursor to altering behaviors through a presentation at Calvary …
Faithful Is The Word: Forging A Pastoral Mentality Based On An Analysis Of The Phrase “Pistos Ho Logos” And Its Effectiveness When Applied To Pastoral Succession, Israel Sotolongo
Faithful Is The Word: Forging A Pastoral Mentality Based On An Analysis Of The Phrase “Pistos Ho Logos” And Its Effectiveness When Applied To Pastoral Succession, Israel Sotolongo
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The aim of this thesis is to develop a biblically grounded resource that will prepare incoming pastors who will succeed retiring pastors of local churches. Studies show that most church succession attempts are not deemed successful, which is concerning since, over the next ten to twenty years, the American church will experience the largest wave of retiring pastors it has ever seen. This work addressed two learning gaps, as little exists in the form of resources directed primarily at incoming pastors and research on the clause Pistos ho Logos. Therefore, the primary research questions were “What are the meaning and …
The Leadership Effectiveness Of The Judean Kings/Queen, Charles H. Gaulden
The Leadership Effectiveness Of The Judean Kings/Queen, Charles H. Gaulden
PhD in Organizational Leadership
In this study, the leadership effectiveness of the Judean kings/queen during the divided kingdom was examined. The research methodology utilized was a multi-case study of the Judean rulers through an exegetical analysis of 2 Chronicles 10-36. A multifaceted method was utilized for genre inquiry to explore the unique properties of the book of Chronicles. The study placed biblical literature into the history genre through the Chronicler’s varied conveyance methods. The textual units linked with the narrative analysis of the discovered location, repetition, and themes. Some intertextual engagement overlapped with archaeology, Kings’ records, and prophetic literature. The researcher identified seven leadership …
Best Bible Study Methods For Discipleship Formation: How Bible Study As A Spiritual Discipline Shapes Believers, Sandy Chery
Best Bible Study Methods For Discipleship Formation: How Bible Study As A Spiritual Discipline Shapes Believers, Sandy Chery
Master of Divinity (MDiv)
Because the Christian faith depends upon Christ's life, teachings, death, and resurrection, believers should strive to become more like Him daily. In this regard, the late theologian C.S. Lewis would argue that every Christian should become a “little Christ.” According to research conducted by Barna Research Group, four of five Christians list personal spiritual development and having a deep commitment to Christ as a priority. However, only one in five Christians is involved in any spiritual development activities outside of attending church services. Thus, few Christians are actually investing energy into their spiritual growth. Discipleship formation, known interchangeably as spiritual …
Pentecostal Health: The Intentionality Of Being A Spirit-Filled Ministry, Johnny L. Manning
Pentecostal Health: The Intentionality Of Being A Spirit-Filled Ministry, Johnny L. Manning
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The premise of this research project asserts that a disconnect exists between what Pentecostal churches profess to believe and what is experienced and practiced by their congregations. The purpose of this project was to discover if this disconnect exists. Secular philosopher Franz Brentano popularized the concept of intentionality. Jesus demonstrated intentionality regarding the partnership with the Holy Spirit and his followers, expecting them to be empowered with the Holy Spirit for Christian living and witness. Jesus always intended for his Church to be filled with Pentecostal people. Jesus’ intention can be perceived by observing what He said about the Holy …
Authentic Credible Leadership: An Examination Of Jesus’S Leadership In The Farewell Discourses, Joshua D. Henson, Samuel Hemby
Authentic Credible Leadership: An Examination Of Jesus’S Leadership In The Farewell Discourses, Joshua D. Henson, Samuel Hemby
Selected Faculty Publications
This is a study of authentic credibility as demonstrated through John’s description of Jesus’ words and actions in the Farewell Discourses (John 13-17). Identifying the need for further research on the relationship between authentic leadership and credibility (Williams et al., 2018) and building from Kouzes and Posner’s (2011) six disciplines of leader credibility—discover yourself, appreciate constituents, affirm shared values, develop capacity, serve a purpose, and sustain hope—and Hemby’s (2007) on leader credibility, we espouse that moral foundations of authentic leadership promote leader credibility while not dimensioning the need for competence. After a thorough literature review on authentic leadership, the study …
Discipleship Renewed: Returning To The Ancient Teachings Of Jesus As The Manual For Modern-Day Christianity, Sarah Duron
Discipleship Renewed: Returning To The Ancient Teachings Of Jesus As The Manual For Modern-Day Christianity, Sarah Duron
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
The modern American Christian is faced with a society that is in unprecedented spiritual decline. Yet, is today’s church equipped with the fortitude to shine as light in darkness like Jesus intended? The concern behind this project is that a broad view of current Christian landscape reveals a great need to reclarify what it means to be a Christian. In His teaching, Jesus provides everything that is needed for the Christian life. The American church needs to experience a genuine return to the kind of Christianity that Jesus intended. It is the kind that can be referred to as discipleship. …
A Kingdom Model Of Leadership: Developing A Biblical Leadership Standard Established On Kingdom Principles And Exemplified By The Person And Ministry Of Jesus, Meredith James
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Although secular leadership principles and insights may benefit pastors and ministry leaders, business practices and cultural trends should not be the driving influences that guide and inform the church. Many pastors and ministry leaders are not practicing the biblical concept of kingdom leadership that Jesus modeled. Instead, they have increasingly relied on secular leadership strategies to produce successful results for their churches. This approach to ministry can often guide ministry leaders to depend on their natural gifts, marketing campaigns, and elevated production elements to grow attendance. The problem with this ministry methodology is that faithfulness and biblical truth are many …
A Daily Time With God For Spiritual Growth: How Worship, Scripture, And Prayer Transform People Into Fully Devoted Followers Of Jesus, Luke Cunningham
A Daily Time With God For Spiritual Growth: How Worship, Scripture, And Prayer Transform People Into Fully Devoted Followers Of Jesus, Luke Cunningham
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Bible engagement, faith practice, and people identifying as followers of Jesus are at an all-time low in America. Christians are casually attending church, occasionally volunteering, but not transforming into fully devoted followers of Jesus. Discipleship is defined differently from church to church, and “spiritual formation” is the new rave without much local church praxis. How do Christians go from a weekly faith of attendance to a daily faith of transformation? The focus of this doctoral dissertation is to present the practice of daily meetings with God as the solution to this problem. It is by laying out a clear theology …
Young Adult Attrition In The American Church: The Suspected Causes And Suggested Cures, Randall M. Morrow
Young Adult Attrition In The American Church: The Suspected Causes And Suggested Cures, Randall M. Morrow
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Young adults in America today are deciding that the Church is no longer relevant, so they are choosing to drop out in increasing numbers. Their disaffiliation from communities of faith is also harming their personal faith. This observation is irrespective of Church denominations; their exodus occurs in most faith groups, including Catholic, Mainline Protestant, Evangelical, and Pentecostal/Charismatic denominations. Consequently, the future vitality of the Church is threatened. Why does this problem exist, and what can be done to intervene and change the downward trajectory? What should Christian parents and ministry leaders do differently to achieve a higher retention rate of …
Engaging And Mobilizing Baby Boomers For Effective Ministry, Paul D. Russell
Engaging And Mobilizing Baby Boomers For Effective Ministry, Paul D. Russell
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
In the 21st-century church in America, can Baby Boomers, who presently range from 57 to 76 years of age, be envisioned and commissioned to make a difference through effective and meaningful ministry? The intent of the research was to discover relevant information and present considerations to help those entering the last third of life make an informed contribution to the church and community. Evidence will be presented to show that Boomers need the church and that the church needs the presence and resourceful productivity of the Boomer cohort. This reality does not circumvent the essential mission of reaching other generations …
How Servant Leaders Navigate Conflict: An Analysis Of Acts 15:36–41, Joshua D. Henson, Justin R. Craun
How Servant Leaders Navigate Conflict: An Analysis Of Acts 15:36–41, Joshua D. Henson, Justin R. Craun
Selected Faculty Publications
Greenleaf’s foundational work on servant leadership has evolved considerably over the past 50 years. Servant leadership has been found to have positive outcomes on group and organisational effectiveness. While servant leadership characteristics and outcomes have been measured, is a need to be better understand how servant leaders navigate when they disagree. Using a social and cultural analysis, the conflict between Paul and Barnabas is explored. Social and cultural analysis allows interpreters to understand what the characters in the narrative ‘see and hear.’ The analysis of Acts 15:36–41 yielded three emerging themes related to how these servant leaders navigated conflict: (1) …
An Exegetical And Phenomenological Study Of 1–3 John As A Model For Developing Biblical Community Through Spiritual Leadership Practices, Joseph Pastori
An Exegetical And Phenomenological Study Of 1–3 John As A Model For Developing Biblical Community Through Spiritual Leadership Practices, Joseph Pastori
PhD in Organizational Leadership
Pastors and church leaders have been trusted with the New Testament responsibility of building biblical community characterized by koinonia. For contemporary pastors, this means developing this community while addressing internal conflicts and an increasing level of opposition from a post-Christian societal culture. The leadership approach of the Apostle John and the biblical principles in the epistles of 1–3 John serve as a model for building and maintaining biblical community while addressing internal and external challenges. Spiritual leadership theory (Fry, 2003) and organizational culture (Cameron & Quinn, 2011; Schein, 1986, 1990) provide valid theoretical constructs that are compatible with the Scriptural …
An Exploration Of The Role Of Vulnerability In Ministerial Leadership: A Qualitative Examination Of John 13 As Lived Experience In Contemporary Ministry, Lance L. May
PhD in Organizational Leadership
When leaders experience personal failures, it often causes negative repercussions across an entire organization, and Burns (1978) noted that devastating leadership failures had become increasingly common at the close of the 20th century. Leadership failures have continued to be a prominent problem, and the failures of ministry leaders are just as prevalent and devastating (Shaw, 2006). Brown (2015) concluded that vulnerability is a powerful tool for maintaining trust and integrity for leaders, followers, and entire organizational cultures. This study centered on both the role of vulnerability exemplified by Jesus in John 13 and the lived experiences of Christian ministry leaders. …
How Pornography Negatively Impacts Men’S Perceptions Of And Interactions With Women, Christopher J. Pinedo
How Pornography Negatively Impacts Men’S Perceptions Of And Interactions With Women, Christopher J. Pinedo
Selected Honors Theses
This thesis demonstrates the harmful effects that pornography has on men’s perceptions of and interactions with women. The Literature Review examines the current research that illustrate pornography’s negative impacts on men’s perceptions and expectations of women. Common themes occur throughout the literature that reveal how men’s shifting mindsets due to pornography consumption affects how they socialize with women and how their romantic relationships are harmed. Additionally, the thesis discusses the content of pornography and how pornography’s aggressive and violent material may influence men’s sexual attitudes and expectations. There is also the acknowledgement of literature that supports and advocates for pornography …
An Unfinished Melody: Mental Illness, Worship Music, And The Tension Of The Pentecostal “Now” And “Not Yet, Brianna Turbeville
An Unfinished Melody: Mental Illness, Worship Music, And The Tension Of The Pentecostal “Now” And “Not Yet, Brianna Turbeville
Masters of Theological Studies
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is estimated that nearly 20% of adults within the United States suffer from some form of mental illness.1 With roughly one-fifth, if not more, of the entire U.S. population facing a daily internal battle of some sort, this is an issue that is certainly elemental to the overarching purpose of the Church as an agent of reconciliation of creation with Creator. A prevalent problem requires prevalent solutions. What is something even more pervasive in every culture than mental health? Music. Melodies and lyrics are native to virtually every individual on earth. …
The Polyphonic Voices Of Suffering In The Book Of Job: A Dialogue On God’S Relation To The Suffering, Rebecca R. Clark
The Polyphonic Voices Of Suffering In The Book Of Job: A Dialogue On God’S Relation To The Suffering, Rebecca R. Clark
Masters of Theological Studies
Suffering is an experience that can lead one to question the goodness of God. Such an experience is exemplified in the narrative of Job. It is the argument of this thesis that the dialogue in Job ultimately reveals God’s character as good even in the midst of one’s suffering. This argument is supported through an examination of the polyphonic voices of the book of Job. The voice of Job demonstrates the tension of the sufferer, as a perceived absence of God seems contrary to His character. And yet, Job affirms God’s goodness. The voice of “the satan” demonstrates an awareness …
A Proposed Curriculum To Improve The Scientific Literacy Of Pastoral Leadership In The Church, Kacey Mewborn
A Proposed Curriculum To Improve The Scientific Literacy Of Pastoral Leadership In The Church, Kacey Mewborn
Selected Honors Theses
Scientific illiteracy is a widespread reality in the Christian church today. The observatory and evidentiary nature of science seems to strongly contradict the faith-based belief in religion that often lacks physical evidence. This contradiction has incited many different conflicts between the congregation of the church and proponents of scientific advancement. A potential cause of this division is that the current education provided for church leaders is severely lacking in exposure to scientific topics that would allow these leaders to effectively communicate with their congregation when scientific issues are raised. Therefore, this research proposes a supplementary curriculum in the form of …
The Mandate Of Shepherding: A Socio-Rhetorical Analysis Of Shepherding Metaphor Scriptures And Phenomenological Study Of A New Shepherding Pastoral Leadership Model, Jeremy L. Pickwell
The Mandate Of Shepherding: A Socio-Rhetorical Analysis Of Shepherding Metaphor Scriptures And Phenomenological Study Of A New Shepherding Pastoral Leadership Model, Jeremy L. Pickwell
PhD in Organizational Leadership
Pastors are increasingly taking on a CEO style of leadership to lead their churches (Goodmanson, 2005; Maddox, 2012; Whitaker, 2013). Pastors have made this shift at the expense of a shepherd mindset, seemingly creating a dichotomy between styles (Tara, 2020; Whitaker, 2013). Consequently, scholars have identified an increasing trend in pastoral burnout (Fee, 2018; Hessel, 2015; Samushonga, 2021). The current study evaluated the pastoral role and its responsibility from a place of Scripture, while also considering popular current leadership trends. The findings revealed a clear shepherd metaphor arc throughout Scripture, beginning in Psalm 23 and ending in 1 Peter 5. …
Intentional Male Allies/Advocates: How Male Leaders Can Successfully Champion Female Ministers In The Assemblies Of God U.S.A., Saehee H. Duran
Intentional Male Allies/Advocates: How Male Leaders Can Successfully Champion Female Ministers In The Assemblies Of God U.S.A., Saehee H. Duran
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
While the Assemblies of God (AG) endorses women in ministry through its position paper and bylaws, a dichotomy has existed between its egalitarian theology and practice since its inception in 1914. One key to narrowing such a gap involves intentional and countercultural male leaders who actively train, empower, affirm, and mentor women called to ministerial leadership. This research defines biblical egalitarian leadership, identifies exemplary female leaders and their male champions in the Old and New Testaments, and explores the best practices of male allyship for female leaders through a literature review and a qualitative survey of active AG male allies …
A Pneumatological Theology And Christological Philosophy Of Church Conflict For The Post-Pandemic Western Church To Outlive, Outlast, And Outlove, Scott Bowman
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Church conflict is increasingly at the forefront of denominations as they suffer internal and external conflict. The need to develop a better perspective and manage relationships in church conflict may depend on the church’s theology. The research of this project seeks to establish a pneumatological theology in dialogue with family systems theory and Christological philosophy of church conflict. The theology of church conflict is divided into four sections: reason, experience, history, and scripture. The Christological philosophy centers on Jesus’ conflicts as every passage in the book of Luke is examined through the lens of conflict. A contextually transferrable Spirit-empowered theology …