Christian Denominations and Sects Commons^™

Baptists, Catholics, And The Whole Church: Partners In The Pilgrimage To Unity, Steven R. Harmon

Gardner-Webb University Faculty Sabbatical Presentations

Within the whole church, Baptists and Catholics might seem to be ecclesiological and liturgical polar opposites. The two traditions are arguably more dissimilar from one another than each is from almost any other Christian tradition. Yet they share much in common that can enable them to travel together as fellow pilgrims on the journey toward a more visibly united church. Baptists, Catholics, and the Whole Church: Partners in the Pilgrimage to Unity, the book on which Steven R. Harmon (Professor of Historical Theology, Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity) worked during his Fall 2020 sabbatical research leave, challenges Baptists, Catholics, …

Strengthening Intergenerational Bonds Through The Practice Of Learning And Mission At First Baptist Church Valdese, Nc, Joshua Lail

Doctor of Ministry Projects

An education program was designed to encourage intergenerational unity among a mixed group of youth and adults at First Baptist Church in Valdese, NC. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the program on the intergenerational experimental group. There was movement toward intergenerational unity from the pre-test to post-test in the experimental group. Insights were learned from the data, particularly that there were different rates of growth between the youth and adults, and the observation that participants may have liked the idea of working together more than actually working together. The younger participants …

Empowering The Church To Promote Hope And Healing To Those Suffering From Addiction Emmanuel Baptist Fellowship In Lexington, South Carolina, Donna Seay

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Addiction continues to be on the rise in the United States. “Empowering The Church To Promote Hope and Healing to Those Suffering From Addiction” was designed to educate, equip, and empower members of the church to journey with those who suffer from addiction. The four-week curriculum was based on the four functions of Pastoral Care which are healing, guiding, sustaining, and reconciliation. The project utilized a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the results.

Equipping The Congregation Of East Belmont Baptist Church In Belmont, North Carolina For Outreach Through The Development And Implementation Of An Active Prayer Ministry, Jeff Dean Taylor

Doctor of Ministry Projects

In a local congregation, joining the spiritual practice of prayer with the ministry of outreach provides the church with an effective ministry tool to connect the congregation to its community and beyond. The East Belmont Baptist Church searches for effective ways to carry out the mission of making Christ known to others by equipping themselves through study and sermons to use prayer as a ministry in the community. Through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, congregational members meet people where they are and minister to them through intercessory prayer.

Making Room: Conversations About Race And Faith Between Members Of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church In Charlotte, Nc And St. John's Baptist Church In Charlotte, Nc, Martha Dixon Kearse

Doctor of Ministry Projects

In this project, the candidate recorded personal stories from members of two different Baptist congregations: Friendship Missionary Baptist Church (a church made up predominantly of members identifying as African-American) and St. John’s Baptist Church (a church made up predominantly of members identifying as Caucasian). Using those recordings, the candidate created a podcast called “Making Room,” and invited participating group members to listen to each other’s stories. In addition, the candidate invited these same group members to participate in conversations about issues of race, especially as they present themselves in Charlotte, NC. The candidate and group members challenged themselves with the …

Practicing Sabbath To Reduce Stress Among Ministers In The Tyger River Baptist Association, Spartanburg, South Carolina, James Hailstock

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Sabbath is the zenith of God’s creation and the climax of living. The key to reducing stress among ministers is the Sabbath lifestyle which includes practicing the disciplines of prayer, silence, feasting and fellowshipping in addition to identifying the signs and symptoms of stress. The Sabbath lifestyle empowers ministers with coping skills that can be personalized and implemented consistently as they progress and deal with the daunting demands and responsibilities of ministry. This project tested and compared the stress levels of the research and control groups before and after teaching four courses (disciplines) in the context of a Sabbath …

Changing Attitudes Toward Life : Using Viktor E. Frankl's Logotherapy In Ministry With Christian Women In Church Of The Lord, Anyang, Kyounggi-Do, South Korea, Jihye Kim

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Changing Attitudes Toward Life: Using Viktor E. Frankl’s Logotherapy in Ministry with Christian Women in Church of the Lord, Anyang, Kyounggi-do, South Korea is a project designed to help the target group increase the degree of meaning and purpose in life and motivate a desire to live lives more meaningfully and responsibly with hopeful attitudes by exploring the biblical messages with integration exercises utilizing the key concepts of Dr. Frankl’s Logotherapy. Through a five-week sermon series, six weeks of group sessions including the final group reflection session, and writing reflection and autobiographies, the participants are provided opportunities to evaluate and …

Grief In Community: The Establishment Of Bereavement Ministry Teams From The Congregation At Sandy Run Baptist Church In Mooresboro, North Carolina, Andrew S. Rawls

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The Church is to be the expression of hope through the various contours of the human story. Too often congregations have difficulty expressing this hope during the time of death and extending that hope to ministry with the bereaved. In this project I studied the increase in self-efficacy in bereavement ministry with the congregation of Sandy Run Baptist Church in Mooresboro, North Carolina. The research focuses on the teaching of a curriculum that explores the biblical, theological, and clinical aspects of grief. The results of my research show this was an effective means of increasing self-efficacy.

Developing Parental Leadership Through Biblical Love As Expressed In Presence, Communication, And Discipline In The Homes At Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Shelby, North Carolina, M. Lamont Littlejohn Jr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

A Christian education curriculum was established at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Shelby, North Carolina, to develop parental leadership centered on biblical love. The goal was to train parents to model biblical love in their homes. Relying upon scripture affirming parental leadership in the home, parents were enlisted and participated in a six-week study. Surveys measured experience, involvement, practice, and understanding of biblical knowledge. There was no significant statistical difference between the control group and focus group quantitatively; however, the focus group was also assessed qualitatively by means of theological reflection, presence, communication, and discipline application activities. Final reviews indicated …

Enriching Christian Hospitality At Malaby's Crossroads Missionary Baptist Church In Knightdale, North Carolina, Barbara Starr Barner

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Hospitality is the welcoming of strangers, family, and friends. In the early biblical and historical traditions, hospitality focused on welcoming the alien and extending resources to them. Hospitality, however, need not be limited to the basic physical needs of the stranger, but spiritual needs are to be addressed as well. In the reflection of Jesus’ work on the cross, Christian hospitality should be the intentional, responsible, and caring act of welcoming or visiting strangers, enemies, the distressed, downtrodden, without regard for reciprocation. The goal of this project was to enhance Malaby’s Christian hospitality culture and take our personal interactions to …

Resiliency-Based Spiritual Support: A Preventative Approach Empowering Spiritual Resiliency In Clinical Pastoral Education Students At Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, Michael Gross

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Resiliency-Based Spiritual Support: A Preventative Approach was designed to empower a minister's spiritual resiliency practices. These practices allow him/her to courageously navigate the seasons of ministry and bounce back from stressful experiences. The six-week curriculum intervention for clinical pastoral education participants involved control and intervention groups. It focused on five spiritual resiliency themes (community, hope, sound of the genuine, meditation, stewardship) and related spiritual resiliency practices. Research methods included quantitative and qualitative instruments. Post-training evaluation scores evidenced participants were empowered by a greater understanding of the biblical/theological foundations and exploration of practices. Participants did recommend spiritual resiliency training for clergy.

The Effectiveness Of Utilizing Various Memory Cues In The Preaching Event At Sandy Plains Baptist Church In Shelby, North Carolina, Garin Hill

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Every Sunday pastors across the spectrum attempt to preach in memorable ways. So if traditional wisdom is actually true – most churchgoers forget the sermon immediately upon leaving church – then does that qualify as memorable? While realizing no sermon lingers forever, this project explores ways to give the sermon a longer shelf life in the parishioner’s memory. Specifically, by utilizing picture, story, and object lesson in various sermons, this experiment conducted at Sandy Plains Baptist Church in Shelby, North Carolina, examines which memory cues (if any) are most effective in keeping the sermon fixed in the long-term memory of …

Assessing The Effect Of Worship Education And Worship Renewal At First Baptist Church Kings Mountain, North Carolina, Jonathan Bundon

Doctor of Ministry Projects

For many Christians, worship has been reduced to the entertainment value centered on self rather than the Triune God. Ignorance must be combated with worship education and worship renewal. For the worshiper, how one prepares for corporate worship affects their worship experience and informs their private worship. The four-week study, Spirit and Truth, introduced members of First Baptist Church Kings Mountain to worship education and renewal and challenged them to assess their own worship practices. Quantitative and qualitative test results and observations validated this project's needs. In addition, the project afforded opportunities that might contribute to a life-long experiment of …

Developing Pastoral Identity In Level One Clinical Pastoral Education Students At Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, Biju Chacko

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Pastoral identity development is a necessity in today's pastoral context. Clarity on one's emerging pastoral identity creates authenticity in pastors to fulfill their pastoral duties. Pastoral identity development is an ongoing process. This project studied how Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) developed pastoral identity in Level I CPE students at Duke University Hospital. The project used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to gather and analyze data. The project found that pastoral identity is a combination of multiple components namely call, perception, skills, community, and experience.

Bridging The Latino--Anglo Gap: A Transition Towards A Cross-Cultural Church At First Baptist Church, Robbins, North Carolina, Ernesto Robledo

Doctor of Ministry Projects

In its 2,000 years of existence, the church has remained mostly segregated in regards to the inclusion of other cultures within one setting. Christians from various traditions have spent centuries trying to be more like Jesus as they worshiped in many different settings. Even though the church has been active for so long, the reality is that she has been predominantly white. Through an intentional pastoral project, twenty-four individuals participated in a four-week bilingual Bible study and a community-wide missionary event. These purposeful interactions proved that the church can change her traditional ministry pattern by engaging members of the Latino …

Learning Together: Integrating Worship, Education, And Personal Devotion At Oakhurst Baptist Church Of Asheboro, North Carolina, Hunter Duncan

Doctor of Ministry Projects

The hypothesis of this project is that an integrated worship experience that engages church members with one biblical concept each week through various interactions will strengthen the community of faith. The ministry experiment sought to accomplish this goal by integrating weekly worship, Sunday School, daily devotions, and an internet-based discussion forum. Data was collected from project participants before the project began, weekly to measure the ongoing impact, and again at the project's conclusion. The results of the project revealed that integrating worship elements does improve engagement with the community of faith and the overall satisfaction with the weekly worship experience.

Mobilizing Cedar Spring Baptist Church, Spartanburg, South Carolina, For Creation Care Through Project "C.A.R.E." (Christians Assuming Responsibilty For The Earth), Malcolm Todd Lowe

Doctor of Ministry Projects

For many Baptist churches, the theology and practice of environmental stewardship has historically been viewed as irrelevant to the Great Commission. However, as environmental degradation increasingly affects the lives of people and the earth's ecosystems, it is imperative that Christians understand the connection between the care of the environment and God's redemptive work for humanity. Through a designed project called C.A.R.E. (Christians Assuming Responsibility for the Earth) which involved the congregation and a Bible study group from Cedar Spring Baptist Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina, this project proves that theological education can positively influence attitudes towards environmental stewardship.

Incorporating Giving As An Integral Part Of Worship At Blessed Harvest Institute Of Charlotte, North Carolina, Brian Gerard Fite

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Giving is one of the most effective forms of worship we have available to us, but it has become the most exploitive and misunderstood element of the worship service. The methods and language used to frame giving within worship have led to exploitation resulting in unwillingness to wholeheartedly participate in giving as an element of worship. The literature addressing giving and the biblical interpretations are lacking in accurately speaking to the issues that arise in applying Old and New Testament scripture to address giving as an element of worship. There are a growing number of articles attempting to address the …

Enhancing The Koinonia At Camp Creek Baptist Church In Union Mills, North Carolina, By Expanding "Sacred Space", Tony Dwayne Mccraw

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Since the day of Pentecost, the defining characteristic of the church has been the extraordinary bond of unity and fellowship amongst Christians. Scripture refers to this intense sharing of life as koinonia. Fellowship, however, is often neglected in deference to earthly priorities.

This project aimed to inspire and enable the members of Camp Creek Baptist Church to practice the type of fellowship descriptive of first-century Christianity. Through studying Scripture, analyzing social demographics, and conducting statistical analyses, a solution for enhancing the koinonia. at CCBC emerged--namely, the regular gathering of its members into one another's homes, thereby expanding "sacred space."

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Outreach And Retention Methods Of Six Congregations Of The Brunswick Baptist Association, Jeffrey Gibby

Doctor of Ministry Projects

I chose two hypotheses to form a survey. The first hypothesis is that persons are reached by the style of building, existing relationships, or advertising. The second hypothesis is that persons maintain their membership based on the content of preaching, the quality of teaching programs, or fellowship.

I employed the Mann-Whitney Statistical Test to analyze the data.

The data revealed that good preaching, good worship, and good fellowship make a growing church. The data results also show the significance of the Pastor and revealed that age-graded Bible study groups are still valid in reaching and retaining members.

Helping The Parents Of Middle School Students Communicate Biblical Truths Of Sexuality At The First Baptist Church Of Lenoir, North Carolina, Thomas Russell Hinton

Doctor of Ministry Projects

An educational program was developed to discover the role of the church in promoting healthy parent/child communication about sexuality. Believing scripture affirms sexuality as a blessing from God, parents and middle school youth were recruited and led through the study. Surveys measured attitudes, opinions, and understanding of biblical knowledge, anatomy, and communication levels. After the program the families were given two months to observe parent/child communication. Final surveys indicated that the church can play an active role in promoting parent child communication about sexuality, and participants reflected a positive outcome by recommending the continuation of this program as a part …

Developing A Process For Missional Formation: A Ministry Project In The Baptist Church Of Beaufort, Sc, Eric Thomas Spivey

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Traditionally, Christians and church leaders compartmentalize their lives into growing spiritually and serving other people. One studies the Bible, worships or serves others without much thought for how these spiritual disciplines of formation and missional living impact and influence one another. Through a designed pastoral experiment involving twenty-four individuals in three community groups, this project proves that missional living combined with spiritual practices increases the spiritual growth in the members of The Baptist Church of Beaufort (SC).

A Study Of Compassion: Aaron's Creek Baptist Church In Virgilina, Virginia Reaching Single Parent Families, Billy Ray Mcentire

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Christ's mandate requires the Church to minister to those in physical and spiritual need (Matt 25:31-46). This project ministers to disadvantaged single parent families in Southside Virginia and makes clear to the congregation of Aaron's Creek Baptist Church several things: its responsibilities to society, the need for its service to society, and God's mandate that it practice and minister with compassion. A field study involving church volunteers and single parent families provides observation and interview data for the project's analysis. Volunteers develop into a self-driven ministry team that needs less direction in future ministry projects.

Glimpses Of Heaven Among Friends: The Utilization Of Film To Draw Interest In Small Group Studies At The First Baptist Church Of Albemarle, Roger William Thomas

Doctor of Ministry Projects

A small group study about heaven in scripture and contemporary film was developed in order to create interests in small groups. Believing small groups, discussions of the after life, and the power of storytelling are affirmed throughout scripture, individuals were recruited and led through the study. Surveys measured opinions on heaven and small groups among the entire congregation and the small group participants. Following the study, the participants were surveyed one final time on both subjects. Ultimately the study did not always change minds with concern to the afterlife, but the overall opinions of small group experiences seemed to be …

Transforming Attitudes And Commitment To Missions At The Mt. Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church In Greenville, South Carolina, Jermaine A. Boyce

Doctor of Ministry Projects

This ministry project's goal was to seek transformation in attitudes and commitment to missions at the Mt. Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. The goal of transformation was to guide the congregation's mission practices to be exemplary of its 'Missionary' name and the overall mission of the church as discovered in Luke-Acts and in the Abrahamic Covenant.

The project tested the attitudes and commitment to missions from the Missionary Society in comparison to the general congregation. The project revealed both strengths and weaknesses in the attitudes and commitments of the Missionary Society and the congregation about missions. The …

Spiritual Care For Missionaries Within The Ministry Context Of Make Way Partners, Milton R. Smith

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Spiritual Care for Missionaries Within the Ministry Context of Make Way Partners is the report of a research project. The objective of this project was to study the spiritual care of missionaries within the ministry context of Make Way Partners (MWP). The ministry context of MWP is to prevent and combat human trafficking. The context of this project was in the country of Sudan, in and near Darfur.

In particular, the study addressed the possibility that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator might aid the leadership of MWP in predicting how missionaries might respond to stress in the field. Also, the project …

Ordination Training For Bi-Vocational Clergy In The United Cornerstone Churches International, Inc. Of Thomasville, North Carolina, George Bernard Jackson

Doctor of Ministry Projects

In many rural communities there exists a stereotype about clergy education perpetuated since slavery. This project offered bi-vocational clergy opportunities to be equipped, empowered and certified for servant leadership. Data captured from 2006 through 2008 was taken from the 25 ordinands. Questions that guided this study were grouped into two sets: examination by quantitative measurements through the passing of a catechism; and by qualitative measurements from personal and telephone interviews. The results of the research revealed a discrepancy in the ordination process where prerequisites and retention studies must play a greater role for future ordinands.

2001 Minutes Of The Kings Mountain Baptist Association, Kings Mountain Baptist Association

Kings Mountain Baptist Association Minute Books

The 2001 meeting of the Kings Mountain Baptist Association met at Double Springs Baptist Church and Boiling Springs Baptist Church in Shelby, NC. The Spring Session met at Camps Creek Baptist Church in Shelby, NC. The minutes are dedicated to the memory of Rev. David Edward Lucas, Rev. Billy Daniel "Danny" Ritch, and Rev. H.F. "Bud" Tutherow. It is the 150th anniversary of the Association. Visions of Faith: The Sesquicentennial History of the Kings Mountain Baptist Association 1851-2001 by Lansford Jolley was published. Reflections on the events of September 11th focused on prayer.

2000 Minutes Of The Kings Mountain Baptist Association, Kings Mountain Baptist Association

Kings Mountain Baptist Association Minute Books

The 2000 meeting of the Kings Mountain Baptist Association met at Patterson Baptist Church, in Grover, NC and New Hope Baptist Church, in Earl, NC. The minutes are dedicated to memory of Rev. Rochelle Ray Ingle, Mrs. Jane Monroe Brendle, and Mrs. Mafrey Richard Sesson. The Baptist Counseling Center of Cleveland County was established in August; Dr. Gary McFarland is the counselor. Gardner-Webb is reported to be the fifth largest private university in the state and the Doctorate of Ministry program will begin next fall.

1999 Minutes Of The Kings Mountain Baptist Association, Kings Mountain Baptist Association

Kings Mountain Baptist Association Minute Books

The 1999 Fall meeting of the Kings Mountain Baptist Association met at Zoar Baptist Church and Bethel Baptist Church in Shelby, NC. The Second Spring Session was held at Christopher Road Baptist Church in Shelby, NC. The minutes are dedicated to the memory of Rev. C.O. Greene and Rev. Glenn Griffin Short. The Association includes their incorporation as a non-profit corporation. Gardner-Webb's School of Divinity is noted to be receiving accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools in November.