Missions and World Christianity Commons^™

Guided By The Spirit: A Comparative Study Of The Ministry Of Reverend Seen-Ok Ahn With Paul’S Mission In Light Of Acts 16:6-15, Hongyeol Kim

College of Theology and Ministry Dissertations, Projects, & Theses

Acts 16:6-15 records Paul’s second missional journey begins with the divine guidance. By obeying the Spirit, Paul went to Macedonia where he never planned to go to preach the Gospel. Back then, a man was led by the Spirit in an unanticipated way. About two thousand years later, a similar event happened to a woman, Rev. Seen-Ok Ahn. By the guidance of the Spirit, Ahn went in a direction she had not previously planned, and expanded the Kingdom of God in South Korea. Thus, how can contemporary Christians understand the divine guidance of Spirit based on these two experiences?

The …

Examining The Cross-Cultural Competence Of United States Christian Missionaries Engaged In Developing Indigenous Leaders: A Mixed Methods Study, Craig W. Goodman

Dissertations

For the past two millennia, missionaries have crossed from one culture to another to bring the Christian message to all cultures of the world. Questions about the effectiveness of these mission efforts have been asked and researched by many; however, one key question remains unanswered: what personal attributes help a person to be more competent at crossing cultures as they interact with people from other cultures? Although cross-cultural competence has been studied in a variety of fields over the past 50 years, the models and assessments used have never been applied to Christian missionaries.

To address this deficiency, this parallel …

God And Satan: A Look At Martin Luther’S Titles For Satan And What They Reveal About The Relationship Between God And Satan, Alexandria M. Shick

Master of Art Theology Thesis

Shick, Alexandria M. “God and Satan: A Look at Martin Luther’s Titles for Satan and What They Reveal About the Relationship Between God and Satan.” M.A. Thesis, Concordia Seminary, 2022 87 pp.

The relationship between God and Satan is complex and intertwined. There is a tendency in Christianity to overemphasize Satan’s power and his place in the realm of evil and in so doing neglect and disregard what it means for God to be truly omnipotent. Luther understood Satan as being under God’s will, only having the ability to act where, when and how God allowed or permitted. The complex …

From Mission To Competition: The Experiences Of 10 Lds Missionary Student-Athletes Returning To Competition In The National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I, Matthew J. Moore, Leslee A. Fisher, Lindsey A. Miossi, Zach T. Smith, Jacob C. Jensen,

Movement and Being: The Journal of the Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sports Studies

The purpose of the current study was to explore the experiences of LDS missionary student-athletes returning to competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (DI). Using Consensual Qualitative Research methods (CQR; Hill, 2012) including a semi-structured interview guide, 10 DI student-athletes/returned LDS missionaries were interviewed regarding their experience (i.e., mean age of 25 years; baseball, cross-country/track and field, football, and swimming). A research team with five members constructed four domains and 16 categories representing DI student-athlete/returned LDS missionary chronological identity changes during this experience: (a) the development of an LDS missionary identity; (b) challenges associated with returning …

The Personalization Of American Christianity: Subjective Assurance And The Puritan Conversion Narrative, Curran Bishop

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The North American Puritans introduced a concept that has shaped American theology: a test of subjective assurance as a predicate to communing church membership. While previous Reformed communities had tested would-be communicants in their knowledge of church teaching and their adherence to that teaching in their lives. The New England colonists added a relation of the individual’s experiential conversion. This was intended to protect the purity of the church while also ministering to the individual by encouraging them in their faith by their inclusion in church membership. The results of the test led immediately to declining numbers of adults becoming …

Theology Of The Laity: The Lutheran Way, Brian M. Mosemann

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The distinction between the laity and clergy has been a contributing cause of disunity within the church because the clergy and laity are often pitted against one another with one or the other being elevated to the detriment of the other. This problem has plagued the church from the middle ages until the present day. Since the definition of the term “laity” is vacuous, the laity are generally defined relative to the clergy, specifically in reference to their authority and duties. This results in a negative definition when the laity are defined as the opposite of the clergy. The laity …

Developing Policies And Procedures For Restorative Accountability At Southwestern Assemblies Of God University, W. Lance Meche

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project was designed to address a lack of policies and procedures at Southwestern Assemblies of God University that support its restorative accountability approach in addressing student conduct violations. The student handbook provides rights and responsibilities afforded each student as well as the procedures that appointed staff members are to follow in the event that campus policies are violated; however, the language used in the student handbook did not address modern student culture, nor did it procedurally assist staff members in helping students to develop spiritually. The project intervention involved staff members who address student violations with grace as well …

Designing A Program To Train Elders To Respond To #Metoo Experiences Of Adult Females In A Church Context, Jana H. Unruh

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This project intervention explores resolution of systemic issues of church-based sexual harassment, abuse, and violence, referred to as #MeToo, through design of a training program for elders. As theological foundation for the project, the Gospel of Luke frames positive approaches modern church leaders can align with in the quest for solutions to #MeToo. The Good Samaritan parable and the story of Mary and Martha extract valuable lessons for church elders addressing sexual harassment, abuse, and violence experiences of adult women. In Luke, we find fresh understanding for questions of #MeToo through the highly relevant concept of “neighbor.” Luke will …

Developing Practices Within The Lord’S Supper That Develop Central Identity At Queen City Church Of Christ, Ryan Russell

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project was designed to meet a need at the Queen City Church of Christ (QCC) for developing intentional practices around the Lord’s Supper for forming a central identity in a diverse community. The scope of this project focuses on the project group’s ability to develop practices based on the theology of the Lord’s Supper, biblical teaching, engaging in practices of spiritual formation as a group, and their observations of Lord’s Supper practices in other Christian traditions. Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth provides the textual context for the discussion of the role the Lord’s Supper plays within …

Incorporating Wisdom Christology Into The Phronesis Of Courtyard Church Of Christ, Tiffany A. Dahlman

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to address an identified problem Courtyard Church of Christ members were having with decision-making in a way that promoted shalom and reflected Christ to the world. I proposed that Wisdom Christology could assist in the decision-making process and formed an intervention team of five additional people from within the congregation to explore the situation through participatory action research. We met for six sessions in the early months of 2020. The team embarked on a thorough examination of Wisdom Christology through the Scriptures climaxing in the Wisdom Hymn of Col 1:15–20. Our subsequent collective understanding …

An Integrated Preaching Design : A Methodological Framework For Preaching In The Indian Context, Ancy John

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Holistic Pastoral Care In Dhading District : An Evaluation Of The Pastoral Care Practice In Dhading District Of Nepal, Yohannan Thomas

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Developing Ethical Training Curriculum For University Short-Term Missions, Elizabeth P. Sutphin

Honors Scholars Collaborative Projects

This thesis addresses common problems associated with short-term mission (STM) trips and the gaps in existing training materials for these trips. The research throughout this project is designed to inspire community-specific training materials for college students participating in domestic STM trips through their universities. The final chapter of this thesis includes the framework for a sample curriculum to promote sustainable STM work — providing cross-cultural communication techniques and relationship-building tools to avoid harming the communities students seek to serve.

We Are All Eve: Rescuing The Mother Of All Things From Patriarchal Interpretation And Its Implications For Modern Christian Women, Maeve Pioli

Senior Theses

For centuries, the traditional Christian understanding of the Genesis narrative has relied heavily on the patriarchal biases of historic church figures to enforce a gendered hierarchy where women are deprived of authority, voice, and agency. My thesis deconstructs these misogynistic interpretations to provide liberating, alternative readings for the Garden of Eden as well as New Testament verses that utilize Eve’s transgression to justify women’s secondary status. As a former Christian, I have witnessed the persistence of this oppressive theology, often repackaged as a “complementary” relationship between sexes where women must dutifully submit to the headship of men. Therefore, by building …

Sacred Business: Outlining Business As Mission For The Fulfillment Of The Great Commission, Eli Jackson

Senior Honors Theses

Business as Mission (BAM) is the operation of a for-profit business located in a cross-cultural setting and aimed toward the fulfillment of the great commission. This definition reveals four key success factors for BAM: support, financial and otherwise, for both the business and the missionaries; the ability to gain access to cross-cultural settings; the opportunity to advance the gospel; and the requirement of managing both missional and business goals. Examining each of these areas, along with the historical effectiveness of BAM, reveals that BAM is an efficient and effective missional strategy, which should be used to see the Great Commission …

Revival Today: America’S History Of Biblical Revival And Its Modern Application, Matthew Musser

Senior Honors Theses

There is a need for revival within the church today. Christian revivals are becoming less and less popular in the current times. Is this due to a subtle shift in America’s culture? Or is this decline of religious revival the result of something deeper? This thesis will seek to discover the biblical foundations of revival in American history. First, it will analyze some of the biblical revivals that took place in the Old Testament, Gospels, and Book of Acts. Then it will transition into how these biblical principles have been the cornerstone for many of the great revivals in American …

Service And Subversion In The Court Of The King: An Analysis Of Resistance And Accomodation To Foreign Imperial Rule In Daniel 2, Luke Wagner

College of Theology and Ministry Dissertations, Projects, & Theses

Many scholars and laypersons alike turn to the book of Daniel because of its political message. Yet, there exist a number of mutually exclusive interpretations of the stories in Daniel, particularly in regard to how these stories interact with and depict foreign imperial rule. This thesis will focus on one Daniel story in particular, Daniel 2; and will seek to answer the following question: Is the political stance toward foreign imperial rule in Daniel 2 primarily one of accommodation to the empire, one of resistance, or a hybridization of the two?

This thesis will begin in chapter 1 with an …

Calvin Theological Journal (Vol 57 No 1 - April 2022), Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Journal

From the Editor: Karin Maag - 1 / Articles: Permaculture for Ecotheology: An Innovative Experiment by Troy W. Bierma - 3 / The Beatitudes and the Life of the Church by Gerard M. Cisar - 43 / Theological Interpretation of Key Biblical Passages Underpinning the Prosperity Gospel in Nigeria by Samuel O. Okanlawon - 75 / Sign or Seal? Baptism in the Christian Reformed Church by Ryan Faber - 101 / Sermon: Bridegroom of Blood: A Sermon on Exodus 4:24–26 by Betsy DeVries - 127 / Review Essays: The Covenant of Works by John Bolt - 135 / The …

Acceptance To Expedience: A Comparative Analysis Of Ellen G. White And Arthur G. Daniells Counsel For Race Relations, Jon-Philippe Ruhumuliza

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

This article offers a comparative analysis of Ellen G. White’s and Arthur G. Daniells’s positions concerning race relations. Through a careful survey of White’s writings—especially Testimonies to the Church, vol. 9, pp. 199–226 and The Southern Work—I argue that she never supported separationism. I hypothesize that Adventist separationism gained precedence through Daniells’s selective compilation of White’s counsels in his 1906 response to the People’s Church. My findings unpack White’s beliefs in spiritual leadership and ministry. She called for workers able to simultaneously accommodate culture and undermine prejudice internally through the gospel. Her vision necessitated the adjustment of methods on a …

Editorial - Vol 59:1, Martin Hanna, Oliver Glanz

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

This is the Editorial for Vol 59:1 by Co Editors Dr. Martin Hanna and Dr. Oliver Glanz.

"Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents"[Review]/Wilkerson, Isabel., Boubakar Sanou

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

This is a book review by Boubakar Sanou.

Missiological Intelligence: Taking Cultural Intelligence To A New Level In Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Adam Vaughan

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Many people thrive on the mission field while others seem to flounder. This includes some missionaries who must return to their home country prematurely. The correlation between flourishing and floundering for missionaries on the field is not necessarily limited to a lack of passion, biblical knowledge, effort, or even language proficiency. All missionaries need a comprehensive set of tools, and one that has been seriously neglected in missiological training is Cultural Intelligence (CQ). CQ is a modality of intelligence within the umbrella of Social Intelligence, as categorized under the Multiple Intelligence Theory. With the rapid increase of globalization, those who …

Reading The Signs Of The Time: Three Voices In The Confessional Lutheran Church As They Relate To Segregation, Racism, And Apartheid In South Africa From 1900–1978, Christoph Dietrich Weber

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

Weber, Christoph, Reading the signs of the time: “Three voices in the confessional Lutheran Church to segregation, racism, and apartheid in South Africa from 1900–1978.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2022. 425 pp.

According to August Vilmar, reading the signs of the times was an essential task of all pastors and theologians. It was a part of their prophetic task to interpret the world and its context with the word of God and to proclaim the voice of the church in law and gospel. The three theologians analyzed in this dissertation: Karl Meister, Hermann Sasse, and Friederich W. Hopf respected Vilmar …

"For All Peoples: A Biblical Theology Of Missions In The Gospels And Acts" [Review]/Keener, Craig S.", Boubakar Sanou

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

This is a book review by Boubakar Sanou.

A Gospel Centered And Holistic Approach To Caring For Indivduals Experiencing Poverty, Leon Battle

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Poverty is a major contributor of negative effects to individual health, mental health, and quality of life. The call God has for Christians is to care for individuals experiencing poverty. The question the research aims to answer is: “What elements are important to provide a holistic feeding program that meets the need of an individual physically and spiritually?” Literature on the issue of poverty, a thorough review of scriptures, as well as insights from experts in the field provided information on historical and contemporary issues affecting the poor. Data for this project was collected through a mixed methods study consisting …

Table Of Contents 59:1

Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS)

This is the Table of Contents for Volume 59 Issue 1.

The Continuity Mindset For Christian Mission, Jack T. Davison

Great Commission Research Journal

Missionaries from the Global North regularly serve as trainers for Christians in the Global South. From personal experience, missionaries are regularly seen as being qualified to do this work simply because of their position. Rather than missionaries assuming they are competent purely on the basis of their titles, I believe they should instead practice the Continuity Mindset for Christian Mission, a mindset that emphasizes the continuity of one’s identity and ministry in one’s home culture with one’s identity and ministry in the host culture. This practice includes elements of vulnerable mission, nonresidential mission, tentmaking, cultural intelligence, and authentic leadership. I …

Book Review: The Life And Impact Of Phil Parshall: Connecting With Muslims Edited By Kenneth Nehrbass And Mark Williams, Stephen Jester

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Three Models Of Missional Communities For Sharing The Gospel With Muslims In The United States, Mike Urton

Great Commission Research Journal

Missional communities are small groups within a local church that serve those outside the church with the aim of sharing the gospel, perhaps even providing them the possibility of joining the group. Missional communities have been used effectively by local churches in reaching the surrounding community or a specific group of people. This article examines three different models of missional communities, discussing the strengths and challenges associated with each one. Based on these observations, along with observations on the evangelical Christian and Muslim communities in the United States, three recommendations are presented for helping missional communities effectively share the gospel …

Book Review: Towards A Pentecostal Theology Of Praxis: A Case Study By John Mark Robeck, Norlan Josué Hernández

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.