Practical Theology Commons^™

Festival Of Pentecost Series C 2016, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

This PDF comments upon and proposes sermon ideas for the Festival of Pentecost, Series C.

The Perceived Need For Spiritual Development Among Female Church Of Christ Students At Harding University, Anessa Westbrook

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

This work explores how female students perceive their need for personal spiritual development. In a male-dominant structure, women may question their need to develop spiritually. Three areas of college life were investigated to see how they influenced female students’ perception of their own need for spiritual development: pre-college experiences, classroom experiences, and co-curricular religious activities. The research questions focused on these three areas in an effort to identify what was most effective in achieving spiritual growth among female students from a Church of Christ background. A survey was conducted among a sample of 610 sophomore female and male students.

Results …

A Narrative, Missional Approach To Discipleship And Spiritual Growth, Travis A. Sharpe

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

All Christians have the desire to grow in faith and knowledge of God. The difficulty is that most do not have the tools to help them accomplish the task. While churches desire to help their members grow in faith, many have never created an intentional plan to make spiritual formation possible. While there are a multitude of ways this could be accomplished, one avenue would be for churches to implement an intentional discipleship program. A discipleship program that combines a missional/narrative reading of scripture with spiritual disciplines has been shown to help participants grow in spiritual formation and join the …

Through The Lens Of The Cross: Cruciformity As A Model For Teaching Ministry, Benjamin D. Pickett

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

As the contemporary church travels deeper into the postmodern era, modern methods of education and catechesis have remained. In this paper, a foundational set of principles drawn from Michael Gorman’s analysis of Pauline spirituality—known as “cruciformity”—is examined and presented as a lens to inform and support the teaching ministry in churches. Gorman’s thought provides a fresh way to understand the central theme of Paul’s correspondence to the first century churches.

The paper begins with a brief explanation of the current conditions regarding the adult education ministry of churches and then examines Gorman’s cruciform patterns of faith, love, power, and hope, …

Easter 7 Series C 2016, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

This PDF comments on the readings for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Series C, and offers up sermon ideas.

Easter 6 Series C 2016, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

This PDF comments on the readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Series C, and offers up sermon ideas.

Challenging Students At Fort Worth Christian School To Engage The Economically Disadvantaged In Their Community, James Hensley

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This doctor of ministry thesis presents a project in which I led a group of students at Fort Worth Christian School in experiences that challenged them to be more engaged with the economically disadvantaged in their community. The problem I identified at the outset of the project was a lack of such experiences along with troubling attitudes about poverty. Many students initially demonstrated ambivalence or even outright hostility toward the notion of helping people who live in poverty. I found such attitudes to be contrary to the teachings of Jesus and to my central beliefs as a Christian. I believed …

Obligations Of Grace, Mark E. Roberts

Empowered21 Global Network of Spirit-Empowered Scholars

Grace obliges recipients to respond in gratitude and obedience to God, the giver of grace. While the New Testament emphasizes God's grace given through Jesus Christ in a New Covenant with believers, the Old Testament emphasizes grace more than many Christians recognize. Grace is expressed in the Old Testament especially through God's free choosing of Abraham as the "father of the faithful," through divine covenants with Abraham, with the divinely constituted nation of Israel, and with the governing house of David. Such grace abounds when God's covenanted people fail to keep their covenant, yet God, after disciplining the covenant people …

Biblical Principles Of Small Group Ministry, Shawn Barr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Small group ministry models abound today, and so do the materials that provide the methodology for these models. However, there seems to be a dearth of resources that connect the methods with a theological foundation. This project will demonstrate the need for examining small groups from a theological aspect, and then examine the principles of biblical community as found in Scripture. These principles will then be measured through surveys of at least fifty participants in small group settings from several churches, including the churches where the author was the small group pastor for the last seven years and where he …

Exploring The Dynamics Of Transformative Change Of Lectio Divina In The Context Of Transformative Learning Theory, Joyce M. Chen

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Causal Comparative Analysis Of Biblical Worldview Among Graduate Students Based On Christian School Attendance, David Baniszewski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the primary objectives of the Christian school (K-12) is the development of a biblical worldview in its students. This study examined the impact that these Christian schools had on their students’ biblical worldview development by administering a biblical worldview assessment to graduate students at a private, Christian university (Liberty University). Christian, graduate students in the School of Education at Liberty completed a demographic survey and a biblical worldview assessment. The survey collected information on age, gender, type of K-12 schools attended, profession to the Christian faith, and denominational background. The results of the survey and assessment were analyzed …

Easter 5 Series C 2016, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

This PDF comments on the readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Series C, and offers up sermon ideas.

Easter 4 Series C 2016, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

This PDF comments on the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Series C, and offers up sermon ideas.

Easter 3 Series C 2016, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

This PDF comments on the readings for the Third Sunday of Easter, Series C, and offers up sermon ideas.

Easter 2 Series C 2016, Phillip L. Brandt

Sunday's Sermon

This PDF comments on the readings for the Second Sunday of Easter, Series C, and offers up sermon ideas.

Calvin Theological Journal (Vol 51 No 1 - April 2016), Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Journal

Articles: Neo-Calvinism: A Theology for the Global Church in the Twenty-first Century by Richard J. Mouw - 7 / Casting out Hagar: Anti-Judaism in the Sermons of Augustine by Wendy Elgersma Helleman - 20 / The Discipline of Missiology in 2016: Concerning the Place and Meaning of Missiology in the Theological Curriculum by Stefan Paas - 37 / Reformed Orthodoxy and Gendered Authority: The Christian Reformed Church 1945–1984 by Tamara J. Van Dyken - 55 / The Threats of the Gospel: John Owen on What the Law/Gospel Distinction Is Not by Ryan M. McGraw - 79 / Hair Length …

Preaching John 8:31-36: Reforming Contexts Then And Now, Karoline M. Lewis

Faculty Publications

The Gospel reading for Reformation Sunday is always John 8:31–36, yet preaching on this passage tends to overlook the critical contexts in which this pericope is located. Preaching John 8:31–36 on Reformation now will demand a careful analysis of the role of the passage in the Fourth Gospel, both as a means by which to respect its literary integrity as well as invitation to how it might shape a new hermeneutic for a new day.

For The Flock: Impetus For Shepherd Leadership In John 10, Nathan H. Gunter

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Following the prophets’ declarations concerning the need for right-hearted shepherds, the four Gospels portray Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Shepherd to save Israel (Ezek. 34:23). John’s Gospel extends the pastoral imagery of the Old testament, most notably in the Good Shepherd discourse (John 10:1-21). John’s development of the shepherd motif presents Jesus both as the Good Shepherd who will lay down his life for his sheep and as the model after whom other shepherds ought to pattern their leadership. contrary to contemporary conversations concerning christian leadership, though, John’s gospel places greater emphasis on the shepherd’s …

The Essential Nature Of Humility For Today's Leaders, Jerry D. Breedlove Jr.

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Using socio-rhetorical criticism and analysis, the author explores the inner-textual and intertextual texture of 1 timothy 3:1-7. In particular the author draws out how the apostle Paul’s leadership requirement of not being a recent convert is less about the timing of a conversion to christianity and more about the adverse effects of pride on the ability of a leader to lead in a healthy manner. In so doing, the author provides support and insight into the ways in which humility as an essential virtue is applicable to leadership in secular settings as well as christian environments. Furthermore, the author strengthens …

On Developing A Deeper Understanding Of Authentic Leadership: Interpreting Matthew 3:11-5:48 Using Intertexture Analysis And Social And Cultural Texture Analysis, Stephen L. Kalaluhi

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Dissertation Notice:

Ph.D. dissertation, Regent University, 2015

Full Text of Dissertation

This inductive, qualitative study explores the construct of authentic leadership within the context of organizational leadership as demonstrated within the Matthew 3:11-5:48 pericope. The study asks how this periscope, describing Jesus’ baptism, temptations, subsequent start of ministry, and initial teachings, contributes to our current understanding of how organizational outcomes are affected by leader morality when applied from within the intrapersonal, interpersonal, developmental, and pragmatic perspectives of authentic leadership.

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum: March 2016, Julius T. Medenblik, Cory Willson, Mary Vanden Berg, Sarah Schreiber

Calvin Theological Seminary Forum (2002- )

Articles
3 - From the President: How Now Shall We Live? by Jul Medenblik
4 - Every Believer Called to Mission by Cory Willson
6 - Prayers from the Missional Conference by Mary Vanden Berg and Sarah Schreiber
8 - Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics by John Bolt
9 - Meet Herman Bavinck by Jessica Driesenga
12 - Fostering Formation for Mission in Our Classrooms by Kristy Manion
15 - Is There a Future for Sacrifice? by Erin Zoutendam
16 - Taste and See Israel Trip by Paula Seales
18 - Church Growth and Its Challenges in Ethiopia by Fikre Norcha

Consider The Lilies., Hyveth Williams

Faculty Publications

"Life in Christ ought to be a banquet of spiritual delights; there’s more than enough gourmet nourishment for everyone. However, in these days of political, religious, and social polarization, many believers are starving to death.The reason can be summed up in one word: anxiety, the kind of chronic distress or unease of mind caused by fear that distracts us from that which is real."

Balancing Rhythms Of Rest And Work (Overview), Theology Of Work Project, David Kim, Leah Archibald

Theology of Work Project

• Created to Rest: Entering Into Joyful Communion With God
• Commanded to Rest: The Impact of the Fall
• Why People Can’t Rest – Human Nature Revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures
• How Rest is Restored – Sabbath & Jesus’ Redemption in the New Testament
  • Is a Weekly Sabbath Observance Expected of Christians?
• How Christians Can Experience Deeper Rest
• Rest and Work: Conclusions

Preaching Texts Of Multiple Masculinities To A World Of Multiple Masculinities, Cameron B. R. Howard

Faculty Publications

Today’s preachers proclaim the word into a world that is fraught with dissonances about the expectations of gender roles. The Bible itself demonstrates a similar complexity, though sometimes in different modes. Ultimately, an exploration of biblical masculinity can offer preachers and their congregations new ways of navigating those intersections between the ancient text and our world today.

An Inquiry In The Early Creed Of Romans 1:3-4: Does The Word Ὁριζω Support An Adoptionistic Christianity?, Nicholas Dodson, Brian Scalise

Eruditio Ardescens

No abstract provided.

“They Will Be Like Angels.” Paradise Without Marriage?, Rene Gehring

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

"This article deals with Jesus’ statement that “in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven” (Matt 22:30; Mark 12:25; cf. Luke 20:34-36) and a possible biblical rationale for the abolishment of this originally Edenic institution in the new paradise."

Into Ministry : The Pastorals, The Early Church, And The Free Methodist Church In The Early Twenty-First Century, Jason Aaron Leininger

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Keeping Sabbath During The Week, Michael E. Cafferky

Faculty Works

Would Sabbath-keeping be less meaningful if, on the other six days, our work disrupted human well-being or otherwise failed to honor the Sabbath Giver? This article is an abridged version of the longer peer-reviewed article "Sabbath: The Theological Roots of Sustainable Development" published in the Journal of Biblical Integration in Business available at http://cbfa-jbib.org/index.php/jbib/article/view/108/108 .

Churches Of Christ, Spiritual Formation, And The Liturgical Christian Calendar, Wes Horn

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

For many Christian traditions, participation in the liturgical year does not seem remarkable; in fact, it is second nature being the form, or liturgy, through which congregational members grew up practicing their faith. However, for those Christian traditions, like the Churches of Christ, who have avoided the liturgical year, the inclusion of liturgical practices is a substantial deviation in worship theology, practice, and comfort.

This article recounts one congregation’s journey through the liturgical calendar as a test case for a Doctor of Ministry project. The thesis questioned whether the introduction of the liturgical Christian calendar into the worship life of …

The Production Of Sticky Notes And Bible Quotes: Godly Answers For Sticky Situations A Children’S Musical As Directed By Julie Brinkman, Julie Elizabeth Brinkman

Honors College

This thesis reflects upon a director’s experience while directing her first production: Sticky Notes and Bible Quotes: Godly Answers for Sticky Situations by Dennis and Nan Allen. This children’s musical was produced in cooperation with Wylie United Methodist Church of Abilene, TX. Over forty children, with the help of ten adult volunteers, shared the importance of memorizing scripture and looking to God’s Word in times of trouble through song, skits, and the recitation of scripture. While reflecting upon the production process after each rehearsal, the director makes connections between her experiences as director, the content of her music education undergraduate …