Practical Theology Commons^™

Arriving At A Preferred Doctors Referral List For Use In Pastoral Counseling, Daniel Kriefall

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This Major Applied Project consists of a series of steps carried out by the candidate in order to arrive at a Preferred Doctors Referral List. The list consists of the names and locations of a select group of health care professionals in the St.Louis/West County area. The complete list (along with explanatory information) is included in the final section of the report.

The candidate selected this area for growth and development out of a heartfelt need for such a record of professional persons in his everyday work and ministry. As Director of Family Care and Counseling at St. John's Lutheran …

A Manual For Pastoral Care Of The Seriously Mentally Ill: A Lutheran Perspective, Thomas Oie

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Persons with serious mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar, unipolar depression) have often been seen as "strangers in our midst". Because state hospitals are relocating these patients into our communities (even though the community mental health resources may not be there) and because of stigma, persons with mental illness are coming in from the "cold" to our churches. Pastors and staff need assistance in ministering to this needy population. This project attempts to define mental illness, identify persons with mental illness, and demonstrate models of ministry. Specific guidelines, helpful suggestions, and supporting evidence(appendices) will address ministry issues and concerns as they pertain …

Celebrating God's Grace: An Adult Information Course Which Teaches The Doctrine Of The Church As It Is Expressed In The Worship Of The Church, James Heining

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The writer did a thorough study of the ongoing relationship of worship and doctrine as an influence in the formation of Lutheran worship practices.

He developed a class entitled "Celebrating God's Grace," which summarized the basic teachings of the church as they are expressed in the worship of the church. This was part of a revamped adult education program in his congregation.

In addition to the obvious benefits for those attending the class, the writer came to better understand the centrality of grace in the Christian faith and is now better able to plan and lead worship.

Burnout In The Pastoral Ministry: The Need For Clear Boundaries, Russell Weise

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

A survey was conducted of 138 pastors in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod in the Central and Southern Illinois districts in the Fall of 1991. The purpose of the survey was to determine the level of stress and burnout in the pastor's lives.

The survey revealed the following: generally pastors are very satisfied with their calling as pastors, but the findings reveal the pastor's strong proclivity to ignore his wife and family and to deny any possible warning signs of stress and burnout. The findings also uncovered that pastors are eager to have support groups but find themselves not wanting to …

Pastoral Premarital Counseling In A Campus Ministry Setting-Wittenberg Lutheran Chapel, University Of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, Lindsay Watkins

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The goal of this Major Applied Project was to submit, articulate, and elucidate at least ten specific objectives for pastoral premarital counseling in the campus ministry setting of Wittenberg Lutheran Chapel, the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, and to present a process to achieve those objectives. Four components, a "Survey of Christian Married Adults," a "Survey of Christian Singles," a study of the Scriptural teachings regarding marriage, and a study of family therapy, psychological, and counseling resources furnished the specific objectives for pastoral premarital counseling. Thirteen specific objectives and a process to achieve those thirteen objectives resulted.

An Exploration Of A.A.'S Twelve Step Spirituality For The Purpose Of Communicating A Right Understanding Of Law And Gospel To Recovering Lutheran Alcoholics, Gary Galen

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This study addresses presenting Law and Gospel to recovering Lutheran alcoholics in the Twelve Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous. The Twelve Steps offer a spirituality which has often caused confusion among confessional Lutherans. This involved interviewing recovering Lutheran alcoholics, non-alcoholic Lutherans and clergy. The Twelve Steps were evaluated according to Law and Gospel. A brief study of the influence of American Civil Religion and Two Kingdom Theology gave a backdrop in which to place the Twelve Steps. Practical ways in which pastors and congregations could better minister to recovering Lutheran alcoholics were included.

In The Footsteps Of Jesus Building The Faith Through A Parish Visit To The Holy Land, W Hischke

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS: Building the Faith Through a Parish Visit to the Holy Land.

This paper shows the busy parish pastor how to arrange tour to the Holy Land for himself and members of his parish, and how their faith can increase by walking in the footsteps of Jesus. The paper outlines such an actual tour, giving the preparations before departure, the itinerary, the sites visited, the related Scriptures, and post-trip comments. A carry-along booklet for the traveler is included as Appendix B.

Administrating Ministry: The Use Of Strategic Planning And Management In A Ministry Setting, Paul Metzler

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

"ADMINISTRATING MINISTRY:The Use of Strategic Planning and Managementin a Ministry Setting"This project explores strategic planning and management (SPM) as an administrative theory which can enable effective ministry. Derived from the world of corporate business management, the SPM model is defined as a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that guide what an organization is, does, and how it plans its future. Examination of key biblical understandings of leadership and administration, as well as SPM's underlying assumptions, support its theological appropriateness. The use of SPM in the setting of theGordon D. Hoople Institute of the Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center …

Jesus Is The Key To Freedom, Maurice Alms

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The need exists for more trained prison and jail ministry volunteers in a correctional system bulging with inmates.

The manual training program is directed by a prison and jail ministry trainer for one or two individuals and is made to be adaptable to a variety of settings.

The training program is a step-by-step program and is based on a(T) Teaching (Education), (T) Training (Experience), and (R) Reaching(Recruiting other volunteers) model.

Following the training program the trainee should have an awareness of his/her desired area of service and a degree of comfortability in his/her volunteer ministry.

A Process For Equipping And Supervising Lay Christian Caregivers At Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Girard, Illinois, Alan Janneke

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This project proposes a process to equip Christian laypeople for effective caregiving. Equipping Christian laypeople for effective ministry is mandated by the Scriptures, Lutheran Theology and the practical needs of the Church. Clinical Pastoral Education has proven an effective training method for both professional and lay caregivers in a variety of settings. Its process and techniques can be adapted for use in equipping lay caregivers in congregations. To train and supervise lay caregivers effectively using the Clinical Pastoral Education process, the pastor will need to adopt a new role, supervising the care offered by others.

Faith Development And Self-Directed Reading Of Christian Literature: A Key To A Maturing Faith, Raymond Schiefelbein

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Christians need continuing education to develop their faith. Too often, youth and adult Christians complete confirmation instruction but fail to continue learning, fail to have a positive attitude about the necessity of Christian learning as a lifelong process, and even fail to understand that faith can indeed grow in strength and maturity or diminish and die.

This Doctor of Ministry research project is a test of the hypothesis that Christians who engage in self-directed reading of Christian literature are more likely to develop a more integrated, mature faith than those who do not engage in self-directed reading. The six key …

Some Implications And Applications Of Gestalt Therapy For Use In Pastoral Counseling, Lawrence Zimmermann

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Some implications and applications of Gestalt therapy for use in the pastoral counseling. An evaluation of its theory in relation to principles of pastoral counseling, the person of the therapist, and selected approaches and their applicability to pastoral counseling. The Gestalt holistic view of man is not broad enough for the full range of pastoral concerns in terms of man's spiritual needs. Its approaches can be applied by the pastor in keeping with the integrity of his office. In keeping with the creative stance of Gestalt therapy they can also be applied to personalize the gospel.

Persuasion In The Art Of Preaching For The Church, William Matzat

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Throughout the following pages three major themes will be interwoven with the aspects of the preaching ministry mentioned above. The themes are pastoral in nature and have been formulated over many years in the parish ministry. In some ways, they are similar to the themes indicated in an isogogical study of a Scriptural text, as one studies (1) the addressees, (2) the content of the message, and (3) the approach or style of the writer. In a similar way, this paper will study the proclamation of the Word in relation to (1) the hearers, (2) the content of the message, …

Developing A Program For Interpersonal Ministry In The Liturgy For St. Paul Lutheran Church Shreveport, Louisiana, Wesley Toncre

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

This major applied project explores the Scriptures, the Lutheran Confessions, the tradition of the Fathers and contemporary ecclesiastical thinking in an attempt to discover and begin to define the contributory role of the individual worshiper in Lutheran corporate liturgical worship today. Further, it develops a workshop structure that is designed to provide members of one particular congregation with the knowledge, attitudes, skills and opportunities to execute those roles by serving one another effectively in response to God's ministry to them while they are gathered around Word and sacrament.

It is noted that neither Holy Scripture nor the Lutheran Confessions restrict …

Small Groups: Growing In The Lutheran Church, Alan Bachert

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

The purpose of this major applied project is threefold. First, through a study of the Scriptures, the history and use of small groups will be traced, and the text will demonstrate that it is God's will that His Church grow and be brought into a relationship with Himself. Secondly, the necessity and strategy for persons to be brought into a relationship with one another as they grow in discipleship will be emphasized and discussed in a chapter which reviews not only biblical data, but also provides a search of related literature from the fields of both theology and social psychology. …