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Articles 91 - 120 of 387
Full-Text Articles in Practical Theology
Becoming Who You Already Are In Christ: An Eight-Week Discipleship Plan To Equip Members Of Crossline Church To Live Out Their Identity In Christ, John Paul Jones
Becoming Who You Already Are In Christ: An Eight-Week Discipleship Plan To Equip Members Of Crossline Church To Live Out Their Identity In Christ, John Paul Jones
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action-research project focused on equipping members of Crossline Community Church to live out their identity in Christ. The intervention was an eight-week discipleship plan, “Becoming who you already are in Christ.” The action-research project aimed to evaluate the impact of equipping believers with their identity in Christ upon their transformation into Christ-likeness. The project incorporated biblical, theological, and devotional content with a comprehensive pedagogy designed for maximum influence toward progressive sanctification. The twelve participants in the intervention engaged in sermons, training classes, small groups, and personal Bible studies as a part of the action research. Triangulated evaluation tools were …
The Prophets’ Use Of The Shepherd Motif And Its Contribution To Their Presentation Of The Character Of God, Deanna L. Huff
The Prophets’ Use Of The Shepherd Motif And Its Contribution To Their Presentation Of The Character Of God, Deanna L. Huff
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The shepherd motif provides one of the most significant portraits of God in the Old and New Testaments. Various research on the historical metaphor within these studies frequently focuses on the relationship between rulers and leaders in the ancient Near East. The shepherd motif provides a tangible picture of the characteristics of deities and kings in their world. Therefore, it is a natural step for the prophets of the Old Testament to utilize a commonly used metaphor. In modern research, numerous studies in Ezekiel 34 have explored different facets of the shepherd motif. Several studies are related to leadership roles. …
A Phenomenological Study Of The High-Tech, High-Touch Pastor: Maximizing Personal Ministry In A Digital Age, Shirley Groce
A Phenomenological Study Of The High-Tech, High-Touch Pastor: Maximizing Personal Ministry In A Digital Age, Shirley Groce
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to explore how high-tech, high-touch senior pastors who practice servant leadership establish and maintain personal contact with their church members and lead them using digital technology. This research was particularly relevant in an era of social distancing required by the COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical framework for this study was Greenleaf's servant leadership theory. Ten experienced pastors were interviewed to determine how they balanced the impersonal nature of streaming worship services while maintaining personal contact with their congregations. These interviews were transcribed, and important themes were identified to determine best practices for using technology while maintaining …
Is Assurance Of Salvation Of The Essence Of Saving Faith In The Gospel Of John?, Robert Vacendak
Is Assurance Of Salvation Of The Essence Of Saving Faith In The Gospel Of John?, Robert Vacendak
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Catholics, Calvinists, and Arminians deny absolute assurance of salvation. Instead, they imagine only “degrees of,” “a measure of,” “a kind of,” or “some level of” assurance before final judgment. Scholarly analyses of assurance often prioritize earlier studies, not Scripture. Therefore, few question whether partial assurance even meets the Biblical threshold. This dissertation seeks a fresh inductive analysis of John’s Gospel, a book challenging the scholarly consensus. Numerically, John’s divine truth-claims regarding eternal life/assurance far exceed other Biblical books. Careful exegesis of John vindicates absolute assurance and refutes partial assurance. Regeneration occurs the moment one believes Christ has irrevocably saved him …
A Patristic Christological Defense: Utilizing The Patristic View Of The Incarnation As A Defense Against The Problem Of Suffering, Scott Steven Hyland Sr.
A Patristic Christological Defense: Utilizing The Patristic View Of The Incarnation As A Defense Against The Problem Of Suffering, Scott Steven Hyland Sr.
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
At issue is the question of whether it is logically consistent to embrace the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent God in the presence of evil and suffering. Many factors prima facie seem to indicate that the existence of such a God in the presence of an abundance of pain, evil, and suffering is logically incoherent. If such a God does exist, why does He allow the evil and suffering that He does? Hume asserts, such a being should be capable of preventing evil and suffering. Van Inwagen argues that the existence of a world that is constantly modified to …
Christocentric Discipleship At Faith Baptist Church Of Tuscola, Allan Clyde Harris Ii
Christocentric Discipleship At Faith Baptist Church Of Tuscola, Allan Clyde Harris Ii
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Faith Baptist Church of Tuscola and many other churches worldwide do not currently conduct Christocentric discipleship. Discipleship, in general, is not being achieved as well. A significant disconnect between the gospel and discipleship exists today. There is ignorance regarding the gospel and its message and how believers are to fulfill the Great Commission. The disconnect is a result of the type of gospel preached and implemented. This study aims to discover a means and method to correct the ignorance of the gospel that results in improper or lack of discipleship, thus creating converts to Christianity and not disciples of Christ. …
Restitution Is A Necessary Part Of Biblical Forgiveness: A Look At How The Bible Provides A Legal And Moral Solution For Transgressions Committed, Robert Andrew Pannier
Restitution Is A Necessary Part Of Biblical Forgiveness: A Look At How The Bible Provides A Legal And Moral Solution For Transgressions Committed, Robert Andrew Pannier
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the principle of restitution and how it is an essential part of biblical forgiveness. What makes this principle so important is that God wanted to ensure that there was no barrier to the unity of the body of Christ and unforgiveness related to a transgression can be a huge barrier as it creates resentment and anger. Since the ultimate goal of God is the unity of His creation, God provided a system where true forgiveness could be achieved, both from a legal standpoint, where a debt was repaid, and from a moral …
Worship Through The Visual Arts, Terry Tripp
Worship Through The Visual Arts, Terry Tripp
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Despite some Protestant churches holding the view that creating visual art is a spiritual practice of Christian worship, many still do not recognize it as a spiritual practice that Christians who are called to be visual artists should be taught and encouraged to practice. This qualitative research study focuses on the reasons that creating visual art is a spiritual practice of Christian worship and should be encouraged by church leadership. Visual art has been abused in the history of the Christian church. People have worshiped the creation instead of the Creator. Due to such unfortunate practices and abuses, some Protestant …
Investigating The Impact Of The Church Covenant On The Revitalization Of A Declining Church, Robert Gene Gifford
Investigating The Impact Of The Church Covenant On The Revitalization Of A Declining Church, Robert Gene Gifford
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The local church finds itself in crisis and the decline in attendance and membership in churches is undeniable. The thesis project establishes that there is more to being a Christian than identifying as one. To reverse the declining trajectory, churches must understand what a church is, what a church member is, and the importance of regenerate church membership. The premise of this project thesis was that if the pastor preached on the church’s historic covenant, it would serve as a starting point for the revitalization of the declining church by affecting the member’s understanding of the church and their role …
One Church’S Apathy Toward Fulfilling The Great Commission, David Thomas Williamson
One Church’S Apathy Toward Fulfilling The Great Commission, David Thomas Williamson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Philippians 1:9-11 records Paul’s prayer containing four assessments believers can use to measure their progress toward spiritual maturity. These areas include a love that flows, a mind that knows, a character that shows, and a fruit that grows. The purpose of all these qualities is to demonstrate God’s glory. Where spiritual maturity is absent, apathy and complacency abound, and this dilemma must be overcome before a church can effectively pursue and sustain a viable focus on church revitalization. Because theological academia has not effectively focused on the partnership between spiritual maturity and church revitalization, this DMIN research project will address …
The Final Amen: Designing And Implementing A Christlike System For The Closure Of Waypointe Christian Fellowship, Christopher E. Sherwood
The Final Amen: Designing And Implementing A Christlike System For The Closure Of Waypointe Christian Fellowship, Christopher E. Sherwood
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Like a myriad of other churches across the country, WayPointe Christian Fellowship (WCF) experienced a long decline leading to a critical question: Should the church permanently close? In the case of WCF, the answer was yes, which led to other questions about how to accomplish the task while maximizing God's glory, minimizing the pain felt by those involved, and preparing the congregation to migrate to another body of believers. This thesis project was designed to enable the leaders of WCF and other church leaders to answer these questions. In this pursuit, a comprehensive closure plan was created and implemented at …
Implementing And Equipping A Fivefold Ministry With Theological Education To Defend And Uphold Biblical Doctrines In The Church, Kara Yvette Harris
Implementing And Equipping A Fivefold Ministry With Theological Education To Defend And Uphold Biblical Doctrines In The Church, Kara Yvette Harris
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
God instructed believers to put forth their best work to rightly handle His Word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). Unfortunately, God’s truth is under attack and has been polluted with false teaching and incorrect understanding of Scripture. It is incumbent on the local church to combat this problem of incorrect biblical teaching head-on. Therefore, this action research project aims to demonstrate that through proper theological training in the church, this problem will be remedied. This action research assumes that arming the local church with theological training will strengthen its core. To this aim, this research project included teaching five theological …
The Relationship Between Multicultural Christianity And Spiritual Formation: Quantitative Correlational Study, Jack Andrew Wingard
The Relationship Between Multicultural Christianity And Spiritual Formation: Quantitative Correlational Study, Jack Andrew Wingard
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The population in America has changed dramatically over the past twenty years. The homogenous communities present when churches began in America have become heterogeneous. The homogeneous church growth models have possibly hindered spiritual formation for churches in America. Multicultural churches seek to solve this problem by creating environments that strategically create congregations that match the demographics of American communities. This correlational study aimed to explore if a relationship exists between multicultural church practices and spiritual formation in spiritual, social, and intellectual areas. The study employed survey instrumentation that used the MCSFS. Overall, five distinctly multicultural churches spread out across America …
Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert
Theological Education And Spiritual Formation In The Lives Of Engaged, Emerging Adults, Markus David Colbert
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis seeks to answer the following question: What is an effective discipleship method for emerging adults who are already engaged in IChurch? The method chosen was multi-layered and utilized corporate discipleship which involved a classroom setting geared toward theological and doctrinal education based on Bloom-Anderson’s taxonomy of educational objectives, communal discipleship which was concerned with small group activities and peer-to-peer accountability, and personal discipleship geared toward individual spiritual formation given an edited list of Whitney’s personal spiritual disciplines. Participants were asked to take an introductory Theological examination which plotted them from analyze level to the create level of Bloom’s …
A Process For Training In Godliness: A Team Approach To Personal And Spiritual Growth, Kraig Alan Smith
A Process For Training In Godliness: A Team Approach To Personal And Spiritual Growth, Kraig Alan Smith
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this thesis is to address a problem relating to spiritual discipleship within a group of local church men. The men of Heritage Baptist Church may not have a process for training in godliness. The thesis will supply a process for training in godliness, developed by the author and based on numerous streams of thought from the literature with regard to spiritual growth. The thesis will also illustrate hindrances to training in godliness, looking at past and current trends which have stymied spiritual growth, particularly in men. This study will suggest that current methods for training in godliness …
A Step Toward An Interfaith Visitation Ministry To Provide Spiritual, Social, And Emotional Support To The Seriously Ill And Elderly At Their Homes In The Community Served By Good Samaritan Medical Center Lafayette, Colorado, Grant Gill Kirksey
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this Doctor of Ministry action research thesis is to identify the support offered to the seriously ill and elderly by local faith-based communities, to compare the identified interventions provided, to discuss the population’s needs and satisfaction with their local hospitals, and to discuss the results in the context of the population of seriously ill and elderly community members, and explore opportunities for Good Samaritan Medical Center (GSMC), Lafayette, Colorado, to partner with local religious communities to improve the well-being of the seriously ill and elderly in their community. This project will include the analysis of needs and …
Equipping Members Of Watchmen Supernatural International Ministries To Share The Gospel Effectively In The Local Community, Claudette Elaine Mckenzie Nicholson
Equipping Members Of Watchmen Supernatural International Ministries To Share The Gospel Effectively In The Local Community, Claudette Elaine Mckenzie Nicholson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The problem is that members of Watchmen on the Walls Supernatural International Ministries are not having successful results when they share the gospel message locally. The purpose of this DMIN Project is to equip unisex adults and adolescent members of Watchmen on the Walls Supernatural International Ministries to conduct evangelism. The thesis project seeks to design a plan to enhance the knowledge and abilities of WWSIM members to share the gospel effectively. The design is a theoretical and practical training plan that will impact twelve participants in the classroom, on the streets, and in a coordinated outreach in one of …
Creating A Multiplying Micro Group Discipleship Model Beyond The Church Building, Keisha Battle Spivey
Creating A Multiplying Micro Group Discipleship Model Beyond The Church Building, Keisha Battle Spivey
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The proposed thesis project on discipleship presents an effective discipleship making plan in fulfillment of the Great Commission through a parachurch ministry. The researcher believes that many churches have replaced disciple-making efforts with programs and platitudes. The purpose of this project is to establish a strategy that cultivates healthy disciples who recognize their Christian responsibility to make disciples through micro group ministries. It consists of three stages. Stage one consists of the research design component, stage two includes the intervention design component, and stage three involves the intervention delivery process. The goals of this project include teaching believers the biblical …
To Stay Or Step Down: Assessing The Pastoral Qualifications Of Pastors With Prodigal Children, P. Kevin Garber
To Stay Or Step Down: Assessing The Pastoral Qualifications Of Pastors With Prodigal Children, P. Kevin Garber
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The pastor’s home life is a reflection of his ability to effectively lead Christ’s church. Two seminal New Testament passages (I Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9) address, among other qualifications, the behavior and testimony of the pastor’s children. This vital aspect of a pastor’s leadership within the home must be given important emphasis and due consideration. With an examination of the nuances of these two seminal passages, exploration of published literature relevant to this topic, and an in-depth investigation of three pastoral case studies, the writer will offer a resource for pastors and parishioners who are facing the dilemma of whether …
Creating Harmony Through A Unified Definition Of Discipleship, Dereck S. Jackson
Creating Harmony Through A Unified Definition Of Discipleship, Dereck S. Jackson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
It is difficult to function as one unified group in an association of churches where autonomy is central. The ninety-one churches that call Converge Northeast their association desire to start churches, strengthen them, and send people into the harvest field. However, this group of capable churches and leaders has been unable to sustain church health, lacking church growth. After bringing in new leadership, there has been a resurgence of relationship building and vision casting. What might this group of churches need to become vibrant disciple-making churches? Unity among autonomous churches will require that leaders are on the same page and …
Toward Transformative Christian Education That Facilitates Spiritual Formation At Miracle Temple Church Of God In Christ, Devale A. Hodge
Toward Transformative Christian Education That Facilitates Spiritual Formation At Miracle Temple Church Of God In Christ, Devale A. Hodge
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The discipleship or Christian education ministry at Miracle Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is not fostering intentional spiritual formation within its congregants. Spiritual formation intentionality is missing within the congregation. The lack of spiritual formation intentionally naturally leads to a discipleship deficit. And this deficit is seen and felt within this project’s context. Yet the call to return to deep and transformative disciple-making, which produces Christlikeness is vital and commonplace. This thesis project attempts to examine and address the struggle of discipleship and spiritual formation intentionality at Miracle Temple COGIC. To address the problem the researcher implements a …
Factors Leading To Student Ministry Retention In Mid And Large Sized Southern Baptist Churches: A Phenomenological Study, Baylor Clark Whitney Sr.
Factors Leading To Student Ministry Retention In Mid And Large Sized Southern Baptist Churches: A Phenomenological Study, Baylor Clark Whitney Sr.
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Over the past 15 years, the exodus of students from the church after high school graduation has emerged as a pressing issue in Christian leadership and education. Much research has focused on the quantitative rate of students leaving church after graduation (Barna, 2011; Earls, 2019; “Reasons 18- to 22-Year-Olds Drop Out of Church,” 2007; Trueblood, 2019). Researchers have cited the need for qualitative research to better understand the student ministry retention phenomena (Shields, 2008). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover some factors which led to post-student ministry retention among young adults who participated in student ministry at …
The Five Ministries Of The Church That Have Changed In Post-Covid-19 [To Compare The Church's Five Ministries Before And During Covid-19 And To Predict The Ministries Of The Church In Post-Covid-19], Euntaik Kim
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this thesis project is to find answers to what is the appropriate response to the post-Covid-19 era for the church. To achieve that purpose, this thesis project attempted to predict the direction of the church's ministry after Covid-19 by comparing changes in five important ministries of the church in pre-Covid-19 and during Covid-19. The five major ministries of the church—worship, education, fellowship, evangelism(mission), and service— have been explained in detail in the literature, and the impact of Covid-19 on these five ministries has also been closely investigated. In determining the direction of church ministry in the post-Covid-19 …
Increasing Church Growth Potential Through Education And Implementation Of The Biblically Defined Roles Of The Pastor And The Body Of Christ, Gregory Alan Kincaid
Increasing Church Growth Potential Through Education And Implementation Of The Biblically Defined Roles Of The Pastor And The Body Of Christ, Gregory Alan Kincaid
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project focuses on church growth. It posits that if a congregation is taught and implements the biblical roles of the pastor and the church Body, then the church should grow quantitatively and qualitatively. To test this assumption, the roles of the pastor and that of the Body were delineated, taught, and practiced throughout a year-long study. Emphasis was placed on how God equipped every member of the Body to perform ministry within the church and outreach from the church. To reinforce the differences in the roles, study participants were required to actively participate in life groups with …
Measuring The Effectiveness Of Large-Scale Discipleship Methods In Adult Believers: A Study Of The Southwest Church Rooted Experience, Kim Walton Harrell
Measuring The Effectiveness Of Large-Scale Discipleship Methods In Adult Believers: A Study Of The Southwest Church Rooted Experience, Kim Walton Harrell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Spiritually mature believers bear the burden of responsibility for an early-stage believer’s discipleship development. As a believer matures over time, the weight of responsibility shifts from the church corporately to the individual believer’s responsibility to disciple himself and others. Southwest Church has approximately 3,500 adult attendees on an average weekend and has the responsibility to disciple large numbers of early-stage believers in their faith journey. This research of large-scale programmatic discipleship methods centers on the Rooted experience recently adopted at Southwest Church. The purpose of this DMIN action research thesis is to positively affect the early discipleship development of adult …
A Study On Bible Study Group To Improve Expository Preaching Preparation: The Case Of 701 Korean Church Bible Study Group, Young Shik Choi
A Study On Bible Study Group To Improve Expository Preaching Preparation: The Case Of 701 Korean Church Bible Study Group, Young Shik Choi
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The rapid growth in number of Korean churches have led the period of quantitative revival. However, at same time, diverse problem emerged such as materialism and secularization. The main reason was due to the lack of spiritual growth of the church members. In this regard, expository preaching which provides clear understanding of the scripture and applications to live as healthy Christians is inevitable. Many preachers in the past have had interest in and tried expository preaching but they could not write down their script with elements of expository preaching due to the lack of understanding and training in this field. …
Rethinking Intergenerational Worship To Pass Down Spiritual Legacy Through The Generations In Korean Churches, Sungjoo Yoon
Rethinking Intergenerational Worship To Pass Down Spiritual Legacy Through The Generations In Korean Churches, Sungjoo Yoon
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Korean Christianity has seen astonishing growth over the past century. As churches have grown, with the necessity of more specified education by age, generational separation in worship services and programs has become a common trend in Korean Churches. However, this tendency has also stimulated conflicts and divisions among generations in churches. Consequently, the age group segregation within churches has made it increasingly difficult for them to preserve Christian legacy through the generations. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis project is to assist Korean local churches in reevaluating and adopting Intergenerational worship as a biblical means to bind generations in one …
Obeying The Commission: A Model For Equipping Christians To Make Disciples, David Kofi Bempong
Obeying The Commission: A Model For Equipping Christians To Make Disciples, David Kofi Bempong
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Jesus was explicit when He gave His disciples specific instructions before His ascension. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commissions his followers to be disciple-makers. Christians today are beneficiaries of the previous generations’ efforts to fulfill this commission. The purpose of this project is to evaluate how discipleship is accomplished at Riverdale Baptist Church and to propose a strategy demonstrating practical ways people can begin making disciples. The traditional church model is losing relevance amid a society that is increasingly dissociating itself from formal religion. The body of Christ must be in touch with their communities and find effective ways of making …
Leadership Succession In The Missionary Baptist Church, Roger Bush
Leadership Succession In The Missionary Baptist Church, Roger Bush
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Leadership succession planning is often overlooked in many church organizations. Failure to create succession strategies causes organizations to face uncertain futures during leadership transitions. An absence of succession planning can repress an organization’s financial growth, congregational morale, and spiritual growth, and in some cases, result in permanent dissolution. The purpose of this project is to examine the state of leadership succession planning within the Kenansville Eastern Missionary Baptist Church Association. This thesis project employs surveys and comprehensive interviews of senior pastors of local churches within the Kenansville Eastern Missionary Baptist Church Association to explore succession planning and leadership transitions perspectives. …
Maintaining A Biblical Worldview: Mitigating Emerging Syncretism With Worldly Philosophies Through Focused Instruction In Christian Theology, Scott Kendal Leafe
Maintaining A Biblical Worldview: Mitigating Emerging Syncretism With Worldly Philosophies Through Focused Instruction In Christian Theology, Scott Kendal Leafe
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are granted a “new nature” that enables them to develop thinking, a worldview, based on the mind of Christ. Unfortunately, since every person’s worldview is continually being modified, it becomes ever more challenging for believers to keep their thinking consistent with Scripture. Therefore, this action research thesis assumes consistent participation in focused teaching on fundamental doctrines and theologies of the Christian faith is necessary to develop and maintain a cohesive biblical worldview. This research project comprised the teaching of a five-part Bible study course at a local church in eleven consecutive forty-five-minute classes on …