Practical Theology Commons^™

Discipleship In Urban Contexts, Boubakar Sanou

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"With the current state of discipleship, congregations can no longer afford to rely on their church-centered programs as their main means of growing disciples. Programs do not disciple people; people disciple people. Becoming authentic communities who create intentional spaces where believers of all ages and stages in their faith journey can effectively and meaningfully connect with one another and with God, grow spiritually, and reach out to the world around them is of vital importance in urban discipleship. With the imperative to share the gospel in the cities, urban congregations need to objectively do their own discipleship reality assessment in …

Technological Discipleship: How Modern Platforms Can Improve Devotional Habits In Core Church, Greg D. Phelps

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

In a society immersed and fascinated with technological devices and tools, the researcher explored the extent to which online platforms can provide a productive means to implement discipleship programs in a church plant through the use of internet video devotional materials. The relatively low practice of regular devotional habits in today’s Church has become an increasing problem. The purpose of this project was to examine the possibility of spiritual formation within the congregants of Core Church through the use of online video devotions. The project consisted of sixteen online video devotions that were created from four sermons delivered at Core …

Breathing With God: Inhaling God's Spirit, Exhaling God's Reign, Douglas Scott Dent

Doctor of Ministry Theses

This action research project engaged transformative mixed methods to determine the effect of directed interventions on a cohort’s participation with the triune God. “Breathing with God” embraces an inspiring by God, aspiring to be Christ-like, and conspiring with the Holy Spirit. Theoretical lenses included respiration and personality preferences. Biblical lenses included Genesis 11:1-9 (Babel), Psalms 42-43 (the deer pants), Acts 2 (Pentecost), and Romans 12:1-8 (church as body). Theological lenses included spiritual capacity and discipleship. Findings revealed that improved comprehension of personality preferences and spiritual gifts coupled with consistent spiritual practices improved participation and willingness to engage in missio Dei.

The Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Preaching Discipleship Training Program For Church Members In The Knoxville First Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Marcus Alden Swearingen Bates

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Knoxville First Seventh-day Adventist Church has members endowed with the spiritual gift of speaking (preaching). However, no training program was available for these gifted members to develop and practice their preaching skills. The senior pastor, associate pastor, and guest speakers handled the preaching responsibilities, while these members were not edifying the congregation through the exercise of their preaching gift. The absence of a preaching training program also revealed a neglect of the pastoral responsibility to disciple members in the area of preaching. This project was an effort to train gifted members in the preaching craft for a potential …

A Strategy For Empowering Parents In Family Discipleship At The Philadelphia Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Hubert A. Wilkie

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

Although the Bible clearly calls parents to train their children in the faith and pass on faith to the next generation (Deut 6:4-9; Eph 6:4), few parents at the Philadelphia Seventh-day Adventist Church seem to be involved actively in their children's spiritual development. As a result, the way God designed the family to function is being inadvertently abandoned. This apparent lack of faith and values transmission has resulted in a very high attrition rate among our youth, who are usually disengaged by age 15 and leave the church by age 25. This perceived crisis over the dropout rate has …

An Evaluation Of The Masterlife Christian Discipleship Program's Influence On The Disciple Of Christ, Leon B. Newton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Important to realize, is the absence of spiritual transformation in the lives of some Christians within the membership of Simon Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The purpose of this study was to discover if the program’s influence on those participants in the experimental group transform into Christlikeness faster than those participants in the control group. This study evaluated transformation of participants in both groups. There were five areas evaluated. These areas included attitudes, behaviors, relationships, ministry, and doctrine. The findings from this study provided credible and convincing evidence which can be used to encourage mass participation in the MasterLife …

The Cultural Appropriations Of Organic Church Leadership, Rhythms, And Methodologies Into The Traditional Church Model, Aaron Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Within this thesis project an engagement with organic church structures, in relation to elements of leadership replication and natural rhythms of life, which are foundational to organic church expressions, will be explored. The metanarrative of leadership replication strategies and methodological elements which are foundational to the bio-communities contained within the context of simple and organic church expressions will be evaluated for their replication within the traditional church context. The intention of this thesis is to provide traditional church communities with crossover methodologies from organic church gatherings for the development of replicating leadership as well as holistic biblical communities.

Developing A Mentor-Method Of Evangelism At Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rolla, Missouri, Nathan Kuhlman

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Kuhlman, Nathan, A. “Developing a Mentor-Method of Evangelism at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rolla, Missouri.” D.Min. MAP, Concordia Seminary, 2018. 196pp.

Past models of evangelism are not as effective as they once were. To meet a changing, post-Christian culture, a model of evangelism that better speaks in today’s context is necessary. To address this need, this project was born. The purpose of this project was to develop and launch a mentor-method approach to evangelism at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Rolla, Missouri. This was accomplished through the launch of a pilot group of 12 test subjects from Redeemer who worked through a 10-week …

Interpreting Short Term Mission For Long Term Discipleship Creating A Standardized Short Term Mission Experience Training Manual For Hales Corners Lutheran Church, Chrisitan Wood

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Wood, Christian R. “Interpreting Short Term Mission for Long Term Discipleship: Creating a Standardized Short-term Mission Experience Training Manual for Hales Corners Lutheran Church.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2018. 201 pp.

This project seeks to produce a concise and consistent training manual for participants in Short Term Mission Experiences (STMEs). The manual seeks to foster growth toward living life on mission. This project uses interviews with several exemplars along with literary resources to produce a training manual. The training manual was then “tested” as more than fifty individuals participated in seven STMEs through Hales Corners Lutheran …

Practicing The Way Of Jesus In The College Ministry At The University Church Of Christ, Jonathan Andrew Gann

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the project was to give opportunities for a community group in the college ministry at University Church of Christ to experiment practicing the ways of Jesus. This purpose was accomplished by forming a Jesus dojo based on Mark Scandrette’s model as outlined in his book Practicing the Way of Jesus. The Jesus dojo met for eight sessions. During sessions we reflected upon different teachings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. Students then were given the opportunity of experimenting with the ways of Jesus together based on the theme of the teaching that week from …

Spiritual Transformation At Austin Christian Church, David Hooper

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project was designed to meet a need at the Austin Christian Church (ACC) for enhancing the spiritual formation of new converts to Christianity by providing clear direction for mentors seeking to disciple others into the image of Christ. The scope of this project is focused directly on taking the first steps toward a deliberate pathway for spiritual formation by establishing the foundational principles. The apostle Paul’s pastoral theology provides the theological rationale for the project. Theosis, the theologically rich description of the Christian transformative process, also informs the theological foundation for the project. Drawing on the work of Richard …

Saving The Sheep, Preserving The Fruit: A Plan Of Christian Education For The Millennials And Beyond In The Midwest Wesleyan Church, Keith Studebaker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis involved a ministry plan for adequately preparing preteen youth in the Midwestern Wesleyan Church denomination. The goal was to ground those youth in their relationship with God until their relationship with Him and His Church will persist through their teenage years and beyond. The topic is crucial in view of the marked exodus of youth from the evangelical church by their late teenage years, often never to return. Data were collected to show what is actually being provided currently to preteen youth in Midwestern Wesleyan local churches through a mixed-methods survey of pastors or Christian education leaders in …

Connecting The Church Beyond Prison Ministry: Transitioning The Discipled Prisoner Into A Discipleship Community, Joyce Weathers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The prison population in the United States surpasses all other countries on a per capita basis. The number of released inmates, who return to prison (recidivism) is staggering. In-prison Christian discipleship programs have successfully transitioned parolees into the free world, but little research has been done to confirm a standard practice for the transition process. Theories abound from clergy and laity alike; yet apathy and fear remain persistent deterrents. The church is confronted with a biblical mandate to assist the incarcerated (Matt. 25:36) and to make disciples (Matt. 28:19). By addressing the current concerns of church and prison ministry leaders, …

Sa Lenten Devotions 2018 “The Foolishness Of Discipleship” Week 4, Chris Heaton, Bill Grueninger, Jeremiah Jording, Kendall Davis, Ben Spaulding

Other Student Publications

During the fourth week, with the help of several students, we explore and meditate on some of these calls just a bit, as we consider this “foolishness” of discipleship.

A Biblical Approach For An Inner Healing Discipleship Cycle For Migrants And Refugees, Diói Cruz

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

"Within the Adventist Church many immigrants struggle silently with the consequences of emotional pain, fear, failure, anxiety, stress, inadequate parenting, rejection, and abusive relationships. Many try to cope with the ongoing results of involvement in the occult or other false religions, and the effects of physical illness, accidents, and trauma continue to impact their lives. It is God’s desire that we prosper and be in good health (3 John 2) because he created us in his image. “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Therefore, if we are to reflect his image we must …

An Approach To Discipleship To Create A Culture Of Evangelism In The Adventist Churches In St. Lucia, Caius Alfred

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

In spite of an annual growth in membership, a significant number of Seventh-day Adventists in La Bayee and Vieux Fort are not engaged in personal evangelism. Although the members reported that they have a good relationship with Christ, one does not see the evidence of spiritual transformation that is expected of the believers (National Church Development, 2009). Neither is there the type of penetration of the Gospel in the work place, neighborhood, among friends and associate as it should be. Several attempts were made to address the problem but to no avail. The current state of things in the …

Men Of Valor: A Study Of Following Christ's Example Of Discipleship With Five Key Men In The Local Church, Bradley D. Cassell Jr.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church is a diverse congregation with over 40 countries represented in its membership of nearly 600. There had been a steady increase of attendance and membership through transfers and conversion for several years. One of the biggest challenges that we faced at Tampa First was the discipleship of men. I have perceived in my 23 years of ministry that when the father is growing spiritually, the family unit had a greater tendency to grow with him, and the children were much more likely to stay connected to God and the church. It was imperative …

A Strategy For Discipleship Of New Members At The Mount Of Olives Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Michael G. Coleman

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

There was no discipleship strategy for new members at the Mount of Olives Seventh-day Adventist Church. Although the majority of new converts remained with the congregation, the church lacked a clear plan for nurturing the spiritual growth and leadership development of its new members.

Method

A strategy was developed in harmony with the practices and principles of biblical discipleship found in the New Testament and described in academic literature. It entailed the development of new members, particularly, and the entire congregation in general, by addressing the following four areas: spiritual nurturing, evangelism, leadership development, and stewardship/financial management. The strategy …

An Examination Of The Teaching Of Missional Concepts Of Christian Discipleship And Their Potential For Creating An Attitudinal Change At Berea Lutheran Church, Richfield, Minnesota, Kevin Tiaden

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Tiaden, Kevin N. “An Examination of the Teachings of Missional Concepts of Christian Discipleship and their Potential for Creating Attitudinal Change at Berea Lutheran Church, Richfield, Minnesota.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2017. 132 pp.

The purpose of this study is to examine the teaching of missional principles of discipleship at Berea Lutheran Church. I examine the attitudinal changes that take place as a result of this class. The first step in this process is looking at what those missional and Biblical principles are and then creating a method of teaching them in a large group setting …

An Examination Of The Necessity For Servant Leadership In The Pastoral Role: Biblical Principles Will Be Explored, Fred Jensen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this paper, a detailed analysis of servant leadership in the evangelical church is explored. Realizing that there is much diversity regarding leadership patterns, an examination of servant leadership is essential for impacting the lost and bringing about spiritual change in the church. It is paramount to consider servant leadership as clearly exemplified by Jesus Himself. This document addresses the necessity of servant leadership in the pastoral role as demonstrated by Jesus. This type of leadership needs to be restored to the church. In order for the church to be productive, it is imperative for senior pastors to adopt the …

An Examination Of Art In The American Evangelical Church For The Purpose Of Discipleship And Evangelism, Joshua Dugan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christianity, in previous eras, has been the foundation of the art community. But, it has surrendered that role over the past three centuries and with it a significant potion of its influence on culture. In addition the church is not effectively reaching an entire demographic of people, those who would define themselves as creatives and artists, because it has distanced itself from the arts. This paper will research the previous methods employed by the church and the current limitations of art within the American Evangelical church through applied academic research as well as interviews with church leaders and artists. The …

Even Though I Walk: Towards A Pentecostal Theology Of Discipleship, Jordan Reed

Selected Honors Theses

This purpose of this thesis is to develop a theological foundation for a Pentecostal theology of discipleship. I begin with an analysis of the early Pentecostal movement and its implications on Pentecostal theology. This is to develop a framework within which my proposed theology can be developed. Next, I assess discipleship from a broader perspective, identifying crucial aspects of it that are not specific to Pentecostalism. I appeal to the Anabaptist tradition’s understanding of discipleship specifically, recognizing key components which allowed their theology to be so effective. In light of this I summarize and assess existing Pentecostal literature on discipleship …

Superbosses, Joseph Bates

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

"there has long been a disconnect between church membership and discipleship. Superbosses provides leaders of christian churches access to a discipleship model that is proven to work. the author emphasizes the personal development of each person within the organization. As people realize their true potential, are inspired, trained, equipped, and set free to accomplish their god given purpose in life, they will grow and pursue excellence with a passion rarely seen."

Two Way Discipleship Curriculum: Correlation Of Discipleship With Pastoral Counseling For South Korean Churches, Yoonsu Lee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In South Korea, many churches create and run discipleship programs. The programs help many people to focus on Jesus, but the programs come with significant problem. . If a person is experiencing a mental problem like stress, depression, or addiction, that person has a much more difficult time focusing on Jesus Christ rather than the struggles in his or her own life. Most discipleship programs ignore these prevalent mental issues, but including mental care in the course is vital to develop true disciples. Pastoral counseling has various mental care methods that address the problems facing many of its participants. South …

Developing An Effective Biblical Method For The Rediscovery Of Accountability In Christian Discipleship, Jamie Archer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The emphasis on individualism in Western society has undermined the importance of accountability in human relationships. Many individuals see themselves as their own moral authority and are accountable to no one else. This idea has infiltrated the Western evangelical church. Western church members demonstrate a low level of accountability to their local church by failing to remain committed and involved, and by living lifestyles incompatible with church teachings. In response, few churches practice any form of church discipline, or even communicate expectations to church members. The result is a culture of self-centered and uncommitted church members. This project will argue …

Dirty Discipleship: The Essential Nature Of Recovery Ministry In Fulfilling The Great Commission, Richard Nichols

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christians are commanded to bear one another’s burdens with the specific purpose of restoring them in fellowship with God and others. One of the greatest areas of slavery in America is found within issues related to abuse, abandonment, and addictions. Recovery ministries seek to help people who have been broken by these issues. The Great Commission commands believers to make disciples of every nation. Recovery ministry is discipleship in the hardest areas of life and is dirtier and messier than many Christians wish to get. The purpose of this project is to present the need for every church to be …

Programa De Capacitação Para Fortalecer O Discipulado Através De Pastores Na Associação Central Paranaense, Aquino G. Bastos

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

The involvement of members regarding discipleship in the Central Parana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (CPC) seems not to follow the numerical growth of the church. An analysis of Sabbath School quarterly reports of the churches belonging to CPC for the first three quarters of 2015 indicates that only 1,091 (4,1%) of the 26,076 members are involved in the process of making new disciples. This low level of participation evidenced the need to design, implement, and evaluate a discipleship strengthening project that would enable pastors to become better equipped as discipleship training agents in their respective local churches at the …

The Church Is Familial And Is Built On Spiritually Strong Families, Yat Lau

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christ’s headship of the church has strong parallels to the husband’s headship of the family unit. As postmodernism, socio-economic factors, egalitarianism, globalization and shifts in the communicational processes drive inter-generational issues to greater heights, insidiously tear families apart—relationally, intellectually and spiritually. On the other hand, the church models the world through its discipleship programs, organization structures and has asserted itself as the spiritual head of the home. This paper will survey Christian young adults to identify key influences on their spiritual formation and family ministries the church provide to support families. The paper will provide a critique on family-equipping ministries …

A Discipleship Model For Youth At The Paradise Adventist Church, Milton Daniel Marquez

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Problem

For more than a decade the Paradise Adventist Church had been experiencing a common problem facing most churches in North America: approximately 60% of the youth were leaving the church. Rainer and Rainer (2008) argue that one of the factors in two-thirds of young adults between the ages of 18 and 22 leaving our churches after high school is the lack of a simple and effective discipleship process. Pastoral observation concurs that a primary contributing factor to the loss of Adventist youth is that the youth are not being discipled effectively and thus not rooted in Scripture, connected to …

Formulating A Covenant Of Discipleship For The Membership Of The Gwinnett Church Of Christ, David Chisholm

Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations

This project addressed the lack of a covenant of discipleship for the membership of the Gwinnett Church of Christ (GCC). The purpose of the project was to develop such a covenant document to help all the members of GCC better live out the process of becoming more like Jesus. To provide a theological foundation for this project, I explored discipleship in the exhortation sections of the book of Hebrews, which specifically addresses the need for greater commitment and intentionality amongst a community of faith. I also explored the theoretical framework of how formulating a discipleship covenant document could create progress …