Practical Theology Commons^™

Devotions For Advent 2022 Canticles Of Luke, Brennan Deforest, Alexander Ogden, Rod Stewart, Andrew Hill, Eva Aiello, Joshua Benish, Nathan Raugutt, James Bruss, Daniel Bueckman, Joshua Steele, Kyle Lewis, Jacob Moore, Daniel Thoelke, Nick Palmer, Simon Niemtschk, Zachary Wessel, Adam Hiles, Peter Wagner, Claire Gerrard, Mark Zieroth, Micah Brooks, Zachary Thornton, Luke Frauenhoff, Zachary Roll, Henry Eising, Peyton Holland, Garrett Anklam, Jacob Sipes, Jonathan Lackey

Other Student Publications

Each week of this Advent devotional will focus on one of the four Lukan canticles, putting it in its context as well as making connections to other portions of Scripture. At the end of this Advent season, may we, like those who have gone before us, “sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day” (Ps. 96:2).

Many thanks to all the CSL and CTSFW students who contributed devotional reflections. A special note of thanks to my counterpart, Zachary Roll, who organized this effort at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis who has been a joy …

We Will Hold Onto You: The Liberating Power Of Music And Liturgy To Break Open The Stories Of Mental Illness In Communities Of Faith, Hillary Doerries

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

One in five people lives with a diagnosable mental health problem in any given year. Thus, the presence of mental illness already permeates faith communities. The church’s history with mental illness remains complicated, especially as some communities of faith continue to espouse negative lay theologies that are harmful and dismissive to people living with mental health problems. Guided by the tenants of liberation theology, this thesis argues that mental health justice is a part of God’s overarching justice intended for all creation. When we, as God’s people, encounter or observe injustice, it is our theological task to gather the weary, …

As Fewer Young Americans Say They Believe In God, A Look At Why So Many Have Abandoned Religion And What Motivates Others To Keep The Faith, Briana Ellis-Gibbs

Capstones

Generation Z, defined by the Pew Research Center as those born after 1997, is the least religious generation yet, according to a recent report from the American Survey Center. More than one-third of Generation Zers are religiously unaffiliated, along with 29 percent of Millenials, those born between 1981 and 1996. On the other hand, only 18 percent of baby boomers and 9 percent of the silent generation claim no religious affiliation.

Though overall, Americans' belief in God has hit an all-time low, from nearly 90 percent in 2017 to 81 percent this year, according to a new poll by Axios …

Resources For Understanding The Life Together Covenant, Hank Voss

Essays

No abstract provided.

Transforming Disciples Through A Spiritual Formation Cohort At Washington Street Church Of Christ, Jim Black

Harding School of Theology Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

Calvin Theological Journal (Vol 57 No 2 - November 2022), Calvin Theological Seminary

Calvin Theological Journal

From the Editor: Karin Maag - 211 / Articles: Reforming the Fast: Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin on Fasting by K. J. Drake - 213 / John Preston on the Purpose and Place of the Natural Knowledge of God by Richard A. Muller - 247 / The Christian Reformed Synod of 1924: Unfinished Business on Common Grace, Part 1 by John Bolt - 271 / The Biblical Expectation of Christ’s Return: A Compelling Motivation for Local and Global Mission by Zachary King - 313 / Sermon: Anticipating Heaven: A Sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:1–6, 16–21 by Peter Jonker - 345 / …

The Cost Of Being A Disciple, Anna Galeniece

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Biblical Imperative For Pastoral Self-Care, Petr A. Činčala, René Drumm

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Hollywood Influence, Hyveth Williams

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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 Tale Of Three Congregations: Building Resilience In Congregations In Disadvantaged Neighborhoods, Makaela Brass, Zara Escamilla, Isaac Voss

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 Impact On Church Cash Inflows In Ghana As Moderated By Location Profile, Francis Osei-Kuffour, Williams Kwasi Peprah, Dickson Marfo Sarfo, Bright Osei Yeboah

Faculty Publications

The corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic brought both negative and positive impacts on all sectors of world economies since its inception in the early 2020s. Profit and not-for-profit institutions have had their levels of effects as a result of the world-wide crises. Lockdown measures imposed by governments around the world to curb the spread of the virus had various repercussions on various activities, including churches. Effects of the pandemic on businesses, education, agriculture and tourism, among others, have received massive highlights in literature. Given this phenomenon, this study sought to ascertain the impact of COVID-19 on church cash inflows. The study …

Concordia Seminary Magazine Summer 2022, Vicki Biggs

Concordia Seminary Magazine

Proclaim His Name

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 …

Review Of A Time To Heal: Missionary Nurses In Churches Of Christ, Southeastern Nigeria (1953-1967). By Martha E. Farrar Highfield, Mcgarvey Ice

Library Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Missions And Media And The Pentecostal Tradition, Elena Espinoza

Masters of Theological Studies

This thesis sought to discover how the use of media for missions developed within the Pentecostal tradition. In order to accomplish this, the historical development of the print medium and the introduction of radio will be analyzed. Additionally, methods of visual media will be introduced by discussing televangelism, media and theology, and the ethics of missions photojournalism. From there, the thesis transitions to the current use of digital media. Digital media today includes, but is not limited to, electronic newsletters, photos, videos, and social media. For the sake of this paper, only those for digital media mediums/platforms will be discussed. …

Restoration Quarterly: Vol. 64, No. 4

Restoration Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Técnicas Mejorar Comunicación, Marcos Kempff

Matrimonio y familia

Técnicas mejorar comunicación

House Church Leaders: A Multisite Case Study, Lance Croy

PhD in Organizational Leadership

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine house church leaders in situ within three typologies of home gatherings. Billings (2011) identified three stages of house church formats: (a) Oikos, where the congregants assemble in the home for a complete meal, including the Eucharist; (b) Domus, where the curate renovates and dedicates rooms in their homes for Christian usage; and (c) Aula, where rented facilities house larger gatherings, the liturgy becomes more formalized, and the Eucharist is no longer a full meal (Billings, 2011). House church leaders and congregants sampled fit the three typologies while addressing a gap in …

"Self-Care:" Not Just A Buzzword, Petr Cincala

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

The Great Commission Research Network 2022 Presidential Address, Jay Moon

Great Commission Research Journal

Presidential message at the 2022 Annual Conference of the Great Commission Research Network held in Orlando, Florida.

Book Review: Advanced Missiology: How To Study Missions In Credible And Useful Ways By Kenneth R. Nehrbass, Keith R. Sellers

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Cultural Intelligence: Living For God In A Diverse, Pluralistic World By Darrell Bock, Kenneth Nehrbass

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Motus Dei: The Movement Of God To Disciple The Nations Edited By Warrick Farah, David H. Campbell

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Gerontic Evangelism, Yakubu Jakada

Great Commission Research Journal

Gerontic Evangelism focuses on sharing the gospel with senior adults. Many evangelism ministries are focusing on children, youth, women, and other adult members of society, but few focus on the elderly. Senior adults in most cases are not seen as a peculiar group that needs to be strategically reached with the gospel. Their importance in society and their growing population worldwide should attract the attention of evangelists and missionaries to target them as a special group for gospel witness. This paper argues that winning the senior adults to Christ is a necessity and may open doors for the evangelization and …

Book Review: Defending Shame: Its Formative Power In Paul’S Letters By Te-Li Lau, Yi-Sang Patrick Chan

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Not Just The Sinner’S Prayer: People’S Experiences With “Stranger-Evangelism”, Kenneth Nehrbass

Great Commission Research Journal

While churches and Christian concerts are typical loci for evangelism, some Christians also broach the subject of faith with strangers they encounter at their health club, at the beach, or while visiting door-to-door. This study draws from 34 stories of “stranger-evangelism” offered by 11 ministers and laypeople who participated in semi-structured interviews. The central finding of this study is that stranger-evangelism contains a rich variety of experiences that are typical of any ministry: sometimes planned (by proclaiming, inviting, programming, befriending, and serving), and sometimes spontaneously. Participants described the fruit of their efforts along a continuum from rejection to interest, and …

Competing Notions Of Humility: Why Korean Americans Do Not Need To Abandon Confucius To Get To Christ, Eunice Hong, Max Botner

Great Commission Research Journal

Korean Americans often go to church not only for religious reasons, but also for social and cultural reasons. Due to the close tie between the Korean immigrant church and cultural traditions, second-generation Korean Americans often struggle with trying to balance Eastern and Western cultural values. In particular, tensions arise for second-generation Korean Americans between competing notions of humility. Such tensions, however, provide opportunities to reflect on the particular nature of Christian humility. This article presents biblical humility as one that is neither the maintenance of cultural traditions nor the personal growth of individual disciples; rather, Christ-shaped, Spirit-filled humility is the …

Apologetics And Disability: Reframing Our Response To The Question Of Suffering, Rochelle Scheurermann

Great Commission Research Journal

A prominent question that is asked when people consider God is how to account for suffering if God is good and all-powerful. For Christians, answering this question is a major part of apologetic and evangelistic training. But what if the way we have traditionally approached this question is not good news for everyone? This paper examines the suffering question in light of disabilities and suggests a new way to engage in apologetics that is centered in creation (not fall) and celebrates the gifts and opportunities that come through a diversity of ability.

My Journey In Church Growth, Elmer Towns

Great Commission Research Journal

This is a short autobiography focusing on the authors experiences in the Church Growth movement.