Practical Theology Commons^™

The Power Of Faithfulness In Relational Evangelism, Lance C. Hahn

Great Commission Research Journal

Many evangelistic efforts bear little fruit. It may be due to our inability to convey the right information, but it may also be due to an inappropriate environment for the information to be interpreted correctly. This article describes a process that God may use to engage a person whose heart has been prepared, so that the seed sown is received, not only as truth, but with joy. Relational evangelism carried out faithfully allows consistent sowing until chaotic moments open the heart.

Book Review: Planting Reproducing Churches By Elmer L. Towns, David Thiessen

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Alternative Financial Models For Churches And Church Plants: When Tithes And Offerings Are Not Enough, W. Jay Moon

Great Commission Research Journal

Many churches face financial strains, forcing some to close every year. Similarly, potential church plants may be delayed or disbanded due to a lack of finances. Instead of relying solely on tithes and offerings, this article provides six nontraditional financial approaches that churches can implement to promote financial viability and missional impact. The interaction of the church’s financial liquidity (low or high) and relational networks (closed or open) provides a starting point to determine which approach may be best in the church’s context. Practical applications are provided through examples of contemporary churches using these approaches.

Leadership Modeling: Christian Leadership Development Through Mentoring As Informed By Social Learning Theory, Kevin S. Hall

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

Leadership development is essential to training up healthy, effective leaders. Christian leaders should be intentionally influencing others to acquire, reinforce, and translate proper leadership character and behaviors into effective Christian leadership. Albert Bandura’s social learning theory serves as a guide for leaders to effectively develop others; this learning occurs by observation through modeling. Modeling leadership in relationship with others is a key approach towards developing leaders. This article presents a leadership development strategy that is both biblically situated and scientifically informed.

Well-Being And Digital Media Usage To Strengthen The Faith Of Seventh-Day Adventists During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Arndt Büssing, Lorethy Starck, Klaus Van Treeck

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the emotional, spiritual, and social well-being of 1,036 German Seventh-day Adventists were analyzed; usage of the Church’s digital media resources was also analyzed. This study found that older peoples’ well-being was particularly high, and this group also benefited from digital media resources. The findings presented in this article may encourage Christian and non-Christian communities alike to further expand their digital media resources to provide helpful resources during the successive waves of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Predictors Of Sustainability And Well-Being In Ministry, Rob Parkman, René Erwich, Joke Vansanne

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Aspects Of Leadership And Their Effects On The Growth And Vitality Of North American Churches, Kimon Nicolaides Iii

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Post-Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges And Opportunities That Will Determine The Future Of Your Congregation, By Thom S. Rainer, Joanne Cortes

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Review Of Discipling In A Multicultural World, By A. Fernando, Jonathan Chitwood

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Leader's Greatest Return: Attracting, Developing, And Multiplying Leaders, By J. C. Maxwell, Angel D. Acevedo

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Review Of Anatomy Of A Revived Church: Seven Findings Of How Congregations Avoided Death, Bythom S. Rainer, Byron H. Corbett

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Review Of Eight Innovations To Leading Millennials: How Millennials Can Grow Your Church And Change The World, By Benjamin Windle, Ivanildo Almeida Lopes

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

Dissertation Notices, H. L. Penna, H. Parker, E. C. Scott, C. J. Danquah, D. R. Williams, C. O. Agbarakwe

Journal of Applied Christian Leadership

No abstract provided.

God Does Not Show Favoritism: The Intentional Inclusion Of Minorities In Pentecostal Leadership, Terrell Robert Raburn

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Although the Azusa Street Revival, known for launching the modern Pentecostal Movement, was initially characterized by minority diversity in regard to leadership, it quickly splintered into three classic Pentecostal fellowships formed along racial lines. The research presented herein examines the racially segregated history of the Pentecostal Church in North America—acknowledging the need for the implementation of a biblically based theology of racial integration—and presents a four-step process in which minority leadership within individual Pentecostal churches is promoted, combatting the unbiblical ideology of a segregated body of Christ. The four steps include (1) the necessity for a strong visionary leader; (2) …

Minecrafting Bar Mitzvah: Two Rabbis Negotiating And Cultivating Learner-Driven Inclusion Through New Media., Owen Gottlieb

Articles

In 2013, a boy with special needs used the video game Minecraft to deliver the sermon at his bar mitzvah at a Reform synagogue, an apparently unique ritual phenomenon to this day. Using a narrative inquiry approach, this article examines two rabbis’ negotiations with new media, leading up to, during, and upon reflection after the event. The article explores acceptance, innovation, and validation of new media in religious practice, drawing on Campbell’s (2010) framework for negotiation of new media in religious communities. Clergy biography, philosophy, and institutional context all impact the negotiations with new media. By providing context of a …

Evaluation Of Church Plant Training Methods Within The Assemblies Of God, Bethlehem Backes

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The steady decline of churches in America is a cause of great concern among spiritual leaders (Stetzer & Im, 2016). Missiologists agree that church planting is vital to presenting the gospel to unreached people groups. If church planting is the vehicle to deliver the life-giving message of Jesus to the world, church planters are the drivers who actively accomplish the purpose of healthy multiplication. Recent data on the health of church planters indicates many of them are not adequately prepared and desire long-term support to be successful. The Assemblies of God denomination has tasked the Church Multiplication Network with leading …

Church-Based Research: Challenges And Opportunities, David R. Dunaetz

Great Commission Research Journal

Because the church is the body of Christ, research focused on the Great Commission and Jesus’ concern for evangelism and disciple-making needs to be church-based. The goal of such research is to better share God’s love to a world who does not know him by building up a collection of knowledge that will enable us to do so. This research may be both theological (focusing on what the Bible and other theologians have said) and scientific (focusing on collecting new data and interpreting it, especially in light of theology). Church-based scientific research may be either qualitative (exploring broad ideas and …

A Missional Outreach Model In The Czech Republic: A Postchristian, Secular Culture, Petr Činčala

Great Commission Research Journal

The Czech Republic is one of the most secular countries in the world. Moreover, the church has not been growing over the last few decades. This case study presents the church planting efforts in the city of Liberec, focusing on an outreach center started by a small number of Christians with the goal of sharing Christ’s love in culturally relevant ways. The initial efforts led to a family-centered activity center with many programs that helped develop personal relationships, trust, and open doors to share the gospel. An English class and gospel choir have been at the center of the outreach, …

Narcissistic Pastors And The Making Of Narcissistic Churches, Darrell Puls

Great Commission Research Journal

Can churches take on the pathological behaviors associated with narcissism through the influence of a narcissistic pastor? While there is a large body of literature on narcissistic individuals, and a smaller body of research into narcissistic organizations, there is little research on the prevalence of toxic narcissism in clergy and little to none on narcissistic churches. This paper is written from the perspective of currently available research and the author’s experience in working with churches suffering from severe internal conflicts in which both the pastor and church evidenced toxic levels of narcissism. The intent is to increase awareness, open a …

Book Review: The Return Of Oral Hermeneutics: As Good Today As It Was For The Hebrew Bible And First-Century Christianity By T. A. Stephen And W. Bjoraker, Regina Manley

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Church Planting In The Secular West: Learning From The European Experience By Stefan Paas, Keith R. Sellers

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Hospitable Leader: Creating Environments Where People And Dreams Can Flourish By Terry A. Smith, Harvey Mitchell Jr.

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: A Guide To Church Revitalization Edited By Albert R. Mohler, Jr., Dustin Slaton

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Donald A. Mcgavran: A Biography Of The Twentieth Century's Premier Missiologist By Gary Mcintosh, Keith R. Sellers

Great Commission Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Evangelism - Sharing The Gospel At Work (Overview), Theology Of Work Project, Bill Peel, Leah Archibald, Randy Kilgore

Theology of Work Project

• The Mission of Sharing the Gospel
• We Are Called to Serve as Christ’s Ambassadors
  • Four Ways to Serve as Christ's Ambassador at Work
    • Sharing the Gospel Through Competence
    • Sharing the Gospel Through Character
    • Sharing the Gospel by Showing Concern
    • Sharing the Gospel Through Wise Conversation
  • A Final Encouragement for Ambassadors of Christ

George Floyd Protests, Pivot Nw Research

Blog

No abstract provided.

Digital Occult Library, Alexis Brandkamp

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This capstone project is a website, titled Digital Occult Library, hosted by the CUNY Commons and built with WordPress. The site address is:

digitaloccultlibrary.commons.gc.cuny.edu

It features (in this iteration) twenty-five unique pages with information on and discussion of occult and esoteric topics. It also hosts a forum that can be accessed and utilized by anyone, not just those registered on the Commons. The purpose of the site is to inform three types of interested parties on the highlighted topics: a general audience with no current knowledge of the occult, practitioners of esoteric traditions, and academics. Not only is the …

Recognizing And Overcoming The Problem Of Individualism In A Local Church, Michael John Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individualism, the concept that a person’s own thoughts and interests are ethically paramount over any governmental system, can be a problem in a church, especially a small church where changes in numbers can directly affect the church’s ability to carry out its vision and mission. This project will look at a rural Illinois church to show how it handles the problem of individualism, specifically in its leaders, by emphasizing the biblical concepts of the body of Christ and the family of God. The project will include an interview with a Bible college president who has researched church leadership to talk …

Impact Of Elder Training In Law And Gospel Discernment, Christian Vocation, And Two Kingdom Theology At Grace Lutheran Church Woodbridge, Virginia, Lannon Martin

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Martin, Lannon, R. “Impact of Elder Training in Law and Gospel discernment, Christian Vocation, and Two Kingdom Theology at Grace Lutheran Church, Woodbridge, Virginia.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2020. 139 pp.

This Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) Major Applied Project (MAP), studies the board of elders at Grace Lutheran Church in Woodbridge, Virginia, and seeks to determine how their influence from federal government and military culture has shaped how they view and carry out their service. They are then taught foundational theology including Law and Gospel, Christian vocation and two kingdoms. The qualitative research study seeks to …

‘Remember The Deeds Of The Lord:’ Collective Memory’S Role In A Reasonable Faith, Baily Ray Mcdaniel

Masters Theses

Faith has long been regarded by secular scholars as unreasonable and unjustified. One of the largest issues that Christians face today is working against the notion that faith is blind. Best-selling author Richard Dawkins states, “religious faith is an especially potent silencer of rational calculation, which usually seems to trump all others.” The irrationality of faith is echoed consistently by other scholars including Bertrand Russell. As Kelly James Clark points out, “Bertrand Russell was once asked, if he were to come before God, what he would say to God. Russell replied, ‘Not enough evidence God, not enough evidence.’” The claim …