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Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons™
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Articles 1 - 30 of 33
Full-Text Articles in Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
Forming Saints In A Digital Context, Mark R. Teasdale
Forming Saints In A Digital Context, Mark R. Teasdale
Great Commission Research Journal
Biblical and scholarly sources agree on the importance of forming Christians to seek after holy living to make them more effective evangelists, such that the ministries of evangelism and spiritual formation are intertwined. They also agree that one of the primary roles of the church is to provide for this formation. However, the practices for doing this have been complicated by the heavy move toward digital ministry because of COVID-19. Congregations can continue this formational work even in highly digital contexts by helping Christians tell their story through lifelogging, providing rituals and disciplines to sanctify time and physical spaces, and …
Book Review: Cultural Intelligence: Living For God In A Diverse, Pluralistic World By Darrell Bock, Kenneth Nehrbass
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: Defending Shame: Its Formative Power In Paul’S Letters By Te-Li Lau, Yi-Sang Patrick Chan
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
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 …
Gerontic Evangelism, Yakubu Jakada
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: Pastor Unique: Becoming A Turnaround Leader By Laverne E. Brown, Gordon E. Penfold, And Gary J. Westra, Jim Roden
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Competing Notions Of Humility: Why Korean Americans Do Not Need To Abandon Confucius To Get To Christ, Eunice Hong, Max Botner
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 …
About The Great Commission Research Network Fall 2022, David R. Dunaetz
About The Great Commission Research Network Fall 2022, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Church-Based Research: Using Theories, Concepts, And Operationalizations, David R. Dunaetz
Church-Based Research: Using Theories, Concepts, And Operationalizations, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
Church-based research requires working with abstract concepts ranging from sin to sanctification. Theories, concepts, and operationalizations allow us to work with these abstractions. Theories are sets of statements describing how specific concepts relate to each other. Concepts are broad ideas that exist in our thinking that can be used to describe phenomena, both within and exterior to the church. If we measure the concepts in our theories among multiple people, we can determine to what degree the relationships in our theories are true or discover under what conditions they are true. Sometimes concepts can be measured directly; other times they …
My Journey In Church Growth, Elmer Towns
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.
Book Review: Apostolic Imagination: Recovering A Biblical Vision For The Church’S Mission Today By J. D. Payne, H. L. Ward Jr.
Book Review: Apostolic Imagination: Recovering A Biblical Vision For The Church’S Mission Today By J. D. Payne, H. L. Ward Jr.
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
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.
Applying Paul’S Areopagus Model To Generation Z, Tanita Maddox
Applying Paul’S Areopagus Model To Generation Z, Tanita Maddox
Great Commission Research Journal
The members of Generation Z are today’s adolescents and young professionals, bringing with them their own culture. This culture requires other generations to use a cross-cultural approach to evangelism, as modeled by Paul in Athens (Acts 17:16-34). Paul observed the Athenian culture, built rapport, used common language with his audience, found common ground as a cultural doorway for his message, and redefined the audience’s understanding of the relationship between God and humans. The same steps can be applied to gospel proclamation to Generation Z for effective and relevant evangelism.
Apologetics And Disability: Reframing Our Response To The Question Of Suffering, Rochelle Scheurermann
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.
The Great Commission Research Network 2022 Presidential Address, Jay Moon
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
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: Development In Mission: A Guide For Transforming Global Poverty And Ourselves By Monty Lynn, Rob Gailey, And Derran Reese, Nathaniel Veltman
Book Review: Development In Mission: A Guide For Transforming Global Poverty And Ourselves By Monty Lynn, Rob Gailey, And Derran Reese, Nathaniel Veltman
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Turning Points In The Expansion Of Christianity: From Pentecost To The Present By Alice Ott, David Thiessen
Book Review: Turning Points In The Expansion Of Christianity: From Pentecost To The Present By Alice Ott, David Thiessen
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Great Commission Research Journal Fall 2022, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal Fall 2022, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Evangelism In A Skeptical World: How To Make The Unbelievable News About Jesus More Believable By Sam Chan, Cameron D. Armstrong
Book Review: Evangelism In A Skeptical World: How To Make The Unbelievable News About Jesus More Believable By Sam Chan, Cameron D. Armstrong
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
The Continuity Mindset For Christian Mission, Jack T. Davison
The Continuity Mindset For Christian Mission, Jack T. Davison
Great Commission Research Journal
Missionaries from the Global North regularly serve as trainers for Christians in the Global South. From personal experience, missionaries are regularly seen as being qualified to do this work simply because of their position. Rather than missionaries assuming they are competent purely on the basis of their titles, I believe they should instead practice the Continuity Mindset for Christian Mission, a mindset that emphasizes the continuity of one’s identity and ministry in one’s home culture with one’s identity and ministry in the host culture. This practice includes elements of vulnerable mission, nonresidential mission, tentmaking, cultural intelligence, and authentic leadership. I …
Book Review: The Life And Impact Of Phil Parshall: Connecting With Muslims Edited By Kenneth Nehrbass And Mark Williams, Stephen Jester
Book Review: The Life And Impact Of Phil Parshall: Connecting With Muslims Edited By Kenneth Nehrbass And Mark Williams, Stephen Jester
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: The Innovation Crisis: Creating Disruptive Influence In The Ministry You Lead By Ted Esler, W. Handley Jr.
Book Review: The Innovation Crisis: Creating Disruptive Influence In The Ministry You Lead By Ted Esler, W. Handley Jr.
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Towards A Pentecostal Theology Of Praxis: A Case Study By John Mark Robeck, Norlan Josué Hernández
Book Review: Towards A Pentecostal Theology Of Praxis: A Case Study By John Mark Robeck, Norlan Josué Hernández
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: You Found Me By Rick Richardson, David C. Thiessen
Book Review: You Found Me By Rick Richardson, David C. Thiessen
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Writing Literature Reviews In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz
Writing Literature Reviews In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
Because of the knowledge explosion taking place, literature reviews in church-based research are needed more than ever. Summaries and syntheses of previous research make this knowledge available to practitioners and help researchers focus on what remains unknown. In contrast to empirical studies, literature reviews rely on previously published studies to make conclusions and advance theory. These studies may include both church-based research and more general research that is not particularly Christian. In contrast to meta-analyses which focus on synthesizing statistical information, literature reviews focus on conceptual synthesis and theory advancement. To write a literature review, authors must first choose a …
Social Media As A Tool For Evangelism Among Youth And Young Adults, Trisney J. Bocala-Wiedemann
Social Media As A Tool For Evangelism Among Youth And Young Adults, Trisney J. Bocala-Wiedemann
Great Commission Research Journal
This research aims to answer the question of which social media platforms youth prefer and what types of content they prefer. Using data collected from a quantitative survey of Seventh-day Adventist schools, this research seeks to identify the most-used social media platforms and most appealing types of content so Christian churches, media organizations, and digital missionaries can more effectively utilize social media as a tool for evangelism among youth and young adults, defined as people 15 to 24 years of age.
An Examination Of Three Models Of Missional Communities For Sharing The Gospel With Muslims In The United States, Mike Urton
Great Commission Research Journal
Missional communities are small groups within a local church that serve those outside the church with the aim of sharing the gospel, perhaps even providing them the possibility of joining the group. Missional communities have been used effectively by local churches in reaching the surrounding community or a specific group of people. This article examines three different models of missional communities, discussing the strengths and challenges associated with each one. Based on these observations, along with observations on the evangelical Christian and Muslim communities in the United States, three recommendations are presented for helping missional communities effectively share the gospel …
The Sinner’S Prayer: An Inappropriate Ritual For Thai Christian Culture And A Suggested Replacement, Kelly M. Hilderbrand
The Sinner’S Prayer: An Inappropriate Ritual For Thai Christian Culture And A Suggested Replacement, Kelly M. Hilderbrand
Great Commission Research Journal
The practice of encouraging seekers to say the sinner’s prayer has become commonplace in Thailand. However, the practice is relatively recent and has developed out of Western individualistic assumptions. It is not an explicitly biblical practice and has serious practical problems, producing decisions for Christ that often do not result in a long-term commitment to Christianity. The practice also runs counter to many Thai cultural norms and can be harmful to evangelism and discipleship in Thailand. This article suggests a different approach, the prayer challenge.
Leadership: Essential For A Church To Grow Numerically And Spiritually, Steven L. Estes
Leadership: Essential For A Church To Grow Numerically And Spiritually, Steven L. Estes
Great Commission Research Journal
This article relates the spiritual gift of leadership (Rom. 12:8) to numerical church growth. Scripture presents spiritually gifted leaders as those who received authority from God and had knowledge of his will for his people. Biblical leaders delegated effectively and encouraged those who were given tasks to accomplish. The overall scope of biblical teaching on leadership indicates that pastors/elders should have the gift of leadership. Allowing those who qualify and have the gift of leadership to emerge is crucial for the health of a church.