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Articles 181 - 210 of 458
Full-Text Articles in Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
The Song Of Cuba’S Great Awakening: Music In Baptist Worship And Witness, Michael Sharp, Ed Steele
The Song Of Cuba’S Great Awakening: Music In Baptist Worship And Witness, Michael Sharp, Ed Steele
Great Commission Research Journal
From the 1990s to the present, Cuban Baptists have witnessed a time of unparalleled church growth. During that time frame, musicians have participated in ministries aimed at church growth by organizing largescale public musical events, compiling a Cuban hymnal that included indigenous Cubano worship songs, developing new programs of leadership training for church musicians, and employing music in missionary projects both at home and abroad. This article explores what can be learned from the Cuban Baptists’ experience regarding music as an effective tool in evangelism, the value of musicians reaching musicians as a mission strategy, the importance of ethnodoxology in …
Musical Worship: The New Sacrament?, Elsen Portugal
Musical Worship: The New Sacrament?, Elsen Portugal
Great Commission Research Journal
Music has been present in the worship practices of Christian communities as far back as the early days of the Church. Its presence has not been merely tolerated but intentionally integrated into liturgical practices, sometimes reflecting practices under the old covenant, and at other times adopting other shapes. Music’s meaning and power have also been variously evaluated by theologians and laypeople through the centuries. In certain segments of Christianity, music has even developed a theological relationship to concepts of sacrament. Such a relationship has penetrated the “worship event” in the latter part of the twentieth century and has frequently become …
That All May Hear: How Indigenous Church Music Encourages Church Growth In Africa, Trevor Yoakum
That All May Hear: How Indigenous Church Music Encourages Church Growth In Africa, Trevor Yoakum
Great Commission Research Journal
This article demonstrates how indigenous church music can be an effective tool in promoting healthy church growth. After defining indigenous church music through the insights of ethnodoxology, the author explains how it engages local hearers through their own conceptual categories. This cognitive interaction is relevant in that it augments comprehension of biblical themes and content. But it also impacts hearers through the various levels of their worldview. The article ends with a case study of how a consortium of African theological institutions and IMB missionaries are developing orality-based indigenous music to teach, refute heresy, and evangelize the continent.
Igniting Hope Among Gen Z, Billy Mcmahan
Igniting Hope Among Gen Z, Billy Mcmahan
Great Commission Research Journal
Generation Z is the future of the Church. We need to begin equipping followers of Jesus to welcome them home. This article explores the seven common characteristics of Generation Z. It will also dive into research done among current youth workers from around the country and then provide some strategies on how to engage Generation Z based on that research. About 90 million young Americans fit into the age bracket of Generation Z. As the Church, we need to understand their worldview. As they emerge into adulthood, it will be vital to the health of the Church overall to equip …
“Lift Up Your Eyes”: Case Study Of Journey Church, Tucson, Jim Roden
“Lift Up Your Eyes”: Case Study Of Journey Church, Tucson, Jim Roden
Great Commission Research Journal
The receptivity principle of church growth discerns who in the local population is generally responsive to the gospel. The biblical warrant for this principle is seen in Jesus’ instructions to his disciples (Mark 5:11) and in Paul’s ministry (Acts 14:19-20). Donald McGavran emphasized, “Evangelism can be and ought to be directed to responsive persons, groups, and segments of society…. Correct policy is to occupy fields of low receptivity lightly.” The experience of anxiety typifies gospel-receptive groups; when their anxiety dissipates, their gospel receptivity diminishes. The special-needs population and those who are close to them experience unrelieved chronic anxiety that predisposes …
The Acts Way: Returning To The Original Plan A Of Church Planting, Joshua D. Sorrows
The Acts Way: Returning To The Original Plan A Of Church Planting, Joshua D. Sorrows
Great Commission Research Journal
This article examines the question: Is there a way to plant gospel-centered churches faster? Building off of Donald McGavran’s homogeneous unit theory, this article explores the biblical basis, the varied methodologies, and the successful implementation of a micro-church planting strategy in the Colorado Rockies. It evaluates the validity of micro-church planting alongside our current methods of church planting. The article calls for consideration to return to the Acts model of church planting through disciple-making that will help the Church go deep and reach wide.
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Leaving A Legacy, Gary L. Mcintosh
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Leaving A Legacy, Gary L. Mcintosh
Great Commission Research Journal
As the Church Growth Movement continued to develop, it gained strength and respect. The establishing of the McGavran Chair of Church Growth was a red-letter day, which established the CGM as an academic discipline. Donald and Mary McGavran slowly backed away from direct ministry, but continued to follow the movement’s impact. This except reports the final years of McGavran’s life and ministry
Book Review: Jesus Revolution: How God Transformed An Unlikely Generation And How He Can Do It Again Today By Greg Laurie And Ellen Vaughn, H. L. Ward Jr.
Book Review: Jesus Revolution: How God Transformed An Unlikely Generation And How He Can Do It Again Today By Greg Laurie And Ellen Vaughn, H. L. Ward Jr.
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Remission: Rethinking How Church Leaders Create Movement By Gary Comer, Jim Roden
Book Review: Remission: Rethinking How Church Leaders Create Movement By Gary Comer, Jim Roden
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
An Alternative Mission Paradigm For Healthy Church Growth, Paul Seung-Oh An
An Alternative Mission Paradigm For Healthy Church Growth, Paul Seung-Oh An
Great Commission Research Journal
Christianity is becoming weaker and nominalized, and it is expected to be surpassed quantitatively by Islam in 2070. The purpose of this article is to analyze the limitations of the holistic mission paradigm, a representative view of mission today, in terms of healthy church growth, and to propose key points of an alternative mission paradigm which would be helpful for overcoming these limitations. The history of holistic mission is examined to show the identity and characteristics of the paradigm, and then an alternative mission paradigm that can contribute to healthy church growth is presented.
Book Review: Women In God’S Mission: Accepting The Invitation To Serve And Lead By Mary T. Lederleitner, Brit Redfield
Book Review: Women In God’S Mission: Accepting The Invitation To Serve And Lead By Mary T. Lederleitner, Brit Redfield
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Christian Ministry To Refugees In The Contrasting Settings Of Greece And Germany, John P. Thompson
Christian Ministry To Refugees In The Contrasting Settings Of Greece And Germany, John P. Thompson
Great Commission Research Journal
The refugee crisis in Europe may be one of the most significant opportunities for the spread of the gospel on that continent since the fall of the Iron Curtain. Many churches in Western Europe are engaging these newcomers in holistic ministry. From February to May 2018, seventeen leaders were interviewed from fourteen ministries engaged in refugee ministry in Greece and Germany to explore refugee ministry realities and practices in these two nations with contrasting policies. The research describes the shifting refugee situation, the shifting context, the relationship between these ministries and government, refugee ministry approaches, spiritual openness among refugees, and …
Reach, Assimilate And Develop: Essential Keys For The Resurgence Of The Church In America, Gordon E. Penfold
Reach, Assimilate And Develop: Essential Keys For The Resurgence Of The Church In America, Gordon E. Penfold
Great Commission Research Journal
This article presents a way to understand church growth from the perspective of reaching, assimilating, and developing people in the church. In Re:Vision: The Key to Transforming Your Church, Aubrey Malphurs and Penfold researched the characteristics discovered in re-envisioning (turnaround) pastors. The two researchers gathered a great deal of information about the ministry and practices of effective pastors including statistics on worship attendance, conversions, and baptisms. The statistics on conversion and baptism did not find their way into the book. This article examines worship attendance, conversion, baptism, and assimilation rates of reporting pastors. These rates reveal a great deal about …
Finding The Church Planting Model For Our Church: How Existing Churches Can Be Part Of The Church Planting Movement, Seungsoo Jun
Finding The Church Planting Model For Our Church: How Existing Churches Can Be Part Of The Church Planting Movement, Seungsoo Jun
Great Commission Research Journal
Church planting has become an effective method for revitalizing denominations. In many cases, however, church planting is limited to one or two charismatic leaders or a large church’s multi-site movement. This article attempts to present a roadmap to categorize the models of church planting. After understanding pathways for church planting, it suggests a method that enables existing churches to be part of this exciting movement of God.
Visionary Differences, Chris Messerer
Visionary Differences, Chris Messerer
Great Commission Research Journal
Organizational vision is nearly universally accepted as being critically important to a church in any stage of growth or decline. Church plants and church revitalization efforts depend on organizational vision because it provides focus and direction. Organizational vision is also important because it inspires people to participate. Successful church planters and church revitalization leaders excel at casting vision. While church plants and church revitalizations have similarities, leading one is significantly different from leading the other. Likewise, organizational vision is different between a church plant and a church revitalization. This article analyzes the differences between an organizational vision for a church …
Perceived Strengths And Weaknesses Of American Churches: A Quadrant Analysis Of Church-Based Ministries, David R. Dunaetz, Joshua Mcgowan
Perceived Strengths And Weaknesses Of American Churches: A Quadrant Analysis Of Church-Based Ministries, David R. Dunaetz, Joshua Mcgowan
Great Commission Research Journal
The needs and expectations of both Christians and non-Christians concerning churches vary according to the cultural context. Similarly, a church’s ability to respond to these needs depends on its ability to fine-tune ministries so that they are appropriate to the cultural context. This study uncovers various elements of American church ministries (especially those that can be supported by technology) which church members consider important but which are poorly executed. A sample of 325 members of American churches indicated which ministries they considered most important and to what degree they believed that they were carried out well in their church. A …
How Team Leadership Benefits The Health Of Pastors, Bill Stewart
How Team Leadership Benefits The Health Of Pastors, Bill Stewart
Great Commission Research Journal
The role of a pastor is more challenging and complex than it has ever been. With the increased demands come increased stress, which has resulted in burnout and failure on many different levels. The traditional leadership structure with a pastor sitting alone at the top only seems to exacerbate the problems associated with the stress of ministry. Pastors and churches are rethinking leadership paradigms and developing senior leadership teams that set the overall direction of the church. Pastors on these leadership teams believe that serving on a team of leaders has caused them to become healthy and maintain health over …
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Coming Of Age, Gary L. Mcintosh
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Coming Of Age, Gary L. Mcintosh
Great Commission Research Journal
In the mid-1970s, criticism of the Church Growth Movement gradually began to wane. Donald McGavran reduced his teaching load to halftime, although he continued to teach for another decade. McGavran and Win Arn continued teaming together on books and films, and even Peter Wagner turned toward a focus on North American Church Growth. The Church Growth Movement came of age, and it would flourish throughout the remainder of the 1970s and into the 1980s.
Religion Crossing The Frontiers: Nigerian Pentecostal Dynamics In The Western World, Jacob Kehinde Oladipupo
Religion Crossing The Frontiers: Nigerian Pentecostal Dynamics In The Western World, Jacob Kehinde Oladipupo
Great Commission Research Journal
This article examines how the Pentecostal movements in Africa and most especially in Nigeria are experiencing fast growth and how African Pentecostals are speaking on the global scene, especially in Europe and America in the twenty-first century. This kind of Pentecostal reverse mission from Africa to the Western countries that brought Christianity to Africa in the eighteenth century is not without strengths and weaknesses. This article unveils the nature of the Nigerian Pentecostal movements in the diaspora and how much impact the movements are making in the Western cultures of Europe and America. The passion of the African immigrants’ churches …
Book Review: Who Broke My Church? 7 Proven Strategies For Renewal And Revival By Kent R. Hunter, David Thiessen
Book Review: Who Broke My Church? 7 Proven Strategies For Renewal And Revival By Kent R. Hunter, David Thiessen
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
The Future Growth Of Global Christianity And Yoido Full Gospel Church: Its Potential Role In The New Context, Wonsuk Ma
Great Commission Research Journal
Christians have long recognized the amazing growth of Yoido Full Gospel Church. It has been a pioneer in the Church Growth Movement and has set an example in its dependence on prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit. The church faces challenges/opportunities in the future as it relates to the church growth in the Global South, the changing culture in South Korea, and the Pentecostal/charismatic movements around the world.
The Global Missionary: The Emerging Roles Of North American Missionaries In The Twenty-First Century, Blayne C. Waltrip
The Global Missionary: The Emerging Roles Of North American Missionaries In The Twenty-First Century, Blayne C. Waltrip
Great Commission Research Journal
This article explores the emerging roles of the North American missionary in light of the changing face of global missions. Missionary sending has become a phenomenon of reciprocity. Because the Global South has become a missionary sending force, missionaries are going from everywhere to everywhere. This shift has created a need for North American missionaries to reevaluate their roles in missions. They are increasingly becoming “Global Missionaries” that serve in more than one context. The author defines and describes a Global Missionary, evaluates the factors for the shift, and advocates a greater global partnership to fulfill the Great Commission.
Do Larger Churches Tolerate Pastoral Narcissism More Than Smaller Churches?, David R. Dunaetz, Hannah L. Jung, Stephen L. Lambert
Do Larger Churches Tolerate Pastoral Narcissism More Than Smaller Churches?, David R. Dunaetz, Hannah L. Jung, Stephen L. Lambert
Great Commission Research Journal
Pastoral narcissism in churches is a problem, from both a theological and practical perspective. In this study, we explore the question of whether church size is related to tolerance for narcissism. In the popular press, pastors of megachurches are often portrayed as narcissistic. The Dominance Complementarity Model of narcissistic leaders (Grijalva & Harms, 2004) predicts that churches which have less dominant followers, as may be the case in larger churches, would be more tolerant of narcissistic pastors than smaller churches. Yet larger churches also have the resources to hire the most qualified staff, which would presumably exclude candidates high in …
A Case Study Of Growth And Decline: The Churches Of Christ, 2006-2016, Stanley E. Granberg
A Case Study Of Growth And Decline: The Churches Of Christ, 2006-2016, Stanley E. Granberg
Great Commission Research Journal
The group known as the Churches of Christ is one of America’s largest religious bodies with over 1.5 million adherents and congregations in all fifty states. Like many U.S. Christian bodies, the Churches of Christ have entered a time of decline. This article is a case study of the Churches of Christ and describes the group’s growth and decline, with a specific focus on the years 2006 to 2016. The movement’s current state of health is assessed, and the impact of new church planting as the engine for movement growth is described. The article ends by addressing three hard challenges …
Architectural Evangelism: Examination Of Place Constructs Held By Churched And Unchurched Individuals, Matthew Niermann
Architectural Evangelism: Examination Of Place Constructs Held By Churched And Unchurched Individuals, Matthew Niermann
Great Commission Research Journal
In recent decades, the exterior design of Protestant churches has undergone radical reformulation under the influence of the church growth architectural design theory known as architectural evangelism. Presupposing that churched and unchurched individuals hold differing place constructs, architectural evangelism seeks to attract unchurched individuals to the church by changing the exterior design from church typologies to secular typologies. In doing so, as the theory proposes, when an unchurched individual is exposed to a typology they are more familiar with, a different place construct formulation occurs—a place construct rooted in conceptions of comfort and the perception of community-based activities. Noting the …
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Turning To North America, Gary L. Mcintosh
The Life Of Donald Mcgavran: Turning To North America, Gary L. Mcintosh
Great Commission Research Journal
The event that put Church Growth on the worldwide map was the Lausanne Congress on Evangelism held on July 14-28, 1974. Then, as the Church Growth Movement took hold around the world, the focus of some faculty at Fuller’s School of World Mission gradually turned toward North America. This article describes the actions and processes that propelled the movement into world prominence.
Book Review: Reclaiming Glory: Revitalizing Dying Churches By Mark Clifton, Chris Messerer
Book Review: Reclaiming Glory: Revitalizing Dying Churches By Mark Clifton, Chris Messerer
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Turn-Around Churches: How To Overcome Barriers To Growth And Bring New Life To An Established Church By George Barna, Harvey Mitchell Jr.
Book Review: Turn-Around Churches: How To Overcome Barriers To Growth And Bring New Life To An Established Church By George Barna, Harvey Mitchell Jr.
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Growing God’S Church: How People Are Actually Coming To Faith Today By Gary L. Mcintosh, Garrett R. Eaglin
Book Review: Growing God’S Church: How People Are Actually Coming To Faith Today By Gary L. Mcintosh, Garrett R. Eaglin
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Orthodox Background Believers: Listening And Learning, Cameron D. Armstrong
Orthodox Background Believers: Listening And Learning, Cameron D. Armstrong
Great Commission Research Journal
Evangelical church and organizational leaders in majority-Orthodox Romania often find themselves at a loss in understanding how to conduct outreach to Orthodox people. Often the cultural differences between Orthodox and evangelical Romanian Christians seem impassable. One approach is that of listening and learning from the transformational narratives of evangelical Christians converted out of Orthodoxy. The following article moves in this direction through qualitative analysis of conversion stories by four Romanian Orthodox background believers. Five common themes that arise from the data are discussed. The article concludes by offering an initial “evangelism rubric” to better posture evangelical groups to begin outreach …