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Articles 91 - 120 of 458
Full-Text Articles in Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
Growing And Declining Churches Face Different Challenges: A Statistical Analysis Of The Top Ten Challenges Facing Churches Study, David R. Dunaetz
Growing And Declining Churches Face Different Challenges: A Statistical Analysis Of The Top Ten Challenges Facing Churches Study, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
The data behind the study The Top Ten Challenges Facing Churches (Moody, 2023) is presented and analyzed with a focus on differences between growing churches and non-growing churches. Church leaders (N = 129) indicated how difficult they believed it would be for North American churches to overcome 50 potential challenges. For most challenges, no significant difference between the church leaders from growing and non-growing churches was detected. However, church leaders from non-growing churches viewed 1) attractiveness of programs, 2) retaining young adults, 3) youth programs, 4) small group participation, and 5) effective strategy as more difficult challenges to overcome than …
Relationship Building For Evangelism Among English Language Learners In China, Ryan Jensen
Relationship Building For Evangelism Among English Language Learners In China, Ryan Jensen
Great Commission Research Journal
This empirical research revealed that relationship-building by missionaries among English language learners in China was a factor that facilitated their verbal communication of the gospel. For this study, I interviewed 15 missionaries who were identified by various leaders as being active in evangelism and who had shared the gospel with at least 10 Chinese people in the last year that they were on the field. Participants explained that they used the strategy of “funneling” interactions with Chinese individuals by narrowing down a large number of people with whom they had contact to a select few who were interested in spiritual …
A Bibliometric Analysis Of The Great Commission Research Journal 2009-2019, Glenn R. Wittig
A Bibliometric Analysis Of The Great Commission Research Journal 2009-2019, Glenn R. Wittig
Great Commission Research Journal
The Great Commission Research Journal, the subject of this investigation, is a relatively new journal with roots in the past. It is a successor to two previous publications from the American Society for Church Growth. A bibliometric analysis of the journal’s first ten volumes is presented on two levels. The first is a content analysis of the surface features of the publication such as the authors’ education, academic credentials, and employment, the number of full-length articles published, the subjects covered in each article, and other features such as the average length of articles, number of footnote references, and number of …
Introduction To Special Section On Gary L. Mcintosh, David R. Dunaetz
Introduction To Special Section On Gary L. Mcintosh, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Finding Them, Keeping Them – Strategies For Evangelism And Assimilation: A Review Of The Books Written By Gary L. Mcintosh, Gordon E. Penfold
Finding Them, Keeping Them – Strategies For Evangelism And Assimilation: A Review Of The Books Written By Gary L. Mcintosh, Gordon E. Penfold
Great Commission Research Journal
A short review of each of the twenty-seven books by Gary L. McIntosh traces the development of the author’s thought up to his latest release in January 2023. This review demonstrates that McIntosh’s passion is to see churches and Christian leaders apply classical biblical church growth principles in their ministry contexts. His passion for reaching and assimilating new people, and for developing Christian leaders to carry out Christ’s Great Commission with a Great Commandment passion permeates each book. The breadth and depth of his knowledge are demonstrated in his many volumes with little overlap in their subject matter. His works …
My Pilgrimage In Church Growth, Gary L. Mcintosh
My Pilgrimage In Church Growth, Gary L. Mcintosh
Great Commission Research Journal
A short autobiography by Gary McIntosh focusing on his role in the Church Growth Movement
Book Review: Revitalizing The Declining Church: From Death’S Door To Community. Growth By Desmond Barrett, Terry Neumayer
Book Review: Revitalizing The Declining Church: From Death’S Door To Community. Growth By Desmond Barrett, Terry Neumayer
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Faith In The Wilderness: Words Of Exhortation From The Chinese Church Edited By Hannah Nation And Simon Liu, Ryan Jensen
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Christian Barriers To Jesus: Conversations And Questions From The Indian Context By J. Paul Pennington, Harshit Gudka
Book Review: Christian Barriers To Jesus: Conversations And Questions From The Indian Context By J. Paul Pennington, Harshit Gudka
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: God At Work In The World: Theology And Mission In The Global Church By Lalsangkima Pachuau, Kenneth Nehrbass
Book Review: God At Work In The World: Theology And Mission In The Global Church By Lalsangkima Pachuau, Kenneth Nehrbass
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: One Faith No Longer: The Transformation Of Christianity In Red And Blue America By George Yancy And Ashlee Quosigk, Mike Urton
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Missions And Money: Global Realities And Challenges By Jonathan J. Bonk, Michel G. Distefano, J. Nelson Jennings, Jinbong Kim, And Jae Hoon Lee, Gregory C. Cochran
Book Review: Missions And Money: Global Realities And Challenges By Jonathan J. Bonk, Michel G. Distefano, J. Nelson Jennings, Jinbong Kim, And Jae Hoon Lee, Gregory C. Cochran
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Stick Figures Save The World: Drawing Simply To Share Jesus Well By Pam Arlund, Jason Lalonde
Book Review: Stick Figures Save The World: Drawing Simply To Share Jesus Well By Pam Arlund, Jason Lalonde
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Book Review: Polycentric Leadership: Toward A New Theoretical Model For Global Leadership By Joseph W. Handley, Jr., Mark D. Wood
Book Review: Polycentric Leadership: Toward A New Theoretical Model For Global Leadership By Joseph W. Handley, Jr., Mark D. Wood
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
About The Great Commission Research Network (April 2023), David R. Dunaetz
About The Great Commission Research Network (April 2023), David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
Metrics And Measurements In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz
Metrics And Measurements In Church-Based Research, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
To better understand the characteristics of specific churches and phenomena that occur across churches, various metrics and measurements can be used to describe them. Measurements must be meaningful and appropriate. Quantities involving people, finances, objects, or events are most frequently counted, but other measures may include behaviors, traits, skills, knowledge, and abilities of individuals. Measuring phenomena is necessary to understand how phenomena are related to each other. Measuring attitudes and beliefs are especially important because many ministries in churches are designed to influence these (e.g., preaching and teaching). However, from a Christian perspective, our motivation behind our measuring is important. …
Great Commission Research Journal Spring 2023, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal Spring 2023, David R. Dunaetz
Great Commission Research Journal
No abstract provided.
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 …
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: 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: 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.
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 …
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 …
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.
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 …
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.
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.