Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
-
- Leadership (5)
- Church (4)
- Discipleship (4)
- Christian leadership (3)
- Church growth (3)
-
- Communication (3)
- Pastor (3)
- Trauma (3)
- African American (2)
- Bible (2)
- Character (2)
- Christianity (2)
- Cultural intelligence (2)
- Culture (2)
- Dissociation (2)
- Followership (2)
- Forgiveness (2)
- Training (2)
- Trust (2)
- 12-step program (1)
- 15th Century (1)
- 16th Century (1)
- 17th Century (1)
- 18th Century (1)
- 19th Century (1)
- Abraham Accords (1)
- Active shooter (1)
- Activism (1)
- Adam Smith (1)
- Addiction recovery (1)
Articles 1 - 30 of 51
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Crisis Of Youth Homelessness In Birmingham, Alabama, Velma Annette Williams
Crisis Of Youth Homelessness In Birmingham, Alabama, Velma Annette Williams
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The economic and educational conditions of Jefferson County, Alabama, have contributed significantly to the increase of homeless families with children (LaGory et al., 2018). The failures of the foster care system have exponentially increased the population of homeless youth ages 19 to 26 (Burge et al., 2021). The lack of efficient public transportation emergency and affordable long-term housing has created a permanent population of homelessness (Kelly, 2020). Within the homeless culture, the increased incidents of violence, substance abuse, and sexual and physical abuse combined with functional illiteracy create an environment that breeds repetitive behaviors that reproduce the homeless outcomes (Burge …
Pastoral Counseling In African American Churches, Allen Tyrone Smith Jr.
Pastoral Counseling In African American Churches, Allen Tyrone Smith Jr.
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
African Americans, as a people group, are generally reluctant to pursue clinical support related to emotional or mental health issues. Black people underutilize professional services that address emotional and mental health-related problems (Hankerson & Weissman, 2012). According to Neighbors et al. (1998), regardless of problem type or severity, individuals less likely to secure assistance from professionals are those who contact pastors first. Avent et al. (2015) noted that African American Christians who seek religious support tied to a variety of circumstances choose to access their pastor in order to be supported in opposition to a professional counselor. A perception exists …
A Refinement On The Principle Of Resistance: The Puritan Roots Of Political Resistance In America, Michael P. Berry
A Refinement On The Principle Of Resistance: The Puritan Roots Of Political Resistance In America, Michael P. Berry
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Puritanism was a religious movement that historically developed with an innate tendency toward political resistance. Birthed out of the complexities of the English Reformation, Puritan non-conformity caused tensions between dissenters and the English monarchs. These tensions followed non-conformists when they chose to emigrate to Massachusetts Bay in order to establish a church and government favorable to their ideas of Congregationalism. Their experience in New England continued to demonstrate the Puritan penchant toward political resistance as they strove to develop and maintain a virtual independent, sovereign republic despite attempts by the royal government to bring the Northern colonies into conformity consistent …
Cultivating Multicultural Christian Youth Ministry Team Leaders Through Covenant Relationships With Youth In Kc And Stl Metro Area Churches, Christopher D. Edin
Cultivating Multicultural Christian Youth Ministry Team Leaders Through Covenant Relationships With Youth In Kc And Stl Metro Area Churches, Christopher D. Edin
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
One significant challenge for today’s Christian churches involves bridging the gap between youth involvement in church after high school graduation and moving on to college (Owens, 2014). Owens (2014) asserts that today’s adolescents experience parental and church support during high school, but once they head off to college, they leave that support and stability at home. Students leave the church for many reasons. This study proposes that one significant reason is that Christian churches do not educate youth ministry team leaders on multiculturalism. This research explored satisfactory multicultural competencies necessary for youth ministry leaders to disciple youth by asking adult …
Edification And Evangelism Through Worship Leadership, Donald G. Wolf
Edification And Evangelism Through Worship Leadership, Donald G. Wolf
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
To gain Christ worshipers, evangelism is the church’s most significant commission. Disciples of Christ are commanded to preach the gospel: Mark 16:15. However, the church's edification through worship leadership produces the heart for evangelism in God’s people to be evangelists. This multiplies the ministry of the congregation to their world. This paper addresses the components of successful leadership that help people to be edified and evangelized in through the integrity of the gospel presentation through worship, specifically American evangelical worship leadership. Adaptive approaches must be considered as cultures evolve while retaining the accurate theological gospel message. Recorded historical commentary and …
The Battle Of Mobile Bay: A Joint Masterpiece, Thomas Rutherford Key
The Battle Of Mobile Bay: A Joint Masterpiece, Thomas Rutherford Key
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The United States and Confederate Navies saw the most action and glory in the first days of the Battle of Mobile Bay in 1864. It is therefore not surprising that historians paint the opening scenes of the battle with naval accounts such as Admiral David Glasgow Farragut shouting, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” as he sails into Mobile Bay. They mention little about the Army. In contrast, historians record little about the U.S. Navy’s role in the following three weeks while the Army laid siege to Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan. However, both services played critical and interdependent roles …
An Examination Of Employee's Perceived Level Of Their Leader's Religiosity As A Moderator Of The Relationship Between An Employee's Religiosity And Job Satisfaction, Brad Carney
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether an employee’s perceived level of their leader’s religiosity moderates the relationship between an employee’s level of religiosity and job satisfaction. The participants in this research study were recruited through the utilization of a snowball sampling method, primarily leveraging Liberty University’s doctoral student email list and social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Participants in the study were required to be 18 and older and had been employed under their current leader for a minimum of one year. The total sample size was N=65. The researcher used a quantitative self-reporting survey …
Biblical Choice Model: A St. Augustine-Inspired Approach To Behavioral Economics, Adebukola Adebayo
Biblical Choice Model: A St. Augustine-Inspired Approach To Behavioral Economics, Adebukola Adebayo
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Economics as defined by Lionel Robbins (1932), is a science which studies human behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. While human behavior relates to how wants and desires are coordinated given decision-making mechanisms, social customs and political realities of society, the natural end of individual human actions should be eudaimonia (human flourishing). However, since sin has affected both our emotive and cultural plausibility structures, thereby leading to a distortion in our wants and desires and ability to desire the good, this has led to a generation that is self-ruling, self-creating and self-evaluating. The …
Pastoral Perceptions Of Formal Mental Health Training In The Black Church, Monique Bethea-Covington
Pastoral Perceptions Of Formal Mental Health Training In The Black Church, Monique Bethea-Covington
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This purpose of this phenomenological study is to broadly explore the role of the Black Church in providing mental health support by facilitating linkages to professional mental health services by exploring pastoral perceptions of mental health through examination of their experiences with church members. Ten African American pastors of Black Churches in North and South Carolina completed semi-structured, qualitative interviews describing their backgrounds, attitudes, and their mental health experiences within the church. Many of the respondents reported having members of their congregation disclose challenges or difficulties with their mental health. Most of the pastors reported that they understood the need …
A Non-Experimental Quantitative Correlational Study Of Emotional Intelligence As An Effective Tool For Pastoral Leadership, Louis Brown
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Pastoral leadership must understand their obligation to provide and promote healthy relationships in their personal, professional, and church ministries by utilizing the effective tool of emotional intelligence (EI) to become more effective (Goleman et al., 2013; Hendron et al., 2014; Chavous et al., 2023). The concept and usage of EI have experienced continued growth within the secular and academic organizational fields. However, there is little research on EI among the Christian pastoral leadership, the church, its associated ministries, and its educational institutions (Hendron et al., 2014). As noted by scholars, this gap in the literature and the credibility crisis of …
Establishing A Christ-Centered Understanding Of The Minor Prophets At First Baptist Church, Greenville, Ky, John Michael Galyen
Establishing A Christ-Centered Understanding Of The Minor Prophets At First Baptist Church, Greenville, Ky, John Michael Galyen
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this action research project is to help members of First Baptist Church Greenville, KY, interpret and apply the Minor Prophets from a Christ-centered perspective. This project measured church members’ understanding of the Minor Prophets as they pertain to Christians today. It also measured attitudes and affections toward the Minor Prophets. A total of eleven people participated in the study. Eight were female; the other three were male. Each participant completed a pre-intervention survey, along with three instructional workshops that focused on biblical exposition, biblical theology, and hermeneutics. An eight-part sermon series was implemented to model the kind …
A Phenomenological Study Of Church Revitalization In Coastal North Carolina, Paolo Engle Santos
A Phenomenological Study Of Church Revitalization In Coastal North Carolina, Paolo Engle Santos
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Pastors and ministry leaders share the important responsibilities of church growth and revitalization. This research focused on overcoming decline and moving towards a season of strength and multiplication. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore church growth and revitalization within Southern Baptist churches in coastal North Carolina. The theory guiding this study was Rainer's (2020) central thesis about revived churches, which suggests that churches must adapt to cultural shifts and actively engage with the changing world. The study sought to gain insights into the perspectives and mindsets of full-time pastors and ministry leaders regarding numerical expansion, spiritual awakening, …
Missional Leadership: An Instructional Program To Cultivate Leaders Of A Missional Church, Conner Mathias Brew
Missional Leadership: An Instructional Program To Cultivate Leaders Of A Missional Church, Conner Mathias Brew
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this action research project is to design, execute, and evaluate a small group instructional framework that cultivates a missional culture focused on communal discipleship at MVMNT Church, a local church in the Association of Related Churches network, while also addressing a gap in scholarship surrounding the interrelation of discipleship and the missional church. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study leveraged inductive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with survey data to validate the lack of discipleship activity at MVMNT Church and moderate-to-low comprehension of topics related to mission, discipleship, and leadership in the church. This project recommended and …
Pastor's Cultural Intelligence And Personal Character Influence Within Youth Ministries, Linwood J. Sealey Iii
Pastor's Cultural Intelligence And Personal Character Influence Within Youth Ministries, Linwood J. Sealey Iii
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Within this study, the logic was to understand the natural development of cultural Christlike character traits among youth pastors who serve in the 6th-12th grade youth ministry loneliness environment. The sample population comprised between 22 church pastors within the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The sample included participants with different experience levels in pastoral and bi-vocational pastoral ministries. The guiding rationale was that the pastor's cultural Christlike character should be a positive factor in their ministry in the loneliness environment of the youth they serve. The sample covered the geographical settings within rural, suburban, and city environments. A purposive …
The Australian Woolen Industry; British Investment In Colonial Australia: Unraveling The Threads Of Economic Development 1788-1850, Marie Cecilia Hedrick
The Australian Woolen Industry; British Investment In Colonial Australia: Unraveling The Threads Of Economic Development 1788-1850, Marie Cecilia Hedrick
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this study is to examine the dynamic relationship between British investment and the development of pastoralism and wool production in Australia from 1788 to 1850. It focuses on the crucial period of early European settlement and the subsequent growth of the wool industry as one of their first major staple industries. This study utilizes a multidisciplinary methodology approach, integrating historical, economic, political, and agricultural perspectives in order to provide a clearer understanding of the factors influencing British investment decisions. Research is conducted into the motivations behind British colonization in Australia with an emphasis on the role of …
Mass Incarceration: Racial Disparities Within The U.S. Criminal Justice System, Crystal Nichole Pugh
Mass Incarceration: Racial Disparities Within The U.S. Criminal Justice System, Crystal Nichole Pugh
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The United States incarceration rate has remained steady at over two million people incarcerated within their criminal justice facilities. Among the U.S. criminal justice system incarcerated populations, African Americans are disproportionately represented contributing to its overwhelming numbers and overcrowded facilities nationwide. Studies have shown racial disparities experienced within the correctional system have been credited as a direct result of decision-making at various points throughout the criminal justice process. Previous and even current research on racial disparities within the criminal justice system have attributed much of its data to disproportionate minority contacts in the juvenile population and a heavy police presence …
Pastoral Prose And Civic Engagement: Crafting The Call To The Public Square, Christopher Ian Thoma
Pastoral Prose And Civic Engagement: Crafting The Call To The Public Square, Christopher Ian Thoma
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This thesis explores the relationship between creative writing techniques employed by pastors and congregational engagement in the public square. The central thesis posits that if pastors incorporate creative writing methods in extended weekly communications with congregants, then the necessary factors for engagement in the public square will be fostered, leading to attitudinal shifts demonstrated by increased congregational interest or participation in civil affairs. Through an extensive literature review, the thesis fairly examines historical and contemporary views of church and state, the Two Kingdoms doctrine, concepts relative to public square participation, Christianity’s waning cultural influence, communication science, developmental theory, literature familiarity, …
Evangelicals As Zionists And Peacemakers In Arab And Israeli Peacemaking Through Track Ii Diplomacy, Johnnie Moore
Evangelicals As Zionists And Peacemakers In Arab And Israeli Peacemaking Through Track Ii Diplomacy, Johnnie Moore
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative study contributes to the literature at the intersection of religion and foreign policy by focusing on one of the modern era's most protracted and relevant foreign policy issues (the conflict between Israelis and Arabs), the influence of one of America’s most powerful religious constituencies (evangelicals), and one of the most widely used tools of non- governmental diplomacy (Track II diplomacy). It provides original research related to the relevancy of Track II diplomacy by evangelicals, specifically pro-Israel or “Zionist” evangelicals, in Israeli and Arab peacemaking. The study analyzes three relevant case studies to answer the research question: “How are …
A Correlational Study Between Spiritual Bible Reading And Spiritual Formation Of Leaders Of Pentecostal Churches, Mark Kwablah Buku
A Correlational Study Between Spiritual Bible Reading And Spiritual Formation Of Leaders Of Pentecostal Churches, Mark Kwablah Buku
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study aimed to understand the nuances of spiritual Bible reading and how it connects to the spiritual maturity of Christian leaders. The lack of spiritual formation in Christian spiritual leaders motivated this research. Literature abounds with spiritual reading, biblical engagement, interpretation methodologies, and the spiritual formation of Christian leaders. However, only a few studies exist on how people engage with the Bible. There is no empirical data on how biblical interactions impact spiritual development. The theory that guided this study was Jack Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory. With a quantitative survey methodology and non-probability sampling, data was collected from 91 …
Building Bridges: Connecting The Disconnected To God And Others After Counseling, Jonathan W. Terry
Building Bridges: Connecting The Disconnected To God And Others After Counseling, Jonathan W. Terry
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Previous research reveals that building bridges is not a new concept, but most of these topics do not involve the combination of relationships and counseling. Building Bridges is a metaphor for building healthy relationships. All participants were willing volunteers and were ensured anonymity. Twenty-three participants signed up for the workshop, and nineteen received a certificate of completion. The inspection report questionnaire and self-reflection homework assignment were used to introduce some vital tools for spiritual journaling, self-accountability, and self-assessment for each participant. The problem at FBC-GA is the relational disconnection caused by shame, guilt, and unresolved hurt that remains an inward …
Spiritual Disciplines And Mental Resiliency: The Effectiveness Of Spiritual Coping Mechanisms To Decrease Anxiety And Depression Symptoms, Alysa Lynn Vanderweerd
Spiritual Disciplines And Mental Resiliency: The Effectiveness Of Spiritual Coping Mechanisms To Decrease Anxiety And Depression Symptoms, Alysa Lynn Vanderweerd
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The outcome of anxiety and depression’s symptomology is an ever-rising global economy cost of 1 trillion U.S. dollars, due to medical costs and loss of productivity, leading researchers and clinicians to search for effective cost saving solutions (Chodavadia et al., 2023). Religion/Spirituality (RS) based cognitive therapy treatments are recognized in alleviating maladaptive behaviors and cognitive distortions, offering comfort to the afflicted, hope and belief that God is available for the seeker (Ramos et al., 2018). Therefore, the researcher conducted an internet-based, self-paced intervention of a mixed methods study of a 40-Day Biblical Worldview Educational Treatment Program of a convenience sample …
A Study Of Followership In An Organizational-Wide Change Of The Ministry Of Child Evangelism Fellowship, Michelle M. Russell
A Study Of Followership In An Organizational-Wide Change Of The Ministry Of Child Evangelism Fellowship, Michelle M. Russell
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The influence of Child Evangelism Fellowship saw a significant increase across the United States of America after an organizational change following a 2001 Supreme Court case ruling. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the role of followership on the change and followership principles that emerged during the change that was implemented following the ruling Good News Club v. Milford Central School on the Good News Club ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. Organizational change was defined as intentional actions promoted by leadership and intentional actions taken by followers who took advantage of the rights guaranteed by the ruling. …
Developing A Pathway For Ministry Leaders At Southside Church Of The Nazarene, Reginald David Phillips
Developing A Pathway For Ministry Leaders At Southside Church Of The Nazarene, Reginald David Phillips
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This action research project created a leadership development pathway to produce more ministry leaders at Southside Church of the Nazarene. A five-step leadership development pathway culminating in discipleship integration was designed and implemented. This pathway produced a statistically significant increase in the number of new leaders in one quarter of a calendar year compared to the quarterly average of new leaders in the previous three years. Data was collected through surveys, interviews, and roundtable discussions, and reviewed by multiple researchers to help remove bias.
The Perpetual Progression In The Schleswig-Holstein Duchy: History, Politics, And Religion, 1460-1864, Christian Anthony Ahlers
The Perpetual Progression In The Schleswig-Holstein Duchy: History, Politics, And Religion, 1460-1864, Christian Anthony Ahlers
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
German nationalism in the Schleswig and Holstein duchies that predates the German Unification Wars of the Nineteenth Century continuously transformed in response to Danish encroachment, civic disputes regarding treaty legitimacy, and war. The Germans in the duchies fought to retain their ancestral homelands and, in doing so, embraced a pan-Germanic consciousness that is the foundation for early modern nationalism. This consciousness dates back hundreds of years. This case study examines the Germans of Schleswig and Holstein and their experiences with the consistent and pressing Danish encroachment. Despite the encroachment, the Germans remained connected with their culture, traditions, religion, and their …
Bridging Faith And Restoration: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Evangelical Pastors’ Experiences Ministering To Congregants With Trauma In The Greater Toronto Area, Lindsay Knox Mcvety
Bridging Faith And Restoration: A Phenomenological Study Exploring Evangelical Pastors’ Experiences Ministering To Congregants With Trauma In The Greater Toronto Area, Lindsay Knox Mcvety
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand how evangelical pastors in the Greater Toronto Area describe their experiences with discussing trauma with congregants and their experiences with trauma-informed care in the church. The theory guiding this research is Transformative Learning Theory (TLT). As discussed by Mezirow (1991), TLT explains transformation occurs by increasing knowledge by learning about topics where outdated or misinformed concepts previously existed. The main research question is, how do evangelical pastors in the Greater Toronto Area describe their experiences ministering to congregants who have experienced trauma? Further sub-questions ask, how do evangelical pastors in …
A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Hindrances To Seeking Help And Implementing Self-Care, Kerri S. Wilson
A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Hindrances To Seeking Help And Implementing Self-Care, Kerri S. Wilson
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study aimed to identify and understand clergy members’ described hindrances to seeking help and implementing self-care for overcoming burnout. The theory guiding this study was transcendentalism from Husserl’s ontological approach to phenomenology. The United Pentecostal Church, International (UPCI) organization was chosen as the site for this study because the participants were clergy members licensed by the UPCI religious organization who had experienced burnout and hindrances to seeking help and implementing self-care. Participants included twelve UPCI clergy members. Data collection involved one-on-one initial interviews with each clergy member and follow-up interviews for clarification where needed. Data analysis …
Beyond The Pulpit: A Quantitative Analysis Of Midwest Church Leaders' Confidence And Competence In Addressing Sexual Trauma, Eryka Mcmillan
Beyond The Pulpit: A Quantitative Analysis Of Midwest Church Leaders' Confidence And Competence In Addressing Sexual Trauma, Eryka Mcmillan
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This quantitative study investigates the interconnectedness of confidence and competence within the context of Midwest church leaders in addressing survivors of sexual trauma. Sexual Trauma encompasses crimes like sexual assault, rape, and sexual abuse, and it presents complex challenges within faith communities. This research employs an ordinal logistic regression, combining a survey instrument to assess leaders' confidence, known as the Readiness to Work with Trauma-Exposed Patients (RTEPS), and a comprehensive tool to measure competence, referred to as the Trauma-Informed Care Questionnaire (TICQ). Additionally, demographic factors, including race, age, gender, denomination, previous trauma training, and years of ministry experience, are analyzed …
Applying Stewardship Leadership That Impacts Employee Work Attitudes To Reduce Voluntary Turnover, H. Dea Dietrick Wood
Applying Stewardship Leadership That Impacts Employee Work Attitudes To Reduce Voluntary Turnover, H. Dea Dietrick Wood
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
At a time when leadership corruption threatens a hazard to sustainable organization development, a new brand of leadership governance is in demand. Therefore, the importance of this quantitative study was to examine a unique, newly proposed theory—stewardship leadership (SSL). SSL theory, based on a biblical worldview, was hypothesized to influence subordinates perceived organizational support (POS), subordinate affective commitment (AC), and subordinate organizational identification (OI) that, in turn, reinforces job embeddedness (JE) and reduces voluntary turnover intentions (TI) in comparison to servant (SL), transformational (TL), and leader-member exchange (LMX) leadership styles on work attitudes. SSL also appeared to be a composite …
Women In The Leadership Of Church Worship Upholding And Manifesting Biblical Principles Of Their God-Given Design, Joyce Ann Walter
Women In The Leadership Of Church Worship Upholding And Manifesting Biblical Principles Of Their God-Given Design, Joyce Ann Walter
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Despite the existing literature and changes in church governments that promote women in leadership roles of church worship, there remains a gap that specifies the biblical feminine qualities of women in worship leadership. These specifics should clarify the manifested characteristics of those women in leadership who exhibit the biblical distinctness of their gender from that of the male gender. Historical study shows in past generations that many denominations have banned women from such leading roles because of the interpretation of Scripture pertaining to the man being the head over the woman. This stance has been changing in the 21st century …
Perceptions Of Paid Pastoral Staff Of Volunteer Engagement In The Assemblies Of God, Glorielba Orta Meléndez
Perceptions Of Paid Pastoral Staff Of Volunteer Engagement In The Assemblies Of God, Glorielba Orta Meléndez
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Volunteers play a critical role in churches, and successful collaboration between paid pastoral staff and volunteers is essential for achieving the church’s mission. However, conflicts can arise when defining the roles and responsibilities of volunteers and paid pastoral staff. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions of paid pastoral staff regarding volunteer engagement in the Assembly of God’s (AG’s) church mission. The research drew from Harold Kelley and John Thibaut’s interdependence theory, which shed light on human interactions and their influences. Utilizing semi-structured interviews with 10 AG pastors in paid staff positions, the findings described the volunteer manager role that …