Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study On The Experiences Of Christian Mothers Navigating Through Societal Worldviews And Social Movements, Holly Amber Neavitt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study will investigate the lived experiences of Christian mothers as they navigate through various societal worldviews and influences. By examining the available studies on the misuse of Christian doctrine that facilitate the patriarchal worldview and the feminist movement to abolish faith-based gender assignment, the need to investigate the experiences of Christian mothers will be identified. Moreover, the burden of social conformity will be examined. Motherhood can feel like unfamiliar territory as mothers take on their role of motherhood. Investigating these influences and identifying the common experiences mothers face will help to better support Christian mothers. Investigating these lived experiences …

A Phenomenological Study On Church Leaders' Perspective Of Internet Church As A Biblical Community, Jason Lavon Rankin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Current events and relatively recent technological developments have caused and significantly increased the use of digital technology in most aspects of life. The digital revolution, as some have termed it, has permeated all organizations, from businesses to institutions of higher learning, including religious institutions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine Christian church leaders’ perspectives on whether the internet church fulfills the biblical and theological definitions of the church or biblical community. At this stage in the research internet church, also known as online church, e-church, virtual church, etc., is defined as a group of people with shared …

Improving Lay Helper Effectiveness: Teaching Living Prayer As A Gateway To A Focused Kingdom Lifestyle, Mark R. Painter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is common for those entering counseling at the Lake Church Counseling Center to lack intimacy with God. When one lacks intimacy with God, they are in imminent danger of becoming influenced exclusively by the world's thinking in one or more areas of life. It is the effort of the LCCC to provide services to those suffering from emotional, spiritual, relational, and personal development struggles. Initially, the counseling center treats such conditions using Living Prayer to help clients strengthen their connection with God and transition to behaviors influenced only by the kingdom of God. This project aims to help Lake …

A Correlational Study Evaluating The Connection Between Servant Leadership Behavior And Authentic Happiness In A Parachurch Ministry, Brian Thomas Guinther

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to understand if a relationship exists, either positively or negatively, between servant leadership behaviors and authentic happiness in chaplains who serve in a para church chaplain ministry. Servant leadership is frequently thought to be related to a decrease in the leader's happiness and enjoyment of their professional as well as personal life because leading as a servant involves giving up power and privileges that the role of leader typically includes. This study's sample was comprised of individuals currently engaged in a Christian chaplain ministry who serve public safety departments, industry, healthcare, the …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Attitudes Toward Linguistic Diversity And Immigration Status On The Pastor’S Engagement In Multicultural Ministry, Juan Antonio Seda

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With the growth in cultural diversity comes the opportunity to reach and minister to people from different cultural backgrounds. This diversity also highlights the challenges pastors and ministry leaders face in implementing efforts to reach people from diverse ethnic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds. Additionally, the pastor and ministry leader must understand how socio-political, theological, and biblical factors influence opinion and interaction with culturally diverse people. This cultural and linguistic interaction requires cultural humility, “a process of reflection and lifelong inquiry, involves self-awareness of personal and cultural biases as well as awareness and sensitivity to significant cultural issues of others. Core …

Leadership Culture: An Effective Leadership Strategy For Church Growth And Spiritual Maturity, Sikiru A. Asifatu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In every organization, leadership culture patterns require a constant assessment to ensure members adhere to corporate practices. In church settings, leadership culture not only creates change but also transforms ministry strategy. Often, church leaders do not perceive culture as the driving force behind effective ministry operations. At Gateway Church, the researcher encountered church growth issues that other ministries struggle with as well, from organizational structure to leadership style. These problems will continue to be a challenge unless the church reinvents an effective leadership strategy focusing on ministry development. This research aims to address the leadership development issue at Gateway Church …

A Phenomenological Study Of Pastoral Leadership Development Behaviors In The Revitalization Of Small Evangelical Churches, Bart Lee Denny

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Church revitalization has received renewed interest in the last several years. Rainer (2014) says that a congregation’s failure to develop and empower next-generation leaders is one of the leading contributors to church closure. Likewise, Clifton (2016) and Stetzer (2007) highlight the importance of developing next-generation leaders during church revitalization. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the leadership development behaviors of senior or solo pastors who successfully led revitalization in a small evangelical church. This study defined a small church as one averaging 65 or fewer in attendance at the beginning of the pastor participant’s tenure (Rainer, 2022). …

The Method Is The Message: Communicating For Individual Behavior Change Toward Disciple Multiplication, Jeffrey Keith Mcdaniel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this ethnographically informed, comparative embedded case study was to understand the lack of disciple-making movements for congregations at three evangelical churches representing the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast of the United States. The theories guiding this study were Latour’s actor–network theory and Bandura’s social cognitive theory as they provide a theoretical framework to understand the influence of culture on the creation of meaning followed by the influence of meaning on individual behavior. The primary research question that guided this study asked, How can a church organization communicate to increase disciple multiplication? To answer this question, a …

Submission To The State As An Act Of Submission To God: A Call For Total Submission Within The Nature And Commands Of God, Jesse David Krystowiak

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christians must view their interactions with the state as a direct line of submission to the supremacy of God's own rule. Within God's call to submit to those in positions of civil leadership is the understanding that one's submission to the state is placed within the confines of bringing glory to God on the basis of God's nature and commands.

Heart, Soul, Mind, And Strength: Understanding Spirituality's Transformative Impact As Assisted By Intradisciplinary Integration, Christopher Taylor Stokes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Spirituality is an essential and deeply embedded part of Black Americans’ psyche. The counseling field has largely overlooked the roles of spirituality and religious beliefs in the development of the consciousness of this demographic. In the treatment of Black Americans, particularly Black churchgoers, this can be a serious oversight. The purpose of this DMin action research thesis is to provide sufficient intradisciplinary integrative spiritual teaching to effect holistic coping strategies for Lake Providence’s Mid-Week Bible Study Service members. The goal is to bring healing through an intradisciplinary integrative teaching approach utilizing psychology, theology, and spirituality. If the members of Lake …

A Process For Training In Godliness: A Team Approach To Personal And Spiritual Growth, Kraig Alan Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to address a problem relating to spiritual discipleship within a group of local church men. The men of Heritage Baptist Church may not have a process for training in godliness. The thesis will supply a process for training in godliness, developed by the author and based on numerous streams of thought from the literature with regard to spiritual growth. The thesis will also illustrate hindrances to training in godliness, looking at past and current trends which have stymied spiritual growth, particularly in men. This study will suggest that current methods for training in godliness …

A Phenomenological Study Of Clergy Job-Related Stress And Stress-Coping During Covid-19, Peter Michael Foxwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of stress and stress-coping of five Michigan pastors who led their Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA) congregations through the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic. Stress is generally defined as the psychophysiological response to a perceived threat or stressor, and stress-coping is generally defined as intentional behaviors designed to manage stress. The theoretical background of this study is the transactional theory of stress and coping (TTSC) (Lazarus, 1966; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) as it relates to pastors’ lived experience of ministry-related stress and coping in crisis conditions. The rationales for …

Experienced Pastoral Burnout And The Self-Reported Role Of Emotional Intelligence On Leadership Effectiveness During Burnout, Craig Wesley Folds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Emotional intelligence (EI), employee burnout, and effective leadership traits are constructs that have been researched from a traditional, organizational perspective since the 1970s. Over the past 15 years, pastoral leaders and clergy have been identified as leaders working in the same capacity as public safety officials, medical professionals, mental health specialists, and other helping professions. Research suggests that leaders working in helping professions are often exposed to situations that may induce burnout, create emotional dissonance, and may have adverse implications on effective leadership behaviors during experienced burnout. The significance of this study lies in its identification of a gap in …

Spouses’ Scriptural Beliefs, The Faithfulness Of Relationship With God, And Marital Satisfaction, Cristina Sanda Emrich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A substantial body of research attests to religion's prominent influence on marital relationship quality. Aspects of religiosity that appear to enhance the quality of marital relationships include couples’ religious homogamy, prayer, religious involvement, spouses’ virtues, and sanctification of marriage. The couples reported studying the Scriptures to be beneficial in coping with life challenges and playing an important role in spouses’ conflict resolution. This study examines the association between marital satisfaction and biblical principles related to constructs such as forgiveness and commitment. It is assumed that relational virtues become relevant for marital quality as scriptural beliefs required by God. Spouses forgive …

A Linguistical Analysis Of The Greek Perfect Tense: A Defense Of “Causative Aspect.”, Malcolm Goh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Modern Greek studies have undergone intense debate over the past several decades regarding whether to and how grammarians and linguists should apply verbal aspect theory to Greek verbs. A significant portion of this debate has centered on the Greek perfect verb. Buist M. Fanning, Constantine R. Campbell, and Stanley E. Porter are three prominent voices in this ongoing debate. While traditional grammars have done well in describing the actions of the Greek perfect tense form, a consensus has proved challenging in describing the perfect tense form within an aspectual framework. Aspectual theorists agree that the perfect tense form concerns itself …

Discipleship On The Role And Responsibility Of A Youth Minister, Warren Douglas Choice

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The thesis project is designed to equip the congregation at Cary’s Baptist Church to understand the role and responsibility of a youth minister. Cary’s Baptist Church is an older congregation located in Yorktown, Virginia. The congregation was established in the 1800’s and has served the community by sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and serving individuals who live in the Yorktown community. Throughout the years of serving the community, the congregation has been effective in evangelism and open for youth to be a part of the congregation. However, there has been a decline in youth attendance and involvement in the …

Preemptive Church-Based Marital Education And Counseling As An Intervention To Increase Marital Satisfaction And Reduce Divorce Rates, Shane C. Kreller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Marriage is a fundamental component of the Christian experience; it is an institution that ideally bonds two believers in a lifelong relationship through which they can grow spiritually and emotionally, support one another, and often create and raise the next generation within the warmth and nurturing of a united family. Unfortunately, marital dissatisfaction and divorce—common phenomena in the United States—can have a wide range of negative consequences not only for spouses but also for their children, parents, and friends. This Doctor of Ministry thesis examines how the author’s local church ministry, River of Life Fellowship Ministries, deals with issues of …

Early Intervention And Prediction Of Risk Management Issues In Law Enforcement: A Phenomenological Study, Pamela Lynn Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to research the Early Intervention Systems (EIS) and prediction of risk management issues in law enforcement. The following questions guided the study:

1. How do law enforcement personnel describe their experience with EIS programs as an intervention for officers with behavioral or conduct issues?
2. How do EIS programs affect law enforcement agencies as a whole?
3. What indicators could law enforcement supervisors look for in officers to circumvent misconduct (on or off duty)?
4. What interventions have been observed personally or with other officers regarding discipline, counseling, additional training, etc.?

The setting for this study was …

Surviving The Affair: A Qualitative Phenomenological Case Study Of The Strategies Couples Utilize To Repair Their Marriage Successfully After The Occurrence Of Infidelity, Kimberly J. Youngblood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research explores couples' strategies in reconstructing their marriage after infidelity, thereby avoiding divorce. The research questions provide a clear focus on the discovery process through a phenomenological design and the use of semi-structured interviews. The literature review illustrates the history of marriage, fidelity, infidelity, predictors, general reasons for infidelity, the impact on the marriage, and tools utilized by couples who successfully repair their marriage after infidelity. The methods section provides a framework for implementing the study and includes details about the process of recruiting participants, interviewing participants, transcript review, codes, and theme development. The presentation of the findings illuminates …

Responding To Wounds Of The Soul: American Law Enforcement, Moral Injury And Religious Coping, Boston D. Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The concepts of moral injury and religious coping are inherently entwined, based on the common reaction of many to turn to religion when faced with stressors. Specifically, Koch (2010) suggests religion is a common means by which individuals, including police officers, may try and cope with their occupational stress. In consideration of the current focus on police mental health and wellness, examining the literature related to moral injury, religious coping and American law enforcement officers serves as a viable first step in conducting further research. Furthermore, based on the extremely limited body of literature on the aforementioned subject(s) independently, and …

Using Bible Reading In Moral Injury Therapy: A Mixed-Method Approach, John Ikenna Onuoha

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The debilitating effect of moral injury on members of the Sergeant Major Association of California in the Bay Area/Central Valley/Los Angeles area has deprived member veterans of a good and meaningful quality of life. This study aims to recognize the challenging impact of moral injury on adult Bay Area/Central Valley/LA veterans, address its symptoms using Bible reading therapy, and reassess their progress for an effective and lasting solution to veterans who are battling with war’s unseen wounds. The study used mixed research methods that incorporate the technical and social features of the combination of qualitative and quantitative means to help …

A Strategic Plan To Grow A Healthy New Church Start, Andrea Bernadette Anderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the health and spiritual maturity of a new startup church, namely People of Destiny Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PODHDM) and identify ways in which PODHDM can grow spiritually and numerically, in the 21st century. The thesis will supply characteristics of a healthy church from the writer’s viewpoint, and from suggestions by notable scholars. The thesis will also explore hindrances to church growth, looking through the lenses of the church, as well as scholars, and provide insights and strategies to foster healthy church growth. This study will suggest that Sunday sermons are not …

A Phenomenological Study Of Multi-Ethnic Churches That Have Effectively Managed Ethnocentric Biases And Cultivated Imago Dei-Centered Relationships, Shirley Ann Vazquez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Much research has been conducted in recent years concerning implicit bias. Banaji and Greenwald (2016) tell readers that even good people can have some form and level of implicit bias, including implicit ethnic bias (Banaji & Greenwald, 2016). While ethnically based implicit bias has been studied in education and business, the effects of ethnically based implicit bias in churches have only recently come to the forefront. Christian pastors need a good understanding of these implicit biases and how these phenomena may have been, and may still be, operating in their local multi-ethnic church body, preventing them from becoming a successful …

The Worship Leader: Intentional Worship Equilibrium Of A Christ-Centered Perspective On College Campus And In The Community, Wayne Darrell Ravenell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Because of the diversity of collegiate cultures, Christ is depicted in various ways on campus; hence this study focuses on the gospel choir leadership influence. The impacts of Christ-centered gospel choir leadership are demonstrated in this qualitative study, as well as how it will lead to academic and community leadership influence. This study investigates the impact of collegiate gospel choir leadership on campus and local community worship. College and university gospel choirs from Charleston, South Carolina, provide the context for this qualitative study. This vital research takes a phenomenological approach to the impacts of mentorship and development of a collegiate …

An Analysis Of The –Μός Suffix In The New Testament, Ryan Kendall Phelps

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation describes and analyzes the –μός suffix in the New Testament. This suffix indicates a noun derived from a verbal stem, i.e., a deverbal noun. Due to the lack of an in-depth analysis of this suffix, some incomplete ideas about this suffix have appeared in Greek grammars. Along with scholarship in Greek grammar, this dissertation employs terms from the field of linguistics, as well as patterns suggested from studies of deverbal nouns in other languages. This method will reveal two groups of conclusions. First, it will reveal that the suffix and nouns in which it occurs follow traditional expectations, …

Discovering, Developing, And Deploying Emerging Ministry Leaders In The Assemblies Of God, Janet Kay Bruner Faggart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Across America, the need exists to identify young, potential Christian leaders who sense a call to ministry, to grow these emerging leaders through spiritual parenting or mentoring, godly relationships, education, training, and ministry experience, and to send out the next generation of ministers to fulfill the Great Commission. The purpose of this mixed-method phenomenological study was to explore and better understand the nature of the discovery, development, and deployment of a call to ministry for emerging leaders who are credentialed ministers with the North Texas District Council of the Assemblies of God and under 40 years of age at the …

Benefits Of Mental Illness Training Programs In The Church, Blessed Onaiwu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The church consists of God’s people. It is the assembly of believers in Jesus Christ. The physical buildings facilitate the fellowship, worship, and ministry of God’s people. According to Matthew 10:8, one of the mandates given to the body of Christ is to heal the sick. Mental illness of any form is an illness that requires proper care and attention. And we know Jesus came to comfort us in all our afflictions which include mental illness; most churches do not address this topic due to stigma. There is often a greater shame regarding this illness within the church than outside, …

Church Revitalization: Strategies For Revitalization And The Importance Of Emotional Intelligence For Pastors And Church Revitalizers In The Frontier Baptist Association, Timothy F. Ireland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The majority of Southern Baptist Churches in North America are plateaued or in decline. Without a new effective strategy for church revitalization, the largest evangelical denomination will close thousands of local churches. Knowing what to do and how to do it is critical for revitalization. The study presents a synthesis of research that reveals common factors present in plateaued and dying churches, strategies advanced for successful church revitalization, and church revitalizers’ qualifications. This project thesis included research concerning the utilization of emotional intelligence (EQ), EQ testing, and training. Pastors with high EQ are well suited for leading a church through …

The Worship Battle: Reaching Generations Z And Alpha In American-Based Nigerian Pentecostal Churches, Charles O. Folami

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite great strides by Nigerian Pentecostal pastors to bring worship values, concepts, practices, and behaviors to establish and lead churches in the United States, they have been unsuccessful in retaining or reaching the young adults, specifically Generations Z and Alpha. Nigerian Pentecostal pastors have produced many followers and churches, capturing Nigerian immigrants in their locality. Their congregations have heavily focused on adults with little or no succession plan. This study examines existing literature on African Pentecostal pastors' success in America and their operations in connecting with adult immigrants, which is unsuccessful in connecting and retaining Generations Z and Alpha. Guided …

Pastoral Leadership: The Importance Of Succession Planning Development And Transition In Our Local Churches, Michelle Renee Jenkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A pastoral succession plan will address the issues of who will be responsible for leading the respective congregation if something happens to the current Pastor. Without clear direction, leaders leave their flocks in precarious positions. The problem is that churches may not have a concise succession plan to identify a qualified leader to take up the leadership mantle. The study will lay the foundation from a biblical perspective on the importance of identifying a leader’s successor and the advantages of providing a smooth transition for the assembly. The research will stress the importance of pastors not only identifying their successors …