Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exploring How Pentecostals Preach About Depression, Robert D. Mcbain

Salubritas: International Journal of Spirit-Empowered Counseling

A qualitative analysis was completed on twelve sermons into how Pentecostal preachers talk about depression from the pulpit using the Assemblies of God (AG) as a purposive sample. Findings illustrate that preachers talked about faulty thinking as the source of depression and interpreted depression as a transformative journey occurring within the context of a God encounter where the believer fixed their faulty thinking. While the way the preachers interpreted depression is not without critique, the article suggests that preaching about depression as a journey of encounter may help listeners frame their depression experiences within a narrative framework that helps them …

Great Leader, Great Learner: Shepherd-Teachers, Self-Directed Learning, And The Preaching Moment In Small Southern Baptist Churches, Matthew Thomas Gowin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the influence of the shepherd–teacher’s learning attributes, informed by adult learning theory, on the preaching moment within a conservative Southern Baptist congregation. Malcolm S. Knowles offered the theory guiding this study in his concepts of andragogy and self-directed learning. Knowles introduced an educational model that emphasizes adult learning and primarily self-directed learning. The study observed whether being a self-directed learner impacts the shepherd–teacher’s instructional activities, including preparation and delivery. The study addressed an identified gap between adult learning theory and homiletics. The multiple-case study started by surveying pastors with the …

Influence Of Preaching’S Rhetorical Appeal On Evangelical Listeners’ Motivation, Nicholas Anene Oji

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Preaching is a form of rhetorical narratology aimed at persuading its audience via sermons to experience a renewal of the mind and the transformation of their life. While previous research established the fact that listeners comprehend sermons through their rhetorical appeal, it has been unclear how this has motivated evangelical listeners to act. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to explore how the rhetorical appeal of preaching influences evangelical listeners’ motivation at evangelical churches in Savannah, Georgia. A comprehensive approach to exploring a sermon’s rhetorical appeal was utilized by focusing jointly on individual perception and social context. The …

The Connection Of The Pulpit And Church Growth Within Churches Of Christ In Texas, Jacob Daniel Hawk

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The numerical decline of church attendance in America has been a grave concern for decades, but it was only enhanced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Churches of Christ (COC), a nondenominational religious group born from the Restoration Movement, are not immune to this crisis, having experienced substantial decay within their own fellowship. However, a specific question has not been considered critically. Do COC grow numerically based on the preaching and pastoring of the lead minister? Can dynamic preaching and passionate pastoring repeal the trend of numerical decline? The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore if a potential connection …

Shared Oversight: Equipping Elders To Shepherd The Flock, Eric Michael Hartman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leadership structures vary greatly across various faith traditions, but how much flexibility is biblically warranted? Far from being silent, the Bible is descriptive and prescriptive with regard to a plurality of leadership within a congregation. These elders, also called overseers, are to shepherd the flock (Acts 20:17, 28). The problem is that there is often lack training to that end. This study constructed a process for training elders and/or potential elders within a congregation to better understand the nature of plurality and parity of those tasked with caring for God’s people. The four training sessions covered the following: (1) The …

Self-Efficacy Among Christian Educators, Jonathan Blake Tolbert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christian educators often lack specialized training in message delivery which leads to a lower self-efficacy. Christian educators devote their lives to fulfillment of the Great Commission; it is the job of the church universal to provide resources and support that equip the saints to boldly share the Gospel with great confidence. When self-efficacy is low, confidence is low. Theological foundations are often strong and well-developed by the local church. The practical aspect of preaching, meaning delivery, is an area that is underrepresented in academic research. This project presents specialized training in message delivery as a catalyst for improving self-efficacy. The …

There Is A Word: Using A Queer Hermeneutic Toward Liberative And Prophetic Biblical Preaching, Dewayne L. Davis

Doctor of Ministry Theses

Preaching to, for, and about LGBTQ people is too often characterized by ambivalence, homophobia, and microaggressions couched as speaking truth in love. And yet, the biblical text includes themes, images, and stories with liberating and prophetic messages for LGBTQ people that include and affirm them within the body of Christ. This thesis argues that preachers can proclaim a liberating, prophetic word for the LGBTQ people within their congregations by using a queer hermeneutic, the intentional and conscious interpretation of the biblical text using the experience, information, and knowledge about LGBTQ people as the lens through which to bridge the world …

Harvesting Hope: Biblical Preaching With People Of The Land, Catherine Belles

Doctor of Ministry Theses

This project seeks to customize generic preaching skills to better serve rural Midwest churches in a time of great transition. “What seeds are we planting that our harvest will be hope in Jesus Christ? Does the Word of God affect our response, and are we transformed by that change, so that hope becomes part of our faith DNA?” Seeking to encourage prophetic visioning, preacher, leaders, and members to live into God’s ongoing new creation. Harvest is a major theme in rural communities and biblical narrative, a metaphor of grace and judgement. Preachers are encouraged to glean the faith stories of …

Digital And Analog Preaching In A Multi-Media World, Ramona Hayes

Doctor of Ministry Theses

This thesis explores the reception of sermons by two groups: “Analogs,” people who were formed primarily through the written page and who gather and process information linearly, and “Digitals,” people who were formed by digital communication and who gather and process information in sound bites. Using the Action/Reflection model, a series of sermons was presented: a manuscript sermon, an integrated worship/sermon, a TED Talk style sermon, a participatory sermon, and a multiple learning style sermon. Preaching a sermon which engages both groups has the potential to increase engagement with the biblical text and growth in faith.

Preaching That Leads To Transformation, Curtis Barbarick

Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry

This article presents the results of a project to develop a process whereby the sermon would be enhanced for listeners at the North Street Church of Christ in Nacogdoches, Texas, so that preaching would be more effective in leading to transformation. The theology and methodology of John Wesley were utilized as a lens by which to think about and implement this practice.

The intervention involved a six-week session with a focus group that represented a cross-section of the congregation. Participants in this group were asked to engage in a lectio divina exercise on a particular text daily, journal about the …

Understanding The Complexity Of Family: Examining Family Systems And The Process Of Relationship For Families And Congregation Of First Baptist Church Woodbury, Tn, William H. Hay V.

Doctor of Ministry Projects

Understanding the Complexity of Family: Examining Family Systems and Processes of Relationship for Families and Congregation of the First Baptist Church of Woodbury, Tennessee is a project designed to share family systems theory with families and church. Through six didactic sessions (triangulation, anxiety, self-differentiation, over and under functioning, crucial conversations, projection) and reflective journaling, families are encouraged to recognize the processes of being family and the parallel processes of family that are present in the life of a congregation. Using quantitative and qualitative instruments, results show that family and congregational functioning can be improved through raising awareness of systems process.

Kingdom Consequences: Socio-Political Dimensions Of Evangelistic Preaching, Kenneth Kinton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines biblical, historical, and theoretcial trends in evangelistic preaching. This has been accomplished using biblical evidence, as well as insights from theologians and scholars within the realm of society, politics, and Christianity. The study provides a suggested methodology of sermon preparation for communicating to the modern Church.

Insights From Charles Spurgeon's Preaching For A Changing Culture, John Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This project has been done in order to increase the amount of literature available that demonstrates how to preach to a 21st century culture and to enlighten preachers to the timeless truths that transcend from the great 19th century preacher Charles Spurgeon. A close evaluation of Charles Spurgeon's biblical preaching reveals a model for pastors to emulate in a post-modern context in the local church. Spurgeon was a master communicator and a survey of his mid to late 1800's preaching reveals those areas of his ministry that are still useful in the New Millennium. By reviewing Spurgeon's sermons and writings, …

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due: Avoiding Plagiarism In Christian Writing And Speaking, Gregory A. Smith

Gregory A. Smith

Plagiarism is an ethical breach involving the misuse of others' intellectual property. Instances of alleged plagiarism have discredited various Christian ministers and authors. Various style manuals provide guidelines for acknowledging direct quotation, paraphrasing, and other uses of sources. Preachers and teachers should adapt those guidelines to the context of verbal communication.

Dipping Into A Shallow Pool Or Beginning A Deeper Conversation: A Case Study Of A Minister's Engagement With The Internet For Preaching, David H. Michels

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

The study considers the question “What is the pastor’s experience of engagement with the Internet for preaching?” The study responds to van der Laan’s work on the potential negative impact of Internet use by Protestant Christian ministers for sermon preparation. My case study ethnographically explores one minister’s experience of Internet seeking (IS) for sermon preparation alongside earlier research on clergy information behavior. The respondent recounted being actively engaged with the Internet in the course of his devotional and intentional IS. He appeared to use online sources critically, and his formal IS activities for sermon preparation were comparable to earlier descriptions …

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due: Avoiding Plagiarism In Christian Writing And Speaking, Gregory A. Smith

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Plagiarism is an ethical breach involving the misuse of others' intellectual property. Instances of alleged plagiarism have discredited various Christian ministers and authors. Various style manuals provide guidelines for acknowledging direct quotation, paraphrasing, and other uses of sources. Preachers and teachers should adapt those guidelines to the context of verbal communication.

Preacher's Magazine Volume 74 Number 04, Neil B. Wiseman (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Thanks, Brother, for Shaping Our Ministry, Neil B. Wiseman

FEATURE What People Remember About Your Ministry, Neil B. Wiseman

COLLECTION OF RANDAL E. DENNY WRITINGS Is Your Passport Ready?; The Most Neglected Ministry in the Church; We Preach Christ Crucified; At Your Service, Lord!; Pastoral Ministry: A Front Seat in Human Experience; Sunday School Is More Important than We Think; Theology of the Church—We Are Family; The Secret of Victorious Living; Just a Parish Priest; Precious Moments of Worship; What I Learned from Receiving Pastoral Care; To Be Used of God; What Is Success in Ministry?; Serendipities of Work …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 74 Number 03, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Passport for Home, Wilbur W. Brannon

HOLINESS Definite Holiness Preaching, Morris Chalfant

HOLINESS CLASSICS Holiness Teaching—New Testament Times to Wesley, by Paul Merritt Bassett, J. Kenneth Grider

TODAY’S BOOKS FOR TODAY’S PREACHERS A Dangerous Hope, Derl G. Keefer

PREACHER’S EXCHANGE

CHURCH MUSIC Hymn Story of the Month—Part Four, Keith Schwanz; A Tight Squeeze, Donna G. Kelley; How I Taught Children to Sing—When I Couldn’t Carry a Tune, Lois Hoadley Dick

FEATURES The Sticky Question of Denominational Loyalty, Richard S. Taylor; Go On to Maturity, William Tucker; Church of the Solid Rock, Joseph M. Stowell

CHURCH …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 74 Number 02, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Beautiful Savior, Randal E. Denny

FEATURE A Scientist Takes Steps Along His Damascus Road, Karl Giberson; Memories, Movements, and Measurements of Grace, Bud Reedy; Small-talk Your Way to a Successful Career, Patricia L. Fry

GREAT HOLINESS CLASSICS The Holy Spirit and the Church’s Master, Paul S. Rees

EVANGELISM Candles and Roses, Ernest McNaught

CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS Implications of the Incarnation, David Hoffman; Christmas Blesses Small, J. Grant Swank Jr.

CHURCH MUSIC Hymn Story of the Month—Part Three, Keith Schwanz

PREACHING Attitude Check, Jim L. Wilson

PASTOR’S PERSONAL GROWTH Children with a Glass Life: A Review of the …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 74 Number 01, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL An Unfaltering Faith, Randal E. Denny

FEATURE The Limits of Plagiarism, J.B. Chapman

HOLINESS CLASSICS I Want to Know Christ, Carl Leth

HOLINESS HERITAGE Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary Heritage Day, Floyd T. Cunningham

PREACHING Preparing Your Attitude for Sunday, Craig Rench

BIBLICAL STUDIES The Biblical Gift of Tongues, B.D. Webb

WORSHIP Now Hear This, Jim I. Wilson; The Need to Feel Unstrung, Doug Barnett

CHURCH MUSIC Hymn Story of the Month, Part Two, Keith Schwanz

SERMON Is There Hope for the Hapless Wedding Guest?, C.S. Cowles

PICTURE WINDOWS FOR PREACHING, Compiled by Derl G. Keefer

WESLEYANA Within a …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 73 Number 04, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Pastors and Parishioners Really Do Need Each Other, Randal E. Denny

GREAT HOLINESS CLASSICS, Aaron M. Hills

SPECIAL FEATURE Life in the Family of God, Roger L. Hahn

SPECIAL Is This Epochal?, J. Kenneth Grider

PREACHING A Theology of Reminder, John A. Kitchen

EVANGELISM Interview with Tom Nees, Bryon McLaughlin

REVIVAL Keeping the Church Alive, Muriel Larson; True Stories, Mary Legner

PASTOR’S PERSONAL GROWTH The Biblical Basis for Accountability Relationships, David E. Dryer; Pastor, Who Looks After You?, John I. Hoh Jr.; To Whom Does the Pastor Talk?, Ronald L. Phelps

TODAY’S BOOKS FOR TODAY’S …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 73 Number 03, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

GREAT HOLINESS CLASSICS A New Crisis Ensues, E. Stanley Jones

FEATURE The Triumphant Defeat, John G. Merritt

CHRISTIAN MINISTRY Is There a Place for Shepherds in This Era of Ranchers Complex?, Edmond P. Nash; Ministry Means a Cross, Jerry McCant; Willing Workers, Sue Murphy Mote; The Wacky World of Ministering to the Unchurched: The High Cost of Reaching People You Never Expected to See in Church, Karen Aaker; Ministry: By Gender or by Gift?, Jeannie Neufeld; To Forgive Is to Forget, Raquel Liz Cintron-Forrest

PREACHER’S EXCHANGE

PASTOR, BE ENCOURAGED Where Do Pastors and Mates Go for Help?, C. Neil Strait …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 73 Number 02, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL We Rocked the Ark, Randal E. Denny

FEATURE Living by Vows, J. Robertson McQuilkin

PASTOR’S PROFESSIONAL GROWTH The Mystery of Penned Ministries, Raymond C. Kratzer

CHURCH GROWTH Helping a Church Rise and Walk: The Minister as Therapist, Russel L. Jarvis

THEOLOGY Fundamentalism and the Church of the Nazarene, Edwin E. Crawford Jr.; A Wesleyan View of Scripture, H. Ray Dunning

PASTORAL CARE Spiritually Single: Ministering to the Unequally Yoked, Marcia Dummler Mitchell; Truth or Sad Consequences? A Game You Shouldn’t Play, Birney Dibble

PASTOR’S PERSONAL GROWTH Ministry in the Second Half, J. Grant Swank Jr.

BOOK REVIEW

PREACHING The …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 73 Number 01, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Be Honest with One Another, Randal E. Denny

FEATURES Overcoming an Abusive Past, Norman Moore; A Gift of Life in the Face of Death, Rick L. Williamson; Saying Farewell to Your Church, Ponder Gilliland; Transition Summit at Glen Eryie, Wilbur Brannon

PREACHING Marks of Effective Preaching, Robert Premus

CHURCH HISTORY Forgotten Giant of the British Pulpit, Paul Murray

MISSIONS Renewal Through Social Outreach: Practical Guidelines, Jerry L. Appleby

EVANGELISM Evangelicals and the “Homosexual Problem,” J. Grant Swank Jr.

HOLINESS How I Know I Am Filled with the Holy Spirit, Victor Wellington Peters

PASTORAL COUNSELING When to Refer to a …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 72 Number 04, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Offer Hospitality to One Another, Randal E. Denny

FEATURE Getting a Head Start on the Future, Robert H. Scott; The Glory of Ministry, Wilbur W. Brannon; Transformed Troublemaker, Muriel Larson

PASTOR’S PERSONAL GROWTH Daddy, Why Don’t You Practice What You Preach?, Ralph L. Moulton; What Does Fasting Do?, Morris Chalfant; Tunnel of Love, Lynn Allen; In God Alone, Faith Warren; Made in Heaven, Grown on Earth, Sandy Sheppard

PREACHING No Hunting, G. R. “Scott” Cundiff; It’s Reporting Time Again, Douglas A. Rohl; Passing on the Word!, Mark W. Royall

THEOLOGY Why I Don’t Believe in Evolution, Thomas Lorimer; Baptism, …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 72 Number 03, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Submit to One Another, Randal E. Denny

FEATURES Consulting Editors Walking on the Edge, Wilbur W Brannon; Earth Day, Kenneth T. Meredith

PASTOR, BE ENCOURAGED God Is in Action, Through You, C. Neil Strait

THEOLOGY What Is the Biblical Response to Moral Misconduct in Holiness Churches?, Richard S. Taylor; Eternal Security, the True and the False, Ralph A. Mickel

CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS The Convincing Power of the Cross, Mark S. Cople; Discovering What Really Counts, J. Grant Swank Jr.

EVANGELISM A Whole New Paradigm for the Church’s Mission, Doug Samples

PREACHING What Is the Beating Heart of Your Worship Service?, …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 72 Number 02, Randal E. Denny

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Thanks to an Old Friend and Welcome to a New Feature, Randal E. Denny

FEATURE Judgment, She Wrote, Wesley D. Tracy; How Pastors Can Bring Unity, Robert Moeller

PREACHING Preach, Pastor!, Harold R. Crosser; Stump Preaching, Frank Eifert

CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS Caesar or Christ?, C. S. Cowles; The Word Became Flesh: A Christmas Reading, Peter A. Samuelson; Christmas Reminds Us Babies Are Important, Morris Chalfant; Senior Ornaments on Our Tree, J. Grant Swank Jr.

PASTOR, BE ENCOURAGED The Barren Times, C. Neil Strait

CHRISTIAN MINISTRY Public Ministry, Private Pain, Bill O’Connor

THEOLOGY Preaching the Trinity, Roderick T. Leupp

PASTORAL CARE …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 72 Number 01, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Forgive One Another, Randal E. Denny

FEATURE Revisionists Violate Christ’s Teaching and Arouse Political Ire, Lawrence A. Schulz; I’m Not a Racist, But . . . , Al Miles; When Your Children Divorce: The Church’s Response, Elaine Seppa

PASTORAL CARE Walking with the Wounded, Karen Lunsford; The Funeral—Obligation or Opportunity?, Douglas L. Janssen

CHRISTIAN MINISTRY Opening Prison Doors for Women in Ministry—Setting the Captives Free, Doug Samples; A Shepherd’s Hands, Joyce Williams

PASTOR’S PERSONAL GROWTH The Eighth Quarter of Ministry, Kenneth Vogt; 1 + 1 = Survival, Carl C. Green

THEOLOGY Salvation and Judgment: Two Sides of God’s Love, …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 71 Number 04, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Celebrating Our Heritage: A Church with a Mission, Randal E. Denny

FEATURE No Laughing Matter, J. Grant Swank Jr.

SERMON Nourishment for Life, William Richard Ezell; The Dedication of New Hymnals, Edward L. Estep

PREACHING Authentic Preaching vs. Homiletical Narcissism, Wayne E. Oates; Show and Tell: How to Preach an Unforgettable Sermon, Ryan MacPherson; Book Review, J. Kenneth Grider

WORSHIP The Pastoral Prayer, Carl C. Green

CHURCH ADMINISTRATION Six Steps to Enhance the Effectiveness of Video Training: A Strategy to Promote the Transformation of Leaders from Observers to Participants, Norman G. Wilson

THEOLOGY How Not to Celebrate Communion, George …

Preacher's Magazine Volume 71 Number 03, Randal E. Denny (Editor)

Preacher's Magazine

EDITORIAL Serve One Another, Randal E. Denny

WORSHIP The Lord’s Supper, Alden Aikens

THEOLOGY Beautiful Baptism, Martin LeRoy Gladden

THOUGHTS IN A THEOLOGIAN’S CORNER Selecting Our Issues, J. Kenneth Grider

BIBLICAL LITERATURE How We Say the Lord’s Prayer, Carl Bangs

FEATURE Whatever Happened to Authority?, Joseph Seaborn

HOLINESS The Wesleyan Doctrine of Christian Perfection, William M. Greathouse; Essentials of Effective Holiness Preaching, RichardS. Taylor

CHURCH ADMINISTRATION The Young in Heart—Let’s Put Them to Work!, Muriel Larson; Mom’s Rocking Chair, Jay Dargan; Pirates in the Church?, Carmen Wassam

PICTURE WINDOWS FOR PREACHING, Compiled by Derl G. Keefer

PASTOR, BE ENCOURAGED Live …