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Developing Diverse Millennial Ministry Leaders Through a Hands-on Internship Program at Valley Ranch Baptist Church
Get PDFThe purpose of this project was to develop diverse Millennial ministry leaders at Valley Ranch Baptist Church and to empower them to connect with a growing multi-cultural community by establishing a hands-on pastoral training internship program. This paper argues that in order for interns to be developed effectively, the training must be targeted at cultivating core leadership competencies. These skills can be developed by guiding a group of diverse emerging leaders through an on-the-job development pathway which progressively allows them to receive more knowledge, experience, coaching, and mentoring.
Through examining contemporary literature and relevant biblical passages, the paper determines that the local church should be the locus of leader development because it is vital to accomplishing the Church’s mission. Mentoring and coaching, as well as making sure the training process is personalized, relationship-based, and experiential, are all key to developing the next generation of leaders. A seven-phase training pathway and leadership pipeline which targets training to cultivate certain pastoral leadership competencies are both given. In order to gauge the effectiveness of this training process, three younger interns from a variety of ethnic backgrounds were hired onto the staff at VRBC and have begun the first year of their training.
The study concludes that this hands-on internship model seems to be an effective way to grow and to diversity the church, as well as to add depth to the church’s leadership pool. However, these findings are preliminary and partial. More assessments at the conclusion of the two-year internship need to be conducted to measure the effectiveness of developing leadership competencies in interns. While further research is needed, it seems that this internship program could be adapted to other church settings in order to aid in church expansion, congregational diversification, and leadership development
Learning, Memory, and Hippocampal Volume in Cognitively Healthy Participants with Alzheimer’s Type of Beta-Amyloid/Tau Biochemistry
No full textAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is a pervasive neurodegenerative disease that can be difficult to diagnose accurately in the early stages of the disease. Pathological cerebrospinal fluid (beta-amyloid and tau) and hippocampal volume loss can be identified before the onset of cognitive deficits (e.g., learning and memory). The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between learning, memory, and hippocampal volume in a preclinical, cognitively healthy AD population according to their beta-amyloid and tau biochemistry. Thirty-eight older adults (M = 76.32; SD = 6.84) completed body fluid sampling, neuropsychological assessment (including the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition [CVLT-II]) and neuroimaging (i.e., magnetic resonance imaging), and were classified into two groups according to a cut-off score of their beta-amyloid and tau ratio (2.7132): normal beta-amyloid/tau ratio (CH-NAT) and pathological beta-amyloid/tau ratio (CH-PAT). Statistical analyses revealed several key findings: (a) decreased hippocampal volume was correlated falling beta-amyloid and rising tau, (b) CVLT-II List B and Trial 1 were associated with changes in increased beta-amyloid and decreased tau, (c) a flatter learning curve was associated with decreased hippocampal volume, (d) left hippocampal volume was correlated with memory retention, and (e) recognition memory was related to decreased white matter and right hippocampal volume. The present study reinforces the growing evidence of early changes of beta-amyloid and tau biomarkers, hippocampal and white volume, and verbal learning and memory among participants with preclinical AD
The Naturalness of the Supernatural: Children’s Understanding of Intentional Agents
No full textPast research has demonstrated that children acquire an understanding of the thoughts, beliefs, and intentions of other human and non-human minds through cognitive mechanisms that develop early in childhood. Although it is generally accepted that young children cultivate a general “theory of mind,” the age and nature in which this ability develops is an area of continued dialogue. This researcher examined the manner that children come to understand other intentional agents in a sample of 3- to 7-year-olds from China and Ecuador. This researcher examined two theories: the anthropomorphism and preparedness hypotheses. Children participated in several experimental tasks examining the attribution of limitations on perception, knowledge, memory, and mortality, and were asked about their understanding of the capabilities of animal, human, and superhuman minds. This researcher developed two indices (an anthropomorphism index and an egocentrism index) to examine whether children reason about other agents as they would other humans, or themselves. The results of this examination provide evidence that children are flexibly receptive to a wide range of intentional agents and demonstrate a tendency to attribute super-abilities to all agents at the youngest ages and apply limitations to less-capable agents at older ages. Cultural differences were observed with Chinese children utilizing anthropomorphic reasoning less frequently than Ecuadorian children. These findings support that young children need not reason about other agents as they would themselves (egocentrism), or other human beings (anthropomorphism); rather, young children are cognitively flexible and capable of reasoning about, and differentiating among, the abilities of a wide variety of minds
Executive Functioning in Individuals with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum: Results of a Sorting Task
No full textThe impact of agenesis of the corpus callosum on executive functioning is not entirely clear. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the corpus callosum in executive functioning tasks involving initiation, concept formation, cognitive flexibility, and problem solving. The Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Sorting Test was given to 27 adults with partial and complete agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC). Individuals with AgCC were compared to 57 age- and full-scale intelligence quotient-matched neurotypical adult controls from the D-KEFS control database, as well as compared to test norms. When compared to the expected normative scaled scores, individuals with AgCC did not differ significantly with regard to independently sorting the cards or describing their sorted cards, but they performed significantly worse at naming the sorting patterns produced by the examiner. When controlled for full-scale IQ, AgCC participants performed lower on most sorting scores than age- and IQ-matched controls. When compared to one another, individuals with complete and partial AgCC were not significantly different, likely due to small partial AgCC sample size. However, individuals with partial AgCC outperformed both the control group and individuals with complete AgCC on most subtests
Afterimage in Mainland Chinese Films: A Theological and Religious Dialogue
No full textThis dissertation explores how mainland Chinese films depict their filmmakers’ spiritual imagination of their tradition, and a yearning for Transcendence as afterimage . These films also show the possibility of God’s divine revelation through the lens of Christian theology.
Chapter One draws on Richard A. Blake’s concept of “afterimage” and discusses the salient aspects within Confucianism and Daoism that are identifiable as afterimages of Chinese directors and their films. This chapter also establishes the spiritual discernment of the Chinese as “More in Life than Meets the Eye”, (or the “More”), a notion of Transcendence/the Divine that relates to Chinese religious traditions.
Chapter Two further expands the conversation of the “More” by placing it within the larger framework of Paul Tillich’s phenomenology of religion. It explains how the Tillichian notion of ultimate concern offers a framework to interpret Chinese yearnings for Transcendence as “ultimate concern”.
Chapters Three and Four focus on drawing out the afterimages of filmmakers of both the Fifth and Sixth Generation whose films encapsulate representations of what ultimately concerns the human person as “spiritual”.
Chapter Five examines the possibility of a East-West cross-cultural dialogue by juxtaposing Jürgen Moltmann’s theological views of the Spirit’s immanent-transcendence, and Robert K. Johnston’s concept of God’s wider Presence as dialogue partners to the Chinese notion of “More” in Chinese films and Christian theology
Religious Support and Emotional Functioning in India Across Three Major Religions
No full textRelationships between faith (Hindu, Christian, and Muslim), religious support, life satisfaction, and depression were assessed among 511 university students in India. As hypothesized, the three-scale structure of the Multi-Faith Religious Support Scale (MFRSS) was supported across religious groups. For Christians, God Support and Religious Participant Support related to higher levels of life satisfaction even after controlling for general social support. For Muslims, God Support was linked to less depression as expected, but contrary to hypotheses, the effect did not remain significant after controlling for general social support. For Hindus, the three aspects of the MFRSS did not relate to emotional functioning, suggesting that religious support might not be a significant resource regarding emotional functioning for this faith group. Hypothesized group differences were found regarding religious support, with Christians reporting the most God Support and Religious Participant Support and Hindus reporting the least. Overall, the results suggested that religious support functioned differently for each religious group in India, with greatest relevance for Christians and least for Hindus. Cultural variations that may have contributed to the results were discussed, as well as implications for the findings and future directions for research
COLLECTION 0087: Missionary Rest Colony Collection
Get PDFThe Missionary Rest Colony on Mission Road, Glendale, CA (c.1920-2005) was built as a community for visiting Christian missionaries, regardless of ecclesiastical denomination or nationality. In 2005, MEK Associates, Inc owned the property and had the buildings deconstructed to support a healthcare company expansion project. This collection consists of original and photocopied documents associated with the 2005 defense of the Missionary Rest Colony’s retention within the Glendale community
Modelo misional de la iglesia El Buen Pastor en Austin, Texas: Capacitando a ex-reclusos en su reintegración en la sociedad
Get PDFEl propósito de este proyecto es concientizar, participar, y fomentar el compromiso misional de la iglesia El Buen Pastor por medio de la capacitación al ex-recluso masculino para obtener destrezas que lo equipan para encontrar un empleo digno en su reintegración en la sociedad. El objetivo no es meramente ver al ex-recluso transformado, sino que es ver a los apóstoles de la iglesia ser transformados hacia una iglesia misional sirviendo y ministrando. Tienen su propia experiencia y transformación personal y colectiva.
Este proyecto se presenta en tres partes. La Primera Parte describe el contexto de la iglesia El Buen Pastor en Austin, Texas. Explora cómo la congregación es una comunidad en misión. También presenta cómo honra su pasado histórico, celebra su identidad presente, y anticipa su futuro con un modelo misional.
La Segunda Parte presenta las bases bíblicas y teológicas. Analiza a través de un panorama bíblico, teológico, e histórico que el hacer ministerio se remonta desde el Antiguo Testamento, continuando a través del Nuevo Testamento y en la historia de la Iglesia, hasta llegar al tiempo presente. Hay desafíos que se presentan concerniente a la misión que va más allá del entendimiento humano contextualmente y culturalmente.
La Tercera Parte ofrece el ministerio misional: reintegración holística del ex- recluso en la sociedad. Expone el paradigma de la reintegración del ex-recluso por medio del apoyo espiritual y moral en servicio práctico. Presenta la implementación, proceso, y evaluación de cómo se pone cada ex-recluso con un “apóstol” en El Buen Pastor, quien camina con él mientras recibe entrenamiento vocacional y experiencia profesional en Impact Lawns, Landscapes, & Repairs Ministry. Los apóstoles se han dado cuenta que al salir fuera de la iglesia y servir ha nutrido su identidad misional y les ayuda a identificarse con los ex-reclusos y sus necesidades
Making Disciples of the Post-Christian Generation: A Strategy for Auckland Bible Church
Get PDFThe purpose of this doctoral project is to develop a relational approach as an apologetic for Auckland Bible Church (ABC) to reach the younger, more post- Christian generations in New Zealand and to help them grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. The current religious climate in New Zealand shows that church attendance is declining. Many young people today consider that what the church is offering is irrelevant and disconnected to their everyday existence.
This project is looking to examine and critique what these young adults are turning to instead in contemplating how they live. I have examined what is typical of our postmodern culture by calling it a “Richard Dawkins, Lady Gaga, and Amazon.com” culture. These three icons represent secularism/atheism, sex, and consumerism/materialism. These are some of what our young adults believe will offer meaning and purpose in their lives. I have suggested and critiqued how these factors influence culture. I have also provided some examples in how young adults are using these cultural stimuli to give them meaning and purpose in their everyday decision making.
Through this analysis I have shown that what young adults most value today is genuine relationships. Truth, whilst still important, is secondary to belonging and experiencing. In the past, the approach to apologetics involved rational proof discussions. Today such a methodology is ineffective in this post-Christian age where truth is relative. These young adults are looking for experience before explanation.
I have critiqued these thoughts theologically as to why it is vital to take a relational approach to make disciples. I have then discussed and implemented new relational initiatives ABC can pursue to both retain and attract young adults. Finally I have reviewed the results of these initiatives to demonstrate how they have been effective
A Journey toward Discernment at Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church
Get PDFThe purpose of this doctoral project is to develop a way for the leadership of Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church to address the complexity of its context through the practice of discernment. In particular, the project is designed to teach the leadership of the church to hear God’s voice personally and corporately. Through didactic teachings, the leadership will be provided a framework for understanding how God speaks. By equipping them with discernment practices, they will be empowered to practice and experience discernment both personally and corporately. Finally, these understandings and practices will be applied to decision-making and communication within the context of group leadership.
The first portion of this project seeks to explore the unique context of the church within the cities of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. The history of the church and the ways it has been equipped to minister in its context are investigated. This project proposes that the growing diversity and complexity both within the church and its context call for discernment of God’s lead for the leadership of BHPC.
The second part of this project is a theological reflection on hearing God’s voice. It begins by exploring the leading ideas on discernment by exploring the prominent theological literature on the topic. It then explores the ways that discernment is either already present in the church or foundations are laid for its development. The difficulties associated with discernment are explored along with ways that these difficulties are mitigated.
The final part of this paper breaks down the ideological purpose of the project into practical steps. The information and development practices related to discernment are applied to the Deacon Board. This section explains the development of curriculum and modalities that create space for both individual and corporate discernment training. It explains the criteria and expectations for the pilot program as well as the resources needed. Finally, this section explains how this project will be continually and finally assessed