Boyce Digital Repository (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
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Ministry, Mission, and Mercy: A Practical Philosophy for Groups to Live Out God’s Holistic Vision for the Church
Full text linkThis thesis argues for the importance of employing a practical philosophy of ministry, mission, and mercy in the local church, specifically in the context of small groups. The first chapter introduces the idea of the ministry, mission, and mercy paradigm, makes an argument for its necessity in the church today, and begins to examine how it compares to other small group philosophies that churches adopt today. Chapters 2–4 unpack the definition and framework of each ministry, mission, and mercy, as well as provide support for each from Scripture, literature, and current studies. Chapter 5 provides practical application for how churches can implement this holistic philosophy of ministry, mission, and mercy into their small groups ministries
Equipping Parents at Cross Pointe Church in Duluth, Georgia, to Understand Their Biblical Role as the Primary Disciple Maker in the Home
Full text linkThis project sought to provide a theological and biblical foundation of family discipleship to help parents see the need to disciple their children. Chapter 1 presents the ministry context of Cross Pointe Church and then lists goals for this project. An overview of the rationale used, and research methodology is also provided. Chapter 2 provides a biblical and theological framework showing the responsibility of discipleship given to parents. Commentary and supporting arguments are also provided in addition to the biblical text. Chapter 3 offers the theoretical and practical issues related to family discipleship. Factors inhibiting the facilitation of family discipleship are addressed. Chapter 4 describes the six-week project in detail and examines what was taught and completed each week. Further, it contains an evaluation of the project by the curriculum evaluators and participants. Chapter 5 provides the conclusion by examining the strengths and weaknesses of the project based on the specified goals and purpose
Increasing Understanding of Systematic Theology at Faith Baptist Church of Folsom, California
Full text linkThe purpose of this project was to increase the theological understanding of the people of Faith Baptist Church of Folsom, California. Chapter 1 provided the ministry context, the impetus for the project, and a summary of the research methodology employed. Chapter 2 demonstrated the theological justification for the project from three key passages: 1 Timothy 3:15–16, Ephesians 4:11–16, and Titus 1:9. Chapter 3 surveyed the Christology of early church creeds in order to provide the historical background and in preparation for a systematic theology class on Christology. Chapter 4 reviewed the steps taken to create and implement the curriculum, and provided an overview of the curriculum’s content. Chapter 5 offered an assessment of the project and summarized learnings garnered from the pre- and post-class surveys
Training Members of Grace Fellowship a Church for All Nations to Be Effective Christian Apologists in West Palm Beach, Florida
Full text linkThis doctoral project focuses on empowering members of Grace Fellowship in West Palm Beach, Florida, to become proficient Classical Christian apologists. The initiative involves the development of a comprehensive eight-week apologetic curriculum, enabling participants to articulate logical arguments for the existence of God and the evidence supporting the triune God of the Bible. Chapter 1 provides a thorough exposition of the project’s context and rationale. Chapters 2 and 3 offer exegetical, cultural, and methodological justification for the undertaking. The analysis of Matthew 28:16-20 and 1 Peter 3:15 in chapter 2 underscores the biblical support for integrating apologetic training into discipleship, drawing on apologetic examples from God in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New. Chapter 3 underscores the importance of using the Classical Apologetic method in addressing the growing secularization in Southeastern Florida. Chapter 4 outlines the implementation of the apologetic curriculum, while chapter 5 conducts a data analysis based on the weeks of implementation. During the eight-week course, an average attendance of fifty-six participants was maintained, with forty-eight post-surveys collected. A significant increase in confidence levels across all statements was observed
The Virtues of Discipleship: Faith and Mercy as Righteousness in Matthew's Gospel
Full text linkIn this dissertation I argue that Matthew portrays the fundamental mark of thedisciple of Jesus as righteousness, which serves as his overall category of virtue and is comprised of two primary virtues—faith and mercy. Matthew’s portrayal of the relationship between these three key concepts in his narrative—righteousness, faith, and mercy—clarifies for the reader what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. For Matthew, the disciple of Jesus fulfills the Law and the Prophets by pursuing wholistic alignment—both inward and outward—with God’s will (i.e., greater righteousness) through trusting in God and showing mercy toward others as expressions of love for God and love for neighbor. As the reader encounters Matthew’s narrative—Jesus’s own direct teaching and lived example, along with characters who offer a wide range of positive, negative, and mixed examples—he is encouraged toward the formation of virtue that defines true discipleship. In chapter 1, I introduce my thesis and its significance, articulate my methodology, and outline my argument. In chapter 2, I argue that J. de Waal Dryden’s three-part taxonomy of narrative’s communication of values, when combined with a careful analysis of the virtue-formation intended in Greco-Roman biographies, provides a sound methodology for analyzing Matthew’s Gospel. In chapter 3, I argue that Matthew utilizes his narrative for the purpose of virtue-formation within the lives of his readers as disciples of Jesus. In chapter 4, I argue that Matthew portrays righteousness as his overall moral category—virtue itself—and the fundamental mark of the disciple of Jesus. In chapter 5 I argue that, Matthew portrays faith as the individual virtue of discipleship directed toward God—that in trusting Jesus, motivated by one’s love for God, the disciple himself becomes righteous. In chapter 6, I argue that Matthew portrays mercy as the individual virtue of discipleship directed toward others—that in embodying mercy toward others, motivated by one’s love for neighbor, the disciple himself becomes righteous. In chapter 7, I conclude by reviewing my argument, re-articulating my thesis and discussing its implications, and offering opportunities for further research
A Mixed Methods Multiple Case Study of Church-Based Multiethnic Leadership Development Programs
No full textThe purpose of this study was to better understand how multiethnic churches develop leaders from within their congregations. The urgency for this study arises from two observations. First, the biblical-theological narrative points towards leadership teams reflecting the ethnic makeup of the environment in which they are situated. Second, leadership teams that match the diversity of their context have been demonstrated to better reach their cities and the next generation and more effectively lead diverse churches. These two convictions, in combination with demographic trends that point toward a diversifying United States, create a need to develop leaders who will faithfully and effectively lead the next generation of multiethnic American Christians. If we are to develop these leaders for tomorrow, then we must better understand how multiethnic churches are developing these leaders today.
The research sought to identify two aspects of leader development within the multiethnic church context: (1) the desired outcomes for developing leaders and (2) the designed strategies for accomplishing those outcomes. A mixed-methods design was utilized by which a questionnaire established the desired outcomes and in-depth interviews uncovered the strategies.
Chapter 1 outlines the theological and practical need to better understand leader development in a multiethnic church context. Chapter 2 presents the precedent literature in the field of leadership development. This chapter is organized from broad to narrow, starting with the historical development of leadership theory, followed by Christian leadership development literature. Finally, this chapter presents literature addressing leader development in a multiethnic church context.
Chapter 3 overviews the mixed-methods multiple case study methodology utilized in this research study. Chapter 4 presents the findings from the research study. Specifically, the themes from the coded interview transcripts and an in-depth analysis of the leader outcomes questionnaire are provided. Chapter 5 summarizes the findings from chapter 4, relates them back to the precedent literature, lists possible implications for multiethnic churches, and suggests further areas of needed research
A Biblical Analysis of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy and Its Use in Biblical Counseling
Full text linkThis thesis argues that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is incompatible with Scripture and the precepts of biblical counseling.” The first chapter is an introduction to the topic of EMDR therapy and the void in biblical counseling literature surrounding EMDR. The second chapter shows how Dr. Francine Shapiro developed EMDR and then how the psychiatric community came to accept EMDR as a trauma treatment. The third chapter analyzes the adaptive information processing model, which is the leading theory regarding how EMDR works. The fourth chapter presents an overview of why Scripture is incompatible with the premises of EMDR. The fifth chapter presents some implications for how the biblical counseling movement should engage with EMDR
“A Golden Mine Opened”: The Role of Christ-Centered Preaching in the Sermons of Benjamin Keach
Full text linkThis dissertation argues for the centrality of Christ-centered preaching in the sermons of Benjamin Keach through his Tropologia and Sin-Salvation methods. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis and Keach’s method. His Tropologia method was twofold. He used metaphors that conveyed parities (parallels) and/or disparities between the metaphor and Christ. Additionally, Keach used typology to highlight persons, events, or institutions that foreshadow Christ. His Sin-Salvation method revealed man’s sin and the solution found in Christ’s salvation. Chapter 2 sets Keach in his context by presenting an overview of his life and preaching. Keach’s preaching was based on Puritan godliness, influence, and application. This investigation sets the stage for considering Christ-centeredness in his preaching. Chapter 3, “Old Testament Sermons Part 1,” reviews three sermon series. The seminal series is Christ Alone the Way to Heaven, which sets the foundation for Keach’s Tropologia method. Chapter 4, “Old Testament Sermons Part 2,” considers Keach’s sermons on the covenants. He presented Christ as a mediator, surety, messenger, and testator through these sermons. Chapter 5, “New Testament Sermons Part 1,” investigates Keach’s parable sermons, highlighting Christ as the pearl of great price, the good Samaritan, and the true vine. Chapter 6, “New Testament Sermons Part 2,” evaluates Keach’s gospel and epistle sermons, extolling Christ as the good shepherd, the one who brings great salvation, and the one through whom believers are counted justified. Chapter 7 explores what it means to preach Christ today. This chapter presents a summary of Benjamin Keach’s Christ-centered preaching method, followed by an assessment of the contemporary Christotelic, Christiconic, and Christo-promise methods compared with Keach. Subsequently, the Christ-centered preaching methods of Bryan Chapell, Sidney Greidanus, and Edmund Clowney are analyzed and compared with Keach. The conclusion demonstrates that Benjamin Keach is a Christ-centered preacher worthy of emulation
The Evolution of Homiletic Instruction at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary From John Broadus to Charles Gardner
Full text linkThis thesis describes the evolution of homiletic instruction at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary across the tenures of its first three preaching professors, John Broadus, Edwin Dargan, and Charles Gardner, and argues that there was a significant shift away from Broadus’s original conception of the course toward early twentieth-century modernism and psychology under Gardner’s leadership. Chapter 1 surveys the relevant literature related to the early School of Homiletics at SBTS and the current void in the literature. The next three chapters present the tenures of Broadus (chap. 2), Dargan (chap. 3), and Gardner (chap. 4), describing the School of Homiletics under each professor’s leadership by analyzing the school’s catalogs, each professor’s works, and the required reading for homiletics. Chapter 5 draws together elements associated with change from across the tenures of the first three professors of homiletics, with attention given to their relation to the stability or instability of Broadus’s original vision
How Penal Substitution Addresses Our Shame: The Bible’s Shame Dynamics and Their Relationships to Evangelical Doctrine
Full text linkGrowing awareness of shame’s presence and problems in the West has drawn increasing levels of attention to the topic in Western scholarship. In the face of this attention on shame, theologians, missiologists, and counsellors of various stripes have been calling for a rearticulation or reformulation of the doctrine of atonement to address the presenting problem. Some have argued that the doctrine of penal substitution should be abandoned because of its inability to provide a solution. This dissertation argues that those advocating for such reformulation have not paid sufficient attention either to the Bible’s own presentation of shame problems and their scriptural solution, or to the exegetical grounding and theological presentation of evangelical doctrine. By providing careful analysis of the use of shame categories within the text of Scripture, this dissertation shows that those categories are integrally related to the classic doctrine of salvation within the framework of the new covenant inaugurated by penal substitutionary atonement. The exegetical and theological evidence leads to the conclusion that a move away from penal substitutionary atonement is not necessary or appropriate, and that the key to communicating the gospel to people who are sensitive to shame dynamics is becoming fluent with Scripture’s own presentation of those dynamics and with the biblical connections which relate those dynamics to other doctrines