Boyce Digital Repository (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
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A Critique of the Early Islamic Charge That Paul Corrupted Christ’s Original Religion
Get PDFThis dissertation is a critique of the early Islamic charge that Paul corrupted Christ’s original religion with doctrines and practices that Jesus did not promote. Muslim writers in the first six centuries of Islam claimed that core Christian doctrines and practices were inventions of Paul, namely the doctrines of the Trinity and Christ’s divinity and the practices of consuming pork and abstaining from circumcision. In chapter 1, I introduce the dissertation by surveying modern research on the topic of alleged Pauline corruption, stating the original contribution of my research, and then outlining the study. In chapter 2, I lay the foundation for my dissertation by examining the accounts of Sayf ibn ‘Umar (d. ca. 796), ‘Abd al-Jabbār (d. 1025), and al-Qarāfī (d. 1285), three men whose accounts of alleged Pauline corruption have received the majority of modern research. In the following two chapters, I make my original contribution, which is to bring additional accounts of alleged Pauline corruption into conversation with the accounts from Sayf, ‘Abd al-Jabbār, and al-Qarāfī to highlight similarities and differences. In chapter 3, I examine corruption accounts in Muslim historiographical writings, and in chapter 4, I examine corruption accounts in Muslim commentaries on the Qur’ān. Then, having brought these additional accounts into conversation with the accounts of Sayf, ‘Abd alJabbār, and al-Qarāfī, I devote chapter 5 to the question of why the story of alleged Pauline corruption emerged in Muslim thinking. My analysis of corruption accounts from multiple authors, genres, geographical locations, and time periods led me to the conclusion that early Muslim authors expanded a preexisting Jewish tradition of corruption into the Muslim Pauline narrative to undermine Christian doctrines and practices. Through the narrative of alleged corruption, Muslim writers were able to dismiss the divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and the practices of eating pork and withholding circumcision as innovations of Paul, not elements of Christ’s original religion. Finally, in chapter 6, I summarize the findings of my research and address the missiological implications of the dissertation. Because modern Muslims continue to allege Pauline corruption of Christ’s original religion, Christians must understand the content and origin of the corruption narrative so that they can critique Muslim claims and defend Paul’s apostleship and teachings
Equipping Members and Attenders for Evangelism at Washington Heights Baptist Church, Dayton, Ohio
Get PDFThis project taught the biblical, theological, and practical basis of how to equip believers to be engaged in transformational evangelism of select individuals at Washington Heights Baptist Church, in Dayton, Ohio, and provides a three-year ministry plan for intentionally reaching individuals in community.
Chapter 1 describes the purpose, goals, rationale, and research methodology for the project. Chapter 2 exegetes three New Testament passages and provides the biblical and theological background for personal and contextualized transformational evangelism. Chapter 3 discusses theoretical and practical issues related to transformational evangelistic relationships characterized by prayerful anticipation of God’s working in the life of the unbeliever, generous hospitality, and modeled vulnerability. Chapter 4 outlines the process giving the Evangelistic Practices Survey to the select individuals, tabulating the results, preparing and presenting the evangelism training and giving the Evangelistic Practices Survey a second time to measure the difference in pre- and post-training. Chapter 4 also provides the three-year ministry plan. Chapter 5 evaluates the project as a whole. The purpose and goals of the project are examined, and personal and biblical reflections are offered
Equipping Parents to Be the Primary Disciple-Makers of Their Children at Hanmaeum Korean Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky
Get PDFThis project’s purpose is to help the church equip the parents to be the primary disciple-makers of their children at Hanmaeum Korean Baptist Church (HKBC) in Louisville, Kentucky. Chapter 1 presents the history and ministry context of HKBC and project objectives. Chapter 2 provides the biblical and theological basis of the project. Exegesis of Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Psalms 78:1-8, Matthew 28:16-20, and Ephesians 4:10- 16; 6:1-4 shows the responsibility of parents and the church to discipline children in the fear of the Lord. Chapter 3 covers theological, practical, and historical issues that need to be addressed to equip parents for family discipleship. Chapter 4 contains project details and descriptions for eighteen weeks. Chapter 5 concerns project evaluation
A Holistic Hermeneutical Approach to the ΜΙΣΕΩ Texts in the Gospel of Luke
No full textThis work is embargoed until 07-01-2026.New Testament scholars argue that modern biblical methodology is insular and fragmented. In response, scholars suggest a multi-pronged approach to facilitate the understanding of complex ideas within the biblical text. Accordingly, I illustrate the application of an interdisciplinary approach through a case study of texts containing the Greek word μισέω (to hate) in the Gospel of Luke. In Luke, there are seven instances of μισέω (Luke 1:71; 6:22, 27; 14:26; 16:13; 19:14; 21:17), which scholars have not collectively explored. Attempting to connect these Lukan texts as if μισέω were similarly defined is less helpful than understanding the texts from the perspective of multiple hermeneutical lenses, namely traditional grammatical-historical exegesis, narrative criticism, a theological reading, social identity theory, and an ethical analysis. While the traditional grammatical-historical approach offers considerable insight, this study examines four additional interpretative methods to interpret the seven Lukan μισέω passages. This study argues, two-fold, that the most comprehensive and robust reading of the biblical text can be acquired, not through a single disciplinary approach, but through a multi-dimensional approach, and that while all methods are potentially useful, some will apply to a greater extent than others depending on the text. The results of this study indicate that each method contributed meaningfully and that all methods were helpful for a holistic understanding of the Lukan texts
Developing Self-care and Soul-care for Soldiers in Fort Cavazos, Texas
Get PDFChapter 1 provides the introduction to the project by explaining the issues facing soldiers and their family members. Soldiers and their family members are challenged to practice self-care but do not look at their soul, nor does the concept of self-care encourage them to conduct practices that further their growth through challenges.
Chapter 2 provides the biblical and theological reasoning for self-care and soul-care. This chapter studies Mark 2:23-28, Luke 5:12-16, Matthew 22:39, and 1 Timothy 6:11-21 as they relate to believers’ ability to engage in Sabbath rest and minister to others.
Chapter 3 details the theoretical, practical, and historical issues of self-care and soul-care. This chapter considers both secular and religious material, providing context for how a study in the issues of self-care and soul-care are needed.
Chapter 4 details the implementation of the project. This chapter reviews the development of the self-care and soul-care devotional. The chapter addresses how the devotional provided ideas on how to honor the Sabbath, worship God in community and private worship, and connect with others in fellowship, and challenged believers to live and serve in community with others.
Chapter 5 is an evaluation of the project. It includes an evaluation of the project goals and the t-test results, an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses, potential improvements to the devotional, and theological and personal reflections
Developing a Strategy for Revitalizing Large Southern Baptist Churches After a Season of Significant Decline
Get PDFThe goals of this project were to gather information from pastors who have led large Southern Baptist Churches to significant numerical growth after a season of substantial decline, to identify the best practices from those interviews, and then to build an adaptable ministry plan for churches who find themselves in a similar position. The first chapter presents the ministry context of Christ Community, a church who saw such a decline and revitalization. It also includes context for the Southern Baptist Convention as a whole, which has been in steady decline for some time. The chapter also contains the goals for the project. Chapter 2 offers exegesis of four passages related to church growth: Matthew 28:16–20, Acts 2:42–47, Matthew 16:18, and 1 Corinthians 14:20–25. These texts demonstrate that pastors have a duty to seek the numerical growth of their churches. Chapter 3 examines three activities that growing churches prioritize: evangelism, assimilation, and small groups. Chapter 4 describes the project by recounting the process of surveying pastors, presenting data, and spelling out the ministry plan. Chapter 5 evaluates the success of the project. This project aims to give pastors a roadmap for revitalizing their once-large churches for the glory of God
Equipping the Diaconate of Mexia Baptist Church in Frisco City, Alabama, in the Principles of Personal Evangelism
Get PDFThe purpose of this project was to create an urgency for evangelism in the diaconate, which was accomplished through teaching the diaconate a six-session curriculum on the principles of personal evangelism. Chapter 1 highlights the ministry context of Mexia Baptist Church in Frisco City, Alabama, as well as the goals description and project rationale.
Chapter 2 presents the biblical and theological framework for this project. Five passages are exegeted for biblical support: Romans 3:22–25, Luke 24:46–49, Acts 1:8, Ephesians 4:11–13, and Isaiah 55:9–10.
Chapter 3 gives historical patterns and practical models for personal evangelism. Common barriers for engaging in personal evangelism are shared as well as the common evangelism methods
Chapter 4 outlines the details and description of the project. The six-session curriculum on the principles of personal evangelism is provided in this chapter.
Chapter 5 is the project evaluation. The project’s purpose, goals, strengths, weaknesses, reflections, and conclusions are given
Confessionalism and Cooperation in the Baptist Movement, 1609–1925
Get PDFBaptists came confessing and Baptists came cooperating. But historically, what is the relationship between the two? For more than four hundred years of the Baptist movement across two continents, confession and cooperation have known necessary and effectual concomitance. However, cooperation was not explicitly stated as a full-orbed Baptist doctrine in a confession of faith until the Southern Baptist Convention’s Baptist Faith and Message of 1925. This dissertation demonstrates that Baptists throughout history have held a moral and theological obligation to associate and cooperate with other churches on the basis of shared biblical convictions. They viewed evangelism and missions as central components of that obligation, expressing their convictions through confessions, associational activity, missionary organization, and correspondence as the doctrine of cooperation was realized among them.
Chapter 1 introduces the content, proposes the research question and thesis, summarizes research methodology, surveys the research field, and outlines the argument. It includes a brief section on the definition of terms and the limitation of the research as well as the relevance of the research to contemporary Baptist faith and practice. Chapter 2 begins with the genesis of the Baptist movement in 1609 upon the se-baptism and constitution of a credobaptized congregation by John Smyth, then traces the doctrine of cooperation through Baptist confessions, communications, and associations from Amsterdam, Holland in 1609 to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the last decade of the seventeenth century. Original writings of formative leaders in the English Baptist movement are engaged, such as those of John Smyth, Thomas Helwys, John Spilsbury, Thomas Collier, Thomas Grantham, and Benjamin Keach. Several influential confessions of faith are analyzed. Baptist associational activity is surveyed. The chapter also sets the developing doctrine within the cultural and religiopolitical matrix of seventeenth-century England.
Chapter 3 carries the doctrine of cooperation forward through confessional statements, associations, and missionary organizations in America up until the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention in Augusta, Georgia in 1845. Several influential Baptist theologians and historians are consulted as well as Baptist papers and associational correspondence, which are instrumental in following the movement of the doctrine of cooperation on American soil in this period. Chapter 4 engages Southern Baptist actions and the larger cultural context of the early twentieth century toward the culmination of the doctrine’s formal expression in the 1925 Baptist Faith and Message, adopted in Memphis, Tennessee. Leading Baptist theologians and influencers of the day are consulted, including E. Y. Mullins, E. C. Dargan, L. R. Scarborough, I. J. Van Ness and others. The conversation around the doctrine of cooperation is set within the context of the cultural and political climate of the early twentieth century. Chapter 5 presents a biblical and theological evaluation of the “Triangular Doctrine of Cooperation” proposed by L. R. Scarborough, who significantly influenced the doctrine’s inclusion in the 1925 confession. Chapter 6 concludes the research with a summary of the findings, contemporary applications, and opportunities for further research
Equipping Parents at First Baptist Church in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, for Family Discipleship
Get PDFThis project aims to equip parents to disciple their children. Chapter 1 presents the context, rationale, and methodology for the project. Chapter 2 shows the biblical basis for the project, exploring Deuteronomy 6:4–9, Proverbs 4:20–27, and Ephesians 6:1–4. Chapter 3 explores the practical foundations for parents to become the chief spiritual influencers of their children. This project provides training materials and strategies to allow the church to facilitate family discipleship. Chapter 4 explains the project, and the project is evaluated in chapter 5. Ultimately, the goal of this project is to train the parents of children and teenagers at First Baptist Church, Soddy Daisy, Tennessee to lead family discipleship times in their homes
Equipping Small Group Leaders of Laurelglen Bible Church in Bakersfield, California, to Know and Defend Six Foundational Christian Doctrines
Get PDFThe purpose of this ministry project was to train small group leaders of Laurelglen Bible Church in Bakersfield, California, in six of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. Chapter 1 is the introduction, which explains the ministry context of Laurelglen Bible Church, rationale, and purpose, as well as the research methodology and definitions and limitations of this project. Chapter 2 explains the biblical and theological basis for the doctrines of inerrancy, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, penal substitutionary atonement, Christ’s resurrection, and justification by faith. Chapter 3 explains significant theoretical, practical, and historical issues related to this project. Chapter 4 gives the details and description of the ministry project including its preparation, implementation, and content overview. Chapter 5 evaluates the project’s purpose, goals, strengths, weaknesses, theological reflections, and personal reflections