Boyce Digital Repository (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)
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A High Bar: Developing a Process for Pastoral Ordination at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina
Get PDFA HIGH BAR: DEVELOPING A PROCESS FOR PASTORAL ORDINATION
AT HICKORY GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH
IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
This project is aimed at creating a process for pastoral ordination at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chapter 1 provides the foundational context for Hickory Grove as well as the rationale and stated goals of the project. Chapter 2 provides biblical qualifications for pastors and discusses the church’s responsibility in selecting pastors that are above reproach in character. Chapter 3 addresses the issue of pastoral misappropriations by connecting it with the lack of observation within many Baptist church ordination processes. Chapter 4 provides the details of the project. Chapter 5 provides an evaluation of the project and its intended goals. Overall this project is intended to raise the cultural and conventional standard for pastors by providing a means in which a pastor’s character is observed through the formal process of ordination
Developing a Small Group Ministry to Strengthen First Baptist Church Magnolia, Mississippi
Get PDFD.Min., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2020Joseph Clay Gunter, DMin
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2020
Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Matthew D. Haste
In this project, First Baptist Church Magnolia, Mississippi, looked at bridging the gap between church and home by developing a small group ministry to strengthen FBCM. Chapter 1 presents the history and ministry context of FBCM and the goals of this project.
Chapter 2 provides exegesis of four passages of Scripture (Acts 2:42-47; Matt 6:5-15; Heb 10:19-25; 2 Tim 1:1-18) to show that to strengthen families through small groups we must understand the importance of learning, intercession, fellowship, equipping, and evangelism.
Chapter 3 presents a strategic plan for implementing small groups into the life of First Baptist Church of Magnolia.
Chapter 4 describes the project itself, recounting the content and teaching methodology of the specific sermon series. Chapter 5 evaluates the efficacy of the project based on the completion of the specified goals. They sought to bridge the gap of church and home by developing a small group ministry to strengthen FBCM in this lays their ultimate goal for their families to live lives that glorify God and raise the next generation to do the same
The Theology of Evangelism in the Ministry of Lewis Addison Drummond
Get PDFThis dissertation examines the theology and practice of evangelism of Lewis A. Drummond to show that effective evangelism does not happen apart from a commitment to biblical inerrancy. Chapter 1 introduces the thesis by examining the utility of a theology of evangelism. The principal argument of this dissertation shows that Drummond’s integration of epistemology and kerygma shape a theology of evangelism rooted in biblical inerrancy which is the basis for an effective evangelistic ministry.Chapter 2 provides a biographical sketch of Lewis A. Drummond that details the events of his early life including his conversion and service in World War II. This section also outlines the contributions of his academic training and pastoral ministry before entering the teaching ministry of a professor and his eventual presidency of SEBTS.
Chapter 3 presents Drummond’s epistemological work for the building of an authority for evangelism. His academic work in philosophy and influence of Charles Arthur Campbell and Rudolf Otto help feed Drummond’s defense of the supra-rational character of God as part of the authority for evangelism. The chapter culminates in the usefulness of propositional revelation in evangelism and apologetics. Drummond’s doctrine of Scripture gives the final shape to the authority for evangelism.
Chapter 4 includes the heart of a theology of evangelism that is shaped by the kerygma. The two aspects of the kerygma Drummond argued included the cognitive and experiential. Both elements are essential to gospel heralding and this chapter will explore the particulars of the cognitive elements including the doctrines of salvation and the Trinity.
Chapter 5 explains the experiential aspect of the kerygma in terms of the efforts made to bring spiritual renewal. This section also delves into the synthesis of the kerygmatic structure for a theology of evangelism by assessing Drummond’s commitment to the sovereignty of God in revival (cognitive) as well as the doctrine of the church (experiential). The chapter ends with Drummond’s implications for church health beginning in revival.
Chapter 6 assesses Drummond’s evangelistic practice in theological education and evangelicalism in a broader sense. This chapter helps provide the context of Drummond’s educational ministry which makes his commitment to kerygmatic proclamation stand in bold relief. This chapter also looks at Drummond’s widening impact on evangelicals worldwide in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Baptist World Alliance, and his later writings.
Chapter 7 gives a summary of the analysis and its implications for the field of evangelism. The chapter points out additional avenues for further research in the life and ministry of Drummond and final reflections
Three Nuances of the Perfect Indicative in the Greek New Testament
Get PDFThe dissertation analyzes the existence of the three nuances of the perfect tense occurring in the Greek New Testament: resultative-stative, anterior (current relevance), and simple past. Chapter 1 introduces an introduction, thesis and methodology of this project, with briefly introducing verbal aspect debate and the historical development of the Greek perfect. Chapter 2 presents and evaluates the main scholarly approaches of scholars to the Greek perfect (including temporality, aspect, and any other issues) with accompanying evaluations. As many of the arguments are found wanting, this section argues for a diachronic approach as the best way to comprehend the Greek perfect.
Chapter 3 explores the first stage of the development of the Greek perfect from Homer. The ancient Greek perfect expresses a resultative-stative nuance, with intransitivity dominant. Some of these archaic perfects survived up the Koine period and appear in the Greek New Testament.
Chapter 4 discusses the transition from the resultative to the anterior, with increasing transitivity of the perfect in Classical Greek. Based on this understanding, it investigates the anterior (current relevance) perfects in the Greek New Testament, as well as select examples from Classical Greek literature and the Septuagint.
Chapter 5 addresses the bewildering issues of the so-called aorist perfect through the lens of the semantic change of the perfect during the Koine period from anterior to simple past. The Greek perfect merged with the aorist, ending up in decay. It disappeared until the Modern Greek development of a perfect formation using the auxiliary ἔχω
My Blood of the Covenant: Reverberation of the New Covenant in Matthew’s Gospel
Get PDFWhen the OT prophets looked ahead to the future redemption, they anticipated a string of redemptive-historical events to be recapitulated in the future. Such recapitulation involves a new deliverance in a new Passover, new exodus, and climaxing in a new covenant. As such, the mention of the covenant in Matthew, the declaration “τὸ αἷμά μου τῆς διαθήκης,” is the climax of a narrative progression from Abraham to the Messiah, from the Passover and the exodus to the inauguration of the (new) covenant. The present thesis aims to illustrate the significance of the new covenant for Matthew’s Gospel. The core of the argument rests on Mogens Müller’s observation, in his ‘The Gospel of St Matthew and the Mosaic Law,’ that the new covenant is a “substructure underlying” Matthew’s Gospel.
The first chapter situates the present thesis in Matthean scholarship in particular and covenant research in general to demonstrate the relevance of this research. The second chapter explores the covenantal significances of the titles “υἱοῦ Δαυὶδ” and “υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ.” The aim is to show that the titles evoke strong covenantal overtones even though covenant terminology is not used. Furthermore, in Matthew, these covenants are synthesized in one christological act of covenant-making.
The third and fourth chapters investigate the only and explicit reference to the covenant in Matthew’s Gospel in 26:28. The question raised in these chapters is whether the introduction of the covenant was a strategically placed climactic reference. Chapter 3 is substantial since it seeks to demonstrate that Matthew, at crucial places throughout his Gospel, engages in symbolic significations and interpretations, thus building the narrative for the climactic scene at the interpretation narrative. As such, the (new) covenant has been proleptically symbolized in the feeding miracles and anticipated in the eschatological banquet, leading up to the Last Supper. To that effect, the chapter will argue that Matthew appears to interpret the meaning of Jesus’ death within the conceptual framework of Passover ordered to exodus, ordered to covenant. The blood of the covenant in 26:28 should be seen as a climactic reference designed to provide Jesus’s death its covenantal overtones.
Chapter 5 builds from these conclusions and explores the theme of interiority as a covenantal reality. Here Matthew’s particular interest on the heart is examined against the new covenant realities of the prophetic promises as the sign of the inauguration of the (new) covenant. Matthew presents Jesus as the interpreter and inscriber of Torah on human hearts in fulfillment of covenant promises. Finally, a summary and conclusion are drawn in chapter 6.
In sum, chapter 2 examines the titles for their covenantal significance (de facto covenantal titles); chapter 3 analyzes Matthew’s narrative for its covenant framework (Passover, Exodus, covenant); chapter 4 investigates the only explicit reference to covenant in Matthew 26:28 (blood of the covenant), and chapter 5 examines Matthew’s focus on interiority (covenant reality)
“This Is My Story; This Is My Song”: The Subjective Use of the Psalms by Christians Today
Get PDFD.Min., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2020The main argument of this thesis is that the Psalms are words graciously given
by God for believers to use when they pray to him. There are words here for all seasons.
In recent years there has been a growing trend to see the words of the Psalms as
belonging on Christ’s lips only, not the believer’s. There is a good desire here, as one
must take seriously Jesus’ words about the Old Testament that these are the Scriptures
that “bear witness about me” (John 5:39).
This thesis argues that seeing the Psalms as being “the words of Jesus” and
thus only secondarily intended for use by Christian believers is not the picture presented
by the Psalms themselves, nor the New Testament use of the Psalms. The goal of this
thesis is to give Christians confidence in reading, praying, and singing the Psalms.
Chapters 2-3 lay some groundwork, introducing the world of poetry (chap. 2) and song
(chap. 3). Chapters 4-9 seek to defend the subjective use of the Psalms. Chapters 4 and 5
look at the testimony of the Psalms themselves (chap. 4) and the New Testament use of
the Psalms (chap. 5). The psalmists themselves at times see themselves as examples for
believers (not merely prophetic of one to come), and the New Testament authors also
read the Psalms in such a way. The next three chapters address some of the issues that
might make Christians believe that some psalms cannot be properly taken on their own
lips: claims to righteousness (chap. 6), enemies (chap. 7), and praying for judgment
(chap. 8). Chapter 9 shows that being prepared to use the Psalms in this subjective way
(and thus not see Christ as the singer of every psalm) does not rule out Christ-centered
interpretation, but allows for more and richer avenues of fulfilment in Christ; he is seen
not only as the singer but as God, as the one who achieves the salvation of which the
Psalms speak, and as the human king.
Chapters 10-13 consider different types of psalm, and for each looks at how
psalms like this may be read and understood. For each type of psalm, consideration of
typical features of this sort of psalm is accompanied by reflection on how Christians can
engage with such a psalm, often using a ‘how much more in Christ’ hermeneutic
By the Same Spirit: Edwardsean Pneumatology in the Younger Edwards
Get PDFJonathan Edwards Jr. (1745–1801) is often portrayed as a spiritless preacher who drove away his congregation with metaphysical abstractions. Accordingly, this received caricature describes Edwards Jr. as distorting the Edwardsean legacy. This negative caricature of Edwards Jr was produced by the early liberalism of the civil war era and has stuck to Edwards Jr. for nearly two hundred years. This thesis provides a greater interaction with the sources, taking into account his upbringing, awakening, tragedy, and pastoral challenges. Notably, Edwards Jr.’s Sermon on the Mount Manuscripts, which cover his whole thirty-year pulpit ministry, are found to be strongly reliant upon his father’s Religious Affections. Furthermore, Edwards Jr.’s systematic theology of the Holy Spirit demonstrates a received pneumatology which is essentially the same as his father’s system. From primary documents this thesis demonstrates how the younger Edwards’s place is relevant to Edwardsean study
Understanding Theologically the Experience of the Adopted Child in Counseling
Get PDFThis dissertation argues that parents positively influence a child’s perception of his own adoption experience by modeling for him the doctrine of adoption as an aspect of salvation in Christ. The particular focus within the adoption experience will be the adopted child’s broken sense of identity in relationship and the fallout in the child’s responses in the present situation. This dissertation argues that the doctrine of adoption, dynamically lived out by adoptive parents, gives the framework for bringing restoration to the child’s self-perception in relationship. The key element of the doctrine on display in the parent’s conduct toward the child is the filial permanence of God as father.This thesis conducts a literature review to show the key themes of the adoption experience. Key themes are considered in the frameworks in which they are presented before critically engaging with them from a theological standpoint. Next, a biblical theology of adoption is presented, which will acknowledge the cultural practice of adoption in the Roman culture of the apostle Paul’s day that informs a proper understanding of his use of υἱοθεσία (adoption). Third, an analysis of the leading literature on caring for adopted children is conducted using David Powlison’s three epistemological principles as the framework for evaluating and critiquing. Lastly, the relationship the theology of adoption has to adopted children is presented, advancing a theology of the experience of adopted children, especially focusing on one’s conscious awareness of adoption and how that informs one’s self-perception
Developing and Implementing a Membership Curriculum at Emmanuel International Church of Ternes in Paris, France
Get PDFThis project seeks to develop and implement a membership curriculum at Emmanuel International Church of Ternes in Paris, France. Chapter 1 provides the unique ministry context of an international church and the goals of this project. Chapter 2 provides exegesis of five passages of Scripture (Hos 1:9-10; 1 Pet 2:4-11; Acts 2:40-47; 1 Cor 5:1-13; Eph 4:11-15) to show the importance of church membership. Chapter 3 presents the views, examples, and content provided in church membership courses. Chapter 4 describes the content and teaching methodology of the membershipcurriculum. Chapter 5 evaluates the efficacy of the project based on completion of the specified goals. This project seeks to provide opportunities for individuals to become a member of the local body, understand the importance of membership, and reap the rewards of membership
American Individualism's Effect on Discipleship in Church Revitalization: A Mixed Methods Study
Get PDFAs the over-arching culture of North America becomes ever more post-Christian, the church in North America continues to decline. Nearly 75 percent of Southern Baptist Churches are plateaued or are in decline. Some have responded by planting new churches while others emphasize revitalization to return life to these plateaued and dying churches. Most of these efforts emphasize programmatic responses. Little if any consideration is given to the unique socio-cultural orientation of church leaders and church members which contextualizes the implementation and impacts the outcomes of these programs.
The purpose of this explanatory multiphase sequential mixed-methods study was to investigate the relationship between a revitalization leader’s socio-cultural orientation, specifically concerning individualism and collectivism, and that leader’s perception of their church’s revitalization process. In phase 1, the study identified growing, declining, and plateaued churches. In phase 2, churches that met criteria indicating they had experienced revitalization were invited to participate in a survey related to their experience. In phase 3, churches that responded to the phase 2 instrument were invited to participate in a second survey designed to measure the respondent’s socio-cultural orientation. In phase 4, select revitalization leaders whose socio-cultural orientation was strongly individualistic or collectivistic were invited to participate in qualitative interviews. The interviews examined how revitalization pastors understood several critical aspects of their church’s revitalization in light of their socio-cultural orientation. The study identified key differences and similarities in how revitalization leaders of differing socio-cultural orientations understand revitalization. The study also suggested further research on issues significant to furthering our understanding of the influence of socio-cultural orientation on church revitalization