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Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this project was to create an initiative that promotes and facilitates continued spiritual formation of African American preachers serving in the urban ministry context. This initiative focused on establishing a foundational understanding of spiritual formation along with its connection to the life of the preacher, who serves as both priest and prophet. This project was designed to include the ministerial staff serving at a pre- dominantly African American church in Los Angeles, California, considered an urban setting. This project included a four-week spiritual formation program that focused on the consistent practice of spiritual disciplines, specifically Scripture reading, silence, Sabbath, and contemplation. The ministry challenge this project sought to address stemmed from the impact the busyness of ministry has on the preacher’s intimate connection or relationship with God. Preachers are consumed with pastoral care responsibilities, teaching Bible study, preaching on Sundays, along with tending to their own professional vocations and families. Serving in an urban ministry further adds an additional layer of responsibilities. The African American preacher in the urban context is also the social justice leader, the voice of Black pain, concern, and frustration. The urban African American preacher is called upon to lead rallies, to lead in the fight against systemic racism and oppression. Through intentional focus on ways to include spiritual discipline practices into the preacher’s daily habits, this project addresses the unique hindrances to continued spiritual formation. It is envisioned that this spiritual formation initiative will extend to additional congregations, inspiring African American preachers to cultivate their relationship with the triune God, who inwardly transforms and shapes the preacher while empowering them to serve as priest and prophet.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), At the outset of Creation God issues the declaration that it is not good for humans to be alone (Gn 2:18). The carryover of God’s creation declaration in the context of ministry leadership is this: it is not good to lead alone. Ministry in the West is witnessing a plethora of publicized leadership failings, scandals of abuse, and pastoral unhealth. This infection seems to occur in hierarchical leadership structures where a solo leader wields most of the power. In the wake of an abusive leadership crisis, I seek to craft a theology of mutual leadership as a relational praxis that understands the impact of this infection. Arguably, most ministry cultures begin with good intentions, yet the system still does damage to the people it sought to shepherd. Chuck DeGroat presents the metaphor of a simple toe infection leading to sepsis; thus, the entire system becomes infected. Considering the potential for infection within the system shaping influence of ministry leadership, I propose a reimagined theology of leadership. I contend that the triune God is inviting ministry leaders into intimate communion by way of (1) our creation in God’s image, (2) Jesus ushering us to follow him into the fullness of being human, and (3) leading in dependence on the presence of God’s indwelling Spirit. The key image for this leadership vision is one of embrace. I will investigate this leadership embrace as an act of movement by exploring the concept of perichoresis, the doctrine of Tsimtsum, and relational praxis via Miroslav Volf’s “four movements of embrace.” The scope of this project will require interaction with trinitarian theologians, a hermeneutical lens inspired by the servant-leadership of Jesus, and an exploration of ministry leadership models exposing and healing the crisis.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The ministry challenge at the heart of this project is to provide a curriculum that empowers churches to become places of healing for myriads of suffering families in our culture. Extensive exposure to traditional Twelve Step groups and the lack of recovery support within the church fueled my passion to provide practical steps that implement spiritual truths that lead to recovery. The vision of relational discipleship evolved as I recognized the constant invitation, “Come follow…” throughout Scripture. This led to the development of Twelve Steps of Discipleship. Many believers endure relational dysfunction as a result of adverse childhood experiences. Recovery progresses in Christ through implementation of the discipleship curriculum. The relational style of discipleship begins with a response to follow Jesus. The healing journey transforms believers into disciples as they study Scripture and learn to walk in the ways of the Father. Disciples will find hope and healing as they become vitally connected to God, themselves, and others through the practical application of biblical principles. The pilot groups consisted of women, mainly from San Diego, California, who are committed to their faith. Some had Twelve Step experience. All want to improve their relationships by learning healthier behaviors. Most identified difficult relationships. The post-survey results identified the power of Scripture for healing and found the lessons integrated Scripture and the traditional twelve steps effectively. Each agrees that being deeply rooted in Christ, the Word and faith through walking these twelve steps would enhance spiritual growth. The majority surveyed identified the power of group by learning from those they listened to during the discussions. They strongly believe this curriculum will deepen their relationship with God, selves, and others.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Mission organizations need robust member care to guide their missionaries to flourish in life and ministry. Many missionaries today are floundering in their work because effective care and development are not reaching them. This doctoral project aims to identify the essential elements organizations need to develop missionary care effectively and see that it is led well. Additionally, this project will design a process for the Barnabas International Consulting Team to help organizations form member care departments and leaders. The data for this project was collected through a survey of thirty-four member care leaders through personal interviews or filling in an online survey, as well as observing how organizations invest in developing their member care. These findings indicate that a mission organization must intentionally develop a care system, ethos, and leader. A system helps create structure and processes for care, while an ethos of care is a way of being that permeates the whole organization. This department must have leadership prepared to lead in this unique arena because the vision and impact of care often flags or fails without effective leadership. The demands on these leaders are profound and often overwhelming. Organizations need processes to help leaders invest in staff well-being, and directors of member care need to be uniquely equipped to carry these significant responsibilities. My research findings indicate that while increasing volumes are available on what good member care entails, a need exists for resources and guidance on cultivating an organizational ethos of care, forming leaders for this arena, and establishing durable systems to provide sustained proactive and responsive member care.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), “Houston, we’ve had a problem!” During the past few years, church leaders have been hit by a pandemic tsunami of epic proportions, pushing their ministry stress levels to an all-time high. Current pastors had never faced or trained for the storm that hit the church in 2020 and 2021. Decision fatigue led to ministry fatigue, ultimately leading to burnout and in many cases leaving the ministry altogether. The “Great Pastor Resignation” represents an urgent need for the church, and if not addressed, the exit will prove unsustainable. Finding a way to keep more pastors in the game has become priority number one for the Union Baptist Association (UBA). The UBA needs pastors who are resilient, equipped with the tools and habits needed to finish ministry well. The UBA began to ask, “How do we foster leaders who remain resilient throughout life and ministry and finish strong?” The churches in Houston need pastors who are resilient. The purpose of this project is to field test a resourcing pathway that will build greater resiliency into the lives of UBA pastors. The Resilient Pathway will introduce church leaders to the “Five Habits of Resilience.” One of the five trailheads on this pathway is the Resilient Learning Cohort. Sixteen church leaders journeyed together for seven months, processing and experiencing elements of the “Five Habits of Resilience.” The cohort included a two-stage process. In stage one, the cohort met for six months in a collaborative learning environment around the “Five Habits of Resilience.” In stage two, the cohort participated in a three-day “Shepherd’s Retreat” modeling the habits of repeated renewal and relational security. Upon completion of the pilot project, I evaluated the two-stage cohort journey and the impact on the participants. Each participant completed a pre- and post-survey to evaluate the impact of the cohort toward resiliency for their life and ministry practice. To gauge the impact of the Resilient Cohort, and on long-term sustaina

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Bidwell Presbyterian Church (BPC) is in downtown Chico, CA next door to California State University, Chico (Chico State). Despite the proximity and historic connection to Chico State’s campus, emerging adults are underrepresented and underserved within the BPC congregation. This project develops a model of leadership that will enable change within the Bidwell Presbyterian Church congregation leading to revitalized expressions of ministry on behalf of emerging adults. According to the Fuller Youth Institutes’ (FYI) Growing Young project, six core commitments were discovered in congregations who draw and engage young people ages fifteen to twenty-nine. Growing Young provides a strategic framework of leadership and adaptive change in congregations to implement these core commitments. This project augments Growing Young’s strategic framework by focusing on building adaptive capacities among BPC’s leadership. While strategy is vital to a change process, it is insufficient for addressing the cultural shifts required for a congregation like BPC to revitalize emerging adult ministry. Adaptive congregational change requires the development of spiritual and emotional leadership capacities. In this project I led several teams of congregational stakeholders through a process that built my own adaptive capacity as well as theirs while creating alignment with the Growing Young strategic framework. During the first phase, two task forces were formed and underwent an equipping process while building trust. The second phase involved ministry teams who practiced core commitments while continuing to dialog within holding environments. Building on the first two phases, the third phase mobilized other groups and teams within the congregation to develop adaptive capacity and further align themselves with the strategic framework offered by Growing Young. Throughout the process, this project assessed how well I and these ministry teams developed our adaptive capacity, as well as how emergi

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Partnerships between the faith community, the recovery community (a broad group: including Twelve Step groups, County Mental Health, and UCSB Student Health—i.e., public and private groups committed to the sobriety and health of people), private enterprises, and local government can work wonders. This is by far the most noteworthy finding to report from this year and a half of study on the state of, and potential for, effective recovery ministry in Isla Vista. In my experience in Christian ministry, public agencies are reticent to partner with religious groups (who are often doing the same work) out of fear of, annoyance with, or distractions from proselytizing. While these concerns are not unwarranted, the public agencies are missing out on a vital component for their work to be effective— willing, unpaid friends and advocates to support people with substance use disorder in their recovery journeys. Likewise, the faith community is missing out on the resources, experience, and support network that public agencies and local government can provide if the faith community is unwilling to move proselytizing to the background and focus on the immediacy of physical and mental health for the people they serve. Partnerships can work wonders as seen in the overwhelmingly positive effects of the housing and care projects, such as Pescadero Lofts and Hedges House, and short-term housing projects like the Good Samaritan Shelters in Isla Vista and Santa Barbara. These places do more than provide shelter. They demand a measure of behavioral accountability—drug and alcohol use is not tolerated. The result is the building (or rebuilding) of self-esteem and purpose in the people served. These projects are all partnerships between different stake-holding groups, including the faith community. My hope is that the lessons learned and benefits so clearly in evidence can be multiplied across our cities.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), This doctoral project explores postures and practices of leadership formation aimed at dismantling whiteness within the pastoral leadership training of Carey Baptist College, seeking to increase the cultural humility and intelligence of our trainee pastors. Our current leadership formation practices are coloured by the world of whiteness and framed by Western ways of thinking, knowing, and acting. This project addresses the challenge of forming post-settler Pākehā pastoral leaders by utilising the adaptive leadership change theory. The adaptive challenge for the community at Carey begins with a commitment by Pākehā to relinquish the privileged position that social and cultural power has afforded. Post-settler approaches to questions of Christian leadership and formation, alongside a more significant partnership with Māori, offer hope for a different reality. Carey's recent scholarly focus on the British Baptist heritage highlights the upsurge of interest in the movement’s theology, with its potential for recapturing ecclesial identity, shaping leadership, and reimagining mission in partnership with Māori. Carey is undertaking a complex journey of dismantling settler narratives and structures that have been captivated by the myth of white superiority. This journey demands an adaptive process that transforms the college's ministry training inwardly before transforming the churches and communities into which our pastoral leaders are sent. For the pastoral leadership formation programme, the task is a relational journey with Māori that involves ideological, emotional, cultural, and structural change. Throughout this project, I focus on the work produced and the life shared amongst the Carey community. Consistent and challenging voices from Māori students and stakeholders have inspired a growing determination to walk in partnership and deepen Carey’s understanding of what it means for a theological college to do education, formation, and service together. Faculty and stu

Graduate School of Mission and Theology, The purpose of this project is to developa coaching model for leadership development in Edmonton Chinese Christian Church (ECCC) to cultivate awareness and ownership of their calling and contribution in the kingdom of God. The majority of ECCC Mandarin congregants grew up in a culture that values the will of authorities and collectivity. Self-value and belief are often attached closely to the collective or family agenda. Schools in mainland China seldom promote in-class discussion; therefore, students may quickly grasp new content but are not good at applying what is learned. As a result, ECCC’s leadership development follows a model of knowledge transmitting and program participation, and it tends to be disconnected with mission and community influence. This project addresses the issue by using coaching to integrate discipleship making and leadership development for Christ-followers in ECCC. Based on the IDEA coaching pathway by Terry Walling, a FULL coaching model was developed as a coaching experience course open to all ECCC members. Each session of the coaching course ran two hours for eight consecutive weeks. The FULL model coaching course functioned both as an equipping tool for leadership development and a real-life coaching experience. The general goal of this coaching model is to increase self-awareness, develop ownership, and cultivate a transformational culture in ECCC. Although there are still some gaps to fill in the general strategy, the coaching model received very positive feedback from the participants' evaluations. With confidence, the pilot cohort who functioned as the first fruit of life coaching in ECCC will play a crucial role in the future implementation of this project. Content Reader: Terry Walling, D. Min

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Forty Martyrs’ parish must build a bridge, extending from the Early Church into this modern community. The goal is to welcome existing and prospective members through the offering of Christian hospitality, to increase acceptance, and to restore the vibrant message of the Good News of Salvation to all who are baptized into the theology and who participate in the Eucharistic Liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The first part of the research is an exploration into how Christianity evolved inside and then out from the house-church setting and to show how Christian hospitality was cultivated directly by the Eucharist offered and then distributed from the house-table. The next part presents the theology of hospitality as preached, taught, and experienced through the good works and the faith of the Early Church and examines how the theology of hospitality was inherited from the Early Church by the Armenian Church. The project explores how a transplanted, traditional Armenian parish in Orange County transcends the perceived cultural barriers in a new land by ministering with the theology inherited from the Early Church. The next part explains how the current ministry and administration of the Holy Eucharist, starting from the Early Church and sustained by the Armenian Church, provides the opportunity to extend hospitality. It describes the current forms of administration, both inside the church and outside to the broader community. It explores the strategies required to educate and train the ministry, to determine the demographics of both the current parish and the prospective community, and how to educate them in the sacrament of the Eucharist and the intended activity of hospitality. The concluding part discusses methods by which ancient liturgy may be represented in the specific context of the Orange County community. It presents the various outreach parameters and boundaries in order to determine how to include more people both from within and outside of the curre

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this paper is to teach members of Saint Michael’s Episcopal Church in Pineville, Louisiana to adopt Sabbath-keeping as a framework for self-care. This project utilizes a pilot group from within the church to accomplish this goal by helping them to embrace a Sabbath rest lifestyle and teach them how the Sabbath is a holy time for rest, worship, fellowship, and a covenant. Members of the pilot group created a Sabbath rest plan informed by Jesus’s love commandment from Luke 10:27: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Thus, participants were taught how to embrace Sabbath-keeping as a framework for emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical self-care. Saint Michael’s is in rural central Louisiana. Its members are middle-class people who live within a cultural structure that invites people to work hard to achieve professional and financial success at the risk of neglecting themselves, their families, their relationships, and their spiritual health. These realities often lead to maladies such as depression, physical illnesses, broken families, and spiritual inauthenticity. This project features three major sections. The first section looks at Saint Michael’s context: location, demographics, doctrinal heritage, challenges, and opportunities teaching and practicing Sabbath rest as a framework for self-care. The second section focuses on biblical teachings of Sabbath-keeping and how Sabbath rest practice is challenged by the seductive propositions of today’s culture. The final section presents a strategy for teaching, training, and guiding participants to create a Sabbath-keeping plan as self-care. Participants in this pilot group developed their Sabbath-keeping plan through formal instruction, mutual encouragement, peer support, and accountability. The result should produce renewal minds, mature commitment to God, and a healthy lifestyle from

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The twofold goal of this study is to describe why proactive pastoral care at Redeemer Presbyterian Church West Side is essential, and to present an achievable strategy for how proactive pastoral care for every member of the church is possible. The thesis of this project argues that a team of pastoral care providers, including both staff and lay leaders, can work together to provide comprehensive pastoral care for every member of the church by integrating three ministry settings: pastoral visitation, Sunday worship, and community groups. After describing the history of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, this project outlines the discipleship and pastoral challenges that are presented in the cultural context of New York City. Pastoral care, to be effective, must address the twin cultural challenges of individualism and apathy. Using the biblical-theological imagery of shepherd, this project grounds the art of pastoral practice in the context of shepherding. After providing an overview of the theology of shepherding, particular attention is given to the core competencies of effective shepherding in the Bible. Tying together the cultural challenges with the theology of shepherding, this project goes on to show how a combined approach to pastoral care that integrates Sunday worship, pastoral visitation, and community groups creates space for every member of the church to receive pastoral care, doing so in a way that advances their discipleship. This project concludes by outlining a practical plan that has been implemented at Redeemer Presbyterian Church West Side to ensure every member of the church receives proactive pastoral care, as well as summarizing what has been effective and what are areas for improvement.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Well-established, long-standing churches continue to decline in the United States for various reasons, including their inability to properly respond to change. This project argues that these declines can be stabilized, and possibly even reversed, by redirecting these churches and their leaders to the original foundations upon which the church was founded. To accomplish this evolution, a redevelopment process is introduced that relies on three concepts: community renewal, change leader qualities, and spiritual transformation. Through an examination of Scripture, church and community history, and church change dynamics, this paper documents a case study of First Presbyterian Church of Bradenton, Florida. The study illustrates how strategic development was used to promote major adaptive change based on foundation rediscovery to stabilize and prevent further decline. The primary conclusion of this project is that by rediscovering and rebuilding upon their original foundations, struggling wellestablished, long-standing churches can repurpose their ministries and missions to the needs of a changing world.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this project is to follow the stages of a shared leadership experiment that took place over seven years at First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs (First Pres). This process moved the structural and mental leadership model from command-and-control to shared executive discernment. This project also discusses how shared executive discernment is a faithful adaptation of the former leadership model, and not something entirely new. Furthermore, it explores the initial stages of a full-staff redesign that embeds a team model into the structure and expands the leadership capacities of the staff to work together across teams to manage change. First Pres has a rich 149-year history of dynamic leadership and strong senior pastors. In 2014, after the abrupt departure of a senior pastor, the church found itself in crisis. As the church faced a ten-year decline in worship attendance and giving, along with an increasing average age, the congregation was riddled with mistrust and a lack of mission clarity. Rather than rush to secure an external interim senior leader, the session affirmed a two-year period of collaborative leadership shared by four internal leaders. These four leaders, along with the session, navigated a pathway to stabilize the church and rebuild trust. During that time, the session moved into a new three-part structure, and a shared leadership model was designed in which to bring a new lead pastor. This project chronicles the three stages of a collaborative leadership experiment that moved the leadership structure from a command-and-control model to a shared executive discernment model. This set the stage for a "team of teams" staff design. Using the metaphors of a table, a cord, and a garden, it explores the adaptive tasks and practices leading to a shared leadership model, follows the crisis of the COVID year, and outlines next steps.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Well-established, long-standing churches continue to decline in the United States for various reasons, including their inability to properly respond to change. This project argues that these declines can be stabilized, and possibly even reversed, by redirecting these churches and their leaders to the original foundations upon which the church was founded. To accomplish this evolution, a redevelopment process is introduced that relies on three concepts: community renewal, change leader qualities, and spiritual transformation. Through an examination of Scripture, church and community history, and church change dynamics, this paper documents a case study of First Presbyterian Church of Bradenton, Florida. The study illustrates how strategic development was used to promote major adaptive change based on foundation rediscovery to stabilize and prevent further decline. The primary conclusion of this project is that by rediscovering and rebuilding upon their original foundations, struggling wellestablished, long-standing churches can repurpose their ministries and missions to the needs of a changing world.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The twofold goal of this study is to describe why proactive pastoral care at Redeemer Presbyterian Church West Side is essential, and to present an achievable strategy for how proactive pastoral care for every member of the church is possible. The thesis of this project argues that a team of pastoral care providers, including both staff and lay leaders, can work together to provide comprehensive pastoral care for every member of the church by integrating three ministry settings: pastoral visitation, Sunday worship, and community groups. After describing the history of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, this project outlines the discipleship and pastoral challenges that are presented in the cultural context of New York City. Pastoral care, to be effective, must address the twin cultural challenges of individualism and apathy. Using the biblical-theological imagery of shepherd, this project grounds the art of pastoral practice in the context of shepherding. After providing an overview of the theology of shepherding, particular attention is given to the core competencies of effective shepherding in the Bible. Tying together the cultural challenges with the theology of shepherding, this project goes on to show how a combined approach to pastoral care that integrates Sunday worship, pastoral visitation, and community groups creates space for every member of the church to receive pastoral care, doing so in a way that advances their discipleship. This project concludes by outlining a practical plan that has been implemented at Redeemer Presbyterian Church West Side to ensure every member of the church receives proactive pastoral care, as well as summarizing what has been effective and what are areas for improvement.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this project is to follow the stages of a shared leadership experiment that took place over seven years at First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs (First Pres). This process moved the structural and mental leadership model from command-and-control to shared executive discernment. This project also discusses how shared executive discernment is a faithful adaptation of the former leadership model, and not something entirely new. Furthermore, it explores the initial stages of a full-staff redesign that embeds a team model into the structure and expands the leadership capacities of the staff to work together across teams to manage change. First Pres has a rich 149-year history of dynamic leadership and strong senior pastors. In 2014, after the abrupt departure of a senior pastor, the church found itself in crisis. As the church faced a ten-year decline in worship attendance and giving, along with an increasing average age, the congregation was riddled with mistrust and a lack of mission clarity. Rather than rush to secure an external interim senior leader, the session affirmed a two-year period of collaborative leadership shared by four internal leaders. These four leaders, along with the session, navigated a pathway to stabilize the church and rebuild trust. During that time, the session moved into a new three-part structure, and a shared leadership model was designed in which to bring a new lead pastor. This project chronicles the three stages of a collaborative leadership experiment that moved the leadership structure from a command-and-control model to a shared executive discernment model. This set the stage for a "team of teams" staff design. Using the metaphors of a table, a cord, and a garden, it explores the adaptive tasks and practices leading to a shared leadership model, follows the crisis of the COVID year, and outlines next steps.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this paper is to teach members of Saint Michael’s Episcopal Church in Pineville, Louisiana to adopt Sabbath-keeping as a framework for self-care. This project utilizes a pilot group from within the church to accomplish this goal by helping them to embrace a Sabbath rest lifestyle and teach them how the Sabbath is a holy time for rest, worship, fellowship, and a covenant. Members of the pilot group created a Sabbath rest plan informed by Jesus’s love commandment from Luke 10:27: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Thus, participants were taught how to embrace Sabbath-keeping as a framework for emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical self-care. Saint Michael’s is in rural central Louisiana. Its members are middle-class people who live within a cultural structure that invites people to work hard to achieve professional and financial success at the risk of neglecting themselves, their families, their relationships, and their spiritual health. These realities often lead to maladies such as depression, physical illnesses, broken families, and spiritual inauthenticity. This project features three major sections. The first section looks at Saint Michael’s context: location, demographics, doctrinal heritage, challenges, and opportunities teaching and practicing Sabbath rest as a framework for self-care. The second section focuses on biblical teachings of Sabbath-keeping and how Sabbath rest practice is challenged by the seductive propositions of today’s culture. The final section presents a strategy for teaching, training, and guiding participants to create a Sabbath-keeping plan as self-care. Participants in this pilot group developed their Sabbath-keeping plan through formal instruction, mutual encouragement, peer support, and accountability. The result should produce renewal minds, mature commitment to God, and a healthy lifestyle from

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Fostering Pastoral Skills Improvement through Covenant Coaching Communities in the Northwestern Illinois District Church of the Nazarene Scott Sherwood Doctor of Ministry School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary2021This project explores an approach to fostering pastoral skills improvement through the use of covenant, coaching, and community amongst the pastors of the Northwestern Illinois District Church of the Nazarene. A short-term,experimental covenant coaching community was conducted with pastors who entered into a covenant agreement with each other to practice, be observed, and receive feedback on a particular ministry skill. This project examines the theology of John Wesley’s Methodist societies and applies the theology and practices that these societies applied to spiritual formation to pastoral skills improvement. Whereas spiritual formation “methods” were the focus of the Methodist societies, this project focuses on a particular method of fostering pastoral skills improvement informed by the research of Anders Ericsson. This project’s contribution to the field of knowledge is the application of Ericsson’s research on deliberate practice to the arena of pastoral ministry in a Wesleyan theological context. This project concludes that while pastoral ministry skills are not usually measurable against an established set of criteria as were the subjects observed by Ericsson’s research on deliberate practice, it is possible to agree upon a set of observable criteria given a specific enough definition of a given skill. Participants reported a sense of improvement in their own skill level and observed improvement in the other participants. The three elements of deliberate practice (repetition beyond previous comfort level, feedback, and performance measured against observable criteria) when reinforced by a covenant agreement with a community of peers engaged in mutual coaching suggests to the broader church that it is possible to improve pastoral skills. Neve

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), This project seeks to equip members of Saint Paul Church in Greenville, North Carolina, to live as faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. It does this through sermons based on a missional interpretation of Scripture. These sermons comprise a six-week preaching program that members of the church assess. The first section of this project outlines the community and ministry context of the project. In particular, it provides a brief history of Greenville, highlighting the influence of East Carolina University and Vidant Health. It then provides the history of Saint Paul Church and explains the challenge of equipping members to be faithful witnesses. The second section reflects theologically on this project. It does so by first reviewing literature on missional hermeneutics and missional homiletics. Afterwards, it offers a theology of both mission and preaching. The third section of this project articulates the ministry plan of this project. It then outlines the implementation of the project and evaluates its results. Feedback indicates that sermons based on a missional interpretation help equip church members to be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. The final summary of the paper reiterates the project’s findings. Additionally, it identifies how this project can benefit scholars and other ministry practitioners. It gives special attention to those interested in the areas of mission, hermeneutics, and homiletics.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this doctoral project was to explore the possibility of creating and implementing a directed, but organic model for the coaching of emerging pastors as they join the staff of Reno Christian Fellowship or are new to their ministry placement. The premise is that emerging pastors are often hired onto our staff with varied biblical education but little to no practical pastoral ministry experience. This project focuses on the spiritual formation as well as the leadership and ministry development of the emerging pastor. It embraces the core belief that a truly effective spiritual leader emanates a holistic view of spiritual formation and the attitude of a lifelong learner and therefore focuses on both internal and external development. The foundation of this model is based on regularly scheduled coaching meetings that provide the venue for the coaching relationship to develop and the opportunity to discuss and execute the specific elements of the coaching plan. Spiritual reflections and sustainable spiritual practices are regularly integrated into coaching conversations. The model also includes observations of the emerging pastors in their ministry context and timely feedback of those observations. Principles of coaching, mentoring, and oversight are integrated into the process, in order to meet the individual needs of the emerging pastor. This project concludes that investing in the spiritual formation and ministry development of emerging pastors is vital, yet there are also many variables affecting the final outcomes. Ultimately, creating and implementing a coaching model for this process was extremely effective, and the coaching model will continue to be implemented among the pastoral staff of Reno Christian Fellowship.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), This project seeks to equip members of Saint Paul Church in Greenville, North Carolina, to live as faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. It does this through sermons based on a missional interpretation of Scripture. These sermons comprise a six-week preaching program that members of the church assess. The first section of this project outlines the community and ministry context of the project. In particular, it provides a brief history of Greenville, highlighting the influence of East Carolina University and Vidant Health. It then provides the history of Saint Paul Church and explains the challenge of equipping members to be faithful witnesses. The second section reflects theologically on this project. It does so by first reviewing literature on missional hermeneutics and missional homiletics. Afterwards, it offers a theology of both mission and preaching. The third section of this project articulates the ministry plan of this project. It then outlines the implementation of the project and evaluates its results. Feedback indicates that sermons based on a missional interpretation help equip church members to be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. The final summary of the paper reiterates the project’s findings. Additionally, it identifies how this project can benefit scholars and other ministry practitioners. It gives special attention to those interested in the areas of mission, hermeneutics, and homiletics.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this doctoral project was to explore the possibility of creating and implementing a directed, but organic model for the coaching of emerging pastors as they join the staff of Reno Christian Fellowship or are new to their ministry placement. The premise is that emerging pastors are often hired onto our staff with varied biblical education but little to no practical pastoral ministry experience. This project focuses on the spiritual formation as well as the leadership and ministry development of the emerging pastor. It embraces the core belief that a truly effective spiritual leader emanates a holistic view of spiritual formation and the attitude of a lifelong learner and therefore focuses on both internal and external development. The foundation of this model is based on regularly scheduled coaching meetings that provide the venue for the coaching relationship to develop and the opportunity to discuss and execute the specific elements of the coaching plan. Spiritual reflections and sustainable spiritual practices are regularly integrated into coaching conversations. The model also includes observations of the emerging pastors in their ministry context and timely feedback of those observations. Principles of coaching, mentoring, and oversight are integrated into the process, in order to meet the individual needs of the emerging pastor. This project concludes that investing in the spiritual formation and ministry development of emerging pastors is vital, yet there are also many variables affecting the final outcomes. Ultimately, creating and implementing a coaching model for this process was extremely effective, and the coaching model will continue to be implemented among the pastoral staff of Reno Christian Fellowship.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), This project explores an approach to fostering pastoral skills improvement through the use of covenant, coaching, and community amongst the pastors of the Northwestern Illinois District Church of the Nazarene. A short-term,experimental covenant coaching community was conducted with pastors who entered into a covenant agreement with each other to practice, be observed, and receive feedback on a particular ministry skill. This project examines the theology of John Wesley’s Methodist societies and applies the theology and practices that these societies applied to spiritual formation to pastoral skills improvement. Whereas spiritual formation “methods” were the focus of the Methodist societies, this project focuses on a particular method of fostering pastoral skills improvement informed by the research of Anders Ericsson. This project’s contribution to the field of knowledge is the application of Ericsson’s research on deliberate practice to the arena of pastoral ministry in a Wesleyan theological context. This project concludes that while pastoral ministry skills are not usually measurable against an established set of criteria as were the subjects observed by Ericsson’s research on deliberate practice, it is possible to agree upon a set of observable criteria given a specific enough definition of a given skill. Participants reported a sense of improvement in their own skill level and observed improvement in the other participants. The three elements of deliberate practice (repetition beyond previous comfort level, feedback, and performance measured against observable criteria) when reinforced by a covenant agreement with a community of peers engaged in mutual coaching suggests to the broader church that it is possible to improve pastoral skills. Nevertheless, long-term studies are needed with more precisely measurable criteria for what constitutes improvement. Content Reader: Terry Walling, DMin

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The goal of this study is to explore the cultivation of new imagination for hospitality so that the congregation of Coast Vineyard Christian Fellowship is able to share life with its neighbors and to discover what the Spirit of God is doing in the neighborhoods of San Diego, California. It is argued that cultural narratives framing hospitality as providing comfort and framing the church as the host have accumulated to shape the habitus of the church. As a result, often preconscious assumptions with bodily rooting undermine the ability of the congregation to play the role of the guest and thus to share life with neighbors. A research process of action and reflection identified the centrality of bodily practices to the formation of imagination for home, host, and guest. In order to challenge the habits and assumptions around hospitality that undermine relationships with neighbors, a missional action team was formed with commitments to table fellowship, dwelling in scripture, reciprocal hospitality, and team discernment. A team of church members was led through six months of formation in these practices to investigate whether new imagination would emerge that would facilitate reciprocal relationships with neighbors. The study suggested that deeply held habits and preconscious assumptions around hospitality are not easily transformed. An important finding of the research was that the congregation's understanding of and language for time seemed to be significantly inhibiting the practice of hospitality, thereby undermining relationships with neighbors. Because the language house for time is so deeply implicated in the practice of hospitality, the concluding recommendations suggest a group of practices designed to problematize the habitus of the church both with respect to imagination for hospitality and to the conceptualization of time. It is hoped that experimentation in this direction will lead to rediscovery of the gospel of Jesus.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Pastoral ministry is challenging and at times difficult. Paul describes the stress of ministry in 2 Corinthians 7:5: “Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.” The purpose of this project is to provide a training manual that can be used in a pastors’ summit that encourages Foursquare pastors in the United States to cultivate key practices for ministry resilience for a lifetime of fruitful and fulfilling ministry. The introduction identifies cultural pressures and unrealistic expectations that make ministry difficult. Chapter 1 introduces the target audience. It also provides a brief history of the Foursquare Church and identifies Foursquare’s doctrine, domains of expertise, and polity. This constitutes Part One. Chapter 2 reviews key books that deal with pastoral resilience, the Holy Spirit’s relationship to the pastoral vocation, and pastoral theology that relates to ministry context. Chapter 3 completes Part Two and articulates a practical pneumatology that accesses the help of the Holy Spirit in pastoral ministry. Part Three consists of two short chapters and a conclusion. Chapter 4 lists theological conclusions and ministry challenges of the project and the pastoral summit format. Chapter 5 concerns the implementation and evaluation of the training manual and summit, followed by a conclusion. The heart of the project is a training manual entitled “Pastoral Grit: Key Practices for Resiliency in Ministry.” The manual articulates twelve key practices that apply to the whole of the pastor’s life and ministry. The manual is less about strategy, methods, and church growth and more about the transformation of the inner life of the pastor for his or her emotional, spiritual, and mental health in ministry. The approach to these practices is fourfold: a story from my pastoral experience, biblical texts that apply to the practice, a teaching on the practice, and pneumatology accessing the help of the Holy Spirit.

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., (1.) Minister JIM MCCLOSKEY is the founder of Centurion Ministry, one of the first Innocence Projects dedicated to reopening the cases of men and women unjustly convicted of murder and on death row or serving a life sentence. MCCLOSKEY started it 40 years ago. He has a new memoir, 'When Truth is All You Have.' (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW). (2.) Rock critic KEN TUCKER reviews the new album Women in Music, Part 3, by the sister rock trio, Haim

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The goal of this study is to explore the cultivation of new imagination for hospitality so that the congregation of Coast Vineyard Christian Fellowship is able to share life with its neighbors and to discover what the Spirit of God is doing in the neighborhoods of San Diego, California. It is argued that cultural narratives framing hospitality as providing comfort and framing the church as the host have accumulated to shape the habitus of the church. As a result, often preconscious assumptions with bodily rooting undermine the ability of the congregation to play the role of the guest and thus to share life with neighbors. A research process of action and reflection identified the centrality of bodily practices to the formation of imagination for home, host, and guest. In order to challenge the habits and assumptions around hospitality that undermine relationships with neighbors, a missional action team was formed with commitments to table fellowship, dwelling in scripture, reciprocal hospitality, and team discernment. A team of church members was led through six months of formation in these practices to investigate whether new imagination would emerge that would facilitate reciprocal relationships with neighbors. The study suggested that deeply held habits and preconscious assumptions around hospitality are not easily transformed. An important finding of the research was that the congregation's understanding of and language for time seemed to be significantly inhibiting the practice of hospitality, thereby undermining relationships with neighbors. Because the language house for time is so deeply implicated in the practice of hospitality, the concluding recommendations suggest a group of practices designed to problematize the habitus of the church both with respect to imagination for hospitality and to the conceptualization of time. It is hoped that experimentation in this direction will lead to rediscovery of the gospel of Jesus.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this project is to create congregational care teams to serve the emotional and spiritual needs of the parishioners at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church (SSUMC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Congregational care should be done by clergy and laity primarily to address and assuage those who suffer from emotional and spiritual distress. This paper will focus on three key areas. In Part One, the historical contours of SSUMC’s past and its overall congregational care ministry will be explored. The importance of holistic care—body, mind, and spirit—will be examined within the church context. Currently, all congregational care is clergy-centered and focuses inwardly, stifling growth on all levels. However, one of the strengths of the congregation is its willingness to offer care, albeit on a limited basis. In Part Two, theological literature and teachings relevant to this specific ministry challenge will be explored. The literature reviews will reflect the central and important role of clergy and laity in the long tradition of Christian soul care. A theology of congregational care from a biblical perspective will be introduced. This theology will be examined through a lens of cross-cultural compassion, applying tradition and experience through a narrative approach. Clear and concise communication is essential to ensure that all those who need spiritual care are not neglected. Finally, in Part Three of this study, a ministry strategy that incorporates a pilot care team will be discussed. At SSUMC, the best practices of other pastoral care ministries will help form the foundation of the congregational care teams. The objective is for care teams to be transformed on a personal level, so that the tasks that they must perform become opportunities to release the power of prayer, healing, nurture, listening, and compassion. This ministry strategy will be assessed to determine its effectiveness.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Pastoral ministry is challenging and at times difficult. Paul describes the stress of ministry in 2 Corinthians 7:5: “Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.” The purpose of this project is to provide a training manual that can be used in a pastors’ summit that encourages Foursquare pastors in the United States to cultivate key practices for ministry resilience for a lifetime of fruitful and fulfilling ministry. The introduction identifies cultural pressures and unrealistic expectations that make ministry difficult. Chapter 1 introduces the target audience. It also provides a brief history of the Foursquare Church and identifies Foursquare’s doctrine, domains of expertise, and polity. This constitutes Part One. Chapter 2 reviews key books that deal with pastoral resilience, the Holy Spirit’s relationship to the pastoral vocation, and pastoral theology that relates to ministry context. Chapter 3 completes Part Two and articulates a practical pneumatology that accesses the help of the Holy Spirit in pastoral ministry. Part Three consists of two short chapters and a conclusion. Chapter 4 lists theological conclusions and ministry challenges of the project and the pastoral summit format. Chapter 5 concerns the implementation and evaluation of the training manual and summit, followed by a conclusion. The heart of the project is a training manual entitled “Pastoral Grit: Key Practices for Resiliency in Ministry.” The manual articulates twelve key practices that apply to the whole of the pastor’s life and ministry. The manual is less about strategy, methods, and church growth and more about the transformation of the inner life of the pastor for his or her emotional, spiritual, and mental health in ministry. The approach to these practices is fourfold: a story from my pastoral experience, biblical texts that apply to the practice, a teaching on the practice, and pneumatology accessing the help of the Holy Spirit.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this project is to create congregational care teams to serve the emotional and spiritual needs of the parishioners at St. Stephen's United Methodist Church (SSUMC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Congregational care should be done by clergy and laity primarily to address and assuage those who suffer from emotional and spiritual distress. This paper will focus on three key areas. In Part One, the historical contours of SSUMC's past and its overall congregational care ministry will be explored. The importance of holistic care--body, mind, and spirit--will be examined within the church context. Currently, all congregational care is clergy-centered and focuses inwardly, stifling growth on all levels. However, one of the strengths of the congregation is its willingness to offer care, albeit on a limited basis. In Part Two, theological literature and teachings relevant to this specific ministry challenge will be explored. The literature reviews will reflect the central and important role of clergy and laity in the long tradition of Christian soul care. A theology of congregational care from a biblical perspective will be introduced. This theology will be examined through a lens of cross-cultural compassion, applying tradition and experience through a narrative approach. Clear and concise communication is essential to ensure that all those who need spiritual care are not neglected. Finally, in Part Three of this study, a ministry strategy that incorporates a pilot care team will be discussed. At SSUMC, the best practices of other pastoral care ministries will help form the foundation of the congregational care teams. The objective is for care teams to be transformed on a personal level, so that the tasks that they must perform become opportunities to release the power of prayer, healing, nurture, listening, and compassion. This ministry strategy will be assessed to determine its effectiveness.

Theology of the city is not a new issue in Latin American context, but surely notyet treated with sufficient depth. In the context of increasing urbanization and profoundchallenges faced by today’s Christianity, the city returs to claim the attentionof the churches and theology. This essay begins to reflect on some significant contributionsin urban theology and urban ministry in the areas of urban England and U.S.It also offers some theological paths in view of interdisciplinary research, togetherwith some considerations relative to the method., Una teología de la ciudad no es un planteo nuevo en el contexto latinoamericano, perosí un tema no suficientemente profundizado. En un marco de creciente urbanizacióny de profundos desafíos afrontados por el cristianismo, la ciudad vuelve a reclamarla atención de la pastoral de las iglesias y de la teología. El presente ensayo iniciauna reflexión a partir de algunos aportes significativos sobre teología y pastoral urbanaen el ámbito de Inglaterra y EE.UU. Asimismo, ofrece algunos senderos teológicosprogramáticos para una investigación interdisciplinaria, junto a algunas consideracionesrelativas al método.

The text makes a re-reading of the method See-Judge-Act, taking into account the biographical approach offered by the social sciences. It proposes for consideration that Pastoral Theology develop a discourse on the Church, Academy and the Public Forum, at the intersection that these areas have in the same Christian practices, giving place to an Inter Loci Theology. It also describes the emerging theological profile in that experience, using the frame- work of multiple intelligences., El texto realiza una relectura del método Ver-Juzgar-Actuar teniendo en cuenta el acercamiento biográfico que ofrecen las ciencias sociales. Propone considerar que la Teología Pastoral desarrolla así un discurso sobre la Iglesia, la Academia y la Plaza Pública en el cruce que estos ámbitos tienen en las mismas prácticas cristianas, dando lugar a una Teología Inter Loci. Y describe el perfil teológico emergente en dicha experiencia utilizando el marco de las inteligencias múltiples.

Doctor of Missiology (DMiss), This dissertation leverages grounded theory research methods to demonstrate the factors that most significantly contribute to perseverance in the work of ministry. It then outlines a practical framework based upon this research to strengthen those factors. Part I of this study demonstrates from the literature that a pastor’s cultural environment and pastoral health may impact ministry perseverance. Discerning the true impact of these factors required localized field research, which was conducted within New York’s Adirondack Mountain region. Part II describes how a combination of semi-structured, active interviews and an anonymous survey was particularly appropriate for this grounded theory, qualitative research. The key factors of ministry perseverance that emerged from the research data were the intentional combination of a pastor’s godly grounding, resilient personality, intimate allies, and targeted calling, or GRIT. Part III demonstrates that these four factors—collectively known as Godly GRIT®—can be strengthened. The strategy for testing that is outlined through a twelve-part small group curriculum. This process informed the development of a ministry plan that combines informal coaching and a workbook to strengthen Godly GRIT. Although this research was conducted in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, the theory of Godly GRIT has broader applicational significance outside that specific region and even beyond vocational ministry.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), According to the last census in Brazil in 2010, there is an overwhelming Christian population (86.8 percent). There are many seminaries, religious institutions, churches and great Christian theologians, both Catholic and Evangelical, however, youth ministry is not considered to be an area of study for any of them. For that reason, the aim of this final project is to create and develop a postgraduate level youth ministry course in São Paulo, Brazil. Part One of this project describes the context of church and youth ministry in São Paulo, the history of youth ministry in Brazil and the context of adolescents living in São Paulo. This part aims to point out the challenges of youth ministry today and the ecclesiological, academic, social and cultural factors influencing the development of this ministry. Part Two of this project explores all of the subjects to be studied in this course. Starting from a theological reflection on youth ministry, the discussion further examines a practical theology for youth ministry and for adoptive youth ministry. The next section of Part Two focuses on the development of adolescents and those factors influencing them such as a culture of abandonment, adolescent culture, family and peers. It then studies the practices of youth ministry, such as discipleship, teaching, pastoral care and programming. Finally it concentrates on all of the people involved in youth ministry like youth leaders, volunteers, parents, youth and the whole congregation. The final part focuses on the development of a comprehensive syllabus for each of the four modules of the course and a teaching guide to the lectures of a course in Seminário Teológico Servo de Cristo (Servants of Christ Theological Seminary).

Die katholische Erwachsenenbildung wird in diesem Beitrag als "Bildungspastoral" beschrieben, als wichtiger kirchlicher Vollzug in der modernen Gesellschaft.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The inevitability of death and the constant reconstruction of life required by loss subjects humanity to grief. The Church has too often failed to acknowledge and address this fact. Pastors are not trained adequately in grief and loss leaving them little to offer the bereaved. Pastors are forced to share platitudes and to abdicate their pastoral and teaching roles in the company of death and loss. Consequently, many bereaved persons feel isolated when support is most needed. Social support for the bereaved is vital. A compassionate presence providing comfort is often lacking. This project is designed to provide training in contemporary grief understandings to pastors and invested lay persons for the purpose of creating compassionate communities of healing. Forest Lawn is uniquely positioned to provide this training due to a long history of active community engagement. This project also examines the lack of adequate and available training for pastors. The on-coming wave of the death of the Baby Boomers, the rapid increase in cremation, and the change in death rituals among this generation are further reasons to institute this project. The project will provide a basis for appreciating the role and power of grief as a healing process. This will be shown by providing an awareness of the attachments human beings form and the threat to those attachments we face in the reality of death. Death and grief become the seed for the transformed life through the process of silence, lament and resurrection. The training will be comprehensive; persons involved will be exposed to the most recent theories on grief, theological insights on death and spiritual growth, the varieties of grief expressions, strategies of bereavement care, a look at their own death awareness and strategies for their own self-care.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), According to the last census in Brazil in 2010, there is an overwhelming Christian population (86.8 percent). There are many seminaries, religious institutions, churches and great Christian theologians, both Catholic and Evangelical, however, youth ministry is not considered to be an area of study for any of them. For that reason, the aim of this final project is to create and develop a postgraduate level youth ministry course in São Paulo, Brazil. Part One of this project describes the context of church and youth ministry in São Paulo, the history of youth ministry in Brazil and the context of adolescents living in São Paulo. This part aims to point out the challenges of youth ministry today and the ecclesiological, academic, social and cultural factors influencing the development of this ministry. Part Two of this project explores all of the subjects to be studied in this course. Starting from a theological reflection on youth ministry, the discussion further examines a practical theology for youth ministry and for adoptive youth ministry. The next section of Part Two focuses on the development of adolescents and those factors influencing them such as a culture of abandonment, adolescent culture, family and peers. It then studies the practices of youth ministry, such as discipleship, teaching, pastoral care and programming. Finally it concentrates on all of the people involved in youth ministry like youth leaders, volunteers, parents, youth and the whole congregation. The final part focuses on the development of a comprehensive syllabus for each of the four modules of the course and a teaching guide to the lectures of a course in Seminário Teológico Servo de Cristo (Servants of Christ Theological Seminary).

We present an analysis and interpretation of part of the official chronicle of the event of the Virgin of Copacabana. Our research and critical reflection on the text of Fray Alonso Ramos Gavilán provides an articulation to communicate its content. A com- municative or pastoral proposal centered on the «hieroglyphs» used by the mentioned chronicler. These hieroglyphs, at the same time, considered as a whole, are a hie- roglyph of everything that can be communicated from his work.That center or focus of our communication strategy, is enriched by prioritizing the intuitive. In keeping with what the Augustinian friar expresses, we consider that the hieroglyphics are elements that make a transmission desirable and open to it. Being icons, which manifest and hide, helps to make an attractive pastoral proposal. They also help to be an open communication, to recognize the meaning that the hieroglyphs carry, and to dialogue with that meaning and try to correspond to it vitally. In short, in this way, we believe that they can collaborate in a pastoral or open communication with the protagonism of the receiver, be it collective or individual.What shines in this presentation -which is open to future developments- is the Virgin of Copacabana precisely as a hieroglyph: stone and precious pearl, that attracts and files the life of these peoples and lands. She is looking at the true Sun, and assumes and re-signifies the prehispanic senses of the idol of the same ñame, and praxis linked to her cult and that of the sun. Thus, like moon, star and diamond, it reflects the true Light and lets it pass through its being and can help us make our life a heaven., Presentamos un análisis e interpretación de parte de la crónica oficial del acontecimiento de la Virgen de Copacabana. Nuestra investigación y reflexión crítica sobre el texto de Fray Alonso Ramos Gavilán aporta una articulación para comunicar su contenido. Una propuesta comunicativa o pastoral centrada en los «jeroglíficos» que utiliza el mencionado cronista. Dichos jeroglíficos, a la vez, considerados en su conjunto, son un jeroglífico de todo lo que se puede comunicar desde su obra.Ese centro o foco de nuestra estrategia de comunicación, se enriquece desde el priori- zar lo intuitivo. En consonancia con lo que expresa el fraile agustino, consideramos que los jeroglíficos, tal como eran entendidos en su época, son elementos que hacen apetecible una transmisión y abren a ella. Al ser iconos, que manifiestan y ocultan, ayudan a una propuesta pastoral atractiva. A una comunicación que despierta el deseo de reconocer el sentido que portan los jeroglíficos, a dialogar con ese sentido y a intentar corresponderle vitalmente. En definitiva, de este modo, nos parece que pueden colaborar a una pastoral basada en el protagonismo del receptor, ya sea colectivo o individual.Abierto a futuras profundizaciones y desarrollos, el jeroglífico resplandece en lo presentado y puede guiar ese itinerario a seguir, es decir la Virgen de Copacabana precisamente como jeroglífico: piedra y perla preciosa, que atrae y llena de vida estos pueblos y tierras. Ella, mirando al verdadero Sol, asume y re-significa los sentidos prehispánicos del ídolo del mismo nombre, y las praxis ligadas a su culto y al del sol. Así, como luna, estrella y diamante, refleja la Luz verdadera y la deja pasar por su ser, y puede ayudarnos a hacer de nuestra vida un cielo.

Doctor of Missiology (DMiss), This dissertation leverages grounded theory research methods to demonstrate the factors that most significantly contribute to perseverance in the work of ministry. It then outlines a practical framework based upon this research to strengthen those factors. Part I of this study demonstrates from the literature that a pastor’s cultural environment and pastoral health may impact ministry perseverance. Discerning the true impact of these factors required localized field research, which was conducted within New York’s Adirondack Mountain region. Part II describes how a combination of semi-structured, active interviews and an anonymous survey was particularly appropriate for this grounded theory, qualitative research. The key factors of ministry perseverance that emerged from the research data were the intentional combination of a pastor’s godly grounding, resilient personality, intimate allies, and targeted calling, or GRIT. Part III demonstrates that these four factors—collectively known as Godly GRIT®—can be strengthened. The strategy for testing that is outlined through a twelve-part small group curriculum. This process informed the development of a ministry plan that combines informal coaching and a workbook to strengthen Godly GRIT. Although this research was conducted in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, the theory of Godly GRIT has broader applicational significance outside that specific region and even beyond vocational ministry.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this study is to explore how a fivefold leadership practice may be launched in an organized church to foment a Kingdom-centric, missional mindset that is contextual for postmodern generations. [1] The project draws from lessons learned in an initial attempt made in 2012 to establish a fivefold structure at a Hispanic Nazarene church. The desire at the time was to help the local church become mission oriented, both locally and globally, through a collegial, fivefold ministry. These efforts demonstrated the importance of ecclesial leadership, and the impact that they have in fostering a corporal ethos where change can happen. The culture of a church, its beliefs, values, and practices, will either promote or hinder change efforts. As the demographics of North America continue to alter, and particularly those of the Hispanic community, ecclesial expressions and leadership models will need to adjust so the church can remain relevant to its context. Second and third generation Hispanic millennials and Generation Z are inviting the Hispanic church to embrace a new way of being together before the Lord. This project is proposing a new strategy to help congregations establish a fivefold practice, using organizational change theories. This new approach follows a process-model methodology, giving time for strategies to be evaluated for their effectiveness. It also focuses on fostering a growth-mindset culture within the organization where missional, Kingdom ideas, values, and practices can be embraced, primarily by those who have the power to influence change. Further research and implementation of this strategy will be needed to test its effectiveness. [1] A fivefold leadership is composed of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher; commonly known by the acronym APEST.

In his letter Novo millenio ineunte (2001) Pope John Paul II encouraged the Church to act in such a way that “the plan [...] found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition was refl ected in the pastoral instructions adjusted to every community”(29). On the other hand, the Directory for the pastoral ministry of bishops, Apostolorum Succesores (2004) calls for proper organization of the pastoral activity in the diocese, according to the „pastoral plan or plan which must be prepared on the formerly made analysis of the living conditions of the people so that the pastoral activity could be increasingly more eff ective” (AS 165). This document includes also the neccesity of establishing the plans of initiatives connected with the pastoral care on the level of parishes along with ways of implementing them (AS 212). The purpose of this article is to present the pastoral planning of the Church in Poland on the basis of the Polish national pastoral plan implemented in 2013–2017 and entitled Through Christ, With Christ, In Christ. Through Faith And Baptism To-wards Testimony. In September 2017 the authors made an internet survey among the Polish parish priests, asking them to evaluate the essence of this plan, along with the way it has been prepared and implemented. The article presents selected results of this research, preceded by setting out the theological basis of pastoral planning, and closing with formulated conclusions and theological postulates., Jan Paweł II w liście Novo millenio ineunte (2001) zachęcał Kościół, aby „program zawarty w Ewangelii i w żywej Tradycji […] znalazł wyraz we wskazaniach duszpasterskich dosto sowanych do sytuacji każdej wspólnoty” (29). Z kolei Dyrektorium o pasterskiej posłudze biskupów Apostolorum Succesores (2004) apeluje, aby działalność apostolska w diecezji była odpowiednio zorganizowana, zgodnie „z programem czy planem duszpasterskim, którego opracowanie domaga się uprzedniej analizy warunków socjalnych w których żyją wierni, tak aby działalność duszpasterska była coraz bardziej skuteczna” (AS 165). Dokument zauważa także konieczność opracowania na poziomie parafi alnym programu inicjatyw związanych z opieką duszpasterską, który określi sposoby ich realizacji (AS 212). Celem artykułu jest pokazanie tego, jak wygląda planowanie duszpasterskie Kościoła w Polsce, na przykładzie realizowanego w latach 2013–2017 ogólnopolskiego programu duszpasterskiego Przez Chrystusa, z Chrystusem, w Chrystusie. Przez wiarę i chrzest do świadectwa (2013–2107). Autorzy artykułu, wykorzystując ankietę internetową (online survey), przeprowadzili we wrześniu 2017 roku badania wśród polskich proboszczów, prosząc ich o ocenę istoty, sposobu przygotowania, treści, propagowania oraz realizacji wspomnianego programu duszpasterskiego. W swoim artykule przedstawiają oni wybrane wyniki badań, poprzedzając je ukazaniem teologicznychpodstaw planowania duszpasterskiego, a kończąc sformułowaniem wniosków i postulatów pastoralnych.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin), The purpose of this study is to explore how a fivefold leadership practice may be launched in an organized church to foment a Kingdom-centric, missional mindset that is contextual for postmodern generations. [1] The project draws from lessons learned in an initial attempt made in 2012 to establish a fivefold structure at a Hispanic Nazarene church. The desire at the time was to help the local church become mission oriented, both locally and globally, through a collegial, fivefold ministry. These efforts demonstrated the importance of ecclesial leadership, and the impact that they have in fostering a corporal ethos where change can happen. The culture of a church, its beliefs, values, and practices, will either promote or hinder change efforts. As the demographics of North America continue to alter, and particularly those of the Hispanic community, ecclesial expressions and leadership models will need to adjust so the church can remain relevant to its context. Second and third generation Hispanic millennials and Generation Z are inviting the Hispanic church to embrace a new way of being together before the Lord. This project is proposing a new strategy to help congregations establish a fivefold practice, using organizational change theories. This new approach follows a process-model methodology, giving time for strategies to be evaluated for their effectiveness. It also focuses on fostering a growth-mindset culture within the organization where missional, Kingdom ideas, values, and practices can be embraced, primarily by those who have the power to influence change. Further research and implementation of this strategy will be needed to test its effectiveness. [1] A fivefold leadership is composed of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher; commonly known by the acronym APEST.

This theological essay interprets and exposes the pastoral thought of Pope Francis, first bishop of Rome and Latin American Pope, chosen from the periphery of the “orb” to guide the People of God in the heart of the “Urb”. Francis is a missionary pastor and a lucid pastoralist, who has taught theology, and continues in another way to do so. The exhortation Evangelii gaudium (2013) condenses in an organic form his view on evangelization, following the footsteps of the exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi by Paul VI (1975), and the Conclusive Document of Aparecida by the Latin American and Caribbean Bishops (2007). The novelty of his pontificate, reformer and missionary, has its roots in the singular figure of the Argentine Jesuit Jorge Bergoglio; his rooting in the Latin American Church and the Missionary project of Aparecida; and in the incipient but promissory Argentine post-Conciliar theology. The author makes an exhaustive study, systematic and contextualized, of the exhortation The Joy of the Gospel, and puts this text in relationship to other texts of Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis. He distinguishes in the text two different and interrelated moments. The first one, short, presents the successor of Peter as an icon of the regional physiognomy and the pastoral reflection of the Latin American Church. The second one analyses nine keys to Evangelii gaudium: the joy of evangelizing, synthesis of missionary mystic; the figure of the Church centered in the mission; the influence of the missionary project of Aparecida; the missionary conversion for the ecclesial reform following the Council Vatican II; the Church People of God and Mother of the peoples, as subject of the mission; the evangelizing force of the Catholic popular piety; the revolution of tenderness communicated in the Gospel of Mercy; the social dimensionof the Gospel and the evangelization; the option for the poor from God’s heart., Este ensayo teológico comprende y expone el pensamiento pastoral del Papa Francisco, primer obispo de Roma y Papa latinoamericano, elegido desde las periferias del orbe para guiar al Pueblo de Dios en el corazón de la urbe. Francisco es un pastor misionero y un pastoralista lúcido, que ha enseñado teología pastoral y, lo sigue haciendo, de otra forma, desde el ministerio petrino. La exhortación Evangelii gaudium (2013) condensa de una forma orgánica su mirada a la evangelización en la huella de la exhortación Evangelii nuntiandi de Pablo VI (1975) y del Documento Conclusivo de Aparecida del Episcopado latinoamericano y caribeño (2007). La novedad de su pontificado reformador y misionero hunde sus raíces en la figura singular del jesuita argentino Jorge Mario Bergoglio; en su arraigo en la Iglesia latinoamericana y en el proyecto misionero de Aparecida; y en la incipiente pero promisoria teología argentina postconciliar.El autor hace un pormenorizado estudio sistemático y contextualizado de la exhortación La alegría del Evangelio desde el propio documento y en relación a otros textos de Jorge Bergoglio y, ahora, del Papa Francisco. Articula su discurso en dos momentos mostrando sus interrelaciones. El primero, breve, presenta al sucesor de Pedro como un icono de la fisonomía regional y la reflexión pastoral de la Iglesia latinoamericana. El segundo analiza nueve claves de la Evangelii gaudium: la alegría de evangelizar, síntesis de la mística misionera; la figura de la Iglesia centrada en la misión; la influencia del proyecto misionero de Aparecida; la conversión misionera para la reforma eclesial desde el Concilio Vaticano II; la Iglesia, Pueblo de Dios y Madre de los pueblos, como sujeto de la misión; la fuerza evangelizadora de la piedad católica popular; la revolución de la ternura comunicada en el Evangelio de la misericordia; la dimensión social del Evangelio y de la evangelización; la opción por los pobres desde el corazón de Dios.

In his letter Novo millenio ineunte (2001) Pope John Paul II encouraged the Church to act in such a way that “the plan [...] found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition was refl ected in the pastoral instructions adjusted to every community”(29). On the other hand, the Directory for the pastoral ministry of bishops, Apostolorum Succesores (2004) calls for proper organization of the pastoral activity in the diocese, according to the „pastoral plan or plan which must be prepared on the formerly made analysis of the living conditions of the people so that the pastoral activity could be increasingly more eff ective” (AS 165). This document includes also the neccesity of establishing the plans of initiatives connected with the pastoral care on the level of parishes along with ways of implementing them (AS 212). The purpose of this article is to present the pastoral planning of the Church in Poland on the basis of the Polish national pastoral plan implemented in 2013–2017 and entitled Through Christ, With Christ, In Christ. Through Faith And Baptism To-wards Testimony. In September 2017 the authors made an internet survey among the Polish parish priests, asking them to evaluate the essence of this plan, along with the way it has been prepared and implemented. The article presents selected results of this research, preceded by setting out the theological basis of pastoral planning, and closing with formulated conclusions and theological postulates., Jan Paweł II w liście Novo millenio ineunte (2001) zachęcał Kościół, aby „program zawarty w Ewangelii i w żywej Tradycji […] znalazł wyraz we wskazaniach duszpasterskich dosto sowanych do sytuacji każdej wspólnoty” (29). Z kolei Dyrektorium o pasterskiej posłudze biskupów Apostolorum Succesores (2004) apeluje, aby działalność apostolska w diecezji była odpowiednio zorganizowana, zgodnie „z programem czy planem duszpasterskim, którego opracowanie domaga się uprzedniej analizy warunków socjalnych w których żyją wierni, tak aby działalność duszpasterska była coraz bardziej skuteczna” (AS 165). Dokument zauważa także konieczność opracowania na poziomie parafi alnym programu inicjatyw związanych z opieką duszpasterską, który określi sposoby ich realizacji (AS 212). Celem artykułu jest pokazanie tego, jak wygląda planowanie duszpasterskie Kościoła w Polsce, na przykładzie realizowanego w latach 2013–2017 ogólnopolskiego programu duszpasterskiego Przez Chrystusa, z Chrystusem, w Chrystusie. Przez wiarę i chrzest do świadectwa (2013–2107). Autorzy artykułu, wykorzystując ankietę internetową (online survey), przeprowadzili we wrześniu 2017 roku badania wśród polskich proboszczów, prosząc ich o ocenę istoty, sposobu przygotowania, treści, propagowania oraz realizacji wspomnianego programu duszpasterskiego. W swoim artykule przedstawiają oni wybrane wyniki badań, poprzedzając je ukazaniem teologicznychpodstaw planowania duszpasterskiego, a kończąc sformułowaniem wniosków i postulatów pastoralnych.

The methodology of scientifi c work is a crucial matter for the proper development of scientific research. The milieu of pastoral theologians has long been engaged in a discussion on the research method suitable to this theological discipline regarding both scholarly research and the preparation of diploma theses. After many years of quest, Rev. Prof. Ryszard Kamiński’s publication is a welcome aid for the beginning as well as advanced theologians., Metodologia pracy naukowej jest zagadnieniem bardzo istotnym dla właściwego rozwoju badań naukowych. W środowiskach pastoralistów od długiego już czasu prowadzona była dyskusja nad metodami badawczymi właściwymi dla tej dyscypliny teologicznej. Dotyczy to zarówno badań naukowych, jak i przygotowania prac promocyjnych (dyplomowych). Publikacja ks. prof. Ryszarda Kamińskiego jest oczekiwaną od wielu lat pomocą zarówno dla początkujących, jak i zaawansowanych teologów.

The Diocese of Coria-Cáceres has celebrated his XIVth diocesan Synode. The present paper must indicate some theological points on ecclesial synodality present in Canon Law and also present several consequences about synodalitiy of Church on a mission. The aim is to help us to discern Diocesan Church pastoral points in XXI century., La diócesis de Coria-Cáceres ha celebrado su XIV Sínodo diocesano. El presente artículo pretende señalar algunas claves teológicas sobre la sinodalidad eclesial recogida en el derecho canónico y extraer algunas consecuencias sobre la sinodalidad de la Iglesia en misión que pueda ayudar a discernir las claves pastorales de una Iglesia diocesana en el siglo XXI.