ABSTRACT THE ROLE OF "PERFECTING" IN DONALD MCGAVRAN'S CHURCH GROWTH THOUGHT Matthew Donald Spradlin, Ph.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2012 Chairperson: Dr. Charles E. Lawless, Jr. This dissertation examines the role of "perfecting" in Donald McGavran's church growth thought. Chapter 1 introduces McGavran and the need for a study of his "perfecting" concept. Chapter 2 briefly gives McGavran's background and describes his discovery and definition of "church growth." This chapter also explores the experiences in McGavran's own life which shaped his understanding of the perfecting task and motivated its incorporation into his church growth thought. Chapter 3 theologically defines the terms "discipling" and "perfecting" as McGavran understood and used them. McGavran's rationale for using the term "perfecting" is examined, as well as why he chose the term perfecting as opposed to other terms. The chapter includes an analysis of McGavran's understanding of the relationship between discipling and perfecting. Chapter 3 concludes with a critique of the helpfulness of McGavran's choice and use of the term "perfecting." Chapter 4 is an analysis of the church growth thinking that distinctively comprised McGavran's understanding and approach to perfecting. McGavran's belief that missions is to be evangelistic and ecclesiocentric is outlined and analyzed, and how it affected his understanding of the perfecting task. Chapter 5 examines McGavran's methodology in relation to perfecting. The role of worship, Bible study, prayer, and evangelism in relation to perfecting and church growth is described. Chapter five focuses upon the role of perfecting in the training of workers, and how McGavran's methodological approach to perfecting differed from the missiology of his day. Chapter 6 evaluates the role of perfecting in Donald McGavran's church growth thought, determining that it was shaped by his conviction that biblical perfecting teaches and produces church growth. Chapter 6 concludes that McGavran's understanding of the role of biblical perfecting in church growth is helpful in developing a perfecting strategy for effective missions and ministry.

This dissertation proposes that the church plays an active role in the salvation of its members through the proclamation of the gospel. Chapter 1 introduces the topic of the dissertation by positioning it within its current academic and nonacademic context. It then details the thesis and methodology of the dissertation. Chapter 2 demonstrates that the church is viewed as playing an active role in the salvation of believers in church history. It examines the relationship between the soteriology and ecclesiology of four theologians who have significantly influenced the protestant reformed trajectory: Cyprian, Augustine, Luther, Calvin. It argues that through their usage of the "church as mother motif," Cyprian, Augustine, Luther, and Calvin view the church as having an active role in salvation. Chapter 3 provides working definitions of the gospel and the church. It defines the gospel as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin based upon 1 Corinthians 15:3-5. Chapter 3 proceeds by defining the church as the regenerate people of God who have accepted the gospel message by faith in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Chapter 4 contends through scriptural exegesis that the proclamation of the gospel creates members of the church. The scriptural exegesis in this chapter goes in canonical order and focuses on exegeting passages that are recognized as being important in understanding the church's formation. It concludes with a summary of the scriptural data. Chapter 5 also argues through scriptural exegesis the church is the instrument that God uses to proclaim the gospel. Like Chapter 4, it focuses on exegeting recognized passages that indicate the church's instrumental role in the proclamation of the gospel. It also concludes with a summary of the scriptural data. Chapter 6 formulates systematically the scriptural data from Chapters 4 and 5 into a reciprocal relationship between the gospel and the church. Chapter 6 then frames the reciprocal relationship between the gospel and the church in terms of speech act theory. First, it briefly defines speech act theory and discusses why it can be applied to the reciprocal relationship between the gospel and the church. It then develops a speech act formulation of the reciprocal relationship in which the church proclaims both the locution and illocution of the gospel message and the Spirit creates the church, which is the perlocutionary effect of the church's gospel proclamation. It concludes by briefly detailing some of the theological implications of this formulation. Chapter 7 offers a conclusion to the dissertation in which the arguments from Chapters 1 to 6 are summarized. It then proposes areas for further research. It concludes by offering some potential applications of the speech act formulation of the reciprocal relationship between the gospel and the church to the current evangelical church.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-184).

Thesis (D. Miss.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 267-276).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Ashland Theological Seminary, 2008. / Abstract . Description based on microfiche version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 179-187).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1999. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-150).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne, 1987. / Author uses Kent R. Hunter's Spiritual gifts discovery survey and scoring sheet (fully revised), which is included in thesis as figure 1. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-170).

Thesis (D. Ed. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-92).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2002. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 243-246).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Columbia International University, 2007. / "November, 2007."--t.p. Also available in CD-ROM. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 188-197).