With its growing popularity, most church leaders believe the multisite church is not going anywhere. Regardless of one’s belief about whether a multisite church meets the definition of “one church” or “multiple churches,” all multisite churches must deal with the fact that their senior leaders will eventually depart. While numerous examples of single-site pastoral succession exist, there are few examples of multisite pastoral succession from which to learn. The ultimate purpose of this research was to help multisite churches (or churches that are considering multisite) better understand and implement pastoral succession from the first generation of pastoral leadership to the second. To accomplish this goal, a two-phase sequential mixed-methods study was developed. Phase 1 of the research built a survey to better understand multisite succession, which was administered to 21 of 35 churches that were discovered through snowball sampling. Phase 2 built upon the survey information and utilized a Delphi Panel in order to project best practices for multisite churches undergoing pastoral succession. This phase had 76 practices gain consensus after three rounds of expert feedback. The results included practices for first generation pastors, practices for second generation pastors, and practices for the organization as a whole.

Thesis (D.Min.)--Liberty University, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.

In spite of the multisite phenomenon’s apparent “success” and effectiveness in fulfilling the Great Commission, there are looming variables related to leadership structures and organizational complexities that have not been adequately addressed. Perhaps the most significant question in need of further research in the multisite field is simply determining where final decision-making authority is found. Does such authority lie at the campus level, or at the larger church level? For example, what decisions can and cannot a campus pastor make apart from the approval of the senior leadership team? The longevity of the multisite movement will ultimately be determined by the presence of healthy leadership structures that learn the tedious balance between control and freedom. The senior leadership team has the arduous task of being closely enough involved in the operations of each campus to ensure that campuses rightly embody the DNA of the overall church. Yet at the same time, this senior leadership team must empower and legitimize campus leadership in such a way that they do not feel unnecessarily restricted and compromised of their unique calling and giftedness. Such perceptions on behalf of campus leadership can lead to mistrust, conflict, and the ultimate deterrence of the mission of the church. This quantitative study addresses the leadership dynamics and organizational complexities in multisite churches, with a particular emphasis on the relationship between campus pastors and the church’s senior leadership team. Chapter 1 introduces the research problem and its practical significance. It also defines the research questions while indicating the study’s limitations. The examination of the precedent literature in chapter 2 underscores the biblical and theological foundations of this topic, such as the clear examples of shared leadership structures seen in the New Testament. Additionally, this chapter details the contemporary research regarding multisite structures in general, and leadership structures in particular. Chapter 3 presents the research design, defines the population, establishes the selection criteria, and outlines the instrumentation. Chapter 4 analyzes the findings, while chapter 5 presents the researcher’s conclusions. The study’s ultimate aim is to stimulate meaningful dialogue among multisite churches, and to strengthen multisite churches’ leadership structures so as to better ensure biblical fidelity, health, unity, and longevity.

The objective of this longitudinal study was to study the relationship between changes in prevalence of resistant enteric bacteria associated with mean monthly doses (MMD) of various antibiotics used in each of two host species. From January 2004 – January 2007, monthly composite swine fecal samples and human wastewater samples representing various production and occupational cohorts, respectively, were collected from 19 geographically unique locations in east- and south-central Texas. Bacterial isolates cultivated on CHROMagar-E.coliTM and DifcoTM mEnterococcus (ME) were tested for susceptibility to multiple antibiotics by microbroth dilution using the SensititreTM system. The relationship between the prevalence of resistant bacteria, sampling period, and antibiotic use within each host species was assessed in a generalized linear model adjusted for the dependence of responses within location using a binomial distribution and logit link function in STATA® ver. 9.2. For the swine E. coli isolates, the relationship between tetracycline resistance and level of chlortetracycline (CTC) use in swine illustrated a dose-response relationship, with odds ratios (OR) of 1.20 and 1.81 (P < 0.05) for second- and third-level categories of MMD relative to baseline (zero-use) respectively. When considered by swine production groups, intake boar isolates had an elevated relative odds of resistance to tetracycline (OR = 1.51, P < 0.05), and the nursery units had an elevated odds (OR = 2.61, P < 0.05) of exhibiting resistance to ceftiofur, relative to pigs housed in the farrowing barns. Regarding swine Enterococci isolates, those swine from locations that utilized tylosin had an elevated OR of 3.54 (P < 0.05) of exhibiting resistance to tylosin, relative to those locations that used no tylosin. At this juncture, an apparent occupational risk of harboring tetracycline-resistant E. coli, and the apparent sparing effect (Enterococcus spp.) associated with exposure to swine production, remain unexplained. This study demonstrated that the prevalences of tetracycline- and tylosin-resistant enteric bacteria swine were dependent on CTC and tylosin use in feed, respectively. Swine production group-effects on the prevalence of tetracycline, ceftiofur, and erythromycin resistance were also important. This study provides a better understanding of the relationships between antibiotic prescribing practices at the ecologic level and the relative odds of carriage of resistant bacteria within two host species in a vertically integrated agri-food system.

This dissertation argues that a multi-site church that is not characterized by campus-wide gatherings does not have a sound biblical or theological basis for considering itself one church and is inconsistent with historic congregationalism. This argument is made in six steps. First, a framework for determining whether or not a church practice is biblical is put forward. Second, it is shown that the people of God as one assembly is a central theme in the Old Testament. Third, it is demonstrated that this theme of the people of God as one assembly is also a central theme of the New Testament. Fourth, it is argued that there is not precedent for multi-site church structure in the house churches of the New Testament. Fifth, it is shown that multi-site is not consistent with historic congregationalism as seen in Baptist ecclesiology. And sixth, it is argued that multi-site church structure is consistent with historic connectionalism as seen, for example, in Methodist ecclesiogy--a fact that only serves to heighten the problem with multi-site from a congregationalist point of view.

The objective of this longitudinal study was to study the relationship between changes in prevalence of resistant enteric bacteria associated with mean monthly doses (MMD) of various antibiotics used in each of two host species. From January 2004 – January 2007, monthly composite swine fecal samples and human wastewater samples representing various production and occupational cohorts, respectively, were collected from 19 geographically unique locations in east- and south-central Texas. Bacterial isolates cultivated on CHROMagar-E.coliTM and DifcoTM mEnterococcus (ME) were tested for susceptibility to multiple antibiotics by microbroth dilution using the SensititreTM system. The relationship between the prevalence of resistant bacteria, sampling period, and antibiotic use within each host species was assessed in a generalized linear model adjusted for the dependence of responses within location using a binomial distribution and logit link function in STATA® ver. 9.2. For the swine E. coli isolates, the relationship between tetracycline resistance and level of chlortetracycline (CTC) use in swine illustrated a dose-response relationship, with odds ratios (OR) of 1.20 and 1.81 (P < 0.05) for second- and third-level categories of MMD relative to baseline (zero-use) respectively. When considered by swine production groups, intake boar isolates had an elevated relative odds of resistance to tetracycline (OR = 1.51, P < 0.05), and the nursery units had an elevated odds (OR = 2.61, P < 0.05) of exhibiting resistance to ceftiofur, relative to pigs housed in the farrowing barns. Regarding swine Enterococci isolates, those swine from locations that utilized tylosin had an elevated OR of 3.54 (P < 0.05) of exhibiting resistance to tylosin, relative to those locations that used no tylosin. At this juncture, an apparent occupational risk of harboring tetracycline-resistant E. coli, and the apparent sparing effect (Enterococcus spp.) associated with exposure to swine production, remain unexplained. This study demonstrated that the prevalences of tetracycline- and tylosin-resistant enteric bacteria swine were dependent on CTC and tylosin use in feed, respectively. Swine production group-effects on the prevalence of tetracycline, ceftiofur, and erythromycin resistance were also important. This study provides a better understanding of the relationships between antibiotic prescribing practices at the ecologic level and the relative odds of carriage of resistant bacteria within two host species in a vertically integrated agri-food system.

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Detta arbete undersöker om existerande Multi-siteapplikationer i CMS-systemet WordPress kan uppnå bättre prestanda genom att övergå från WordPress till det nya CMS-systemet Keystone JS genom en datamigration. Denna migrationsprocess utvärderas med ett vetenskapligt experiment, för att undersöka om migrationsprocessen i sig eventuellt kan medföra prestandaproblem, men också kring när en migration är relevant och i slutändan värd att genomföra. Experimentet mäter svarstider för olika databasoperationer av den originella WordPress-applikationen samt den migrerade Keystone JS-applikationen. Resultatet av mätningen visade att den migrerade applikationen kan uppnå upp till 59% förbättrade svarstider för subdomänrendering, vilket bekräftar att Multi-siteapplikationer kan gynnas av en migration till Keystone JS. Migrationsprocessen ansågs heller inte ha någon individuell negativ prestandapåverkan.

This study aims to recognize how virtual teams should be coordinated and led in organizations that operate at multiple sites. To fulfill the purpose of the study, a literature review on previous research on virtual teams was implemented. Further, a qualitative study including interviews with leaders at different levels at Ericsson was conducted to gain empirical data on how leadership in virtual teams works. The interviews were semi-structured with the purpose of not directing the leaders towards only bringing up the challenges that emerged in the literature review but to also bring up new perspectives. The major challenges that virtual teams face, thus challenges that the leaders must somehow address, can be divided into three areas: communication, coordination and location. Concerning communication, it is important that leaders of virtual teams set the means for communications, define ground rules and make sure that the right kind of communication is used for the right purpose. Further, it is important to communicate more often than if the team would have been co-located and actively try to build trust and cohesion within the team by being transparent and honest. To meet face to face with the team members, especially in the beginning when the team is created, is important both for understanding (virtual communication becomes easier afterward) and for the building of trust and cohesion. In the area coordination it is important for the leader to clearly define the roles of each team member and how the roles as well as the team efforts contribute to a larger picture. There is no perfect distribution that is applicable to all virtual teams, each team must find their balance concerning how many team members that should be positioned at each site. In general, to push responsibilities down in the hierarchy is a suitable role structure for virtual teams. The location area includes challenges such as different languages, cultures and collaboration across different time zones. It is important to have an operative language that all team members understand and master. When creating a new team, it is important that the leader or the person creating it, is aware of how cultural differences impact, so that the challenges can be addressed properly, and the benefits of diversity as well as the expanded labor pool, can be utilized. Working across different time zones brings benefits such as more hours of the day can be used, but it also includes challenges, such as limited real-time communication. Thus, the optimal time overlap is difficult to define, but generally, leaders prefer involving fewer time zones and large time overlaps.

Community collaborations have become increasingly common responses to prevent the occurrence of complex public health problems, such as violence, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and others. A key unanswered question is: what predicts sustainability of collaboratives? This article explores this question through a cross-site evaluation of 12 local collaboratives funded through the National Funding Collaborative on Violence Prevention (NFCVP). Conducted as longitudinal case studies, the evaluation is distinct from previous efforts in incorporating data from multiple sources. The results confirm findings from previous studies that have identified having a history of collaboration, a diverse and broad coalition, a clear vision and operation guidelines, and diversified and sufficient funding as key sustainability factors. In addition, this study has found that collaborations that are growing and expanding are more likely to have high resident involvement, a mix of professional and grassroots representation, and a facilitating, rather than direct, role in conducting prevention activities.