Thesis project (D. Min.)--Denver Seminary, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 208-218).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Dallas Theological Seminary, 2005. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 223-230).

This thesis explores the demographic, geographical, economic and social experiences of service for early modern women. Considering service as a holistic experience, it challenges several orthodoxies in existing literature on service, including the typical profile of the female servant, the organisation and structure of service and the experiences of female servants in the early modern community. Using depositional evidence from the church courts of the dioceses of Gloucester and Exeter, it calls for a reinterpretation of service, reintegrating female servants into community economies and social networks. The first section of this thesis provides an outline of the methodology used and, importantly, analyses patterns of litigation and the demographic, social and economic profiles of witnesses and litigants who appeared in the church courts. The second section focuses on demographic and economic patterns of female service, demonstrating the significance of other experiences outside the ‘life-cycle’ model. It considers the economic conditions in which women entered service and the social backgrounds from which they came. The third section focuses on service as a form of work, unpicking what is meant by ‘service’, and considering how female servants found employment, how much they were paid and how long they remained with particular employers. The section challenges the traditional gendered dichotomy between service in husbandry and domestic service by analysing the types of work that they undertook. The fourth section considers female service from the perspective of geography and space, examining the distances travelled by female servants to show the varied experiences of mobility in service. The section also explores mobility on a parish level, exploring the spaces and locations in which female servants were described within the depositions to highlight the social and economic presence of these women within community spaces, not just the household. The final section moves away from the historiographical focus upon the relationships that female servants built with members of the household, in which the vulnerability of these women is consistently stressed. This section demonstrates that this was but one experience of service, and instead considers relationships forged outside the household with neighbours, friends and other community members.

Thesis (D. Min.)--McCormick Theological Seminary, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MDiv) -- Stellenbosch University, 2002. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Willow Creek is 'n kerk wat alreeds die afgelope paar jaar die kerk aan die gons het. Ek wil amper sover gaan om die stigting van die Willow Creek model as 'n tweede reformasie te beskou, veral te midde van die drastiese teruggrype na die Nuwe Testamentiese kerk. Nes Martin Luther het Bill Hybels ook 'n stap van geloof geneem, en 'iets nuuts' begin wat anders was as waaraan almal gewoond was, om 'n gemeenskap van gelowiges op te rig wat leef volgens die beginsels waarvolgens die vroee kerk geleef het. Net soos wat Hybels besefhet dat die ongelowiges op 'n sensitiewe manier geevangeliseer moet word, so het Luther ook die opmerking gemaak dat diegene wie se geloof aan dade gekoppel is, teruggelei moet word na die geloof, soos wat jy 'n siek persoon sou begelei, dus baie versigtig. Hy kon maar net sowel die woord 'sensitief gebruik het. Haendler ( 1981 :28) stel dit soos volg: In his "Treatise on good works" Luther declared, "Therefore, we must not despise those of little faith who cling to their ceremonies and perform them as though they were lost in their faith without them. They would gladly do right and learn better, but they are as yet unable to grasp it all. Instead one should blame their ignorant, blind teachers, who have never taught them what faith is, and have led them so deeply into works. " The responsibility for these abuses is therefore that of the ministers rather than the congregation. Luther drew the following pastoral conclusion: "One should gently lead them back to faith in their good time, as one would treat a sick person. " Dus is ek van mening dat beide Hybels en Luther binne hulle konteks bedienaars is en was van die boodskap wat hulle glo en geglo het, relevant vir hulle samelewing is en was. Carron ( 2000:51) beskryfWillow Creek as een van 'n aantal posttradisionele kerke, wat in duidelike kontras teenoor die konvensionele kerke staan. Kenmerke wat Carron aan hierdie posttradisionele kerke toeskryf, stem baie ooreen met Willow Creek t.o.v. sy Soekersensitiewe kerkmodel, en die inligting wat ek daaroor verskaf oorvleuel wel. Carroll stel die kenmerke van 'n posttradisionele kerk soos volg: Groot getalle in vergelyking met die Protestantse kerke Gewilligheid om eeue-oue tradisies prys te gee, met 'n Bybelse uitgangspunt as rede Teologiese konserwatisme, sonder om fundamentalisties te raak Tekort aan denominale bande Sterk, entrepreneuriese leierskap, ondersteun deur opgeleide personeel, met baie klem op leke-oefening van geestelike gawes Het 'n spesifieke doel, vera! t.o.v. die identifisering van maniere om 'n spesifieke gehoor aan te spreek Getrou daaraan om lede te lei tot toegewyde dissipels van Christus Geboue wat geen ooreenkomste toon met tradisionele kerke nie, en wat gelee is om mense van 'n streek te trek, en nie net 'n spesifieke gemeenskap nie. Vermyding van die meeste tradisionele en klassieke vorme van kerkmusiek, om eerder kontemporere musiek in die kerk in te bring. Kleredrag is informeel Dienste is uiters profesioneel, en daar word geen druk op besoekers geplaas nie. Groot klem op kleingroepe. Geleenthede vir lede om betrokk:e te raak by 'n verskeidenheid bedieninge, veral op plaaslike vlak. Verwag 'n hoe vlak van toewyding van diegene wat aansluit, wat gepaard gaan met toewyding aan uitmuntendheid t.o.v. die bedieninge. Wat ek met hierdie studie poog, is om 'n verkennende analise te maak, in sover moontlik volgens die formaat soos deur Hendriks (1992: 134) voorgehou. Die motivering agter hierdie studie is die vraag na werkbare bedieningsvorme binne die N. G Kerk tradisie, omrede daar 'n afname in lidmaat getalle is, en diegene wat nie meer kerk toe gaan nie, terug 'gelok' moet word, sonder om hulle weg te jaag. Juis omrede Willow Creek so suksesvol is om ongelowiges te evangeliseer, en dit 'n taak is waarna die N.G Kerk ernstig sal moet terugkeer, kan daar by Willow Creek geleer word ten opsigte van hulle funksionering. Wat ek dus in hierdie studie doen, is om eerstens te gaan kyk na die geskiedenis van Willow Creek, waar die kerk vandaan kom, en die groeipyne wat die kerk ervaar het. Hierdie afdeling is vir my van uiterste belang, omrede die feit dat jy nie iemand regtig ken indien jy nie weet waarvandaan hy kom nie. Dus, om vir Willow Creek te analiseer, moet jy weet waarvandaan die kerk kom, en wie die kerk is. Die daaropvolgende hoofstuk handel oor die Soekersensitiewe model waarvolgens Willow Creek funksioneer, ingesluit al die areas binne die kerk wat daardeur geaffekteer word, asook die gevare en voordele van hierdie model. In die laaste hoofstuk gee ek die feitelike data en gegewens weer t.o.v. wat Willow Creek hied, en wie die kerk is. Dit sluit in wat die kerk t.o.v. homself se, wie die kerk is en waarvoor die kerk staan, asook alle geleenthede waar lidmate betrokke kan raak. Laastens toon ek die opset en ligging d.m.v. kaarte aan.

In recent years, mobile devices have played a significant role in daily life. As a result, Mobile Applications have become very popular. An increasing number of people are using mobile applications to handle an increasing number of personal tasks, as well as for amusement. To date, there are thousands of mobile applications available for a variety of purposes. However, there are very few specifically designed for local church use. Mobile applications are potentially more convenient and easier to operate than normal website for parishioners. Designing and implementing a mobile application for Crest Community Church, in Riverside, based on Android Developer Tools (ADT) and Android Software Development Kit (Android SDK) is this project’s primary objective. The objective of this project is to provide a communications platform where members of Crest Community Church can share news, discuss coming church events, promote and enhance the connectivity of this worship community, and provide mobile access to information not available on their present systems. A distinct feature of this project allows for communication between mobile application and webserver by creating a HTTP URL Connection. As a result, church members can publish news and events in a discussion forum as well as a dialog with other church members in a near real time format. The Crest users can also indicate that posted prayer request has been prayed for. In addition, this new application displays general church information, and provides the address and driving direction for potential visitors. Church members can also check the church’s calendar of events, special meetings and information about the Passion Center for Children ministry. This project has the ability to store and track pertinent information about each user, the content of all discussions, and retains member’s key contact data. This project successfully implemented a church mobile application. It demonstrated that a tailored mobile application can enhance the sense of community via internet for this congregation. It feather shows that mobile applications can greatly assist churches in community with members as well as visitors. The application also expanded the internet footprint of Crest Community Church, and offers other churches an avenue to improve their connectivity for the future.

Thesis (D.W.S.)--Institute for Worship Studies, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-175).

Thesis (M.A.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-169).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 187-199).

This thesis examines the spatial distribution of church members of two suburban mega churches in Atlanta. The research question concerns why people are choosing to drive thirty minutes or more to attend a mega church. A cost-benefit analysis weighs the costs of going to a distant church against the benefits of attending those churches. Examination focuses on the worship style, as well as the sense of community imparted by the two churches. The author also examines demographic factors such as gender, age, marital status, and socio-economic factors such as race, education, and occupation. The findings of the analysis demonstrate that the two mega churches are successful in providing the sense of community that suburban residents seek by offering an active small group environment.