THE METHOD. A data sample of forty-five companies (twenty-two in Hong Kong and twenty-three in the United States) was obtained from a population of 187 published listings of parent companies with verifiable joint ventures. A questionnaire was mailed to top-level corporate managers responsible for or vitally involved in the joint venture investment decision. Each respondent was asked to provide opinion data by individually rating twenty-three risks on a continuum which indicated the degree of concern for each risk. The risks were classified as political, foreign exchange, or commercial.

The data for joint ventures in China's special economic areas and mainstream economy were analyzed using percentage comparisons, rank orders, and t-tests. Tabulations also were provided to illustrate demographic data.

THE RESULTS. It was found that the political risk of primary concern for the special economic areas was the possibility of an excessive and unanticipated rise in taxes. For the mainstream economy, the highest concern expressed was the possibility of antagonistic attitudes developing toward foreign investment. The foreign exchange risk which received the highest priority was identical for both local groups. This concern involved the potential for financial loss from the restriction of currency exchange. This factor also was rated the greatest concern of all the risks evaluated in the survey. The primary commercial risk for the special economic areas was that of an inconsistent interpretation of the Chinese legal and regulatory structure. For the mainstream economy, the greatest commercial risk was found to be the failure or inability of the Chinese suppliers of raw materials to meet delivery schedules.

It was concluded that joint ventures in China are faced with a moderate level of investment risk exposures. As a result of the two-tiered legal structure, the mainstream economy was reported to present a slightly higher political and commercial risk profile than was noted for the special economic areas.

In chapter one, I propose to introduce the challenge of bioethics facing the church, explain why I am passionate about this topic and introduce some of the works I have discovered in my research that have given me specific direction in shaping this project. I will discuss some of the common objections that I have encountered when disclosing this project with others, enumerate my goals, objectives and the methodology I will use, and explain the scope and limitations of this project.

I have divided chapter two into two parts. Part one lays the theological and biblical groundwork for bioethics education in the local church. I will focus on establishing the importance of worldview, and especially understanding worldview as a metanarrative that forms a moral community. Part two explores how to use these ideas in the context of church community for bioethical discernment. I will defend the importance of community then explain how the church as a community can practice the process of moral discourse, deliberation, discernment and decision in light of its doctrinal convictions.

Chapter three explains the methodologies I used to execute the project, and the results I obtained. There were two primary methods; a focused group discussion following a thirteen week elective, and a congregational survey before and after a four-part series of sermons addressing current bioethical issues.

Chapter four entails analysis and discussion of data gleaned from one local congregation’s response to and evaluation of these methodologies.

In chapter five, I will share some of the lessons I have learned throughout the process, and on the basis of these lessons, make practical suggestions for future ministry.

A confidential survey methodology was used in asking both male strugglers and active church members their perspective on their church’s attitudes and actions as it related to ministering to and discipling male strugglers. The participating churches were chosen based upon the entire church body having embraced the ministry to those who were struggling and desiring assistance out of homosexuality or same-sex attraction. The churches were located in Texas, Indiana, and Virginia.

The results of this study highlight that effective churches are: 1) welcoming and safe environments for those who are seeking assistance out of homosexuality, 2) exhibiting an attitude of equality throughout the congregation that the sin of homosexuality is treated as a sin not the greatest sin, 3) demonstrating empathy by a variety of church members engaged in relationship with strugglers counseling them to a place of holiness through discipleship, and that those churches 4) are committed to the equipping and training of heterosexual men to minister alongside each of the strugglers. Results were validated by the survey answers provided by the male strugglers as compared with active church members. In summary, the study brings to light that effective churches have created a welcoming and safe culture by demonstrating equality, empathy, engagement and education in its ministry to male homosexual strugglers.