Date

3-22-2024

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership (EdD)

Chair

Thomas Davis

Keywords

Church, Worldview, Spiritual Development, Discipleship, Evangelism, Leadership, Pastoral Leadership, Church Health

Disciplines

Christianity

Abstract

The need for a biblical worldview is important in the church since only ten percent of Americans (17% in the church) have a biblical worldview (Foley, 2017, paragraph one; Barna, 2017, paragraph twenty). This is directly connected with one’s spiritual growth in the church as relationships help form one’s worldview which in turn will form one’s values and actions (McDowell and Wallace, 2019). The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the perceived impact of biblical worldview development on spiritual development in the church for pastors who oversee discipleship at doctrinally conservative, Evangelical Protestant churches in Texas. At this stage in the research, biblical worldview development will be generally defined as helping people develop their faith and view of their world through Christ and the Bible (Hiebert, 2008). Spiritual development is developing people according to the Word of God and Christ for holiness and a solid faith (Hiebert, 2008; Knight, 2006). The theory guiding this study is Hiebert’s (2008) holistic development with a biblical worldview since all truth is in Christ and Christians should be Christ-centered in everything they do. The methodology and results will be based on an interview assessing the spiritual vitality of the church based on the vision, mission, spiritual foundation, and training of those in leadership and in the congregation.

Download

Included in

Christianity Commons

Share

COinS