Date

5-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

Scott D. Edgar

Keywords

confession, community, discipleship, male relationships, men’s ministry, spiritual growth, storytelling, triad, vulnerability

Disciplines

Counseling | Religion

Abstract

Men need a vulnerable community. This action research project examines the development of a vulnerable community within the local church context at Maranatha Bible Chapel in Horseheads, NY. The men of Maranatha Bible Chapel feel the persistent challenges in Western culture that erect barriers to vulnerable masculine relationships within the community. Even though the men of Maranatha Bible Chapel report high participation in the church, they chronicle feelings of isolation and a desire for closer relationships between the men in the congregation. This action research project seeks to address the problem of vulnerable male relationships at Maranatha Bible Chapel by using narrative exercises within triad groups. This action research project will apply the Vulnerability Through Story Program, using past, present, and future story exercises, to create an environment in which men can develop closer, more vulnerable confessional relationships. This project evaluates the program's effectiveness using interviews, a focus group, and before-and-after Likert surveys. The data collected in this project suggest that structured narrative exercises provide a framework for the men of Maranatha Bible Chapel to develop more vulnerable relationships. The study strongly suggests that vulnerability can be initially cultivated between men through the use of story-based confessional triads. This project offers a potential framework for any local church seeking to foster closer, more vulnerable relationships among participating men.

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