Family life, Christian

Norman H Moran-Rosero

Following the methods of Richard Osmer and Whitehead, the author is testing the praxis of family catechesis employed in three different parishes with a significant number of Latinoa families. The author is asking "What is going on" and bring to

LI TIANFENG

This thesis focuses on the research and exploration of the cultivation of Christian family leadership in the application of building up the Church. This thesis contains five parts: Preface, Biblical and Theological foundation, Design of the Research, Findings and Solutions and Conclusions and Directions of the future. Part 1: Preface. It introduces the motivation and questions for the research topics. It points out that to establish and build up the Christian family is the calling of this generation and is the efficient strategy to withstand the attack of secularization. It asks the question of how to help the family foster and develop talented children for the Kingdom of God and how to help with continual growth of the church.Part II: Biblical and Theological foundation. This thesis is based on biblical theology and explores the purpose and significance of the family as established by GOD. It introduces the concept of establishing the Christian family and investigate the theory from the perspective of edification of the church, the growth of the church leadership and the concept of pilgrim family in combination of teachings in the bible. Part III: Design of the Research. The thesis illustrates the method and the design of the research. It uses the qualitative method by conducting in-depth interviews with five separate Pastors to collect data from which to make conclusions using the phenomenon analysis method. Part IV: Findings and Solutions. This part is based on Chapter II and Chapter III and categorizes the research findings to develop a systematic conclusion. It also provides practical solutions on how to encourage and cultivate the ministries of Christian family leadership in order to grow the church. It helps the church to be more efficient in pasturing the Christian families. Part V: Conclusions and Directions of the future. It confirms the mutual beneficial relationship between the church and the family and how they can positively influence each other. It provides a viable solution for church ministry and developing future generations for the Kingdom of God.This thesis provides new inspiration and methods for ministering new immigrant families from Mainland China. In addition to that, it should be one of the ministries of high importance by the house church in China. It will help the house church to grow steadily under persecution and also help the house church to pass down the faith to future generations and develop more talented leaders for the Kingdom of God.

Joseph M Sparrow

Why have Americans of African descent, as a group, not progressed as much as other racial groups in the areas of economics, education, traditional family development, and socialization? There seem to be two extremes in answer to this question. The liberal side seems to blame the system. The reason many black Americans fall behind other groups is blamed on institutional racism or something ingrained in the American system that curtail flourishing for Americans of African descent. On the other hand, most on the moderate and conservative sides do not deny the black experience through slavery and Jim Crow. Yet they emphasized that Americans of African descent can do better by practicing the same tried and true methods that made other Americans successful. The dissertation will take the view that the major source of the problems in the black community has its origin in the demise of the traditional family. Statistics, written testimony, historical fact, common sense, and a biblical Christian worldview will be used to help pinpoint and offer solutions to the problem. The family that is founded on one mother and one father who are married to each other and who respond to one another as well as their children, in the way the Bible prescribes, is the only normal family. Anything else can only be second best. When children are socialized in a loving and disciplined environment, they have the greatest probability to flourish as human beings.

Edward Gregory Austen

When the church is working right, it will be a primary source of support in helping men thrive as fathers. This applied research project presents compelling evidence for several significant learnings, including: 1) The home is the primary conduit for passing on the Christian faith. 2) Literacy and exposure to great books can guard against aberrations, non-classical expressions of Christianity, and many of the dangers of growing up in a Christian home. 3) Fathers, more than any other people on the planet, are in the most strategic position to pass on to their children the possibility of friendship with God.

Li-Shun H Hong

This dissertation explores a redeeming grace oriented single-parent caring ministry. The research seeks to: 1. Explore the biblical basis of the single-parent family, 2. Understand the needs and issues of the single-parent family, 3. Explore the influence of the redeeming grace of Christ to the single-parent family, 4. Provide care workers with practical goals and methods when working with the single-parent family, and 5. Manifest the love of Jesus through church-caring ministry to comfort the single-parent family and strengthen their hope and trust in Christ. Using the approaches found in theology and scripture on caring for single-parent families, this qualitative study examines four categories of single-parent individuals: widowed, divorced, unmarried mothers, and pseudo-singles. Study findings discuss the implications of redeeming grace theology to the single-parent families through faith, hope, and love and offers ways churches can become a community of faith where the single-parent family could be ministered, comforted, supported, and given hope through the love of Christ.

Hobby E Chapin

Abstract: The purpose of this case study is to understand how apostolic practices may be imparted and implemented in the context of families. The hypothesis was family units who are equipped in and apply apostolic practices will see an increase in their ability to impart those practices to other family units. Apostolic practices were implemented within the context of fourteen families in the Denver Metropolitan area. Data was gathered from pre- and post-testing, a focus group, journal entries facilitated among participants, and a survey conducted among successful apostolic leaders. Data was triangulated confirming the hypothesis.

Mark A Looyenga

Among Christian parents with young children, staying attuned to God's goodness in daily life can be especially difficult. God's goodness can become blurred and muted by parenting difficulties and limitations. The problem studied was the effect a four-month group intervention with parents, focused upon the Triune God's goodness and gratitude rhythms, had on reducing parenting stress. Quantitative results of the four month group intervention were statistically significant and supported by the qualitative results. Those who practiced the gratitude rhythms expressed reduced parenting stress (12.6%) and pulse pressure (9.8%). They also showed growing awareness of God's goodness (11.7%) and gratitude (10.9%).

John D VanderKaay

Will repairing marital trust increase marital satisfaction, commitment, and forgiveness in married couples? Due to broken trust in the relationship, many married couples are unable or unwilling to fully utilize even skills they already have to strengthen their marriage. If broken marital trust was fully repaired, not only would marital trust levels rise, but so would commitment and forgiveness. Through pretest, posttest, and follow-up tests during a small group intervention study, the researcher determined that trust was increased in the majority of couples. Due to limited sample size, no other statistically significant change was determined by the study.

Alexander S Campbell

The current decline of the American Church and culture has roots in the decline of the American family. Many of these families feel ill- equipped to train their children in the shadow of such a culture. The generation of Christians that appears to have made the greatest use of the Bible in the home is the Puritans. The emphasis is to gain a Biblical and historical understanding of parenting principles as practiced by the Puritans and to develop a vehicle for teaching these principles to modern parents.

Trevor J Kiriaka

This project is a pastoral newlywed follow-up program. It seeks to overcome some of the weakness of, and act as an extension of, premarital counseling. The project serves to help newlyweds in their first years of marriage and was based on Gottman and Silver's book Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work. There were five sessions and six couples involved. The program was designed to help couples grow in love, assess key relational issues and increase in their appreciation of marital enrichment. The project was successful in attaining the bulk of its objectives, but there is room for improvement.