Engage with your seminar professor and colleagues on the topic of planning using the following prompt to begin the discussion:
The beginning of planning for writing a research paper is the selection of a topic followed by the development of a strong thesis statement. A well planned and thought-out thesis statement will guide the research and writing of a paper that presents clear critical thinking, strong supporting arguments, and sound conclusions.
In your other DMin seminar, your professor has asked you to submit two or three possible research paper topics. Using information gleaned from this week’s reading assignments, especially the U of T essay “Using Thesis Statements,” develop a thesis statement(s) for the topic(s) that you are contemplating for your research paper.
Share your best topic and thesis statement with your peers for their evaluation and feedback.
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The first book that I read for our Core Reading Seminary was Boslinger’s Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change. It was a well-written book that highlights how difficulties in ministry and life forge individuals into leaders. This book took me on a reflective journey of my twenty-six years in ministry. In particular, I contemplated the most challenging times of ministry and how much easier they would have been if I would have had surrounded myself with good leaders.
Something no mentor ever told me and no seminary class ever emphasized was the importance of disciple-making and leadership development in maintaining health (spiritually and emotionally) for the purpose of longevity in ministry. Unfortunately, I have seen a lot of people succumb to the pressures of ministry. Instead of allowing it to forge them into strong leaders, they left under pressures that caused them to doubt their worth.
With that being said, my preferred research topic is ‘The Relationship Between Leadership Development, Burnout, and Longevity.’
A possible thesis is:
Intentional leadership development can contribute to longevity in ministry by reducing stress, sharing the burdens and joys of ministry, developing meaningful relationships, and equipping others as future leaders.
Rob,
Tod Bolsinger must have had similar effects on us. Our theses are related, but his denominational ties directed my interest to a different angle. I am interested in what you discover in your research.
I would not have survived the first decade of ministry without all my supporting ministry leaders. We had 80-100 students in our youth ministry, and it took a village of 10-15 committed adult leaders to sustain the workload. I was blessed by the previous youth pastor’s devotion to developing adult leaders. The adage is true: One man sows, and the next generation enjoys the shade.
I pray that the Lord gives you wisdom as you pursue this topic.
Rob,
You stated your research claim as “Intentional leadership development can contribute to longevity in ministry by reducing stress, sharing the burdens and joys of ministry, developing meaningful relationships, and equipping others as future leaders.”
You have a topic related to leadership that interests you. You make a claim about the relationship of longevity in ministry being related to reduced stress, sharing burdens and joys, developing meaningful relationships, and equipping other future leaders.
I have three questions about your topic. First, it is most likely too broad for a 12-15 page paper. You give four reasons for longevity in ministry when experiencing intentional leadership development. I would suggest that you focus on one of your four reasons in this paper. Which one of the four reasons do you find most compelling or interesting? Second, I have some questions about the vagueness of some of your terms. For example, what do you mean by “Intentional leadership development?” Is that any type of leadership development? Do different types of leadership development have different effects on longevity? Also, the reasons you give are somewhat vague. What specific types of stress reduction implemented as part of intentional leadership development produce longevity? With whom and how often do you share burdens and joys of ministry intentionally? With whom do you intentionally develop meaningful relationships (e.g., colleagues, church members, family, everyone)? What type of intentional equipping of future leaders is most helpful (e.g., mentoring, teaching)? Third, when I ask the “So what?” question, I wonder if this research will be ultimately meaningful. The reasons that you give for longevity seem to be reasonable even without research. However, even things that appear to be obvious cannot be claimed as true without the support of research evidence. Also, this research may become more meaningful as you drill down on one reason and give it more depth.
I would suggest that you definitize the specific type of intentional leadership development that you want to research. Also, pick one of the four reasons that you think will lead to longevity when using the specific type of intentional leadership development. Then, drill down on the components or aspects of that reason that when intentionally addressed impact longevity.
Blessings,
Dr. Bryan
Dr. Straws looked over the three possible topics that I turned in and had the same feedback. Based on the topics I turned in, he suggested that I start with defining what a successful pastoral tenure may look like. I have a bad habit of overthinking things and being indecisive and the topics for this paper was definitely one of them!
It’s cool seeing not just your interest in this topic for research, but your heart behind it as well. We need healthy leaders, but we live in a world where burnout is rampant and sometimes feels like part of the process. It doesn’t have to be. I pray that as you dive into this topic, it makes an impact on how you care for yourself and care for the other leaders around you.
I have the book “Tempered Resilience” but have not read it yet. Your post makes me want to read the book even more. I really like your idea of focusing on longevity in leaders and how to prevent burnout ministry. I have seen burnout happening increasingly even in those newer to ministry. It is easy to forget your calling when like you said there is so much pressure. Your point about leadership development is right on point too. Leadership development is what we need but do not feel we can make the time for. Thanks for sharing your potential research topic.
I was blessed by my church to take a month-long Sabbatical in February 2020. Since then, it’s something I have enjoyed reading about and putting it into practice. I have found I am a better minister when I take the Sabbath. I have seen God’s miraculous help in ministry when I am serious about the Sabbath. In ministry we can often neglect it, or we don’t teach our church the importance of Sabbath. In June of 2023, I was able to go to Israel with a group from my church. Israel’s dedication and joy in taking the Sabbath is something I will never forget. I would like to help others learn more about the Sabbath and experience its restoration.
Possible Topic: Practicing Sabbath
God rested on the seventh day, but for most of us rest is hard to do. What does it mean to practice the Sabbath? Who should practice the Sabbath? How should ministers and pastors practice the Sabbath if they work on the seventh day of the week?
Possible Thesis: In Israel today, practicing the Sabbath is not only a command but a delight. What can we learn from the Biblical Sabbath, how can we apply the practice to our lives, and what benefits come from taking the Sabbath?
Lezah,
I was blessed to have been able to take a sabbatical last summer (2025). Our church’s requirements required me to do something educational, so it went beyond just rest. As I worked on the balance of learning and rest, the Lord taught me the importance of balance and a healthy pace. A large piece to that puzzle is as you mentioned in your post, honoring the sabbath in our own lives.
Lezah,
Your paper will be interesting for several reasons. I have heard 3-4 pastors preach about how Christians should handle the Sabbath, and I remember thinking after each sermon, “That’s not what the last preacher said about this!”
The topic is deeply practical and needs to be discussed in a nuanced way, and I think you will have plenty of angles to test your the thesis. I believe you will find many differing opinions.
If you want a good exegetical resource, feel free to reach out to me. We could Zoom, and I could walk through it by screen sharing. If you have Logos Bible Software, it works best. However, it is also available in print, so no worries if you don’t own the software.
Lezah,
You stated your research thesis/claim as “In Israel today, practicing the Sabbath is not only a command but a delight. What can we learn from the Biblical Sabbath, how can we apply the practice to our lives, and what benefits come from taking the Sabbath?”
Your topic of Sabbath not only interests you but has impacted you by your experiences in Israel. Your main claim is “In Israel today, practicing the Sabbath is not only a command but a delight.” The second part of your statement is not a claim but a question.
Your claim appears, at this point, to be based on your personal experiences in Israel in 2023. Whom did you observe practicing Sabbath? Were they Hasidic Jews, secular Jews, Jewish Christians, or all of the above? Much of the observance of Sabbath in Israel is legalistically enforced (e.g., elevators turned off) or can be bypassed (e.g., elevators on for goyim). So, who did you observe and what specifically about their practice of Sabbath made you feel that practice was a delight?
I think that the question that is the second part of your thesis may bear more fruit. Turn that question into a basic research claim. For example, “Practicing the biblical Sabbath is beneficial.” Unfortunately, this claim is too broad and too vague. Definitize it by asking questions and making the terms more specific. What are the practices of the biblical Sabbath? Which of these practices is most interesting to you? How does engaging in that specific process benefit a person? This last question delves into the reasons that practice is beneficial.
I think the “So what?” question will pass as you show that a particular Sabbath practice produces specific benefits in the lives who practice it.
I would suggest that you revise your current claim by definitizing the question that you ask in the second part using my questions in the paragraph above. In the end, you should have a claim something like this: This specific practice of biblical Sabbath produces these specific benefits in the lives of those who practice them.
Blessings,
Dr. Bryan
Hi Dr. Bryan,
Thank you very much for your input and help. I really appreciate your guidance.
How is this?
Claim: The practice of rest is a crucial and beneficial part of a biblical Sabbath. Sabbath rest can improve spiritual vitality, quality of life, mental health, and physical health.
Or I can go with another one of my topic ideas…
Grief is something every person goes through. There are phases of grief that differ for every age group. What does grief look like in a child (birth-Age 18)? What types of grief might a child experience? What symptoms or behaviors should parents, loved ones, and ministers look for? How can the church and ministry staff educate themselves in order to best minister to a grieving child? How can the church and ministry staff also support the child’s family and loved ones?
Claim:
Grief for a child, birth-Age 18, looks different than other age groups. Childhood grief symptoms can show up emotionally, physically, behaviorally, and in patterns.
Lezah,
Regarding your proposed Sabbath thesis, you made progress, but I think it is still too broad. I do like your thesis related to childhood grief. I think that what you propose will definitely be researchable and will fit in the length requirements of this research paper.
You stated your new topic as “Grief for a child, birth-Age 18, looks different than other age groups. Childhood grief symptoms can show up emotionally, physically, behaviorally, and in patterns.” I like this one and think it might be your best option for the research paper.
I would suggest combing your two sentences into the following claim/thesis: “Children aged birth to 18 years express grief through unique emotional, physical, and behavioral patterns.”
I would also suggest that you think about why this might be so. In other words, add your testable assumption as to why their experience of grief is unique. Make a more specific claim that you can test with your research. For example: “Children aged birth to 18 years express grief through unique emotional, physical, and behavioral patterns because [assumed reason].”
Keep thinking on this line. You will submit a revised version of your claim/thesis at the beginning of our Week 3 Forum.
Blessings,
Dr. Bryan
Hi Dr. Bryan,
Thank you so much for your feedback. I agree I think the sabbath would be too broad. Thank you for helping me with children and grief. I am excited to do more research on this. I am seeing the need more and more in ministry. Last weekend, I did part of the service for a 3-year-old child’s celebration of life at our church. It was heartbreaking and I would love to know how to help children and families even more.
We’ve started practicing Sabbath together as a family every week, and created some great ways to connect with God and our family. I think one of the barriers for myself and for others initially was answering why we needed to practice Sabbath. I think its become more discussed recently with some of Jon Mark Comer’s work gaining popularity, but the truth is Sabbath is counter-cultural today. I’m excited to see where your research takes you!
Hi Leah!
What an important topic in ministry. We tend to neglect the sabbath in ministry. Maybe your whole focus for the research paper can be on just ministers. Look forward in reading your paper.
I’m also interested in reading how the nation of Israel applies the sabbath as a country.
Oops! Sorry Lezah. Spell check changed your name.
pastorjmora
No problem, Johnny. My name gets misspelled and mispronounced often. I completely understand.
The first book I read for CHRM 7302 was Tod Bolsinger’s Canoeing the Mountains. bolsinger, a Presbyterian minister, centers his argument on how ministry in a post-Christendom culture requires adaptive leadership.
Because the author discusses his denomination’s struggles with leadership, I became interested in how church governance affect pastoral accountability and well-being. My original proposed topic was “Church Governance, Ministerial Accountability, and Pastoral Well-Being: A Comparative Study of Denominational Models.” I intended to compare how different denominations hold ministers accountable and support pastors in seasons of burnout and isolation.
However, Dr. Strawn advised that this topic was better suited for a larger research project and needed to be narrowed. After considering this, I decided that I want to focus specifically on Baptist church governance and pastoral well-being.
My revised proposed topic: “Baptist Church Governance and its Effects on Pastoral Isolation and Burnout”
My revised proposed thesis: “Although congregational autonomy is a strength and core value of Baptist churches, it can contribute to pastoral isolation and burnout when churches lack a clear structure for shared leadership and external accountability. By examining Baptist governance and pastoral well-being, this paper will argue that plural leadership models, peer-accountability networks, and intentional practices of pastoral care can strengthen ministerial health without abandoning local church autonomy.
I would gladly appreciate all the possible feedback. This topic is personal, and I want to approach it with an open mind and a humble heart.
Skylar,
You state your research thesis/claim as “Although congregational autonomy is a strength and core value of Baptist churches, it can contribute to pastoral isolation and burnout when churches lack a clear structure for shared leadership and external accountability. By examining Baptist governance and pastoral well-being, this paper will argue that plural leadership models, peer-accountability networks, and intentional practices of pastoral care can strengthen ministerial health without abandoning local church autonomy.”
You obviously have a topic that interests you personally. You have been thinking about this topic for some time and Bolsinger’s book has further sparked your thinking. I believe that the “So what?” question is satisfied.
Thank you for responding to Dr. Strawn’s suggestion to narrow your research. Certainly, choosing the Baptist denomination as your starting point is logical. However, your topic is still too broad. Your claim/thesis cannot be adequately addressed in a 12-15 page research paper. I have few suggestions to refine your thesis. First, what do you mean specifically by “shared leadership” and “external accountability? How and with whom is leadership shared? To whom and how is there external accountability? Which of these two aspects is most interesting or do you believe has the largest negative impact on pastors if neglected? Choose one of them for focus in this paper. You note several reasons that plural leadership models and peer accountability strengthen “ministerial health.” Those reasons are “plural leadership models”, “peer accountability networks”, “intentional practices of pastoral care”. Which one of these three reasons most interests you or do you believe has the greatest impact on “ministerial health”? Choose that one reason to explore in this paper. Finally, what do you mean by “ministerial health”? I think you mean a reduction in “pastoral isolation” and “burnout”.
So, I would suggest that you revise your thesis like this: “Implementing (a specific reason – “ – “plural leadership models”, “peer-accountability networks”, “intentional practices of pastoral care”) as part of/with (element of leadership – “shared leadership” or “external accountability”) can reduce (“pastoral isolation” or “burnout”). These combinations yield at least twelve possible refined theses for your consideration. Here is one example: “Implementing a plural leadership model with shared leadership can reduce pastoral burnout.” You can flesh out the other possible combinations. This will be the next phase of reducing this topic to a size manageable in 12-15 pages. You can explore the other theses as part of your future research. Choose the one that most interests you for now.
Blessings,
Dr. Bryan
I really appreciate your feedback, Dr. Bryan. Without both of your direction, I would have bitten off more than I could chew. Would it be better for me to continue submitting my revisions here, or by email, or through 7302’s assignment portal?
You are right. Experiencing seasons of isolation and burnout while watching several friends leave the ministry has increased my sympathy for those still struggling alone in the field. I want to pick something I can research and share with my colleagues and future ministers.
Skylar,
You can submit a revised thesis in the forum if you have questions or would like further input from us at this point. In next week’s forum in CHRM7301, you and your peers will present your revised thesis again for a final review and comment by your peers and by me and Dr. Strawn. Our goal is to have everyone’s final thesis approved by next week so that you can begin building your bibliography and initiate your research and writing of the first draft of the paper.
Dr. Bryan
Thank you Dr. Bryan. After reading ahead in TCR, I believe I am getting closer. I have narrowed my research to one form of external accountability (peer-to-peer) and one outcome (pastoral isolation).
Topic (2nd revision): Local Autonomy without Pastoral Isolation: External Peer Accountability in Baptist Churches
Revised Thesis: Although congregational autonomy does not inherently isolate pastors, senior pastors in autonomous Baptist church may lack confidential relationships outside their congregations in which they can discuss vocational, emotional, and ministerial difficulties. Formal peer-accountability groups connected with local Baptist associations can mitigate pastoral isolation by providing recurring opportunities for candid disclosure, mutual counsel, and accountability without transferring governing authority away from the local church.
By “peer-accountability groups,” I mean formal, recurring, and confidential groups of ministers outside one another’s congregations. The members of these groups would build relationships through mutual questioning, counsel, and prayer. Groups would also have contact information of local counselors to refer out to when issues raised are outside the capabilities of the collective members (i.e. PTSD, chronic depression, forms of psychosis, family counseling, etc.).
Let me know if this claim can be sufficient addressed in a 12-15 page paper. I was not sure if the accountability structure should be narrowed further or if I should include peer-to-peer accountability with ministers outside the area (i.e. youth pastor Facebook mentorship pages). There are many avenues a pastor could take to mitigate isolation, so I am having trouble finding a balance.
Skylar,
Thank you for your further good reflection on your topic and for scaling it down to one doable for this paper. I like your revised thesis and believe that you can address it within the page limit constraints. I might suggest combining your two claim sentences into one. Also, I might suggest not limiting your focus to just “Baptist churches” and “Baptist associations” for now. While Baptist Associations are one avenue for peer-peer relationships, the research evidence may be too limited. I participate in an ecumenical peer network that is beneficial. Sometimes you have to do some initial research to definitize your thesis. If there is not enough data, you broaden it. If there is too much data, you narrow it.
So, based on your good revision work, I might suggest this thesis: “Formal peer accountability groups [connected with local Baptist associations] mitigate pastoral isolation of senior pastors of autonomous [Baptist] churches by providing them with confidential relationships through which they can make candid disclosures, provide mutual counsel, and be accountable without transferring their authority away from the local church.
This revision incorporates your two statements into one claim/thesis. The words in brackets relate to my suggestion of potentially broadening your research to include other types of peer accountability groups and churches than those which are specifically Baptist. Many non-denominational churches are Baptist without Baptist in their name. Your initial research of this topic will reveal whether limiting your research to just Baptist churches and/or Baptist Association peer groups is necessary. Do some initial digging into research resources and see what you can find. Keep working on this interesting topic. You are definitizing a good, workable thesis. You can submit your next revised draft of it in our Week 3 Form next week.
Blessings,
Dr. Bryan
Hi Skylar!
I’m excited to read your finished product. We recently changed our polity at our church from church council led to an elder led church. I must say, sharing decision making with two godly men has really helped. I think Henry Blackaby’s book, “Spiritual Leadership” is also beneficial for any pastor. The church often demands their pastor to be a visionary, but what Blackaby recommends, is we must be leaders who hear God’s revelation. I believe hearing God’s revelation for his church will prevent burnout as well. I will be interested in seeing what you find out about how the polity of connecting to other churches prevent burnout.
Thank you sharing your experience and a good resource. I will have to add that book to my list. Hopefully, our library has that one in stock.
Our church staff read “Canoeing the Mountains” a few years ago. It is still one of my favorite books, especially when navigating change. I loved the history lessons throughout the book too. I have personally seen the benefits of accountability for pastors and ministers. The peer-accountability networks and mentors in ministry have kept me going and helped me grow as a leader. I have also seen the consequences of not having accountability. Ministry can be lonely as times especially for pastors. Pastors and ministers need other safe pastors and ministers to talk to that are not at the same church.
I was in the counseling program at Carroll for my master’s degree. I loved it, and loved working with clients of all ages. I specifically enjoyed learning about how the brain works, how it changes, and the ways that it is intentionally molded by behavior. The ability of the brain to change, to create new pathways, or strengthen existing ones, is called neuroplasticity. I’ve done some reading on the implications of neuroplasticity for how we approach ministry and spiritual formation, so I was drawn to something in this realm for the paper topic. God designed our brains, and I believe a better understanding of how God designed them can help us do better ministry. I definitely need to do more research before I feel good about nailing down a thesis for my paper.
For the paper topics, I wanted to aim at a specific life-stage, as neuroplasticity is present in all life-stages, but in different ways. I also submitted research topics that could take a look at how our understanding can impact discipleship models (from a programmatic perspective), spiritual formation (from an individual spiritual journey perspective), and specific life-stage needs (from a pastoral care perspective). Learning theories for the specific life-stage I use will be something I draw upon for this paper.
As it stands, one of these theses could be “Neuroplasticity research shows that new neural pathways form through repeated, active, emotionally engaged experience. Discipleship models that rely primarily on lecture based learning are poorly aligned with how middle-aged adult brains learn and change. Churches should reorient discipleship methods around active, experiential engagement.”
Mark,
I sense that your proposed thesis/claim is still tentative as you consider the many aspects of neuroplasticity’s applicability to Christian discipleship. However, I think that you have proposed a workable starting point for a thesis when you state, “Neuroplasticity research shows that new neural pathways form through repeated, active, emotionally engaged experience. Discipleship models that rely primarily on lecture based learning are poorly aligned with how middle-aged adult brains learn and change. Churches should reorient discipleship methods around active, experiential engagement.”
My assumption is that the first sentence in your statement is a fact not a research question. It is supporting evidence for your claim but not the claim itself. Your claim is the second sentence, “Discipleship models that rely primarily on lecture-based learning are poorly aligned with how middle-aged adult brains learn and change.” The last sentence in your statement is a recommendation that you make based on proving your thesis statement is true.
So, your core thesis/claim as it stands now is “Discipleship models that rely primarily on lecture-based learning are poorly aligned with how middle-aged adult brains learn and change.” Could you recast this more positively and include your recommendation as part of it? How about, “Active, experiential discipleship models are better aligned with how middle-aged brains learn and change based on the results of neuroplasticity research”?
I would suggest that you consider my suggestions for a revised, positive restatement of your thesis per the previous paragraph. Also, you should do some quick bibliographic searches to see what research is available related to neuroplasticity and discipleship models. This is a specialized field and there may be limited research evidence to use in your paper. Also, what do you mean by “active, experiential discipleship models”? Is there one type of these models that is more effective than others? I believe you are zeroing in on a good workable thesis that is doable in 12-15 pages. I’m just uncertain about how much supporting research evidence you will find. You will definitely be looking into psychology and counseling resources regarding studies of neuroplasticity. However, I’m uncertain how much crossover research you will find related to insights from neuroplasticity’s application to Christian models of discipleship. You won’t know what’s out there until you do some initial bibliographic research. That’s our next step. So, begin that now. It will reveal if this limited thesis is workable or not. Also, your research will help you refine the thesis further as needed. Building a strong research claim/thesis is often an iterative process of refinement.
Blessings,
Dr. Bryan
Thank you, Dr. Bryan. I like how the thesis reads stated in the positive. I will make that change.
I’m looking at adult learning theory as a bridge between what the science shows and how the churches disciple. I’ll look into existing research and see what resources are available. Thank you for your help.
Hi Mark!
I like your thoughts. If our goal is to be life long learners, and the call is to be continually sanctified by the working of the Holy Spirit, how does this look in each stage of life? What does science say on how we learn at different stages in life?
I like the road you are taking correlating these questions to how we disciple adults.
Thanks Johnny! God has created our brains in an incredible way. From what I’ve read, there is not an age where the brain cannot continue learning and creating new pathways, although there are definitely ages where our brains are more malleable. The call to follow Jesus is a lifelong call, one of continual growth in obedience and love. I think God has holistically molded us for this.
That is a very interesting angle at approaching discipleship. I am excited to see what you find. It should be very practical, and I assume RCTs and case studies should be readily available on that topic.
I can attest to gaining more understanding through experience and trials. My biggest mentors took me everywhere they went and taught me by doing (though I received a lecture or two when I wandered from the path). But when I could only listen to a pastor preach from a pulpit, I could probably recall 25% of what was said last month. In addition, the application alludes me more often than not.
Also, I don’t know if you know who Dr. K is, but he’s a real resource on neuroscience. Dr. K, a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, has a very interesting YouTube channel where he highlights case studies and discusses different relevant topics. I remember hearing him say something like, “One can have knowledge through a lecture, but understanding only comes through experiencing it yourself.” He then talks about how people can know about certain things (like giving birth), but they can’t fully understand it until they’ve experienced it themselves. He’s very careful to not make statements without also bringing up academic papers and case studies, which he displays on the screen. Even if you don’t reference him directly, you might find the academic resources that he references helpful. Keep in mind, he’s not Christian — he practices Buddhism and has some profanity.
Regardless, you will bring a unique perspective to the class, and I will be eager to see what you find.
I would love to see more information about this! It is easy to say that age groups learn differently, but seeing science behind it with some actual information on how to address people at different levels would be very valuable for churches and parents in the discipleship process.
Class,
We are at a critical juncture in our seminar as you make the research claim that you will engage for the rest of this term. Getting your claim, also known as a thesis statement, right is critical in producing a meaningful research paper that is doable in 12-15 pages.
Your research claim is more than a topic. It is a claim or argument that you make related to your topic. Pages 25-34 in The Craft of Research (TCR) provide good help in forming this claim. One of the most important aspects of your claim is testing it with the “So what?” question (p 29f).
Ultimately your basic research claim will be supported with reasons that are based on evidence. You will search for and find evidence that will either affirm or deny your claim as you build your bibliography for your topic in the next couple of weeks. If you want to read ahead in TCR, you will find chapters 5-7 particularly helpful for gaining insight into the construction of an excellent research argument.
For now, we will focus on three goals. First is finding a topic that interests you. Second is crafting a claim related to that topic that can be explored in a 12-15 page research paper. Narrowing the scale of the claim is generally one of the most difficult parts of this process. Third is answering the “So what?” question. Will the research of your claim be meaningful?
I and Dr. Strawn will give you feedback in this forum to help you in this process. Our goal is that by next week you will have an excellent research claim on a topic that interests you and which you will be able to explore in a 12-15 page paper. Refining your research argument generally requires multiple iterations. I will begin the process by commenting on each of your initial posts keeping the three goals mentioned in the paragraph above.
You are on the trail of an exciting and meaningful research adventure!
Dr. Bryan
The first book I read for our Core Reading seminar is “Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments” by Brevard Childs. I decided to attack the longest and hardest read first. It truly is a great read, that will take multiple readings to truly glean everything that is in this volume.
I most enjoyed how Childs summed up the purpose of the two testaments. The purpose of both testaments is to bear witness in their own unique voice. At it’s most basic core, “The Old Testament bears witness to the promise, and the New Testament bears witness to the fulfilment of those promises.”
As for the research paper, I have thought of a struggle local churches have been enduring for many years. In skimming the “Turning Points” book, it appears that this struggle has always been present. I have called this struggle, “the fragmentation of the church.” This is way too big a struggle for even a dissertation paper, but this is the heartbeat of the research paper. So these are the possible topics that come from the fragmentation of the church:
1. What are the causes of church splits and what are their frequency by type in Texas?
2. How can a local church safeguard their community from a church split?
3. When are church plants detrimental to a region/ local church?
4. In the long process of reuniting churches that have split, what are the initial steps in bringing the two fragmented churches together?
Johnny,
Thanks for your reply. You have shared four questions related to church splits. Please re- read the writing prompt for your reply to this forum which says, “In your other DMin seminar, your professor has asked you to submit two or three possible research paper topics. Using information gleaned from this week’s reading assignments, especially the U of T essay “Using Thesis Statements,” develop a thesis statement(s) for the topic(s) that you are contemplating for your research paper.”
So, please give us a thesis statement, not a question, related to your interest in church splits. See the guidance in my earlier post to the class for understanding a claim or thesis statement as defined in The Craft of Research. I look forward to reading your proposed research paper thesis statement in this forum soon.
Blessings,
Dr. Bryan
Okay Dr. Bryan this is what I came up with thus far. I’ll call you tomorrow for more suggestions if you are available. I also did a lot of preliminary questions that the book talked about, but I think they are too many to mention here.
I will appreciate everyone’s feedback and suggestions!
1. Option one thesis
a. Because Abraham Lincoln stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
b. And because the apostle Paul states in Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
c. I am studying the health and vibrancy of the church through unity
d. Because I want to see if reuniting the fragments of a church, that have separated, is another viable option in making a church healthy and vibrant?
e. In order to help churches define fragmentations that could divide churches
2. Option two thesis
a. Because Abraham Lincoln stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
b. And because the apostle Paul states in Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
c. I am studying the health and vibrancy of the church through unity
d. Because I want to see if reuniting the fragments of a church, that have separated, is another viable option in making a church healthy and vibrant?
e. In order to help churches know the frequency and reasons churches are splitting by researching and interviewing those who have their pulse to what is happening now.
3. Option three thesis
a. Because Abraham Lincoln stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
b. And because the apostle Paul states in Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
c. I am studying the health and vibrancy of the church through unity
d. Because I want to see if reuniting the fragments of a church, that have separated, is another viable option in making a church healthy and vibrant?
e. In order to help churches know when this is an option worth pursuing
Johnny,
You have a great heart for seeing church splits healed. That is an admirable but most difficult challenge. You now need to bring all of your good thinking together to make a specific, testable claim–your thesis statement. Look at some of the work of your peers in this forum and their claim/thesis statements as well as my suggestions on their revisions. This will help you formulate your own claim/thesis.
While it is rare, there are examples of churches that have split and later reunited. Some quick online research revealed some interesting information about First Baptist Church of Ellisville, MO documented by The Gospel Coalition (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/back-together-the-story-of-a-church-split-and-reunited/). I also found a Christian Chronicle article related to examples of healed church splits (https://christianchronicle.org/special-project-reunited/). Click on these links for more details. Look for lessons learned in healing church splits. Perhaps some of the insights gained from these successes can be distilled for use in healing other church splits? Sometimes the vaccine comes from the blood of those who have survived the disease.
Putting this together into a possible thesis statement could look something like this: “Churches that have split may be healed by applying lessons learned from other churches who have split and later reunited.”
There may or may not be deep research on the healing of church splits, but based on my quick search as documented above, it does happen. You could write your paper with a brief survey of the major reasons for church splits (e.g., power struggles, finances, inactive members becoming active dissenters, doctrinal disagreements). There are definitely research resources for this question. Then you could move to study some anecdotal examples of churches who have split and healed as you explore what caused the split and then what led to its healing. The goal of the paper would be to identify lessons learned from churches who have healed their splits so that those lessons can be applied to churches suffering splits.
Continue to think on this good topic, consider my proposed thesis and direction for your paper. You will share your next revised thesis in our Week 3 Forum.
Blessings,
Dr. Bryan
Research topic: The health and vibrancy of the church through unity
1. Supporting evidence for the claim: based on Ephesians 4:3, a healthy church is a church that is unified.
2. Supporting evidence for the claim: History gleans wisdom that prevents downfalls from happening again.
3. Claim/ Thesis statement: Through research and surveys of churches that have split in south Texas, we will glean principles that will prevent church splits.
4. The recommendation made that is based on proving the thesis statement is true: We will glean 10 principles that can be shared with churches in our region to keep the church healthy through unity.
How does this look?
Johnny ,
Thanks for your continuing work. I would suggest that you have perhaps narrowed the thesis too much at this point.
Remember that you will write a research paper that will require 20 to 30 resources from academic books journals and websites. Your own research into South Texas church splits will not meet the requirements of this assignment.
You will begin building your annotated bibliography of research resources in the seminar shortly. You may have difficulty finding enough resources related to church splits specifically in South Texas. That is why I suggested as part of my suggested revision of your thesis that you look at the broader church in the United States.
In addition, how do you know that you will have ten specific recommendations at the end of your study before you do it? You may want to leave that number open. You may have less or more. You can make recommendations as a part of the conclusion of your paper.
At this point, I would suggest that you focus primarily on the thesis statement itself. There is no need for the other questions that you included in your last reply.
Continue to think about your thesis and pray over it this weekend. In the Week 3 Forum you can present your revised thesis for Dr. Strawn, me, and your peers to review
Our goal is to have your thesis approved so that you can begin your research and writing by the end of next week.
Dr. Bryan