Browsing Senior Theses by Title
Now showing items 23-42 of 356
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Bolstering Ministerial Influence and Recruitment at Area Lutheran High Schools for Full-Time Pastoral Ministry in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
(2015)The issue of pastoral recruitment is an on-going one. The numbers at the synodical schools of WELS are constantly in flux. How does WELS get a handle on it? How will WELS continue to fulfill Christ’s mission if its pool ... -
Book Digitization: A Practical and Urgent Necessity for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
(2012)More than a decade into the 21st century, life is becoming ever more digitized. A major part of this movement is the digitization of print literature. This paper examines digital libraries around the globe and discusses ... -
Boundaries, Not Barriers: A Sociolinguistic Examination of Ingroup-Outgroup Concepts in 1 and 2 Corinthians
(2019)Since God designed humans to communicate and relate to one another socially, the divinely inspired human authors make use of language in ways consistent with sociolinguistic schema common to other members of humanity. The ... -
Branding WELS Campus Ministry
(2016)It has always been important for Christian ministries to present an understandable and compelling identity for themselves. This paper focuses on the efforts of campus ministries in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. ... -
The Brave New World of Gospel Ministry: Taking the Great Commission Seriously at a Time of Perceived Christian Marginalization
(2014)It is a generalization, but certainly not simply a presumption, that there is consternation on the part of many Christians as they look at the present and toward the future of Christendom in America. Members of the Wisconsin ... -
Breaking the Spell: Investigating Screen-Based Media for Gospel-Driven Outreach
(Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, 2022-02-18)We live in a world of screens. In the past, we used them mainly for entertainment. However, in today’s digital age, we use screens for practical endeavors too. Their efficiency and emotional appeals create ample desire for ... -
Bridge Building: Being Sensitive in Cross-Cultural Preaching
(Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, 2022-02-18)How does a minister preach cross-culturally? Can they bridge the culturally divide?What can a preacher implement into his sermon-writing process to help him preach cross-culturally? This paper introduces the approach of ... -
Building with Wisdom: Conceptual Metaphors for House Building in Proverbs 3
(2023)How does Proverbs 3:19–20 function in the context of chapter 3? To answer this question, I utilize cognitive linguistics and conceptual metaphor theory to analyze both ANE sources and the Hebrew Bible. I conclude that in ... -
Burning the Plow: Addressing the Challenges and Capitalizing on the Blessings of Second-Career Seminary Students
(2019)“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matt 9:37–38 NIV84). With these words, Jesus reminds his church that there will ... -
By the Rivers of Babylon: Interpretation and Application of the Imprecatory Psalms
(2019)“Break the teeth in their mouths, O God. Like a stillborn child, may they not see the sun” (Ps 58:6,8). Such curses have shocked casual readers of the psalms and biblical scholars alike for years. They seem to be incompatible ... -
C.S. Lewis: His Views on Scripture, Mythology, and Their Application to the Book of Esther
(Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, 2021-02-19)This paper seeks to analyze C.S. Lewis's beliefs about the inspiration of certain parts of Scripture, particularly Esther and the Old Testament. Lewis thought it likely that the book of Esther was work of fiction. In this ... -
Called for More: How the Doctrine of Vocation Provides Comfort and Purpose to the Grieving
(2023)When a loved one passes, a void becomes apparent. The relationship where one once found love, purpose, and meaning is gone. Does the church have a doctrine uniquely equipped to address this sudden void? This paper will ... -
Campus Ministry Affects the Culture of a Congregation
(2024)The problem this thesis addresses is how campus ministry affects a congregation and its mindset toward ministry. This research aims to analyze the reasons for a congregation engaging in campus ministry and how that ... -
Campus Ministry to International Students: Opportunities Amid Challenges
(2014)The presence of international students on university campuses in the U.S. provides a unique opportunity to pastors and laypeople for on-going campus ministry to international students. Unique challenges that come with ... -
Can Christians Use Marijuana in Good Conscience?
(2015)At the time of writing this thesis, twenty-three states (and the District of Columbia) had already legalized marijuana for medical use. Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and the District of Columbia also legalized ... -
"Can I Trust This Guy?": Evaluating the Potential for Pastoral Trust-Building in Evangelistic Outreach
(2024)How can a pastor demonstrate that he can be trusted? Today’s world is one in which the concept of interpersonal trust has drastically eroded. Societally, this is a serious issue. For the church, it could prove devastating. ... -
Can Meaning Exist Without God? A Close Reading of Qohelet in Light of the Secular Social Imaginary
(2017)This study explores the timeliness of the book of Qohelet (Ecclesiastes) in Christian Apologetics. It follows a methodology of close reading in Qohelet conducted within the conceptual frame of Charles Taylor’s Secular ... -
Caring for Servicemen and Women in the National Guard and Reserves Through the Deployment Process: A Pastoral Guide
(2012)Nearly 2 million service members have deployed since September 11, 2001. Service members have unique experiences and unique needs. A number of common struggles have been noted among those who have served in combat zones. ... -
Caring for the Cared For: The Roles and Responsibilities of Lutheran Pastors and Mental Health Professionals
(2023)Mental health is a more open and prominent topic in the culture of 2023. As mental health clinics fill up, pastors must be ready to address and care for mental health illnesses in their congregations. This paper seeks to ... -
Carrying on the Mission of the Savior's Heart in the Heartland: Mission and Outreach in Milwaukee County
(2019)It is no secret that the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) in general has faced decline in membership over the past twenty-five years. For evidence of this decline, one need look no further than Milwaukee, the ...