Browsing Senior Theses by Title
Now showing items 312-331 of 331
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We Show Christian Love by Practicing Closed Communion
(2023)As modern American culture places ever increasing emphasis on inclusion, tolerance, and acceptance, the Scriptural practice of closed communion is increasingly thought of as outdated and unloving. This, however, is simply ... -
WELS Ministry to the Homeless
(2020)When traveling through large cities in the United States, it is not hard to find a group of homeless people congregated together. A question that can arise in a pastor’s mind might be: “Is it possible to have a ministry ... -
WELS Outreach in Las Vegas: Moving Forward with the Gospel by Looking at the Past and Present
(2017)It may be surprising to hear that there are seven Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) churches in Sin City, USA. With the possibility of a new mission start in the Southwest part of the Las Vegas valley, the total ... -
What Does This Mean—The Connection Between Debriefing and Spiritual Growth
(2017)In this thesis, the author will make the case that debriefing is a powerful tool for spiritual growth. Debriefing is a process that allows concrete experiences to be turned into abstract information that can be used in ... -
What God Ordains: The Impact of Late Medieval Nominalism on the Theology of Martin Luther
(2013)There are a host of different avenues one can travel when studying the Reformation period. The following paper focuses on one of the avenues that the author feels receives comparatively little in-depth study in WELS circles: ... -
What Happens to the Other 50%? The Value of a Prep Education for Those Who Don't End up in the Ministry
(2016)From time to time it’s good to count our blessings. As we look around us, one of the blessings that we have in our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod is a well-thought-out and well-set-up ministerial education system. ... -
What is the Word of God? Understanding Divine Communication through a Relevance-Theoretic Model of Communication
(2023)What is the word of God? The question is a provocative one, no doubt. Or perhaps it is one which a person may be tempted to shrug off for being so patently obvious. To be sure, a fruitful answer to this question is accessible ... -
When to Tell Them about Jesus: Exploring How Scripture, Communication Theories, and Modern Day Methods Inform the Christian Evangelist
(2017)Christians know what they are supposed to do: Witness to unbelievers. Christians know whom they are supposed to speak about: Jesus. The Great Commission makes their mission and message clear. What is not so clear to ... -
Where Are They? An Investigation of the Shortage of Men in American Christianity
(2016)Count the number of men and women in the pews or chairs on Sunday morning. If that congregation is like the majority of them in America, there are likely fewer men in church than women. This has been a popular subject ... -
Who Is This Church? The Necessity of Proper Assessment, Leadership, and Strategy for the Church in Transition
(2013)In the 21st Century, the relevance of needed “change” in congregations is growing. With communities changing in makeup, congregational leadership dwindling, and congregational health often suffering, pastors and members ... -
Why and How to Teach Biblical Doctrines to Three-, Four-, and Five-Year-Old Children Through Children's Literature
(2014)Children’s learning begins at birth and continues throughout their lives. Learning during early childhood also has a major enduring impact that, in the case of religious instruction, lasts even beyond our temporary lives ... -
Why Lutherans Need to Know What They Are Doing: The Importance of Educating Congregations in The Dynamic of Lutheran Worship
(Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, 2021-02-19)If someone were to walk into a church and see many ceremonies being carried out, a question might enter their minds. That question would be: “why are they doing these things; and why this way?” The answer to that question ... -
Why Won't My Members Come to Bible Class? A Study of the Possible Factors Leading to Low Adult Bible Class Attendance Among WELS Congregations
(2019)What is it that makes a Bible class desirable? This is a question that has been asked many times by many WELS pastors. What makes this question so popular? It is the numbers; they don’t lie. WELS congregations, historically, ... -
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod's Reaction to World War Two
(2020)Two great events marked the first half of the twentieth century: the First and Second World Wars. The common theme of these two catastrophic events is that Germany found itself on the wrong side of history in both ... -
Women's Voice in the Church: A Study of the Connection between Voice and Authority and Its Implications for Today
(2015)A debate rages around the “roles” or “callings” of men and women and how it affects women having a voice and authority in the church today. There are two sides to this debate. The Egalitarians say there should be no ... -
The World at Our Doorstep: The Stream of Immigrants Flooding into North America's Largest Cities Demands Our Stronger Commitment to Global City Mission Work
(2013)Globalization and urbanization are growing trends which present the Christian church with wonderful mission opportunities. Unfortunately, the WELS is not taking full advantage of these opportunities because we are not very ... -
Worship Space of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in the Context of Historical Christian Architecture and Art
(2012)This study examines the history of Christian architecture and art, and how Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) churches shape worship space in the 21st century. When believers come together in corporate worship ... -
You Need to Repent: What Repentance Is and its Implications for Life and Ministry
(Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, 2021-02-19)This thesis began primarily as a doctrinal endeavor to deepen my knowledge of biblical repentance, but at a certain point, my focus began shifting towards how all the information I was learning might be applied. I became ... -
"You Will Be Like God:" Satan's Lie from the Garden to Utah
(Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, 2022-02-18)Satan’s lies have corrupted mankind since the fall into sin. In recent years, his corruption has begun influencing people to use the Bible as the basis of their Scripture, but downplay its reliability. One such corruption ... -
Youth Ministry: The Struggles and Blessings of a Curriculum
(2012)Youth ministry is full of difficult challenges for a youth leader in today’s day and age. This paper discusses some of those challenges and how they need to be addressed in a youth group setting. There is also a review ...